Review: Ordinary Work, Extraordinary Grace

By LifeTeen.com Name: Ordinary Work, Extraordinary Grace Publisher: DoubleDay Author: Scott Hahn Our Call: Story: Dr. Scott Hahn always makes his theology very personal, and this book is no different. Drawing on his painful journey from being a Protestant pastor to becoming a Catholic theologian, he offers the readers a glimpse at how many of the men and women in Opus Dei helped him on his journey. Many in the media label Opus Dei as a ‘secret society,’ even portraying them as the evil group behind the plot of the inaccurate Da Vinci Code. The reality is that Opus Dei, meaning the Work of God, has only one agenda: the passionate love of the world. Hahn shows us in this book just how Saint Josemaria Escriva embodied this agenda of loving the world without becoming worldly. A Christian is to live this passionate love through, shockingly plain enough, one’s ordinary work. Hahn spends an entire chapter explaining the concept of becoming God’s son or daughter, and weaves this theme throughout the book. All of the other practices of Opus Dei must be seen through this lens. Focusing upon the spirituality of Opus Dei rather than defending its mission from the media turns out to be the best choice, as Hahn does an excellent job of showing God’s Work in every detail of ordinary life: one’s job, school, marriage, children, and social activities. From this vantage point, Hahn then goes into depth on the theology of work that is both sublime and practical, spending several chapters on this endeavor. He also treats topics of the Marian spirituality, of the example of Saint Joseph and how divine grace filled his hidden labors as a carpenter, and how the marriage bed can lead the spouses to holiness. One of my favorite chapters is on the importance of friendship and confidence. Did you know that in the first 300 years of the Church, during intense persecution, the Catholic Church grew by 40% every decade? This was not because Christianity was fun; any public exercise of Christianity often ended through torture and death. It was solely through the friendship of Christians with non-Christians and the holiness of their daily, ordinary, graceful lives. Objectionable: Nothing. Pro-Social: Do you ever think that if you want to be holy, you have to work for the Church, like being a youth minister, nun or priest? This book shows us how to be saints in the secular. Holiness is universal. Summary: This book is for anyone wishing to know more about Opus Dei or St. Josemaria Escriva. Its insights can renew your faith and spirituality and your work ethic in school, at home, and on the job.

The Threat of Opus Dei

By Thomas Reeves at the History News Network of the George Mason University

Dan Brown’s best-selling novel The Da Vinci Code compounds its blatant and at times absurd historical errors with a full-blown attack on the Catholic organization Opus Dei. According to the author, Opus Dei is an evil, wealthy, conniving cult that poses a danger to much of the world. Opus Dei officials have answered the charges in full, exposing them to be malevolent nonsense. (See www.opusdei.com.) Still, you have to give Brown credit for consistency; he is almost always wrong.

Opus Dei is a thoroughly recognized and approved organization within the Catholic Church. Founded in 1928 by Saint Josemaria Escriva, it has some 83,000 lay members in about 60 countries (3,000 in the United States), some 2,000 priests, and tens of thousands of “Cooperators” who assist the organization in a variety of ways. Millions participate in Opus Dei retreats, worship services, and social justice programs. Doctrinally, the organization is wholly orthodox, teaching the faith expressed in the Catechism and nothing else. This is a major reason it has enemies. The Left inside the Church is often just as angry as their brethren outside the body of the faithful, especially when it comes to teaching concerning sexual matters.

My wife and I first became acquainted with Opus Dei people in the Milwaukee area in 1997. They are among the finest human beings we have ever met. That impression has remained consistent over the years as our Opus Dei acquaintances have extend beyond our area. Nothing even suggesting the villainy found in Brown’s book has crossed our path.

Still, nothing on this globe is perfect, and one may expect some criticisms to ring true. Is Opus Dei smug and secretive, as is often claimed? Well, some members do appear smug, but never, in my experience, in an offensive way. They belong to a very select and rigorous organization. One doesn’t just sign up; there is a lengthy period of scrutiny before one may belong (again, see the Opus Dei website), and the daily spiritual exercises are not for the weak and the lazy. I call Opus Dei the Marine Corps of the Church. And the Marines are a pretty proud group. Still, if you criticized an Opus Dei member for smugness, chances are that he or she would be mortified, see a confessor, and make every effort to return to the radical humility mandated by the organization’s founder.

Secretive? Well, the organization does keep a rather low profile; you won’t see Opus Dei signs anywhere, not even outside the living quarters of its celibate members. But that is in keeping with the teachings of Saint Josemaria, who wanted the praise and glory to go upward rather than to those attempting to carry out the Good News. It may well also reflect a history of persecution of Opus Dei, especially by the Communists in Spain, where the organization originated. During the Spanish Revolution, it will be recalled, Reds slaughtered thousands of nuns, priests, and laity, and Saint Josemaria barely escaped with his life.

Read Opus Dei literature for yourself to see the founder’s vision. You might begin with The Way, a pocket-sized volume by Saint Josemaria that provides comfort and inspiration to millions. It contains nothing more nor less than the Catholic faith. Opus Dei operates its own press, making available some of the finest Catholic books and pamphlets ever written. It offers a New Testament with commentary, often by the early Church Fathers, that is most helpful to even veteran Christians.

Opus Dei does a great deal to help the physical and intellectual, as well as spiritual, lives of people all across the world. Members are especially mindful of the poor and needy, as Jesus Christ commanded. One nearby example is the Midtown Educational Foundation in Chicago, founded in 1965. (See www.midtown-metro.org.) In a recent “Report Card,” the MEF described itself thus: “Midtown Educational Foundation (MEF) helps inner-city youngsters to become better students and better people through its sponsorship of the metro Achievement Center for girls and Midtown Center for boys in Chicago and Waukegan, Illinois. Metro and Midtown’s after-school and summertime programs integrate academics with virtues.”

Between 1997 and 2004, 209 young men and women from Chicago’s inner city participated in MEF programs. A study by an independent consulting firm (See www.newtrac.com), showed that 89% of MEF alumni went on to college, as opposed to 20% of Hispanic and African-American students nationwide. An astounding 98% of MEF alumni graduated from high school, as opposed to 44% of their peers in Chicago public schools. Thirty percent of alumni surveyed said they participate in community volunteer activities.

MEF has an annual budget in excess of $2 million, raised in part by a board of directors containing some of the area’s leading business and professional men and women. The Chicago Bears organization has long supported MEF, and the Bears Care Foundation recently donated $25,000. Everyone may volunteer time and money to help youngsters reach their potential. Board member Joe Lane said recently, “What interests me most about MEF is its focus on motivating students. With some help from committed adults in the business community, these kids can prepare themselves for college and get ahead ‘on their own.’ MEF is a wonderful intersection between people who want to help and motivate students. It creates a cycle of success that continues to reach into communities where a little boost can make a big difference.”

