09.06.2012
Opus Dei (Opus Dei - The Work of God - lat.) is a Catholic organization (full name - Prelature of the Holy Cross and the Work of God), reporting directly to the Pope. Does not advertise its goals and methods. According to Catholic and secular researchers, there are heretical aspects in the interpretations of the doctrine. In terms of its methods of work, it is similar to totalitarian sects. Currently, Opus Dei branches operate in 87 countries around the world and number 1,654 parishes and centers of pastoral care, 1,734 priests, 344 seminarians and 81,954 lay people. Since 2007. Officially operating in the Russian Federation (some sources, citing the representative of the organization A. Havard, indicate that this organization has been present in Russia since 1992). Since the 90s last century works in Lithuania, Latvia and Kazakhstan.
The headquarters of the Prelature is in Rome. The chairman of the organization is Bishop Javier Echevarría Rodríguez. Regional vicar in the Russian Federation - Jose Antonio Senovilla Garcia.
The organization was founded in Spain in 1928 by the priest José María Escriva de Balaguer (canonized by John Paul II as a Catholic saint before his due date). It was to become a movement of clergy and laity united within the Catholic Church with the goals of religious renewal and the organization of society in accordance with the provisions of the papal encyclicals. To do this, members of the organization had to penetrate the structures of government at all levels and achieve influence in the spheres of politics and economics. The Franco regime contributed to the spread of this movement in Spain, and from the mid-40s. In the twentieth century, it begins to actively operate throughout Europe and on other continents.
Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer (Spanish: Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer, - was born on January 9, 1902 in a family of Marranos (Christian Jews) in the city of Barbastro, in the province of Huesca, which left an imprint on all his future activities. At the age of 15 or 16 years he felt a calling to serve the Lord and decided to become a priest. From 1918 he studied at the seminary in Logrono, and then, from 1920 - in Zaragoza. In 1923, with the permission of the church authorities, he studied at the University of Zaragoza at the Faculty of Civil Law. On December 20, 1924 he was ordained as a deacon, and on March 28, 1925, became a priest.
He began his ministry in the small parish of Perdighera, belonging to the diocese of Zaragoza. Then he served as a priest in Zaragoza. In the spring of 1927, with the permission of the archbishop, he moved to Madrid, where he began tireless priestly work in various social groups, paying special attention to the poor residents of the city's outskirts, as well as the terminally ill and dying in hospitals and asylums. He became chaplain of the Foundation for the Sick, a charitable institution of the Apostolic Wives of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. At the same time, he, a professor at the University Academy, continued to work on his doctorate in civil law, which could only be completed at the University of Madrid.
On October 2, 1928, Saint Josemaría Escrivá founded Opus Dei. In 1934, the founder of Opus Dei was appointed rector of the St. Elizabeth Foundation. When the civil war began in Spain, he performed his duty at great risk to his life in Madrid, and later in Burgos.
On February 14, 1943, he founded the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross, which was inextricably linked to Opus Dei and allowed the ordination of priests from lay members of Opus Dei. Subsequently, the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross allowed priests incardinated in different dioceses to share the spirituality and asceticism of Opus Dei and to seek holiness in the performance of their priestly duty, while depending solely on their diocesan bishop.
In 1946, Father Escrivá chose Rome as his residence, where he remained until the end of his life. From Rome he encouraged and directed the spread of Opus Dei throughout the world. By the time of the death of its Founder, Opus Dei had more than 60 thousand members of 80 nationalities.
Josemaría Escrivá was Advisor to the Pontifical Commission for the Correct Interpretation of the Code of Canon Law and the Holy Congregation of Seminaries and Universities, Honorary Prelate of His Holiness and Honorary Academician of the Pontifical Roman Theological Academy. He was also Chief Chancellor of the University of Navarre (Pamplona, Spain) and the University of Piura (Piura, Peru).
Josemaría Escrivá died on June 26, 1975. He was buried in the crypt of the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary - Lady of the World (Regina Pacis), in Rome. On September 15, 1975, Father Alvaro del Portillo, his closest collaborator for many years, was unanimously elected as the founder's successor.
After Josemaría's death, many letters were received from all five continents addressed to the Pope. Among the senders were 69 cardinals and about 1,300 bishops (more than a third of the Catholic episcopate), who asked the Pope to open the cause for the beatification and canonization of Father Josemaría Escrivá. On January 30, 1981, the Congregation for Canonization recognized that there were no obstacles to the opening of the process. John Paul II ratified this decision on February 5, 1981.
