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Opus Dei

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Religious disputes;
Religious movements, traditions and organizations

   Josemaria Escrivá, the founder of Opus Dei
   Enlarge
   Josemaria Escrivá, the founder of Opus Dei

   Opus Dei, formally known as The Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus
   Dei, is an international organization which is part of the Roman
   Catholic Church. "Opus Dei" is Latin for "The Work of God", and the
   organization is sometimes known simply as "the Work".

   Opus Dei was founded in Spain in 1928 by Roman Catholic priest
   Josemaría Escrivá. In 1930, Escrivá allowed women to join Opus Dei. In
   1950, Opus Dei was given final and complete approval by Pope Pius XII.
   In 1982, Opus Dei was made into a personal prelature—meaning that
   members of Opus Dei fall under the direct jurisdiction of the Prelate
   of Opus Dei, rather than under the jurisdiction of their local
   dioceses. Opus Dei is the currently the only organization to have ever
   been made into a personal prelature.

   Opus Dei is made up of four different types of members:
   "Supernumeraries", "Numeraries", "Associates", and
   "Numerary-assistants". One type, the Supernumeraries, are non-celibate,
   typically married, and make up the bulk of the membership. The other
   three types are required to be celibate, and often live in special
   centers run by Opus Dei. Currently, Opus Dei has approximately 85,000
   members worldwide.

   Opus Dei's central teachings emphasize the Catholic beliefs that
   "everyone is 'called' to become a saint" and that "ordinary life is a
   path to sanctity". This is reflected in the fact that only a small
   minority of Opus Dei's members are part of the priesthood; most members
   lead traditional family lives and have secular careers.

   Various Popes and other Catholic Church leaders have strongly supported
   Opus Dei and its teachings. Both Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict
   XVI have singled it out for high praise, and in 2002, Escrivá was
   canonized as a saint. In contrast, critics of Opus Dei have argued that
   the organization is cult-like, secretive, and highly-controlling.

History of Opus Dei

   Opus Dei was founded by a Roman Catholic priest, Josemaría Escrivá, on
   2 October 1928 in Madrid, Spain. According to Escrivá, on that day he
   experienced a "vision" in which he "saw Opus Dei". Throughout his life,
   Escrivá maintained that the founding of Opus Dei had a supernatural
   character.

   Leaders of Opus Dei describe the organization as a Catholic teaching
   entity. Escrivá's summarized the Opus Dei's mission by writing:

          "The one and only mission of Opus Dei is the spreading of this
          message which comes from the Gospel. And to those who grasp this
          ideal of holiness, the Work offers the spiritual assistance and
          the doctrinal, ascetical and apostolic training which they need
          to put it into practice."

   Escrivá gave the organization the name "Opus Dei", which in Latin means
   "The Work of God". Escrivá felt the name underscored the belief that
   the organization was not his (Escivá's) work, but was rather "God's
   work" (Opus Dei). Opus Dei is sometimes referred to simply as "The
   Work".

   Initially, Opus Dei was open only to men, but in 1930, Escrivá created
   the women's branch of Opus Dei, thereby allowing both sexes to
   participate in the organization. In 1936, Opus Dei suffered a temporary
   setback when the events of the Spanish Civil War forced Escrivá to go
   into hiding. After the civil war was won by General Francisco Franco's
   Nationalists, Escrivá was able to return to Madrid. Opus Dei flourished
   during the years of Franco's rule, spreading first throughout Spain,
   and after 1945, expanding internationally.

   In 1939, Escrivá published The Way, a collection of 999 maxims
   concerning spirituality. In 1946, Escrivá moved the organization's
   headquarters to Rome. In 1950, Pope Pius XII granted the definitive
   approval to Opus Dei, thereby allowing married people to join the
   organization. In 1982, Opus Dei was made into a personal prelature--
   meaning that members of Opus Dei fall under the direct jurisdiction of
   the Prelate of Opus Dei, rather than under the jurisdiction of their
   local dioceses. In 2002, Opus Dei founder Josemaria Escrivá was
   canonized as a saint.