The “threat” of Opus Dei, then, is its effort to promote Catholic orthodoxy and carry out the Gospel teachings of love and mercy. It is often said that you are known by the enemies you make. Those especially who hate the Christian faith and the Catholic Church do well to oppose Opus Dei, for it intends to do everything in its power to support, emulate, and encourage both.

If possible, go to a recollection

By Gwenred of Down Yonder (South!) at Catholic Answers Forum (Anyone part of Opus Dei?)

I am not a member of Opus Dei, but was a "cooperator" for several years. I guess I still am, although where I live now, the closest recollection or retreat I could go to is three hours away, so I have not been active.

I love the spirituality, the writings of St. Josemaria Escriva, and their priests are the best for confession. Ignore the lies that are spread by ODAN, and if possible, go to a recollection. You'll meet members and cooperators (friends) and you'll be able to see for yourself what they are about, namely doing their best to become saints in the midst of the world.

Peace!

That'll larn 'ee

By Oli, London, UK, at 25.7.07

My grandpa, upon seeing a toad, run over in the road, said

"that'll larn 'ee to be a toad"

I'm not sure where he picked up this line (meaning that that will teach you to be a toad, because if it's in you nature to be stupid enough to walk out into a road, you will reap the consequences) because he didn't have a regional accent.

"That'll larn 'ee to join Opus Dei". I love being a member of Opus Dei. I love this vocation that helps me to live my faith, and also gives me the support that I need to live it. But sometimes it is tough. Members of Opus Dei try to do a number of 'norms' each day, for example 30 mins prayer in the morning, 30 mins prayer in the afternoon, daily Mass, Holy Rosary, spiritual reading. All of it is very helpful if one is trying to live a Christian life, but it is hard to live, especially without an oratory. Living in Ashwell, it was so easy to roll out of bed, take a shower, dress and pray in the oratory, before Mass. Coming home, there was an oratory. Now, after an hour commute, I arrive home, where I have a lovely house, but there is music playing, or the TV is on. There is no oratory. It is so much harder not to get distracted (and I could get distracted in a padded cell, so my starting position is already disadvantaged).

Every person needs to strive to become closer to God and to live a life that is devoted to Him more and more with every day. For me, at this moment of disorder and distraction and exhaustion (and laziness), I suppose that has a lot to do with making a good plan each day, so that I know exactly when and how I will do the norms, so that I can come to love God more...

From: http://superdolly.blogspot.com/search/label/Opus%20Dei

Sixty Years Later

A neighborhood of Warsaw

By a ninety year old who had a chance encounter with her old home

By chance I found myself on Filtrova Street in Warsaw, where I had lived during the war, from September 1939 to November 1944. I was standing in front of my family home. In this house, I, with my mother, my father and my aunt (the owner), had been seized by the Nazis and then sent away to the concentration camps. My aunt died in the Ravensbrück camp and my father in Oranienburg. I returned from Oranienburg with just my mother. In the meantime, our house had been confiscated. Since that time I had never returned to Filtrova Street. I tried to avoid it because it held too many painful memories. . . .

On this 26th of June I entered Filtrova Street from the side of Nautowich Square. I walked and walked. I do not why; I still cannot explain it. And so I came to our house, 27 Filtrova Street. Standing outside I could see that everything was well kept and that the garden and the bright, pretty entrance had been restored. I said to myself, "O my God, the garage is just as it was before." And I asked myself, "How is the garden behind the house?" I put my hand on the latch of the gate, although I should say that I am not one of those people who will enter just anywhere and start looking around. I pressed down the latch and entered the garden to see if it was the same. It was as if I was doing all this without being aware of it. Then I thought, "There may be a dog," and I went back a few steps.

Then I noticed that the steps were placed in a different way and that the doorstep had also been changed. I went up the steps and there was a doorbell. I don't know why, but I pushed the bell. The door opened, and a young man with a pleasant appearance came out. I think he had glasses. I was very struck and he said, "Can I help you"? I answered that I just wanted to see the garden and he invited me to enter it. I said that in this place there had been a terrace. He looked surprised and I told him that this had been my family home where I had lived during the war. He let me enter the house and I found myself in the entrance hall. I hardly recognized anything. I went down a hallway that had led to the old living room, the room where we had been detained in 1944. The living room, however, had disappeared and now there was a chapel. In the chapel a priest was praying and he smiled when he saw me. I said good-by politely and left. I had too many things swirling around in my head.

It turns out that in that house, fifty years later, there was a center of Opus Dei. I knew nothing about Opus Dei nor about its founder. Why had I gone there? From that moment, which I was not looking for at all, I began to get to know Opus Dei. And great changes began to take place, especially in my interior life. Now I am a supernumerary of Opus Dei, and I am enormously thankful to God and to St. Josemaria that he has chosen me, an unknown person who did not deserve it.

I speak about this because I have just turned ninety and I wish to say to all older people who are sick or discouraged with life that there are no limits and no one knows when God's grace might touch us. Naturally I lived with God from the beginning, that is, from the moment of Baptism. But all my life, even with God, I was lukewarm. Now my interior life has begun to be more intense and I try to deepen it everyday. And so I thank God with my whole heart that at the end of my life he has allowed me to begin something new that is worthwhile.

Big number of those who seek transcendence

The prelate was in Poland and was interviewed by the Sunday Catholic Weekly, Niedziela.

Wlodzimierz Redzioch: - Your Excellency, you are the head of the organisation of the Catholic Church, which being focused on by the international media. Unfortunately, they as a rule show its distorted picture. Could you tell us what Opus Dei is?

Bishop Javier Echevarría: - Saint Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer repeated that Opus Dei is 'God's way of Christians who want to live as true Christians'.

The aim of Opus Dei members is not to do spectacular things. They are ordinary Christians who try to seek sanctity in their daily lives.

Since the prelature, Church's institution, consists of priests and laymen, i.e. ordinary people, we feel comfortably in the world: among people, at work, in families... I will say even more: not only do we feel good in the world but we love the world, we love daily life with its thousands of obligations and tasks. One cannot be Christian only at church but one must be Christian in ordinary situations. One should lead a life of faith in God, of hope and love for all people like the first Christians did, and then every day becomes a holiday.

This idea of 'greatness' of daily life constitutes the peak of the message of St Josemaría, the ideal that, thanks to God, is shared by many, including those who do not belong to Opus Dei.

As far as the interest of media in the prelature is concerned I think that it comes from the fact that the number of those who passionately seek the transcendental dimension of our reality through Opus Dei is very big.

In a word, we are dealing with something that still 'draws' people to Christianity, which Benedict XVI has stressed on various occasions.

All I know is I love Opus Dei

By Anne (Annunciata) of Catholic Answers Forum

I'm a Cooperator and proud of it!

All I know is I love [Opus Dei] and it has enhanced my spiritual life far beyond anything I ever expected.

From: http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?p=1843593&highlight=opus+dei#post1843593

What has always edified me

By Moneo of Catholic Answers Forum on Jul 21, '07

I have had a lot of contact with members of Opus Dei over the years and have attended different spiritual retreats and conferences which they have sponsored.