Between 1981 and 1986, two trials were held - in Madrid and in Rome - dedicated to the life and virtues of Father Josemaría Escrivá. Based on the results of both processes, and taking into account the favorable opinion of the Congress of Theological Councilors and the Commission of Cardinals and Bishops of the Congregation for Canonization, on April 9, 1990, the Pope proclaimed the heroic virtues of Father Josemaría Escrivá and conferred on him the title of Venerable. On July 6, 1991, the Pope ordered the promulgation of a decree declaring a miraculous cure for the disease thanks to the intercession of Josemaría Escrivá. Thus, the legal stage preceding the beatification of the founder of Opus Dei was completed.
On May 17, 1992, Josemaría Escrivá was beatified, and on October 6, 2002, he was beatified during the Divine Liturgy celebrated by Pope John Paul II in St. Peter's Square in Rome. Since May 21, 1992, the body of Father Josemaría Escrivá rests in the headquarters of the Opus Dei prelature, in the altar of the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In the directory “Foreign non-governmental, non-profit and religious organizations in Russia” published by RISI, the Opus Dei association is assessed as not a missionary or charitable organization limited to preaching the Gospel or social work, and not a monastic order. This is a powerful branched structure, consisting mainly of laymen, whose main responsibility is to implement the will of the pope in the areas in which they work, and above all in politics. During the pontificate of John Paul II, the movement became one of the main instruments of the Vatican’s international policy, an executor of its political rather than spiritual will.
In 1982, the Pope gave Opus Dei the status of a “personal prelature,” thus removing it from the jurisdiction of diocesan administrations. To join Opus Dei, it is necessary to conclude a special agreement with the Organization, the form of which is the same for everyone. The accession procedure is quite complicated, and the process is completed no earlier than after 6 years. Those who enter into the treaty undertake a number of obligations: “to remain under the jurisdiction of the prelate as regards the purposes of the Prelature; comply with the legal rules of the Prelature and fulfill other duties of members of Opus Dei. They are active throughout Russia.
Thus, the Moscow headquarters of the organization, which has the status of a prelature, was located in a private apartment on the corner of the Garden Ring and Staraya Basmannaya. Initially, the staff of the Moscow representative office consisted of 5 people who came from different countries, but the community is constantly growing, which, given the sectarian orientation of the organization, causes serious concern. Meetings are also held there, to which everyone is invited “for spiritual conversations.”
Critics of Opus Dei, including Catholic priests, consider the organization dangerous. In its early days it was even called the “new heresy” because of its call for universal holiness, but this call was later approved by the Second Vatican Council. The danger, according to many, is primarily the closed nature of Opus Dei. There are publications in print and electronic media that say that Opus Dei engages in many of the practices characteristic of sects. It is believed that it was thanks to the support of movements such as Opus Dei and Communione e Liberazione that Joseph Ratzinger so easily took the papal throne.
In today's rapidly changing world, traditional institutions of world religions are also undergoing inevitable transformations. They react in their own way to the processes of globalization and secularization. Sometimes this reaction takes quite radical forms, as can be seen in the spread of Islamic fundamentalism.
However, it is not only Islam that is trying to find an answer to the challenges of the time. Protestantism, Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Judaism, Buddhism - all occupy a perimeter defense, and sometimes go on the offensive. The Catholic Church was one of the first to rebuild its structure and mobilize forces for new tasks. To maintain the unity of the church and give new impetus to its development, the Vatican is looking for support in conservative organizations and spreading their influence throughout the world.
Catholicism remains a powerful political organization. The Holy See is an active player on the world stage, at its disposal enormous wealth and sophisticated levers of influence that have been built throughout the history of Western European civilization. What policies the Vatican will pursue will inevitably have an impact on the whole world.
The position of one of the largest modern organizations of Catholics - “ Opus Dei".
Opus Dei(lat. Opus Dei- The Work of God, full name: Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei) - personal prelature of the Catholic Church.
The organization was founded in Madrid on October 2, 1928 by a Catholic priest Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer
: “During the spiritual exercises, he saw with complete clarity the mission that God had ordained for him: to open in this world the path of sanctification of professional work and daily activities.”