Theology

   Opus Dei is a organization within the Roman Catholic church. As such,
   Opus Dei ultimately shares the overall theology of Catholic Church.
   Opus Dei does however place special emphasis on certain aspects of
   Catholic doctrine.

   One central feature of Opus Dei's theology is its focus on the lives of
   average Catholics (known as "the laity" or the "lay people"). Opus Dei
   emphasizes a " universal call to holiness": the idea that everyone
   should aspire to be saint-like, not just a few special individuals.
   Unlike most Catholic orders which usually focus on the clergy, the vast
   majority of Opus Dei's members are lay persons. Opus Dei does not have
   monks or nuns, and only a minority of its members are part of the
   priesthood.

   Closely related to this is Opus Dei's emphasis on the uniting the world
   of spiritual life with the ordinary world of professional, social, and
   family life. Whereas the members of some religious orders might live in
   monasteries and devote their lives exclusively to prayer and study,
   most members of Opus Dei lead ordinary lives, with traditional families
   and conventional careers. Members of Opus Dei strive to infuse
   spirituality into ordinary life, to "sanctify ordinary life". Indeed,
   Pope John Paul II called Escrivá "the saint of ordinary life".

   Similarly, Opus Dei stresses the importance of work. Opus Dei places a
   great value on industriousness, diligence, and hard work. Where some
   religious orders might encourage their members to withdraw from the
   material world, Opus Dei's members take an active role in careers or
   charitable works. Opus Dei teaches that work is "a path to holiness" ,
   and its founder famously advised members to "Sanctify your work.
   Sanctify yourself in your work. Sanctify others through your work."

Structure and activities

   The present Bishop-Prelate of Opus Dei, Msgr. Javier Echevarria
   Enlarge
   The present Bishop-Prelate of Opus Dei, Msgr. Javier Echevarria

   Opus Dei is an international personal prelature-- meaning that members
   of Opus Dei fall under the direct jurisdiction of the Prelate of Opus
   Dei, rather than under the jurisdiction of their local dioceses. So,
   for example, a typical member of the Catholic church who moves from
   Berlin to New York would move from the jurisdiction of one diocese to
   the jurisdiction of another. In contrast, a member of Opus Dei making
   the same move would remain under the jurisdiction of the Opus Dei
   prelature.

   In Pope John Paul II's 1982 decree known as the Apostolic constitution
   Ut Sit, Opus Dei was established as a personal prelature. In addition
   to being governed by Ut Sit and by cannon law, Opus Dei also has its
   own set of statutes that are specifically applicable to the prelature.

   The head of the Opus Dei prelature is known as the Prelate. The Prelate
   is the primary governing authority for Opus Dei. The Prelate is
   assisted by two councils-- the General Council (made up of men) and the
   Central Advisory (made up of women).

   Opus Dei's highest assembled body are the General Congresses, which are
   usually convened once every eight years. There are separate congresses
   for the men and women's branch of Opus Dei. The General Congresses are
   made up members who are appointed by the Prelate. The General
   Congresses are responsible for studying and advising the Prelate about
   the proposed future direction of the prelature. The men's General
   Congress is also responsible for the election of the Prelate.

   The Prelate holds his position for life. After the death of a Prelate,
   a special elective General Congress is convened. They elect from their
   ranks one individual to become the next Prelate-- an appointment that
   must be confirmed by the Pope.

   The current prelate of Opus Dei is Monsignor Javier Echevarria, who
   became the second Prelate of Opus Dei in 1994. The first Prelate of
   Opus Dei was Msgr. Alvaro del Portillo, who held the position from 1982
   until his death in 1994.

   Opus Dei has about 85,000 members in more than 80 different countries.
   About 60% of Opus Dei members reside in Europe, and 35% reside in the
   Americas. The organization's assets total at least $2.8 billion. Two
   members of Opus Dei, Juan Luis Cipriani and Julián Herranz, have
   achieved the rank of Cardinal.

