A traditionalist attack on Opus Dei

[Rising_Suns]

On a traditionalist message board, a few of the members did not have very endearing things to say about Opus Dei. One posted this link;

http://www.odan.org/index.htm

I was curious to get your input on this website, particularly from the Opus Dei members here.

Thank you,

-Davide

 

[geocajun]

Well, these http://www.odan.org/testimonies_and_writings.htm are all testimonies from ex members. Folks tend to discount ex members since they left, but many of them are our catholic brothers and sisters, but find Opus Dei problematic to their faith and explain why that is in their stories.

 

[NDIrish]

The attacks like these are difficult to address in any meaningful way. It's a lot like when ex-Catholics bash the faith, "based on their experience". What can you say to that? You can show them what the Catholic Church really teaches, etc...but you always get "Yeah, well Fr. So-and-so did X and Y..."

Opus Dei is not for everyone, that's for sure. I think John Allen's book treated this topic fairly.

 

[Rising_Suns]

The attacks like these are difficult to address in any meaningful way. It's a lot like when ex-Catholics bash the faith, "based on their experience". What can you say to that? You can show them what the Catholic Church really teaches, etc...but you always get "Yeah, well Fr. So-and-so did X and Y..."

Opus Dei is not for everyone, that's for sure. I think John Allen's book treated this topic fairly.

That was my inclination as well. They post 3 or 4 testimonies from ex members. But anyone with an axe to grind can find 3 or 4 ex members of any organization.

Edit: Upon a closer look at the website, there does not seem to be much merit in the arguments they put forth.

-Davide

 

[PoliticalGuru]

Has anyone read Scott Hahn's book on Opus Dei cause I was wondering if it would be a good read on the organization.

 

[geocajun]

That was my inclination as well. They post 3 or 4 testimonies from ex members. But anyone with an axe to grind can find 3 or 4 ex members of any organization.

Edit: Upon a closer look at the website, there does not seem to be much merit in the arguments they put forth.

-Davide

more than 3-4 -

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Seventeen Years in Opus Dei, by Dennis Dubro U.S.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] Deception and Drugs in Opus Dei by Maria, former numerary, Venezuela[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]My Basic Human Rights Were Violated by former numerary assistant, Europe.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] "Making Modern-Day Martyrs using Medieval Methods," by Sharon Clasen, former numerary. While many Catholic religious organizations now question whether corporal mortification brings a person closer to God, the lay organization Opus Dei embraces corporal mortification in their program of making modern-day martyrs.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] [/FONT]What is Opus Dei? The Alternative Version[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] by M.Miki, former male numerary, Brazil, São Paulo.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] "Whips, Spiked Garters and Bloodshed...My Terrifying Life in Ruth Kelly's Religious Sect," by John Roche, [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Mail on Sunday, UK, January 23, 2005. A former member tells how a lust for power drives the secretive Catholic organisation Opus Dei.[/FONT]

• [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]This Apple Guiltlessly Falls Far From the Tree: Recollections of a Supernumerary’s Daughter [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] by Anna Morales, U.S.[/FONT]

• [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Aristocracy of the Intelligentsia by Mariano Curat, former numerary, U.S. and Argentina[/FONT]

• [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Cult-Like Reverence for Escriva by former numerary[/FONT]

• [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Disappearing in the Black Hole of Opus Dei by former numerary, U.S.[/FONT]

• [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Exit Counseling from Opus Dei, by Tammy A. DiNicola, former numerary, U.S.[/FONT]

• [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]A Family Intervention, by Dianne R. DiNicola[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif], mother of former numerary, U.S. [/FONT]

• [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]How Opus Dei is Cult-like by Sharon Clasen, former numerary, U.S.[/FONT]

• [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]I Was Shocked by Hidden Agendas by Tammy DiNicola, former numerary, U.S. [/FONT]

• [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Inner World of Opus Dei [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]by Dr. John Roche, Linacre College, Oxford, U.K. [/FONT]

• [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]My Nightmarish Experience in Opus Dei by Sharon Clasen, former numerary, U.S. [/FONT]

• [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Opus Dei Survival Kit by Dimitri Knobbe, Holland (Dutch version [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Opus Nee[/FONT]).[/FONT]

• [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Spirit of Opus Dei Harms People by former numerary, Asia.[/FONT]

• [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Whether or not to enroll a child into an Opus Dei school by Rodrigo Cedeño, former numerary, Costa Rica. [/FONT]

• [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]More testimonies in English, 20 responses to Franz Schaefer's website Unofficial Opus Dei from people who had negative experiences with Opus Dei.[/FONT]

• [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]More testimonies in Spanish The Opus Libros website contains over 500 testimonies and books written by former numerary members of Opus Dei and others.[/FONT]

• [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]More testimonies in Portuguese The new website Opus Dei of Brazil has over 17 testimonies and links in Portuguese.[/FONT]

• [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]More testimonies in French from website "Don't let yourself be trapped by sects." 4 testimonies in French, including a 1995 press conference with Maria Carmen del Tapia with 5 more testimonies.[/FONT]

 

[Rising_Suns]

You're right Jason. I did not catch those other links.

 

[NDIrish]

*yawn*

 

[L3g3nd]

In an organization of its size, the number of ex-members presented is fairly small. The problem with such testimony is that there is no way to verify it, nor do we know anything about those who are giving the testimony.

 

[Voegelin]

A traditionalist attack on Opus Dei


Are they traditionalists? The founders of the forum seem to be allied with some liberal factions in and outside of the church. Is what we are seeing a conflict between Jesuits and Opus Dei? Between Liberation theology, social justice, politcal action Catholics and an order which stresses sacramental life?

 

[Woodsy]

ODAN sounds like Onan with a cold.

 

[marciadietrich]

Well, I think the group probably has good and bad aspects, and perhaps the structure is somehow open to abuse by some of its members. Still, a priest I enjoyed reading his thoughts before I converted - John McCloskey ( his writeup on Opus Dei at Catholicity) - would seem to be evidence that there are some fruits of membership.

I am pretty sure Opus Dei wouldn't want me, so I'm not currently worried about being abused by them, lol.

Marcia

 

[geocajun]

Well, I think the group probably has good and bad aspects, and perhaps the structure is somehow open to abuse by some of its members. Still, a priest I enjoyed reading his thoughts before I converted - John McCloskey ( his writeup on Opus Dei at Catholicity) - would seem to be evidence that there are some fruits of membership.

I am pretty sure Opus Dei wouldn't want me, so I'm not currently worried about being abused by them, lol.

Marcia

Marcia, I also enjoy Fr McCloskey - great guy! I'm sure OD would want you - they want everyone. They only stopped trying to recruit me after I made crystal clear that I wasn't interested in joining. I also pointed out that they should spend as much time trying to make nonbelievers into catholics as they do trying to get me into OD (I said that because I know the guys well, and they don't evangelize anything but OD) . I still get emails from a priest about every single day of recollection in my area...

 

[Rhamiel]

One of the biggest objections to Opus Dei is the idea of corporeal mortification. We are not for this world, we are building up treasures for the next world, we need to remember this and corporeal mortification is a good reminder of that. I am interested in Opus Dei and might join up after college.