As promised yesterday, here it is. But read below for my opposing viewpoint.
As we know, in matters such as these, there are many areas in which good faithful Catholics can disagree -this is one of them! With all due respect to those good and sincere people associated with Opus Dei, I now issue my "caveat emptor". As you examine the site that Voris recommended, I suggest that you review the materials of the Opus Dei Awareness Network at http://www.odan.org/. What you'll read are the accounts of ex-members of Opus Dei who relay their stories of how they were subjected to subtle thought reform and increasing mental control. Note that there are few complaints about the doctrine espoused therein; the focus lies in how they were treated.
Opus Dei is by no means the only group to practice such tactics. There have been similar complaints about Regnum Christi; the sad, sordid story of Father Maciel is a typical tale of what can happen when one or few people exercise near-total mental/emotional control of their followers. Other of the "new liturgical movements" have come under similar fire: Focalare, etc.
Some of you might recall that some of the "Catholic charismatic" groups also were caught up in such practices and some shut down by their local bishops; with this last scenario I am all too familiar as such was my experience. I therefore know first-hand the harm that can be done - in the name of God - by individuals who seek to arrogate total authority over other people.
Therefore I disagree most vehemently with Mr. Voris on this topic. Opus Dei is no answer and in fact may well bring its own slew of serious problems.
Since when has it become so fashionable to join any group to be considered a "real" Catholic. I disagree with Mr V also that the closings of parishes have to do with poor cathechesis and liturgical practices.......they are closing do to financial drain from the sex abuse scandals....
ReplyDeleteI could not agree with you more. The answer is the sacraments. If it is the answer why is he not a member? thanks
ReplyDeleteOf course, you are right to warn against OD. Their tactics are akin to LC's and so is their doctrine (one acts as one believes, correct?). For instance, they believe they are the specially chosen ones who lead 'the way' to Christ! Christ is quite clear that HE is the Way, the Truth, and the Light. And what of the Virgin Mary? Time and again, the Church's doctrine is quite clear that she leads the way to Christ.
ReplyDeleteBtw, Mr. Voris claims not to be a member of OD but is convinced that OD is THE organization that will save the Church! Curious that he is not a member - but then, not so curious if he is an OD 'cooperator.'
My curiousity is piqued. What is a "cooperator"?
ReplyDeleteFrom the Opus Dei site in the U.S.:
ReplyDelete"Cooperators
Those who wish to help Opus Dei without being members may become Cooperators.
The cooperators of Opus Dei are men and women –Catholics and non-Catholics – who are not incorporated into the Opus Dei Prelature, but who collaborate with the faithful of the Prelature in the various educational, charitable and cultural activities."
[http://www.opusdei.us/art.php?p=10879]
From ODAN (Opus Dei Awareness Network):
"Cooperators of Opus Dei provide financial support, but are not considered members of Opus Dei. Unlike Opus Dei members, cooperators do not have to be Catholic."
[http://www.odan.org/what_is_opus_dei.htm]
From "America Magazine" (admittedly a liberal source):
"Cooperators, strictly speaking, are not members because 'they do not yet have the divine vocation.' They cooperate through work, financial help and prayers."
[http://www.americamagazine.org/content/articles/martin-opusdei.cfm]
There's much more on OD cooperators out there on the web (even an entry at Wikipedia). Just thought I'd send in a few of the online sources available.
A single ... but important fact!
ReplyDeleteI agree with the main assertion that the wrong side of Opus Dei (OD) is the internal praxis for its members, not erroneous doctrine, even because OD itself always asserted that is has no proper doctrine but that of the Church; as for the original spirituality of the Sanctification of Work, not even the exclusivity.. Cardinal John Henry Newman has some very fine writings on the same subject and is going to be beatified in England by Benedict XVI, an admirer of the British Cardinal:
http://www.opus-info.org/index.php?title=Citas_y_sorpresas
English translation here (scroll to the end)
http://www.opuslibros.org/nuevaweb/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=16013&mode=&order=0&thold=0
[cont.]
ReplyDeleteI’m still an OD member, so I do know in first hand what I’m talking about.