   Opus Dei runs special residential centers throughout the world. For
   example, the University of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain is a corporate
   work of Opus Dei which has been rated as one of the top private
   universities in the country.

Types of membership

   Opus Dei's United States Headquarters in New York City
   Enlarge
   Opus Dei's United States Headquarters in New York City

   Currently, Opus Dei is made up of several different types of
   membership:

   Supernumeraries, the largest type, currently account for about 70% of
   the total membership. Typically, supernumeraries are married men and
   women who have conventional careers and lead traditional family lives.
   Supernumeraries often devote a portion of their day to prayer, in
   addition to attending regular meetings and taking part in activities
   such as retreats. Due to their career and family obligations,
   supernumeraries are not as available to the organization as the other
   types of members, but they typically contribute financially to Opus
   Dei, and they lend other types of assistance as their circumstances
   permit. Unlike other types of members, supernumeraries are not required
   to be celibate, and they typically do not practice mortification.

   Numeraries, the second largest type of members of Opus Dei, comprise
   about 20% of total membership. Numeraries are celibate members who
   usually live in special centers run by Opus Dei. Both men and women may
   become numeraries, although the centers are gender-segregated, with
   very only minimal contact between male and female numeraries.
   Numeraries are required to be celibate, and are encouraged to practice
   mortification. Numeraries generally have conventional careers and
   devote the bulk of their income to the organization.

   Numerary assistants are unmarried, female members of Opus Dei. Like the
   numeraries, they live in special centers run by Opus Dei. Unlike
   numeraries, the numerary assistants do not have conventional jobs
   outside of the centers-- instead, their professional life is dedicated
   to looking after the domestic needs of the centers. Numerary assistants
   are required to be celibate, and they generally practice mortification.

   Associates are unmarried, celibate members who typically have family or
   professional obligations. Unlike numeraries and numerary assistants,
   the associates do not live inside the special Opus Dei centers.

   The Clergy of the Opus Dei Prelature are priests who are members of
   Opus Dei and are under the jurisdiction of the Prelate of Opus Dei.
   Only about 2% of Opus Dei members are part of the clergy. Typically,
   they are numeraries or associates who ultimately joined the priesthood.

   The Priestly Society of the Holy Cross is the association of priests
   associated with Opus Dei. Part of the society is made up of the clergy
   of the Opus Dei prelature-- members of the priesthood who fall under
   the jurisdiction of the Opus Dei prelature are automatically members of
   the Priestly Society. Other members in the society are traditional
   diocesan priests--- clergymen who remain under the jurisdiction of a
   geographically-defined diocese. Technically speaking, such diocesan
   priests have not "joined" Opus Dei membership, although they have
   joined a society that is closely affiliated with Opus Dei.

   The Cooperators of Opus Dei are those who, despite not being members of
   Opus Dei, collaborate in some way with Opus Dei-- usually through
   praying, charitable contributions, or by providing some other
   assistance. Cooperators are not required to be celibate or to adhere to
   any other special requirements. Indeed, cooperators are not even
   required to be Christian.

Mortification in Opus Dei

   Closeup of a cilice-- a small metal chain with inwardly-pointing spikes
   Enlarge
   Closeup of a cilice-- a small metal chain with inwardly-pointing spikes

   Much public attention has focused on Opus Dei's encouragement of the
   practice of mortification-- the voluntary infliction of pain or
   discomfort. Mortification has a long history in many world religions
   including the Catholic Church, but the practice has become rare among
   most modern christians.

   Numeraries in Opus Dei practice several forms of mortification. Many
   are small acts of discomfort or sacrifice such as taking a cold shower,
   sleeping without a pillow or sleeping on the floor, fasting, or
   remaining silent for certain hours during the day. Some forms are more
   extreme, for example, once a week, numeraries briefly flail themselves
   with a small rope whip called a "discipline".

