Work, labor and the Work of God!

By Rob J. King, an Episcopalian

Today I was reflecting on the nature of 'work,' what is it, what do we mean by it, and what its importance is in the Kingdom of God.

At many times in my life, I have had a distorted view of 'work.'

For example, during 1997 - 1999, perhaps the most financially stable time in my life (two incomes, married, housing provided by the United Methodist Church, nice annuities growing towards retirement, no kids yet, etc.), my view of work was directly related to finance. I was prosperous, but to be frank miserable. I loved my congregation, I loved preaching the Word of God, but like St. Augustine, my heart was restless until it found its rest in the LORD Jesus Christ. I would read feverishly from the great Spiritual Masters, names such as Thomas Merton and Henri Nouwen, yet still I felt a strange longing inside of me.

Then, whether it was a good decision or not, I decided to pursue Ph.D. studies in order to become a "Professor of Theology." I enrolled in the Th.M. program at Duke (following my M.Div. from 1994 - 1997), applied to several Ph.D. programs and lo and behold I became a Notre Dame Ph.D. student for three years of my life (followed by continued teaching at the undergraduate level since 2004).

Yet, still throughout this life of the Mind, my heart and my soul were restless.

Work, however, soon became a form of Spiritual Discipline. While a Ph.D. student, I would daily enter my library closet (little rooms with doors and book shelves in the Notre Dame Hesburgh Library), and then contemplate my Greek Orthodox icon, pray fanatically, and then read French, Greek, the early Church Fathers, contemporary social ethics and then close each day by returning home to my humble graduate student apartment.

Work became less about "payment" and more about growth in holiness.

Eventually, I began my journey back to the Catholic Church, have been somewhat frustrated at its institutional apostasy (e.g. professors who are religious pluralists, not fully pro-life, etc.), but nonetheless, back towards the rosary-praying, Virgin Mary-venerating Catholicism of my youth.

Along the journey (my own 'journey home') I have been engrafted into the Vatican-supporting apostolate known as The Coming Home Network, attended their conferences in 2003 and 2006 (and soon will attend 2007's conference!), and am striving to take my 'work' and make it all part of 'The Work of God' (Opus Dei). I even met with a numerary of Opus Dei in 2004, but the Holy Spirit has not yet moved me to 'officially' join.

Nonetheless, although not an 'official' part of Opus Dei, from support for the poor in Africa to helping to weed out heresy in the Catholic communion, I am finding that I rather like the vision of St. Josemaria Escriva, the founder of Opus Dei. To be frank, the whole notion that my own paltry work, whether it is grading 30 student essays or doing my dishes or cleaning the toilet or praying for someone's healing, can all be a means of sanctification is TRULY OUTSTANDING.

To work as God works, not that I am "god" in any sense, but that the Holy Spirit is working through me to do "The Work of God" is truly revolutionary. As Brother Lawrence, a monk who lived prior to St. Josemaria Escriva, one time penned, "Lord of the pots and pans and things, make me a saint by cleaning up the dishes!" (paraphrase).

To become holy by cleaning one's dishes (or by grading student essays or even cleaning the toilet!), such a Theology of Holiness is much needed in the United States and throughout the world.

May God bless MIGHTILY each of your respective 'works' and I pray in JESUS' Name that your work be part of 'The Work of God' for the salvation of all souls, here on earth and in purgatory.

The Holy Angels

By Dennis Socrates, Lawyer from the Philippines in Gaudium cum Pace

It is no accident that St. Josemaria founded Opus Dei, by divine inspiration, on the feast of the Holy (Guardian) Angels (October 2, 1928). The mission of St. Josemaria and Opus Dei—essentially, to propagate the universal call to holiness, and the truth that all the normal circumstances of ordinary life can be a path to sanctity—is anchored on the fact that we are children of God by grace. And one very consoling “proof” of our divine filiation—of God’s fatherly love towards each of us—is that He gave us our Guardian Angel to help us on our journey towards sanctity. God, in His parental care, gave us our betters to serve us. The holy angels are with us in all the circumstances of daily life.

St. Josemaria writes: “Whenever you are in need of anything, or are facing difficulties, whether great or small, invoke your Guardian Angel, asking him to sort the matter out with Jesus, or to carry out a particular service you may require.” (The Forge, No. 931) Also:

“The Guardian Angel always accompanies us as our principal witness. It is he who, at your particular judgment, will remember the kind deeds you performed for Our Lord throughout your life. Furthermore, when you feel lost, before the terrible accusations of the enemy, your Angel will present those intimations of your heart—which perhaps you yourself might have forgotten—those proofs of love which you might have had for God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit.” (Furrow, No. 693)

May we come to appreciate more and more each day the love God has for each of us, his children, by keeping in touch with our Guardian Angel, and with the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Angels, our mother.

DEO OMNIS GLORIA

The meetings draw an eclectic group of men

By Scalia in Spero Forum

I am not a member but probably will be at some time in the future. Opus Dei is a personal prelature of the Church founded by a Spanish Priest in 1928. Opus Dei is 100% orthodox. This Pope [John Paul II] loves and respects Opus Dei, which irks liberal Catholics.

The premise of Opus Dei is very simple: lay Catholics must lead their lives in a priestly manner, although they are not priests. You can join the group in various fashions: some unmarried lay people take vows of celibacy, while others are married and enjoy a full married life. Their faith is white hot and unapologetic. They possess a missionary zeal unfamiliar to many Catholics.