What has always edified me is the orthodoxy of their doctrine and their submission to the Holy Father. Like Allen, I have concluded that actual membership in the Work is not for me, but I continue to benefit from my association with them and hold them in generally very high esteem.

From: http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=170764&highlight=opus+dei

The Real Rebels

By Thomas C. Reeves, a Senior Fellow of the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute. Among his dozen books are biographies of John F. Kennedy, Joseph R. McCarthy, Fulton J. Sheen, and Chester A. Arthur.

In reading a book of conversations with St. Josemaria Escriva, the founder of Opus Dei, I came upon this stunning sentence: “Religion is the greatest rebellion of men who do not want to live as beasts, who are not satisfied and will not rest until they reach and come to know their Creator.” How wholly countercultural. Among the self-described “brights” in the media and in academia, the explanations of reality have long rejected the supernatural. It is simply not fashionable to be pursuing Eternal Truth and personal holiness. Should we care?

On July 16, Peter Berkowitz of the George Mason University School of Law wrote a piece in the Wall Street Journal called “The New New Atheism.” It was a fascinating critique of several new books on the “horrors” of religious faith. Titles such as “The God Delusion,” “God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything,” and “God: The Failed Hypothesis: How Science Shows that God Does not Exist,” have sold close to a million copies in less than a year. Berkowitz observes that “unlike the anti-modern atheism of Nietzsche and Heidegger, which regarded the death of God as a catastrophe for the human spirit, the new new atheism sees the loss of religious faith in the modern world as an unqualified good, lamenting only the perverse and widespread resistance to shedding once and for all the hopelessly backward belief in a divine presence in history.”

Berkowitz’s main target is the eloquent book by Christopher Hitchens, which sees all religion as an evil and destructive pathology. The law professor argues that the volume’s arguments are weak, sloppy (e.g. linking all faiths together as “religion,” regardless of content), and themselves based on rigid dogma (i.e. faith) and crude scientism. Berkowitz wonders “why the 20th century embrace of secularism unleashed human depravity of unprecedented proportions,” especially in light of Hitchens’ belief that atheism will subdue evil in the world and yield happiness and peace. He also calls attention to the vital contributions made by Christianity in the West’s respect for individual dignity and freedom.

I left the Berkowitz article thinking that however admirable his piece, he had overlooked the larger point, especially about Christianity. The truth or falsity of religious faith is not tied to scientific findings, quibbles about Scripture, or to the foundations of civil liberties and civil rights in Western Civilization. The question that must be asked about Christianity is simply this: Is it true? Is Jesus Christ alive (for without the miracle of the Resurrection the faith is a delusion) and at work in the hearts and minds of his followers? We must face facts: Billions of people over the centuries have personally and directly experienced the presence of God--his love, mercy, and forgiveness. The power of the Eucharist, for example, cannot be scrutinized scientifically, but it is very real. Like love, the sacrament defies scientific scrutiny, but untold millions have known its solace and inspiration. The same is true, of course, of other vital aspects of the faith, including Bible reading, sermons, and prayer.

Christianity has shaped and enriched lives for nearly 2,000 years and continues to be a major source of strength and hope all across the globe. It is a faith that emphasizes love, humility, self-giving and surrender to God. It’s not about politics, economics, or fashion of any sort. Thus it has always had many bitter enemies, especially among narcissists, radical secularists, and intellectuals who cannot abide the cross of Christ and what St. Paul defiantly calls the “foolishness of God.”

In our wealthy and hedonistic age, Christianity is clearly countercultural, and serious (as opposed to pro forma) Christians are by definition rebels--spiritually, ethically, and morally. St. Josemaria understood this completely, and he spent his life telling others, by word and example, that they were depriving themselves of the good life and eternal glory by choosing to live as mere beasts.

From: http://hnn.us/blogs/entries/41103.html

Teens with class

By Dawn Eden


















During the afternoon before I spoke at St. Alphonsus Church's "Views from the Veranda" series in Chicago last week, I gave a talk to interns who volunteer at the Metro Achievement Center, an after-school program for inner-city girls. That's me in purple, glammed up in advance of my nighttime talk, posing with some of the interns, who come from colleges around the country to spend the summer helping out at the center.

I was very impressed with the center, which is run by members of Opus Dei and includes a chapel with some lovely art. It is an oasis for the girls who come there, many of whom rarely have the opportunity to meet kids outside of their own neighborhood and their own ethnic group. I got to meet some of them too, and they seemed very happy, friendly, and intellectually engaged. It didn't surprise me to learn that 98% of the kids in the program — ordinary kids, not necessarily "gifted" ones — go on to graduate high school, as opposed to 44% of their Chicago peers.

If this sounds like a PSA, it is. (Full disclosure: After my talk, Metro's director surprised me with a $25 Barnes and Noble card and a plastic mug full of Hershey's nuggets.) I don't run PSAs very often, but it's not often that I speak at a place outside of a church that does such good work.

I'm really in awe of people like the college students I met who work in the teaching field, especially when they seek to work with children who, because of their disadvantages at home, are not necessarily the easiest to teach. I would like to have their charism someday, but right now, it seems the best I can hope for is to teach the teachers.

From: http://www.dawneden.com/2007/07/teens-with-class.html

The best thing that has happened in my life

By Angel

When I was 15, I met Opus Dei. One day my childhood friend invited me to play futsal (indoor football).

There they taught me to deal with God, learning habits of piety little by little. Later it was in my hands to love God or not-- the freedom to choose, the same that I have now. Through time, we are learning. We learn -- we should-- but I am sure that we will continue committing errors.

The best thing that has happened in my life is to have known Opus Dei. After that, it was myself, myself alone, who has gone into all the muddied pools possible. No one else deserves the blame for my decisions.

Spanish original: Con quince años ..conocí el Opus Dei. Un amigo mío, desde casi la cuna, me invitó un día a jugar al fútbol sala. Allí me enseñaron a tratar a Dios, poco a poco fui adquiriendo hábitos de piedad. Luego siempre ha estado en mis manos la capacidad de quererle o no, la libertad de elegir, la misma que tengo ahora. Con la edad vamos aprendiendo, aprendemos -más nos vale-, pero seguro que seguiremos cometiendo equivocaciones.

De lo mejor que me pasado en mi vida ha sido conocer la Obra. Después he sido yo, yo solito, el que se ha metido en todos los charcos posibles. Nadie se merece las culpas de mis decisiones.

From: http://miblogdetodo.blogspot.com/2007/07/en-voz-alta.html

Mortification

By Jeff Tan of Melbourne Australia

Back in my Opus Dei days, mortification was a relevant topic. I never came close to becoming a numerary, but those three on-and-off years were blessed years anyway. As I told my wife, they were among my most peaceful. Mortification was a key element. It can be easily misunderstood as a means of earning my way to salvation, but that is far from what is taught.