   One of the most-discussed forms of mortification involves the use of a
   cilice-- a small metal chain with inwardly-pointing spikes that is worn
   around their upper thigh. The cilice's spikes cause pain and may leave
   small marks, but typically do not cause bleeding. Numeraries in Opus
   Dei generally wear a cilice for two hours each day.

   Members of Opus Dei feel that the mortification practices help to
   remind them of Jesus's suffering on the cross and have a varety of
   positive psychological and spiritual benefits. Supporters of the
   practice point out that mortification has had a long history within the
   Catholic Church, that various popes have endorsed the practice, and
   that mortification has been used by numerous saints throughout history.
   Critics have cited mortification as one of the reasons for their
   opposition to Opus Dei.

Responses to Opus Dei

   Despite some initial opposition from some sectors of the Catholic
   Church, Opus Dei ultimately rose to prominence within the Church. Pope
   John Paul II was a vocal supporter of the organization, as is Pope
   Benedict XVI. Contemporary supporters of Opus Dei see the organization
   as a "Christ-centered" movement whose members "seamlessly" integrate
   religion and spirituality into their ordinary lives. Critics claim Opus
   Dei is a " cult" or describe its practices as "cult-like".

Historical responses to Opus Dei

   Pope John Paul II, who made Opus Dei the first and only personal
   prelature.
   Enlarge
   Pope John Paul II, who made Opus Dei the first and only personal
   prelature.

   In the 1940s, some Jesuits criticized Opus Dei. The Superior General of
   the Society of Jesus, Fr. Wlodimir Ledochowski told the Vatican he
   considered Opus Dei "very dangerous for the Church in Spain." He
   described it as having a "secretive character" and saw "signs in it of
   a covert inclination to dominate the world with a form of Christian
   Masonry." Supporters suggest that these critics may also have been
   motivated by a concern that Opus Dei would take away vocations from the
   religious orders.

   Reknown Catholic theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar also criticized Opus
   Dei in an article entitled "Fundamentalism," describing it as "a
   concentration of fundamentalist power in the Church." He also remarked
   that Escriva's main book, The Way, was not of sufficient spiritual
   depth for its worldwide goals. At least one scholar has reported,
   however, that von Balthasar later privately retracted his criticisms.

   Despite these initial oppositions, Opus Dei gradually gained
   recognition and approval within the Roman Catholic church. In 1950,
   Pope Piux XII granted final approval to Opus Dei, and allowed married
   persons to join the organization. In 1960, Pope John XXIII commented
   that Opus Dei opens up "unsuspected horizons of apostolate". After the
   Second Vatican Counsel, Pope Paul VI denied Opus Dei's petition to
   become a personal prelature and the relationship between Paul VI and
   Opus Dei has been described by one author as "stormy". Nonetheless in
   1964, Paul VI praised the organization in a handwritten letter to
   Escriva, saying,"Your words resonate with the burning and generous
   spirit of the whole Institution, born in this time of ours as a
   vigorous expression of the perennial youth of the Church, fully open to
   the demands of a modern apostolate, ever more active, flowing and
   organized. We look with paternal satisfaction on all that Opus Dei has
   achieved and is achieving for the kingdom of God, the desire of doing
   good that guides it, the burning love for the Church and its visible
   head that distinguishes it, and the ardent zeal for souls that impels
   it along the arduous and difficult paths of the apostolate of presence
   and witness in every sector of contemporary life."