During the time of Franco, the order, founded in 1928, reached its maximum prosperity and, going beyond the borders of Spain, received the status of the personal prelature of the Pope. Since then, rumors have spread that Opus Dei is the reincarnation of the Jesuit Order of the 16th century, an ultra-conservative structure through which the Vatican influences world politics.
On February 14, 1930, apostolic work with women began, and on February 14, 1943, Josemaria created the Priestly Society of St. Cross."
The purpose of Opus Dei is to help believers find holiness in everyday life through ordinary earthly activities, in particular professional activities. From its very founding, Opus Dei began to spread among students and workers, as well as in other sectors of society.
During the Spanish Civil War 1936-1939. Republicans brutally persecuted all religious organizations in the country. 12 bishops and more than 6 thousand priests and monastics became victims of these persecutions. On the contrary, the then established Franco regime strongly favored Catholicism, providing the opportunity for growth to all religious entities, and therefore the new government enjoyed some support among Catholics. There were several members of Opus Dei in Franco's government, which led to accusations that the organization was sympathetic to fascism and seeking power. But the founder of the society always emphasized that members of Opus Dei have the same political freedom as all other Catholics, and can adhere to whatever political beliefs they prefer, since the Cause of God is a religious, not a political organization .
In 1947, Opus Dei was approved by Pope Pius XII with the constitution "Provida Mater Ecclesia".
In 1946, Escriva de Balaguer moved the leadership center of the organization to Rome and in 1950, Opus Dei received the status of a “secular institution”, formally subordinate to the Congregation for Religious Affairs, which allowed the organization not to be assigned to a specific diocese, but to work throughout the world, as, however, this has already happened in reality.
In 1982, Pope John Paul II granted Opus Dei the status of a “personal prelature.” The personal prelature is a structure that is part of the pastoral and hierarchical structure of the Catholic Church and is headed by a prelate.
On October 6, 2002, in the Vatican, John Paul II canonized Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer (1902-1975), the founder of an influential organization whose full name is the Secular Catholic Order, as a saint of the Catholic Church. Prelature of the Holy Cross and the Works of God" (Prelatura della Santa Croce e Opus Dei) or, in short, “Opus Dei”, “God’s work”.
Opus Dei is often criticized. Critics, including Catholic priests, consider Opus Dei a dangerous organization. In its early days, Opus Dei was called the "new heresy" because of its call for universal holiness, which was then adopted by the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965). The danger is mainly seen in the secrecy and closeness of Opus Dei. Some publications claim that Opus Dei engages in many of the same practices as cults. However, the Popes have repeatedly expressed their approval of Opus Dei.
As in the era of the Reformation, at the beginning of the twentieth century the influence of the Catholic Church began to rapidly decline, and the ultimate goal - achieving power over the conscience of all representatives of the human race - accordingly, moved away. It was then that the young Spanish priest decided to restore the glory of the Holy See. Ordained in 1927, Escriva de Balaguer, after serving in a rural parish, moved first to Madrid, where he founded his order, and then in 1946 to Rome. He lived there until his death, while being a professor at a number of universities and making long trips to Spain, Portugal and South America.
With the obvious favor of the Order of John Paul II, the founder of Opus Dei was awarded a truly super-fast canonization. Already in 1992 he was canonized (a preliminary stage of recognition of holiness in the Catholic Church), and just ten years later he was canonized. And this despite the fact that in other cases this process drags on for hundreds of years.
The speed of canonization confirms both the validity of the opinion about the enormous influence of “Opus Dei” on the papal environment and personally on the pontiff, an influence that supplanted the centuries-old power of the Jesuit order, which in the twentieth century was overly carried away by liberal theology and “social Christianity”, and the reliability of the mechanism of “infallibility” Dads." Even the fiercest enemies of Opus Dei bowed to the decision to canonize Escriva, and from now on the theological, ascetic and social ideas of the order become part of the Sacred Tradition for all Catholics.
In the 30s last century, the founder of Opus Dei wrote Spiritual Reflections. The work, called "Camino" ("Way"), contained 999 maxims and was published in thirty-four languages with a circulation of more than three million copies.
Maxim sixteenth reflects one of the main features of the consciousness of someone who was lucky enough to be accepted into the order: an understanding of their belonging to the elite, the desire to become a leader. " Can you be a private?- asks Balaguer. - You is he a herd person? You were born to become a leader".