Just to keep the argument on objective grounds, the control of every aspect of it’s members lives is smoothly and discretely done – even if well intentioned - and the single internal practice that allows it – contrary to any other Catholic Church institution, but the now intervened Legionaries of Christ – is very simple: the persons that are in charge of the spiritual direction of OD members are the same that govern (or directors)... the practice is by no means detailed on the statutes approved by the Holly See – the Bula Ut Sit – and only members might be aware this, because for external people that only frequent its activities, OD priests attend their spiritual life and give them spiritual guidance, as in other Church institutions. Not so, for members, these are dealt with both on their spiritual confidences (internal forum) and their obedience (external forum) by the same lay persons, not the priests. This is not the wrong side of it, the fact the laypersons attend spiritual directions instead of priest, could be a novelty; the wrong side of this is the undeniable fact that the persons that attend spiritual confidences are the SAME that are in charge of governing. This practice was definitively condemned and banished from the Church Institutions by Pope Leo XIII’s decretum Quaemadmodum and is strictly forbidden in the last editions of the Codex Iuris Canonicus (CIC). This means that a person in charge of governing a given catholic institution, being it a Seminary, a Convent or a lay association cannot ACUMULATE both functions! – OD founder certainly knew of this, because he studied Canon Law and kept it hided from the eyes of the Holly See... It is impossible that this practice was directly “inspired by God” as many or most things in OD praxis of life are supposed to, for obvious reasons: God cannot contradict His Church’s teachings and vice-versa. Why did Father Escrivá do this.... probably because it is a way of knowing everything about everybody inside and thus defines an ‘intelligence service’ that allows for a very grip hand on governing with efficiency in results but, like some drugs, the collateral side effects can be deleterious and has cause/causes many injustices and unchristian conscience control of every one’s life details.
The Legionaries of Christ suffered an intervention from the Vatican not only because of their founder’s ‘unethical’ deeds, but also because of their vow to never denounce a superior and this abominable practice of accumulating both internal and external forum direction.
Can read a detailed explanation of this...
http://www.opuslibros.org/libros/oraculo/libertas.htm
There are translations to French and German... unfortunately not English. This documented was recently (2006) sent to the Vatican, by ex-members that somehow were damaged by this condemned practice of joining together under the same person government and spiritual guidance. Indeed, by some recent slight internal changes on this matter I suspect that Pope Benedict XVI had a saying on this in a private audience with the actual Prelate of Opus Dei. Let’s hope that this can be effectively changed in the near future to make Opus Dei truly compliant with everything Mother Church wants everybody in its flock to live by.
CONTINUED
ReplyDeleteTHE GREAT BAPTISM OF DESIRE HOAX : FROM THE MOST HOLY FAMILY MONASTERY, CATHOLIC ANSWERS,USCCB,PONTIFICAL UNIVERSITIES AND SEMINARIES TO NUMEROUS OTHERS TODAY
http://eucharistandmission.blogspot.com/2011/06/great-baptism-of-desire-hoax-from-most.html#links
USCCB CLARIFICATION IN HERESY?
http://eucharistandmission.blogspot.com/2010/05/usccb-clarification-in-heresy.html#links
USCCB CONTINUES TO MOCK CATHOLIC FAITH WHILE CDF COMMENT IS AWAITED : FEENEYISM IS THE OFFICIAL TEACHING OF THE MAGISTERIUM
http://eucharistandmission.blogspot.com/2010/08/usccb-continues-to-mock-catholic-faith.html#links
VENERABLE POPE PIUS XII SAID ALL NON CATHOLICS NEED TO ENTER THE CHURCH WITH NO EXCEPTION TO AVOID HELL
http://eucharistandmission.blogspot.com/2011/07/venerable-pope-pius-xii-said-all-non.html
Thursday, July 28, 2011
WHAT I BELIEVE AS A CATHOLIC AND WHICH IS THE OFFICIAL TEACHING OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH BEFORE AND AFTER VATICAN COUNCIL II
http://eucharistandmission.blogspot.com/2011/07/what-i-believe-as-catholic-and-which-is.html#links