   With the 1978 election of Pope John Paul II, Opus Dei gained on of its
   greatest supporters. John Paul II enthusaistically praised Opus Dei and
   it's founder Josemaria Escrivá, and John Paul II granted the
   organization its status as the church's only personal prelature. John
   Paul II also decreed that Escrivá founding of the Opus Dei was indeed
   ductus divina inspiratione,-- led by divine inspiration.. Stating that
   Escrivá is "counted among the great witnesses of Christianity," John
   Paul II canonized him in 2002, and called him "the saint of ordinary
   life." Of the organization, John Paul II said:

          "[Opus Dei] has as its aim the sanctification of one’s life,
          while remaining within the world at one’s place of work and
          profession: to live the Gospel in the world, while living
          immersed in the world, but in order to transform it, and to
          redeem it with one’s personal love for Christ. This is truly a
          great ideal, which right from the beginning has anticipated the
          theology of the lay state"

Opus Dei in popular culture

   Since 2003, Opus Dei has received world attention as a result of Dan
   Brown's novel The Da Vinci Code. In the novel, Opus Dei is portrayed as
   a villainous organization that is involved in a sinister international
   conspiracy. The depiction of Opus Dei in the 2006 Da Vinci Code movie
   is scaled back and significantly less ominous than its depiction in the
   novel.

   Brown says that his portrayal of Opus Dei was based on interviews with
   members and ex-members, and books about Opus Dei. However, many
   academics haved pointed out a number of inaccuracies in the novel. For
   example, the major villain in The Da Vinci Code is a monk who is member
   of Opus Dei-- but there are no monks in Opus Dei. The Da Vinci Code
   implies that Opus Dei is the Pope's personal prelature-- in truth, the
   term "personal prelature" does not refer to a special relationship to
   the Pope; it means an institution in which the jurisdiction of the
   prelate is not linked to a geographic territory but over persons,
   wherever they be. In general, few scholars give much credence to The Da
   Vinci Code's allegations of a global conspiracy involving Opus Dei.

Contemporary responses to Opus Dei

   Modernly, Opus Dei is the source of both enthusiastic support as well
   as vehement criticism. Opus Dei has been called "the most controversial
   force in the Catholic Church", and Escrivá is often seen as a very
   "polarizing" figure.

Criticism and 'cult' allegations

   In the English-speaking world, the most vocal critic of Opus Dei is a
   group called the Opus Dei Awareness Network (ODAN), a non-profit
   organization that exists "to provide education, outreach and support to
   people who have been adversely affected by Opus Dei." Other critics
   include former members of Opus Dei, members of other religious groups
   (such as the Jesuits), liberal catholic theologians, supporters of
   Liberation theology, and various "cult-watch" organizations.

   A variety of criticisms and allegations have been leveled at Opus Dei.
   Various critics have claimed:
     * That Opus Dei maintains an extremely high amount of control over
       its members. Critics note that numeraries in Opus Dei generally
       submit all their incoming and outgoing mail to their superiors to
       read. Critics also point to an alleged "Forbidden Books List" that
       details which books members are not allowed to read without the
       express permission of their superiors.
     * That Opus Dei engages in deceptive or extremely aggressive
       recruitment practices. For example, critics claim that Opus Dei
       uses a cult-like recruitment technique called " Love bombing", in
       which potential members are showered with flattery and admiration
       by members of the organization in order to entice them into
       joining.
     * That Opus Dei pressures numeraries to cut off social contact with
       non-members, including even their own families.
     * That Opus Dei's use of mortification is a "startling" and
       "questionable" practice.
     * That Opus Dei is intensely secretive. Unlike most other religious
       groups, Opus Dei does not publish its memberships lists, and
       members generally do not publically reveal that they are part of
       the organization. This practice has led to rampant speculation
       about who may or may not be a member of Opus Dei.
     * That Opus Dei's unique status as a personal prelature gives the
       organization too much independence from the rest of the Catholic
       Church, making it a "church within a church".
     * That Opus Dei exerts a disproportionately large influence within
       the Catholic Church. For example, critics claim that Escrivá was
       canonized as a saint after an unusually short period of time
       following his death and that there were other irregularities in the
       canonization process. (See Josemaría Escrivá: Canonisation)
     * That Opus Dei has ties to Far-Right politics and Fascism. Critics
       accuse Escrivá and Opus Dei of supporting the regimes of Francisco
       Franco, Augusto Pinochet, and to a lesser extent, Adolf Hitler.
       (see Opus Dei and politics)