However, the desire for leadership does not exclude iron discipline, stipulated by the six hundred and seventeenth postulate, which reads: “ Obey as an instrument obeys in the hands of an artist who does not stop to think.”. The procedure established in Opus Dei provides for the mortification of the flesh. A member of the order is required to wear chains for two hours every day - a metal chain densely studded with nails, secured to the thigh with a hook. The ropes cut into the body, especially when a person is sitting, and leave bloody wounds on it, but even greater torment is caused by a rope whip, which they use to whip themselves on the buttocks until blood appears.
Self-flagellation is mandatory once a week, on the day of “vigil and sacrifice” appointed by the mentor (usually on Saturdays). There are other ways to “mortify the flesh”: get out of bed instantly in the middle of the night; sit without leaning on the back of a chair; there is exactly what you don’t like.
The “holy vigils” themselves include daily Mass and Communion, two half-hour prayers, midday and evening prayers - and, finally, special prayers, the text of which is kept secret.
The order’s founder’s precept: “Young people give everything they have and themselves without reserve” is taken literally: the overwhelming number of Opus Dei members are recruited from minors. A sophisticated and harsh system of “spiritual help” has been created for them - distance from their parents, constant mutual control over actions and even thoughts.
Officially, the order unites about 90 thousand. person, taking into account secret members and members from among the laity the organization consists of hundreds of thousands, which are divided into three levels.
Those standing on the first of them ( numeraries ) are full members of the organization, observe all the vows and rules of the order, and the following two categories ( aggregate And supernumeraries ) refer to the “apostolate” (orthodox laymen).
"Numeraria" They observe a vow of celibacy and often live in dormitories that exclude contact between men and women. As a rule, by profession these people are teachers, lawyers, doctors, industrialists, bankers, politicians, journalists and priests, with a high educational level (at least two years of study in philosophy and four years in theological faculties). They donate all their earnings to the organization, receiving pocket money in exchange. Numerirs can also take priestly rank.
"Aggregati" they can marry, but they are obliged to send their children to study in schools supported by the order. They are prohibited from disclosing their affiliation with Opus Dei. They donate part of their earnings to the order (usually one third). "Supernumeraries" are married and attend regular places of worship.
Secret Article 202 proclaims the purpose of the activities of faithful laymen to be state and public service,"especially the leadership one". Former Opus Dei women's leader Maria Augustia Moreno: “Our goal is also to penetrate university faculties and departments and government institutions. Then we will be able to award our people doctoral degrees, awards, and ensure their careers, which will attract new representatives of the elite to us.”
The order is led by a prelate, who is personally appointed for life by the Pope. The main deputies are the prefect in charge of spiritual leadership, and the procurator acting as Minister of Foreign Affairs - all of them must have a clergy title. Representatives of the prelate in different countries - general secretaries and vicars - are also ordained.
Thanks to the system of psychotechnics adopted in the order, unique personnel are forged who combine absolute readiness to carry out the orders of the leadership and at the same time initiative, have a high education and occupy a high position in society.
Like the Jesuits of old, The order controls the finances of the Vatican, and provides security cover, strategic planning and intellectual developments of a strategic nature.
Many readers are intrigued by the accusations about Christian history and theology presented in The Da Vinci Code. We would like to remind them that The Da Vinci Code is a work of historical fiction and is not a reliable source of information on these issues.The book aroused public interest in the origins of the Bible and the fundamental theological doctrines of Christianity, such as the Duality of Jesus Christ. These topics are very important and valuable to study, and we hope that this will motivate interested readers to study more serious research on these issues, which they would find this time in the non-fiction section of the library.
Those readers who undertake deeper research and a more critical approach to the book will discover that the claims made in The Da Vinci Code about Jesus Christ, Mary Magdalene, and Church history lack support among reputable scholars. For example, the book promotes the idea that in the fourth century the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great introduced the doctrine of the Duality of Christ for political reasons. The evidence of history, however, clearly shows that the New Testament and the earliest Christian texts reflect the Christian belief in the Twofold Essence of Christ.
Other examples of damaging allegations presented in The Da Vinci Code can be found in this article from Crisis magazine or this FAQ from Catholic Answers. For readers who want to take the time to fully understand the questions posed by The Da Vinci Code, we recommend reading Amy Welborn's book, De-Coding Da Vinci, or The Da Vinci Hoax. written by Carl Olson and Sandra Miesel.