Why delay that drink of water? Why shower in cold water? Why walk the extra mile? Why bite back that irritated retort? The clear lesson from St. Josemaria Escriva was that this was training. Training for what? The most succinct answer came to me the other day while meditating on the sorrowful mysteries of the Rosary. Daily mortification is training for love by small exercises -- deliberately done for love.

Every ounce of pain and sorrow that the Lord endured, from birth to Calvary, was for love. We share that calling. he thought came to me that, one day, or perhaps in several occasions throughout our lives, the Lord will invite us to some considerable acts of love.



Watching my wife's sacrifice with the kids, I know she has been called in a special way to acts of motherly love. My sisters go through the same with their children. Such occasions, where purely natural and human love would fail, is where supernatural and holy love is called for. Small acts of sacrifice -- mortification, or dying unto ourselves -- are the small exercises in preparation for those times. We must die to our self-love so that it does not hold us back from loving God and our neighbor. For love of our God, we want to be well-prepared for the opportunities that will come.

Some of the above mentioned exercise seem insignificant. But think about how we train up our children with small, seemingly trivial exercises, which turn out to be indispensable. Not because they are objectively important, but they are the necessary single steps to walk a mile, then two, and so on.

The Lord invites us to pick up our daily crosses, and I heartily agree that delaying a drink of water is nothing compared to holding back an angry retort. But any act, with a holy intention, with love as the inspiration and the rule, becomes a supernatural act. Not in order to merit salvation, but rather to condition ourselves to love as the Lord wills.

From: http://onebread.blogspot.com/2007/07/mortification-works-righteousness-or.html

A Jesuit's Journey: Opus Dei

By Fr. Ryan Duns, S.J. of Bronx, New York, US

Fr. Ryan and Cousins

At the core of Opus Dei is the belief that

holiness, 'being a saint,' is not just the province of a few spiritual athletes, but is the universal destiny of every Christian. Holiness is not exclusively, or even principally, for priests and nuns. Further, holiness is not something to be achieved in the first place through prayer and spiritual discipline, but rather through the mundane details of everyday work. Holiness thus doesn't require a change in external circumstances, but a change in attitude, seeing everything anew in the light of one's supernatural destiny.

If this were the only thing people were to learn of Opus Dei, it would be a great gift.

From: http://ryandunssj.blogspot.com/2007/07/opus-dei.html

Opus Dei

By Slatts from St. Louis, USA


Last night I had the privilege of attending a dinner celebrating 50 years of Opus Dei in Saint Louis. My father and I, together with some of his friends, had the unmerited good fortune to sit with four priests ranging in age from 26 to 75. I sat next to the 75 year-old priest and since he told me his hearing wasn't so good, I felt quite content to let him share his wisdom and experience with me.

The draw for me to this event was the speakers it had lined up: Kimberly and Scott Hahn. Kimberly talked about the family as the domestic Church. She talked from her experience of being a married Protestant with a husband who became Catholic as well as when she had come into the Church herself. Her talk was geared to the "ordinary" which is precisely the place where God's plan is revealed. Scott Hahn in his talk later quoted Josemaria Escriva (the founder of Opus Dei) in saying those who wanted to divorce ordinary life from the holy life were "mystical wishful-thinkers". Family life for the lay Christian is the ordinary means to extraordinary grace.

Scott Hahn's talk comes mainly from his book Ordinary Work, Extraordinary Grace. As a cooperator in Opus Dei even before his Easter reception into the Church, Dr Hahn certainly has a large appreciation for this organization. He described the paradox of Opus Dei having a priestly soul with a lay mentality. "Isn't that like a married bachelor?" he asked. Then he ran across a phrase in Scripture that gave him pause. Christians were to be a "priestly kindgom". Priests rule over liturgy and holiness where Kings rule over the secular order of justice and goodness. The paradox then seemed more profound.

Scott also revealed the "secret" of Opus Dei. "We all know it's that albino monk. It's only that Opus Dei doesn't have monks". He describes the spiritual foundation and "secret" of Opus Dei as "Divine filiation" in the words of Josemaria. This means divine sonship; a real family bond. He says that in Judaism man's sonship with God is metaphorical, in Islam it is blasphemy, but in Catholicism it is actual, ontological, metaphysical. He also said that it was metaphorical in most of the Protestant tradition, where divine adoption is legal and metaphorical.

It was a wonderful experience all around. The priests, quite eager to see if I would like to try on one of those fancy white collars, were very holy souls with more than their reasonable load to bear. The speakers were excellent (though I am prejudiced having been the student of both). And I also got a new book (a text book), Understanding the Scriptures, which happens to be a complete course in Bible Study written by my favorite Bible scholar, Dr Scott Hahn. In his New Testament class we used an evangelical textbook, which while being quite good, was insufficient for reading the Bible in the stream of the Christian Tradition.

Opus Dei also looks like something to be more closely examined by someone like me. It seems to speak to the exact spirituality that I have grown to discern within myself. Definitely something to look at in the coming months.

From: http://toonemorestep.blogspot.com/2006/10/opus-dei_14.html

St. Josemaria, the Tridentine Mass and the Mass of Paul VI

See my post at Wikipedia:

Monsignor Escrivá saying Mass

Escriva considered the Mass as the "center and root of the Christian's interior life," a terminology which was later used by the Second Vatican Council.

According to Giovanni Battista Cardinal Re, Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, "St. Josemaría strove with all his strength to make the Eucharist the center of his life...For him, Jesus was not an example to imitate from afar, an abstract moral ideal, but his Jesus, a person we should live alongside continuously."

The present prelate of Opus Dei Bishop Javier Echevarria Rodriguez said that Escriva strove to follow whatever was indicated by the competent authority regarding the celebration of Mass. Since his prayer was much integrated with the liturgy for the past 40 years, Escrivá found the shift difficult and asked Echevarria to coach him in celebrating the new rites. Although he missed the practices of the old rites, especially some gestures such as the kiss on the paten which showed love, he prohibited his followers to ask for any dispensation for him "out of a spirit of obedience to ecclesiastical norms." "He has decided to show his love for the liturgy through the new rite," commented Echevarria. However, when Msgr. Bugnini of the Vatican found out about Escriva's difficulties, he granted Escriva the possibility of celebrating the Mass using the old rite. Escriva celebrated this rite only in private.

From:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josemar%C3%ADa_Escriv%C3%A1#Towards_the_liturgy

The beauty of St. Josemaria’s teachings is that it is so human

By Jose Sison

Opus Dei is a personal prelature of the Catholic Church composed of lay people, both men and women, and priests. It undertakes ministries subject to the authority of its own bishop, not the bishop of the diocese where they are carried out. While there are different levels of membership, all members have a “plan of life” under the guidance of a spiritual director to fully equip them in resisting the growing tentacles of secularism and paganism as they live out God’s call in this world to sanctify themselves and, in the process sanctify others, by doing their work well (with greatest possible human perfection) just as Jesus of Nazareth, the carpenter’s son has done everything well.