   Opus Dei, as a part of the Roman Catholic Church, also shares any
   criticisms of Catholicism in general. For example, some criticize the
   Vatican's prohibition of birth control or its patriarchal governance.
   (See Controversial Catholic teachings)

Support and rebuttals

   Pope Benedict XVI is a vocal supporter of Opus Dei and Escrivá
   Enlarge
   Pope Benedict XVI is a vocal supporter of Opus Dei and Escrivá

   In addition to its 80,000 members, Opus Dei has no shortage of
   supporters. According to one author, "Escrivá is ... venerated by
   millions". One-third of the world's bishops sent letters petitioning
   for the canonization of Escrivá. Approximately 300,000 people gathered
   in St. Peter's Square on the day of Pope John II canonized Josemaria
   Escrivá.

   The current pope, Benedict XVI, is also a particularly strong supporter
   of Opus Dei and of Escrivá. In 2002, Benedict XVI (then-named Cardinal
   Joseph Ratzinger), wrote that Escrivá was "an instrument with which God
   had acted" and spoke of Opus Dei's "surprising union of absolute
   fidelity to the Church’s great tradition, to its faith, and
   unconditional openness to all the challenges of this world, whether in
   the academic world, in the field of work, or in matters of the economy,
   etc." He further explained:

          "the theocentrism of Escrivá...means this confidence in the fact
          that God is working now and we ought only to put ourselves at
          his disposal...This, for me, is a message of greatest
          importance. It is a message that leads to overcoming what could
          be considered the great temptation of our times: the pretense
          that after the 'big bang' God retired from history."

   Supporters of Opus Dei praise what they see as Opus Dei's educational
   and humanitarian achievements, such as the organization's schools,
   universities, and hospitals. They often liken Opus Dei to a family, and
   many claim members of Opus Dei resemble the members of the early
   Christian church.

   Supporters have a variety of responses to the charges made by critics.
   Many supporters of Opus Dei often argue that Opus Dei is merely
   misunderstood. One author explained this view by saying "There are two
   Opus Deis: an Opus Dei of myth and an Opus Dei of reality." For
   example, supporters claim Opus Dei's relative silence stems not from a
   secretive nature, but rather is the result of a deep commitment to
   privacy, humility, and "avoidance of self-aggrandizement".

   In some cases, supporters deny the accusations outright. For example,
   supporters say that Opus Dei's relationship with the Franco government
   has been overstated. Similarly Alvaro del Portillo, the former Prelate
   of Opus Dei, said that any claims that Escrivá supported Hitler were "a
   patent falsehood," that was part of "a slanderous campaign". In other
   cases, supporters cite religious justifications for the practices of
   Opus Dei. For example, supporters defend the practice of mortification
   within Opus Dei by citing Jesus's biblical command to "take up the
   cross", and by pointing out that many revered modern individuals,
   including Mother Theresa and Padre Pio, have also practiced
   mortification. Some claim that a certain estrangement from family is
   appropriate, quoting Jesus's biblical comment that "He who loves his
   father or mother more than me is not worthy of me".

   Supporters of Opus Dei have also questioned the motives and reliability
   of the critics. They point out that former members of any religious
   group may have psychological or emotional motivations to criticize
   their former groups. Many supporters of Opus Dei have expressed the
   belief that the criticisms of Opus Dei stem from a generalized
   disapproval of spirituality, Christianity, or Catholicism. Expressing
   this sentiment, one Opus Dei member claimed "Opus Dei has become a
   victim of Christianophobia." Another author argues that critics oppose
   Opus Dei because "they cannot tolerate 'the return to religion' of the
   secularized society".

   Lastly, some supporters of Opus Dei have viewed the controversy
   surrounding the organization as a " Sign of contradiction". Proponents
   of this view hold that blessed, divinely-inspired Christian
   organizations will always be criticized, just as Jesus was criticized
   by his contemporaries. Accordingly, they see the very existence of
   critics as further proof of the organization's sanctity.

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