We would also like to point out that the description of Opus Dei given in The Da Vinci Code is incorrect, both in general terms and in many details, and it would be irresponsible to form any opinion about Opus Dei based on the Da Vinci Code. Vinci." For those interested in learning more about the various misconceptions about Opus Dei that arise from reading the book, please read to the end.
1. Opus Dei and the monks
In The Da Vinci Code, members of Opus Dei are presented as monks (or rather, caricatures of monks). Like all Catholics, members of Opus Dei greatly value monks, but in fact there are no monks in Opus Dei. Opus Dei is an institution of the Catholic Church for laity and parish priests, and not a monastic order.
Opus Dei's approach to faith does not entail withdrawal from the world into the so-called “monastic life.” Rather, Opus Dei helps people grow in their love for God through their ordinary worldly activities.
Members of Opus Dei, called "numerarii" - a minority - have chosen the vocation of celibacy in order to be able to organize the activities of Opus Dei. However, they do not take vows, do not wear monastic robes, do not sleep on mats, do not spend all their time in prayer and mortification, and do none of the things that are described in The Da Vinci Code to emphasize monastic character of Opus Dei.
In contrast to those called to the monastic life, numerarians have ordinary lay professional work. In fact, The Da Vinci Code describes Opus Dei exactly the opposite. Monastic orders exist for people who have a calling to achieve holiness by breaking their ties with the world; Opus Dei exists for people who have a calling to live out their Christian Faith in the world.
2. Opus Dei and crime
In The Da Vinci Code, members of Opus Dei are accused of committing murder, constantly lying, and other unethical acts while believing that they are justified by good intentions for God, the Church, or Opus Dei (p. 13, 29, 58-9, etc.).
Opus Dei is a division of the Catholic Church and adheres to Catholic doctrine, which clearly condemns immoral behavior, including murder, lying, theft and generally causing harm to people in any way. The Catholic Church teaches that no one should do evil, even for a good purpose. Opus Dei's mission is to help people integrate their faith into the daily lives of their lives, so this spiritual education and guidance helps members act more ethically. Members of Opus Dei, like all people, are sometimes wrong, but this is a deviation from what Opus Dei teaches, rather than a manifestation of it.
3. Opus Dei and mortification
The Da Vinci Code claims that members of Opus Dei practice bloody mortification (see pp. 12, 14, 29, 31, 73, 89, 127-28, 195, 276-79, 293). Despite the fact that history shows that some Catholic saints have done this, members of Opus Dei do not do this.
The Catholic Church advises people to practice mortification. The mystery of the suffering of Jesus Christ shows that voluntary sacrifice has transcendent value and can bring spiritual benefits to others. Voluntary sacrifice also brings personal spiritual benefits by providing strength to resist the temptation to sin. For these reasons, the Church prescribes fasting on certain days and also recommends other types of pious mortification practices.
Mortification is in no way at the center of Christian life, but no one can approach God without it: “There is no holiness without sacrifice and spiritual struggle” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 2015).
In the area of mortification, Opus Dei gives preference to small sacrifices over extraordinary ones, adhering to the spirit of integrating faith into secular life. For example, Opus Dei members try to make small sacrifices, such as working overtime at their jobs when they are tired; or they sometimes deliberately skip some small pleasure; or provide assistance to those in need. Some members of Opus Dei also make limited use of hair shirts and rods, forms of mortification that have always occurred in the Catholic tradition because of their symbolic connection to the Passion of Christ. The Church teaches that people should take reasonable care of their physical health, and anyone with experience in this area knows that these practices in no way harm anyone's health. The description of hair shirt and rods is largely exaggerated: it is simply impossible to harm someone as much as is described.
4. Opus Dei and sectarianism
At various points, The Da Vinci Code describes Opus Dei as a "sect" or "cult" (so see pages 1, 29, 30, 40, and 279). The fact is that Opus Dei is a fully integrated part of the Catholic Church and has no doctrines or practices outside those of the Church. There is no definition or theory, academic or popular, that would justify the use of the inherently abusive words “sect” or “cult” in relation to Opus Dei. Opus Dei is an institution of the Catholic Church that tries to help people integrate their faith into their daily activities.
As a personal prelature (the organizational structure of the Catholic Church), it complements the work of local Catholic parishes by providing people with additional spiritual education and guidance. Opus Dei was founded in Spain in 1928 by a Catholic priest, St. Josemaria Escriva, and began to develop there with the support of local bishops. It was finally approved by the Vatican in 1950 and began to spread to many countries around the world. Today Opus Dei has approximately 83,000 members (3,000 of them in the United States) and 2,000 priests. Several million people around the world participate in its programs and activities, which are carried out in more than 60 countries.