The spirit of Opus Dei is mainly set forth in St. Josemaria’s books, particularly The Way. In fact I would say that I “met” him through this book. The Way is the modern road map to salvation because it has laid down a specific path to travel with the Lord all the way for all the weary and confused travelers on this earth. Each day of our journey on earth is a day full of crossroads, of daily challenges. As we reach every crossroad, The Way gives us the right direction so that we will not be sidetracked by the numerous attractive signs leading to perdition.

The beauty of St. Josemaria’s teachings is that it is so human. He does not abhor or condemn anybody because of his weaknesses and iniquities that are part and parcel of man’s fallen nature. Instead he encourages persons to accept all these imperfections and un-holiness as the springboard to sanctity. He realizes that human as we are, we are bound to fall again and again so he encourages us to begin again and again through the Sacrament of Reconciliation that entails the humble act of acknowledging our sins and our sinfulness and asking God’s forgiveness and grace to be strong so that we will not fall again.

The greatest legacies of St. Josemaria are his simplicity and humility. It is like a fresh wind in this modern world where the pursuit of happiness is equated with the accumulation of power, wealth and influence. Because of his simple ways, ordinary simple folks could easily relate and identify with him. And because of his humility he has shown us the way to sanctity.

From: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=82332

Lay Ecclesial Movements and the Personal Prelature of Opus Dei

By Mark Gordon of Suicide of the West: A Continuing Chronicle of the West's Cultural Distintegration

At this year's Easter Vigil, I will celebrate the tenth anniversary of my homecoming to the Body of Christ, the Church. During Lent, I'll be posting a daily reflection on one of the practices, doctrines, personalities, and moments that have been particularly precious to me during my ten years as a Catholic.

Prior to a “shotgun start” at a golf tournament, the players are evenly distributed at every tee on the course and begin play at precisely the same time. A given player will therefore end his round on the hole (15, for instance) immediately preceding the one at which he began (16). This ensures that all the players will finish their rounds at roughly the same time, which is important because hot food, cold beer and prizes are usually waiting in the clubhouse.

A golf tournament with a shotgun start is a lot like the rich diversity of lay ecclesial movements in the Catholic Church. The goal of every “player” is the same - personal sanctity - but depending on which group one belongs to, the start and the path to completion are just a bit different.

So, for instance, members of Communion and Liberation take their formation and sustenance through Schools of Community which meet in academic settings to read and discuss texts that focus on the distinctive charisms - or graces - of C&L: the wonder of the Incarnation, an enthusiasm for it and a recognition of its reasonableness; the affirmation that Jesus of Nazareth is a present event in a sign of communion; and that only in his presence can man be truer and mankind be truly more human. The goal of Communion and Liberation is to assist its members to grow in holiness.

Members of the venerable Society of St. Vincent dePaul also seek to grow in holiness, but they do so by serving the poor: collecting and distributing clothing, maintaining food pantries, seeking donations to help those less fortunate with housing or utility expenses, and so on. Like members of C&L, Vincentians meet and pray together, but the special charism of the SVDP is to provide practical assistance to the poor.

Those involved in the Confraternity of Penitents seek to grow in holiness by living a modified version of the Franciscan rule of 1221 A.D. This Rule of Life prescribes specific daily prayers and a simplified form of life centered on penance and bodily mortification. The unique charisms of the CFP include humility and simplicity.

Now, you’ll note that the goal of each of these lay ecclesial movements is the same: the sanctification of its members. But each of them take a slightly different path to achieving that goal. The C&L is a more intellectual path, while the SVDP centers on practical action. The CFP, by contrast, emphasizes personal prayer and penance. However, members of the C&L certainly strive to serve the poor, while Vincentians seek humility and simplicity as highly as Penitents, who also value the intellectual formation of C&L. There is no “right way” to be found when comparing lay ecclesial movements; instead they are each expressions of the manifold “ways” in which grace can be enlivened in the lives of individual Christians. Everyone involved in these movements, to return to the golf metaphor, will complete their rounds, but they’ll play the course a bit differently than the group behind or ahead of them. And with the aid of grace, they’ll all end up at the Lamb’s Feast in the Heavenly Clubhouse.

A special note about one former lay ecclesial movement, now the only Personal Prelature in the Catholic Church: Opus Dei. Opus Dei was founded in 1928 by St. Josemaria Escriva, a Spanish priest. The goal of Opus Dei, like that of every extraordinary movement within the Catholic Church, is to assist members in their struggle for personal sanctity. Opus Dei’s unique focus is on ordinary life as the means - not just the context, but the means - for growing in holiness. It is predicated on the idea, later made explicit by the Second Vatican Council, that the laity have their own vocation that is every bit as vital to them and to the life of the Church as the vocation of priests and religious. It was the conviction of St. Josemaria that every baptized Christian is called to be a saint, and Opus Dei’s particular charism is the integration of the spiritual life with a person’s professional, social and family responsibilities.

Universal Call to Holiness, National Shrine

The members and associates of Opus Dei seek to become saints in and through the lay vocations - familial, social and professional - in which they find themselves. While some lay ecclesial movements encourage their members to withdraw from the world, Opus Dei encourages its associates to dive ever more deeply into the muck and mire of real life, and to find there the grace to become saints.

I have been a “cooperator” with Opus Dei for several years now, and it has been an amazing grace in my life.

From: http://suicideofthewest.com/?p=537

Defense of Opus Dei

By Steve of Veritas Vincit (Truth Conquers) on February 28th, 2007

Here is a recent post I made on the Traditionalist Catholic discussion forum on www.fisheaters.com regarding Opus Dei. You can see the full thread here.

Hello All,

I saw the title of this thread, read the posts and feel obliged out of justice to respond. I am a conservative Catholic with a love for the Latin Mass, and Tradition. However I do believe in the validity of Vatican II and the Novus Ordo, even though I admit the mass as said in many US dioceses today is saddening.

Upon our move to a moderately liberal Catholic diocese, my wife and I sought out the local Opus Dei mornings of reflection. I attended one for the men and she one for women. It was a breath of fresh air. It includes confession, adoration, benediction, meditation, two solid homilies, etc. A sort of mini-retreat.

Recently, after attending local Opus Dei retreats and meeting members we decided to apply to become cooperators. We did not feel pressured in any way by any member we met. The fact that we were drawn to the organization by its orthodoxy, priests, and example if its members speaks well of the organization. The members we have met are great people, numeraries included, who are humble and attempting to live out their faith in their daily life. The mornings of reflection, retreats, and spiritual direction are top notch.

Members often attend daily mass, say a daily rosary, do spiritual reading and are a Catholic example to their co-workers, friends, and family. They also practice mortifications and offer up their sufferings and work. The married supernumeraries I know have very large families and, like many of you, live as signs of contradiction in our contraceptive and selfish society.