The Da Vinci Code also contains melodramatic claims that Opus Dei is engaging in brainwashing, coercion, and aggressive recruitment (pp. 1, 29, 325, 415) in a dishonest attempt to blacken Opus Dei. the same brush that is used against groups more deserving of such epithets.
Opus Dei invites people to give their lives to God by following a special path of service in the Catholic Church. One's life can be freely dedicated only by a decision that comes from the heart, and not made under external pressure: pressure would be neither correct nor effective. Opus Dei always respects the freedom of its members, its future members, and everyone with whom it deals. Demonstrating its belief in the importance of freedom, Opus Dei has methods to ensure free and informed decisions to join the organization are made. For example, no one can enter into an agreement for permanent membership in Opus Dei without first undergoing six years of systematic and compulsory instruction as to what membership entails. Moreover, no one can enter into either a temporary agreement before reaching 18 years of age, or a permanent membership agreement before reaching 23 years of age.
5. Opus Dei and women
The Da Vinci Code says about Opus Dei's US headquarters: “Men enter the building through the main entrance on Lexington Avenue. The women enter from the alley” (p. 28). This is not certain. People, whether men or women, use entrances leading to each section of the building they visit. The building consists of separate sections, for the simple reason that one section contains a residence for unmarried women, and the other for unmarried men. But these sections are not segregated by gender, and it is the women's section that opens onto Lexington Avenue, not the men's, contrary to what the book says. (Note: The Book often inaccurately refers to this Opus Dei building as "world headquarters").
The Da Vinci Code also states that female members of Opus Dei are "forced to clean the halls of men's residences for free" and that they have a lower status than men (pp. 41, 415-16). It is not true. Opus Dei, like the Catholic Church as a whole, teaches that women and men have equal dignity and worth, and all its practices are consistent with this belief. Women members of Opus Dei are employed in a wide variety of professions, both those that society perceives as prestigious and those that society nowadays undervalues, such as housekeeping or housework.
Opus Dei teaches that all honest work done with the love of God is of equal value. Some female Opus Dei numeraries have made a free choice of profession by caring for Opus Dei centers, both women's and men's. They also serve conference centers where cultural and spiritual education activities take place. These women are professionally trained and paid for their services, which include interior decorating and other highly skilled work. The many thousands of people who attend spiritual educational events at Opus Dei centers can testify to their professionalism. The Da Vinci Code, however, contains the insinuation that this work is not worthy or valued enough and demeans these women.
6. Opus Dei and the Vatican Bank
The Da Vinci Code states that Opus Dei received personal prelature status as a reward for saving the Vatican Bank from bankruptcy (pp. 40-41, 415-416). Neither Opus Dei nor any of its members helped the Vatican Bank.
Church Authorities made Opus Dei a personal prelature in 1982 as they considered this new canonical category most appropriate to the mission and structure of Opus Dei.
In any case, the status of personal prelature is nothing special: it is simply one of several canonical categories that the Church has to designate its institutions that carry out special pastoral activities. Contrary to the meaning given in the book, the status of a personal prelature in no way implies special favor on the part of the Pope, or that members of Opus Dei are not under the authority of their local bishops.
7. Canonization of the founder of Opus Dei
The Da Vinci Code argues that the Church has flouted its provisions on canonization in order to "simplistically" recognize the founder of Opus Dei as a saint (pp. 40-41). The canonization of St. Josemaría Escrivá in 2002 occurred 27 years after his death (not 20, as stated in the book). He was one of the first to be canonized following the adoption of the 1983 Code of Canon Law governing the procedure for canonization, and therefore everything went faster than was usual before. Mother Teresa was canonized even faster, being beatified just 6 years after her death (Escrivá was beatified 17 years later). Even according to the old rules, the canonization of St. Teresa Minor's reign lasted for 27 years, about the same as Escrivá's.
While Muslim fundamentalism has long occupied the front pages of newspapers, one hears much less often about the activities of right-wing Christian movements. Such secrecy causes concern and anxiety among many because it eludes traditional mechanisms of democratic control. An example of such quiet but purposeful activity is the rise of Opus Dei - a Catholic "militia" of a sectarian persuasion, wielding economic and political power, and influencing both the Roman Church and the secular authorities, which it seeks to penetrate by any means.
We invite you to take a short walk through Opus Dei and get an impression of the role of this organization in modern Western society.
The ideological basis of the movement and its goals
Let's start with the goals of the movement, and turn to Catholic sources. The Handbook of Christian Movements reports the following.
The Prelature of Opus Dei aims, first of all, to provide its adherents, as well as any other people, with the means of spiritual enlightenment and pastoral assistance. With this support, they are inspired to spread the Gospel by practicing Christian virtues and sanctifying their work. To sanctify one’s work means for those who have connected themselves with the Prelature, to work in the spirit of Jesus Christ, i.e. with the utmost perfection, thereby bringing glory to the Lord, serving others, making our contribution to making the world holy, bringing the spirit of the Gospel into all spheres of earthly activity and existence.
The fruits of the joint apostolic work of those who work together with Opus Dei can be called colleges, universities, women's centers, medical dispensaries in developing countries, rural schools, vocational training centers, student dormitories, cultural centers, etc.
Such an apologetic text creates an ideal image of a knightly union bound by the noble goal of bringing the light of spiritual enlightenment to the world. However, for a person far from religion, such an explanation leaves a feeling of ambiguity. In the wilds of church rhetoric, with its constant shifting of the meaning of ordinary words, it is not easy to grasp the meaning of speech. This is exactly what happens with the phrase “sanctify your work.” Paradoxically, another church text comes to the rescue, this time the speech of Karol Wojtyla, better known as Pope John Paul II, at the canonization ceremony of Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer, founder of Opus Dei, held on October 7, 2002 in St. Peter's Square in Rome:
...Saint Josemaría was chosen by God to proclaim the universal call to holiness; to testify that the ordinary activities that make up the fabric of daily life are the path to holiness. We can say that Saint Josemaría is a saint of everyday life. In fact, he was convinced that for a person who deeply believes in God, any event in his life is a reason to meet God, an incentive to pray. When we look at everyday life from this point of view, we discover in it a greatness previously unknown. We understand that holiness is available to all people.
Escrivá supports the idea of evangelizing the world “from within.” He shows that there can be no conflict between God's Law and the needs of genuine human progress. This holy priest taught us that Christ must be the culmination of all human activity (cf. John 12:32). His message encourages the Christian to act in those places where the future of society is being forged. The active presence of the laity in all professions and at the most advanced frontiers of development inevitably contributes to the strengthening of the harmony between faith and culture, which is so needed in our era...
So, the goal is Christian presence everywhere and in everything, as the road to holiness. “We are not a sect, we just want to be saints.” It cannot be said that the founder of the movement “discovered” the principle of “sanctifying everyday life.” It is as old as the Gospel itself, and has been preached by many saints. Together with another principle - in-depth inner work, withdrawal from the world - they formed the backbone of the history of Christianity. What new did the founder of Opus Dei introduce? The idea that it is necessary to reverse the gradual de-Christianization of the world through active, albeit imperceptible, intervention in all spheres of life. The life of society must be refracted through the prism of Christian ideas. " Do you allow yourself to be led? Are you?... So you're from the herd? Although you were born to command! There is no room for the warm among us."- wrote Escrivá. A state of crisis - and this is how he viewed the world and the churches in it - requires decisive action. And Opus Dei arose as a way to put these ideas into practice. As Joseph Ratzinger, now serving as Pope Benedict XVI, said, " ...this amazing union of absolute fidelity to the great tradition of the church, its faith, its unconditional openness to the challenges of the world, be it in the academic environment, in work, in the economy, etc. A person who is attached to God, conducting an ongoing dialogue with him, can dare to answer this challenge."
Let us briefly consider the history of the emergence and formation of Opus Dei.
Founder of the movement Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer
A Catholic source reports the following about the founder of Opus Dei.
Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer was born in Barbastro (Huesca, Spain) on January 9, 1902. Josemaria's parents had five more children besides him. The Escriva couple gave their children a truly Christian upbringing. In 1915, Josemaria's father was forced to move to Logrono. In this city, Josemaría first felt his calling: seeing the traces of the monk’s bare feet in the snow, he guessed that God was waiting for something from him, although he did not yet know what exactly his mission was. Josemaría comes to the conclusion that by becoming a priest, he will be more likely to comprehend God's will for himself. He is preparing to be ordained.