The masses are held in very ornate, beautiful, chapels and Latin is liberally used. They are the best, most reverent, Novus Ordo masses we have ever attended. There are also Opus Dei members who attend the local Latin indult Mass. The Latin Mass is not discouraged at all. In fact St. Josemaria loved the Tridentine Mass.

Supernumeraries and Numeraries follow a Plan of Life including daily mass, the rosary, examination of conscience, among other things. The Plan is a gameplan for incorporating your faith into your life, to be a constant reminder of Jesus’ admonition to pray without ceasing. Members offer up their work and mortifications for loved ones, friends, and those who need spiritual help. They also forge friendships with those around them and by their example, prayer and the Holy Spirit attempt to move these people toward the Truth and the Church.

One has to be careful in evaluating an entire organization based on the negative writings of ex-members. One can imagine the impression one would get of the Catholic Church from reading only websites of ex-catholics, fallen away Catholics, etc. Also there is no way to corroborate these stories or test their veracity. In addition no opposing viewpoints are ever given on ODAN.

If the stories are true, I agree that they are travesties that should have never happened and there needs to be correction and reparation. But this is no different in substance than the horrible priest abuse scandals. Just because there are bad individual priests out there and Bishops who cover up their deeds, doesn’t mean the Church as an institution is bad. We would tell Non-Catholics to get their information on what Catholics believe and teach straight from the horse’s mouth, the Church, and not websites with a negative agenda. I’d encourage you all to do the same.

Opus Dei’s website is www.opusdei.org/. There one can read the all too common stories of happiness, joy, service, and devotion of it’s members. Also I’d advise checking out the writings of St. Josemaria yourself to determine whether there is anything unorthodox about them. http://www.escrivaworks.org/.

P.S. The post regarding Josemaria changing his last name from Escriba to Escriva is simply not true. It is a fact that his family name was always Escriva. His name was misspelled on his birth certificate and later corrected. It is misinformation like this that is part of the problem with reading sites like ODAN. I think that, out of justice, the truth needs to be told about individuals, especially a holy man like St. Josemaria, whether or not you care for Opus Dei.

God Bless you all,

Steve

From:http://veritasvincit.wordpress.com/2007/02/28/defense-of-opus-dei/

Opus Dei is scary because it’s so normal

By Nigerian Ginger at 9:39 am

“There is a saying about Einstein’s Theory of Relativity: that what makes it difficult for some people to comprehend (it) is its simplicity. That you don’t need to acquire more information to understand it, but that you must instead discard preconceived notions that block your understand(ing). There is a similar saying about Quantum Theory.”
–Vin Crosbie, in an online article “What is ‘New Media’?

Opus Dei can be explained in a similar way. What makes it difficult for some people to comprehend Opus Dei’s spirit is its simplicity. That you don’t need to acquire more information to understand it, but that you must instead discard preconceived notions that block your understanding. Some of these preconceptions include the old belief that sanctity, of the heroic type, was exclusive of professed religious, and not accessible to the everyday man or woman ‘in the world’. Another preconception was that being something ‘unexpected’ of the ordinary person, anyone therefore who makes the attainment of sanctity an aim, must be distinguishable by some external signs. When a member of Opus Dei is not distinguishable from other persons around him, it is then wrongly thought that he or she has something to hide, or that Opus Dei is secretive.

But Opus Dei is very simple and to understand and love it, come with no baggage. It is exactly what it says it is: a way of sanctity in daily work and the fulfillment of the ordinary duties of a Christian. I am here reminded of an article published in the UK Spectator in May 2006 by Mary Wakefield titled, “Opus Dei is scary because it’s so normal”.

Here is an excerpt from the article:

“After three hours with Opus Dei women at Ashwell House in east London I wandered west, half-stunned, like a cat hit by a car…the members I’d met had been so mysteriously well-balanced and comfortable in their skins as to be actually frightening. If I had to sustain eye contact with another well-adjusted, devout young Catholic, I thought I might start swearing, or crying.”

Read the full story here

From: http://blog.writingpad.org/2007/06/12/opus-dei-is-scary-because-it%E2%80%99s-so-normal/

My Faith keeps me strong: Why do I help Alex?

By Rod (posted June 03, 2007)

As a child I grew up in a loving and secure family. I was an 'only child' and despite the perceptions by some that 'only' children are often spoiled I was not. My parents always had high expectations for me, however their most frequently used comment was ' do your best, no one can ask more of you than to do your best.' It is a phrase I often use with my own children and my students at school.

My formative years we moved around quite a lot. My mother is Catholic whereas my father was protestant. I was raised to understand both faiths and it was left to me to decide when I was old enough which religion to follow. Throughout my teenage years I looked into Mormonism, Catholicism and various other religions, yet I always felt most 'at home,' most 'comfortable' sitting in the local Catholic Church. I never felt 'alone' there - I felt as though I 'belonged.' And so it was that I embraced whole heartily the Catholic Church as my spiritual roots.

I have been blessed by having worked all around the world. Indeed I have visited well over 100 different countries - some of which no longer exist today and some of which have changed their names many times over. Throughout these periods of travel I often asked God in my prayers why I was seeing so many things? I asked God why he was blessing me with these opportunities and experiences. The answer never seemed to come forth.

During a serious illness in Mexico I was looked after by a convent of nuns. The convent consisted of four wonderful ladies who between them knew perhaps a half dozen words in English. During my 35 day stay in hospital they tended to my spiritual as well as physical and emotional needs. Despite our major differences in culture, language and even educational level, we formed a love and bond towards each other that will last forever. During this time I prepared for my death many times and always asked our Lord - "Why did you allow me to see so many wonderful things on this earth if I cannot be shown how to use that gift?" Alas the answer never seemed to come forward.

I have always worked within Education and training. My life has revolved around young people. I have seen first hand that it does not matter if you are from Lalibela, Ethiopia or Agra, India, even London, England, your hopes, fears and prayers are basically the same. To be healthy, have a happy family life, a secure family and to do good. I have learned that no matter which God you pray to, or even if you do not pray to one, you seek the same 'spiritual' goals and aspirations.

Opus Dei came into my life whilst in Mexico. The view that you should sanctify the Lord in all that you do seemed so natural. We cannot take our worldly possessions with us when we part this earth but we can impart our knowledge, hopes and loves to others. Perhaps no other vocation is more rewarding than that of teaching. Teachers are born, they are not trained or made. You can improve a teacher but only if they have the fundamental skills to 'teach.' There is no quick fix or injection, no pill to be taken to help you relate to others and impart your experiences to them with the hope that they will in turn make the world better. It is a 'gift' from God.

In Taiwan I fully embraced Opus Dei and our beloved Saint Josemaría Escrivá, I made some of the closest and best friends there whom I remain in contact with. When I moved to Ethiopia I immediately contacted Opus Dei in Nairobi and had several uplifting meetings with its members and co-operators in Addis Ababa. Opus Dei became my family, or rather I became a member of the Opus Dei family. Opus Dei members and centres have always been there for me and my family when we needed them. We have likewise always been there to honour and help Opus Dei members and supporters.

Perhaps because I have always been able to 'hold my own' and perhaps because I have also known total poverty, total loss, perhaps because of that I have had an affinity to those whom the rest of the world 'see' as invisible. I am a magnet for street children, the poor, the rejected, lame, abused and disaffected. Whereas there are those who attract stray dogs or cats, I see and feel ever twinge of pain from those 'invisible' people we brush shoulders with each day.

There is no simple way to describe the feeling. There is helplessness, sadness, anger, fear, love, hope, beauty and a myriad of other emotions and senses which are stirred by these beautiful and valuable human beings that our various societies continue to neglect and let down. One man, one woman cannot change the entire world, but you can change the world of at least one other person. Often we see this reflected in bad actions, but so often the beautiful and spiritual changes go un-heralded, un-noticed - sometimes even un-appreciated by the ones you help. Josemaría Escrivá knew this totally when he founded Opus Dei.

I have discovered in life it is not for us to ask 'Why am I to do this? Why have I been given this empathy?' Sometimes I even want to ask God 'why did you curse me so?' Yet I know He would never ask me to do anything He was not confident I could master. Like my natural parents he only expects me to do the 'best I can.'

The greatest challenge God ever placed upon me has been Alex. Alex is after all from a different culture, religion (for he is Orthodox), socio-economic group, racial group. Alex is as different to me as chalk from cheese, yet there was a bond from the first time we met. I went to great lengths to avoid him. I tried to 'walk away,' my dearest friend Wynn whom Alex first spoke to often times teased me about how the harder I tried to 'escape from Alex' the closer we became. My other son too has often been frustrated by my compulsion to help and raise Alex.

To adopt someone you automatically think baby - not teenager. Even in your own homogenous society you would often shy from adopting a teenager because of the 'baggage' that seems to be permanently attached. But with the hand of God guiding you. With the love of St Josemaría, St Mother Teresa beside you, how can you fail? In all honestly I can only fail Alex if I give up. I can only fail him if I grow tired of the struggle. And yes there are days even weeks when I question my ability to maintain this struggle. Now Alex IS my son, Alex is my family and I MUST overcome the odds.

If you were to ask any of the people who have adopted someone 'why?' and 'what do you get out of it?' they will reply often that it is 'inexplicable' and that yes there are many days they wonder if they made the right decision. Those who have not adopted might never understand the bond that develops and that this bond is every bit as strong as the blood line between a natural father, mother and child. I shy away from using the phrase 'my adopted son…' for in the eyes of many that automatically makes him 'second class' - he IS my son and I AM proud of him. And yes, I love him as any father loves his son.

I pray that through the lessons I have discovered and absorbed through my Opus Dei family; with the Good Grace of God beside me and within me, that I can see this through to the end. As I grew up we used to sing a wonderful song in school ' When a Knight won his spurs in the stories of old….' it is a hymn close to me, close to my goals and hopes.

Without my Catholic faith, without my love and total devotion to Opus Dei I know I could not embark on this daily struggle. It is my prayer that I will be able to follow the example of others who have made a difference one person at a time. As a teacher I get that opportunity each day - I cannot waste it. With Alex I continue with it. And throughout the remainder of my life I must be dedicated to helping, praying for and nurturing those 'invisible' people to be able to take their rightful place at the table with the rest of us.

God's Grace and Good Spirits.

Rod

Oh… and the answer to my prayer… 'Why have I been blessed to see these many wonderful things and what does the Lord wish of me?' That unfolds each day when I look into the eyes of the 'invisible,' when I embrace them, touch them and help them in my own limited way… because God made us of his image and if we keep the 'invisible' out of sight, then we are keeping the Lord out of sight too.

From: http://alex-roadtofreedom.blogspot.com/2007/06/my-faith-keeps-me-strong.html

St Josemaria Escriva

By Jonny Blackwell 6/6/07 9:45 AM

I have a great devotion to St Josemaria Escriva, if not for him I might never have learnt how to pray. Thank God for the diversity of his saints, it gives hope to even those of us filled with human imperfections. Also thank God for Opus Dei, which I have seen act as a fantastic catalyst in so many peoples' santification.

From: http://marymagdalen.blogspot.com/2007/05/st-josemaria-escriva.html

Saint Josemaria Escriva

By Alexham

In case y'all were unaware, today is the feast day of Saint Josemaria Escriva. I realize that Escriva is a controversial figure, to both Catholics and Non-Catholics alike, but I greatly admire (and share) his vision for the Catholic laity (i.e., that "work is a way to holiness"). It is also my opinion, that much of the controversy surrounding Escriva (and Opus Dei for that matter) is vastly overblown by those who have an axe to grind against traditional Catholicism. And fwiw, I came to this conclusion largely as a result of John Allen's excellent book, "Opus Dei: An Objective Look Behind the Myths and Reality of the Most Controversial Force in the Catholic Church,"* and a fairly exhaustive review of several pro and anti Opus Dei websites.

In any event, for those of you who are interested in learning more about the life of Saint Escriva, you can do so here, here, and here.

Oh, and I meant to do a similar post yesterday on the feast day of my patron saint, Thomas More, but I was unable to do so. Thankfully, Jay Anderson did make time to acknowledge the greatness (and holiness) of Saint Thomas More. Kudos to Jay for an excellent post.

*If I can find the time, I hope to do a review of Allen's book in the near future. In the meantime, I cannot recommend the book highly enough, for many of the reasons already noted in Jeff Miller's excellent review over at the Curt Jester.

From: http://www.vox-nova.com/2007/06/saint-josemaria-escriva.html

Josemaria Escriva

Posted by Terry Nelson on Jul 3rd, 2007

Evangelization.

Cathy of Recovering Dissident Catholic has a post which relates well to the topic of Evangelization. Her thoughts reminded me of St. JoseMaria Escriva’s famous homily “Passionately Loving the World”. Here is a snippet from that homily:

“You must understand now, more clearly, that God is calling you to serve Him in and from the ordinary, material and secular activities of human life. He waits for us every day, in the laboratory, in the operating theatre, in the army barracks, in the university chair, in the factory, in the workshop, in the fields, in the home and in all the immense panorama of work. Understand this well: there is something holy, something divine, hidden in the most ordinary situations, and it is up to each one of you to discover it.

I often said to the university students and workers who were with me in the thirties that they had to know how to “materialise” their spiritual life. I wanted to keep them from the temptation, so common then and now, of living a kind of double life. On one side, an interior life, a life of relation with God; and on the other, a separate and distinct professional, social and family life, full of small earthly realities.

No! We cannot lead a double life if we want to be Christians. There is just one life, made of flesh and spirit. And it is this life which has to become, in both soul and body, holy and filled with God. We discover the invisible God in the most visible and material things.” - St. JoseMaria Escriva

The teachings of St. JoseMaria seem to me to be complimentary to those of St. Therese of Lisieux and her “little way” - a sort of practical expression perhaps. At any rate - they are extremely compatible.