On March 28, 1925, he was ordained a priest. Escrivá first works in a village parish, then in Zaragoza. and since 1927 - in Madrid. There, on October 2, 1928, during a prayer retreat, he comprehended the will of God in revelation and founded Opus Dei. He is in Madrid when civil war breaks out (1936). The persecution of the Church forces him to hide, constantly changing shelters. Escrivá carries out his ministry underground until he manages to escape from Madrid. After crossing the Pyrenees he settled in Burgos. At the end of the war in 1939 he returned to Madrid.
In 1946 he settled in Rome. He is appointed Consultant to two Vatican Congregations, Honorary Member of the Pontifical Academy of Theology and Honorary Prelate of His Holiness. From Rome he travels frequently throughout Europe, laying the foundations for the activities of Opus Dei or promoting its prosperity.
Josemaría Escrivá dies in Rome on June 26, 1975. Thousands of people, including many bishops from different countries (more than a third of the bishops of the whole world), approach the Holy See with a request to begin the process of canonization of Josemaría Escrivá. On May 17, 1992, John Paul II beatified Father Josemaria in St. Peter's Square in Rome in the presence of 300,000 people gathered for the occasion. October 6, 2002: John Paul II canonizes Father Josemaría.
When you deal with a saint, then in his biography there will certainly be mystical events that cut through his life the line of the divine mission with which they came to this world. This was, as we see, the case with Balaguer. Since cruel fate has deprived many of us of the gift of spiritual vision, we must be content with the testimony of those who assure us that they have it. Here is the testimony of Joseph Ratzinger: "The Founder of Opus Dei said: " I'm not the one who invented anything; there is an Other who acts. and I am only in readiness to serve as his instrument." Hence the name. That reality which we call Opus Dei is deeply connected with the inner life of the founder. He made it clear to us, while remaining very reserved on this topic, that he was in constant dialogue, in real contact with the One who created us and worked through us with us. The Book of Exodus (33:11) says of Moses that the Lord spoke to him “face to face, as a friend speaks to another.” I think that if the veil of modesty and hides the details from us, according to various statements we can rightfully apply to Josemaría Escrivá these words “spoke as a friend speaks to a friend”, which opens the doors of the world so much that God becomes constantly present to act and transform everything .“That’s it, no more and no less. Confidence in one’s destiny gave birth, of course, to determination in action and brushed aside any doubts about one’s own rightness.
During the civil war, the founder of Opus first fled to France, then returned to Spain, where he joined the putschists in Burgos and became the confessor of the Franco spouses. With them he participates in the reconquista - the “seventh crusade”, and with them he settles in Madrid. He dreams of the return of the monarchy, in which the king will be the anointed of God. His ambition is to make his movement under the Franco regime what the Inquisition was under Philip II.
Escrivá never hid his reactionary views, and his canonization in 1992, despite all the efforts of Karol Wojtyla, caused serious bewilderment among the public, and he was not called anything other than scandalous.
Maria del Carmen Tapia, who left Opus after twenty years of life devoted to him, writes in her book “Beyond the Threshold” that the congregation preparing the beatification of Escrivá was not presented with any documents of a critical nature, which was completely contrary to the accepted procedure. The Congregation did not conduct an investigation into the well-known conflict between Escrivá and the Jesuits, his pro-fascist statements and inclinations, and Opus Dei’s connections with the Francoist government. Quite incredibly, 40% of the evidence accepted for consideration came from only two people: Portillo and his assistant, Echevarria, two prelates of Opus Dei.
Having experience working directly with Escrivá, Maria Taglia paints an earthly portrait of the founder of Opus. The image of the saint, full of kindness and mercy, which was presented in the articles published at the time of de Balaguer’s beatification, dissipated next to another portrait, which presented a man vain, angry, loving luxury, and caring little for his “children.” This portrait is not the fruit of hasty judgment, but a conclusion from observations of everyday life, the thoughts of the founder and his actions in certain situations.
Let us add another piece of evidence of a different kind. A Catholic woman who left Opus Dei writes about the cult of its founder, which is very strong among members of the movement. " My comrades went into ecstasy looking at his photo. The Opus contains holiday dates for all important events in de Balaguer's life. Many people came to the founder's grave and applied various objects to it in order to take away part of his "aura", and all this long before his beatification. “This must please the Father” - these words are heard so often that the question inevitably arises: isn’t the Founder more important than the Lord himself?"