2 Responses

1. Cathy_of_Alex Says:
   July 3rd, 2007 at 7:21 pm

   Terry: It sounds like St. Jose could teach me a lot. I should read some of his work. You are not the first person to tell me he is worth reading.

2. Terry Nelson Says:
   July 3rd, 2007 at 7:49 pm

   Yes, he can teach all of us a lot. But in your case, I think he would be a sort of Eureka moment wherein you would say, “Yes! Yes! That is what I was saying, thinking, etc.” Your post immediately reminded me of that. The interesting aspect about Opus Dei is that they have a strange reputation for being covert - secretive, when in fact, they are very Pauline, simply leading “hidden” Christian lives amongst ordinary people, in ordinary circumstances. They do not hide their faith, but they don’t shove it down people’s throats either. Your example of the B&B is much like that.

Saints are not supermen

By Richard Leoni Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Today is the feast day -- memorial, actually -- of St. Josemaría Escrivá, founder of Opus Dei:

Saints are men and women of God, souls identified with Jesus Christ. This is the conclusion we reach when we approach the life of Saint Josemaría Escrivá.

But saints are not supermen, nor are they people out of the ordinary, whom it is impossible to capture in words. It is precisely to Saint Josemaría that we owe a fundamental teaching in this regard: “Let's not deceive ourselves: in our life we will find vigor and victory and depression and defeat. This has always been true of the earthly pilgrimage of Christians, even of those we venerate on the altars. Do you remember Peter, Augustine, or Francis? I have never liked biographies of saints which naïvely — but also with a lack of sound doctrine — present their deeds as if they had been confirmed in grace from birth. No. The true life stories of Christian heroes resemble our own experience: they fought and won; they fought and lost. And then, repentant, they returned to the fray.”

The struggle to identify ourselves with Christ, however, is a difficult, sincere, joyful, and persevering endeavor. But, above all, it is a work of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Love, which makes us into children of God in his Son.

Several years ago I participated as a cooperator with Opus Dei and enjoyed it immensely. We met monthly on Saturday mornings at the nearby home of a member and prayed, read from the Gospel, and then listened to a reflection. Unfortunately, my fatherly responsibilities have increased and the cooperator circle convenes a bit further away, so I haven't attended in quite some time. And hats off to the Catholic Telegraph's Tricia Hempel for running a brief profile this week of St. Josemaria, a lightning rod for dissident Catholics who, if LTEs are any indication, make up a significant chunk of the CT's readers.

2 Comments:

At 2:51 PM, Chris Sullivan said...

Unfortunately, my fatherly responsibilities have increased and the cooperator circle convenes a bit further away, so I haven't attended in quite some time.

Yeah, me too.

My wife and I miss the time we had with Opus Dei. These days its just too hard to actively participate.

God Bless

At 2:36 PM, CourageMan said...

One of my most valuable spiritual readings ever has been St. Josemaria's "Christ Is Passing By," which I've quoted extensively at my site on more than one occasion.

The precise passage from there that begins "Let's not deceive ourselves..." is one of my favorites, precisely because I'm both a man in whom certain unwanted facts persist and a man with very exacting standards. "No to all that," the saint says. I need to hear that every day.

Magnum Opus: A Decidedly Modern Spirit

By Mike Aquilina, of the Way of the Fathers blog

Tuesday June 26th 2007, 3:02 am

Today, June 26, is the memorial of St. Josemaria Escriva, the 20th-century priest who founded Opus Dei, a path to holiness through ordinary work, family life, friendship, and such — the stuff of everyday life. His is a decidedly modern spirit, but he conceived it as a retrieval of the way of the “early Christians” (his preferred term). Opus Dei was, he said, “as old as the Gospel and, like the Gospel, ever new.” He often cited the authority of the Church Fathers. A quick scan of his books online at EscrivaWorks yields many passages from Clement of Alexandria, Ignatius of Antioch, Tertullian, Ambrose, Justin Martyr, Origen, Cyril of Jerusalem, Cyril of Alexandria, Leo the Great, Jerome, lots and lots from John Chrysostom and Gregory the Great, and dozens from Augustine.



These early Christians were not mere ornaments on his pet project. His vocation was itself a return to the sources — the pre-Nicene sources of the life and labor of ordinary, faithful Christians. The journalist John L. Allen, in his book-length study of Opus Dei, described just how radical St. Josemaria’s vision was: “The idea of priests and laity, men and women, all part of one organic whole, sharing the same vocation and carrying out the same apostolic tasks, has not been part of the Catholic tradition, at least since the early centuries.”
Back in the 1990s (before St. Josemaria’s canonization), the theologian Domingo Ramos-Lissón wrote an excellent study of the man’s patristic influences. It’s titled “The Example of the Early Christians in Blessed Josemaria’s Teachings,” and it’s available free online at the website of the magazine Romana.
Scott Hahn has written what I consider the finest appreciation of St. Josemaria’s reliance on the Fathers. It’s in his recently released book Ordinary Work, Extraordinary Grace: My Spiritual Journey in Opus Dei. The whole book is great. You really should own it!

From: http://www.fathersofthechurch.com/2007/06/26/magnum-opus/

I've never seen anything but good

By: kimberley at Mar 26, 2005 11:35:12 AM

The only reason I'm still Catholic today is due to the kindness and preaching of an Opus Dei priest. I've never seen anything but good come from that organization. And no, I'm not a member.

From: http://amywelborn.typepad.com/openbook/2005/03/way_of_god.html

I have to say what Opus Dei has been to me

By Pedro | 10.04.06 - 9:33 pm

I have never commented here [at http://closedcafeteria.blogspot.com], but I'm gonna do today for the first time because I have to say what Opus Dei has been to me.

I am currently receiving formation and spiritual direction in a center of the Work. The Lord has been good to me. He led to me to Opus Dei -in mysterious ways, as they say- and I'm very grateful: I'm being helped in the way towards Heaven by people who are 100% dedicated to serve the Church and the souls. They take that 'universal call to holiness' thing seriously - but living ordinarily, like you and me: in the university (I frequent a center for students), in their jobs, in the day-to-day family life of the center.

I'd say, if you're looking for good spiritual direction, good doctrine, and practical help in living that doctrine, go for it! If you feel uncomfortable, offer it up! If you talk with a priest of the Prelature, I'm sure he'd say that defeating that uncomfortableness amounts to good interior mortification

From: http://www.haloscan.com/comments/geraldaugustinus/115985848380242765/

I don't think I could become a member

By Mr Flapatap | 10.03.06 - 2:33 am |

While I don't think I could become a "full member" (supernumerary), I have had great experiences with The Work. Great retreats, spiritual direction, and many opportunities to pray in their chapel and spend time in adoration during Exposition through the night.

I was lucky to have lived across the street from an OD house when I was in college tempted by friends to do stupid things (which many times I did).

From: http://www.haloscan.com/comments/geraldaugustinus/115985848380242765/