I have attended numerous "evenings of recollections" held by an Opus Dei priest in a Baltimore suburb (only once did they ask for money and that was even a soft sell!). The evenings of recollections are held at a large home donated by a member, which has been converted to a chapel. The meetings draw an eclectic group of men from many races and nationalities. These members tend to be highly educated or extremely devout. A typical group of forty men, from my experience, will include: 5-6 medical doctors, 5-6 lawyers, 2-3 PhD's from the applied physics lab of Johns Hopkins, computer geeks, 3-4 graduates from service academies and blue collar folks. My roommate from the Naval Academy is thinking about joining right now. Opus Dei wants to evangelize all walks of life, including the highest realms of society. The current priest who heads the group is a former Wall St. wonder boy who punched out to serve the Lord.

An interesting side note. Scott Hahn talked to 5-6 priests about converting to the Church. All the priests either tried to dissuade him or were ambivalent about his conversion. Then he met an Opus Dei priest who welcomed him with open arms. Opus Dei is big on conversion.

The group obviously isn't for everyone but you may want to check them out. Here is their site. http://www.opusdei.org/

That's holiness. That's the sacred

By Scott Hahn in Catholic Pages

Just about seven years ago when professor Tom Howard entered into the Church, Christianity Today, the leading evangelical news magazine, came out with a cover story about Tom Howard's pilgrimage into the Roman Catholic Church. They tried earnestly to make it seem as though it was kind of a warm fuzzy feeling that led him back to Rome because he was so enchanted with the liturgy and he spoke of the worship and this sort of thing. They spoke of it as just kind of an emotional attraction where he was attached to these external rituals.

When you talk to Dr. Howard you discover, on the contrary that if that was really his motivating force, he would've remained an Anglican. In his own Anglican parish there was far more ritual, but there was something missing. There was something missing of the antiquity and the ripe incarnational humanness of Catholic worship. The more he studied, the more he recognized that the historic, apostolic liturgy is what really belongs by birthright to the Catholic Church.

This is something I'm discovering. I've only been a Catholic five or six years now, but I've discovered this in many ways. I've been on Opus Dei retreats now three times where they have celebrated the New Order, the Novus Ordo Mass in Latin - not a lot of smells and bells, just a certain holy simplicity. But I've walked away from these celebrations thinking, That is powerful; that is holy. There is so little in American life where you can go and say, "That's holiness; that's the sacred." I came away from those Latin Masses with that sense. Then I discovered afterwards in the documents of Vatican II, the express declaration that pride of place belongs to the Latin language in our liturgies. I'm not somebody who goes around crusading for Latin. Deep down, I was raised in the public schools. If I was raised in the 80's, I probably would have watched MTV. But I know in my heart of hearts that there is something of the transcendent, there's something of the sacred and of the holy, in the way the Mass is often celebrated with Latin. It isn't necessary; it isn't guaranteed. You can do a trashy job with Latin just like you can with English or any vernacular language. Likewise you can do a very adequate job of expressing the transcendent, and the sacred in English as well.

I resolved to smile more

By Roger Bissonnette, car mechanic and school bus driver, Besner & Bissonnette Inc. He is married with two adult children.


My daughter became a member of the Work in 1980, and my wife followed a few years later. They attended activities for ladies at the Manoir de Beaujeu. I had been a mechanic with my own garage for many years and I attended Mass regularly every Sunday. My wife was involved in the parish, particularly with the catechism of the altar boys. I practiced, but it never occurred to me that a layman like me could strive after sanctity. That, I thought was only for priests and nuns. But when my wife had me read some of the homilies of Saint Josemaria, I found out that I too could be a saint. This was new to me.

What impact did the teachings of Saint Josemaria have on your work?

Well I had always offered my work to God, as this is what I had been taught at school and by my parents. But after knowing more about the life of Saint Josemaria, I got more specific, and I offered my work for the people in my apostolate, for my family, my co-workers, my friends. I had the habit of swearing occasionally when something went wrong, but now I realised I had to give a good example, so I changed that… Like in many garages around here we used to have certain inappropriate calendars on the wall. I realised that they had to go, so I took them down and placed a prayer card of our Founder instead. It helped to keep presence of God and was occasionally a subject of conversation with customers.

What other characteristic were you struck by in Saint Josemaria?

One thing that struck me in those filmed get-togethers is that he was always cheerful, with a radiant and contagious smile. Then I noticed that all the members of the Work always wore authentic smiles. So I resolved to smile more too, regardless of the snags and setbacks I might encounter in the garage. A friend came to me once and asked me how come I was never in a bad mood… I didn't quite know what to tell him. So I told him I learned this from our Father. Hearing Saint Josemaria speak made me think and be more reflective. My wife even says my character got smoother, with less of those hard edges.

At first I must admit that it was not easy to put into practice all the things I was learning. It was pretty tough to smooth away those hard edges, but then I was told that I should always have an attitude of beginning and beginning again, and I learned that God was a loving Father who loves us always despite our weaknesses.

Opus Dei aims to serve the Church

By Oli, London UK at Super Duper

One of the accusations leveled against Opus Dei is that it is a "Church within the Church". Opus Dei is not a Church within the Church. It aims to serve the Church. It is not a drive to create some sort of pristine 'inner space', unrelated to and unaffected by the outer world. The vocation to Opus Dei is to the sanctification of one's work and apostolate- bringing other people closer to Christ.

St Josemaria said that "our cell is the street"- we are called to be saints in the middle of the world. if our lives seem cosy and comfortable, we know we are not being generous enough. if we have surrounded ourselves only with people who think like us, we are not 'in the world'.

One only has to read a newspaper- even just to spend one minute in any London street- to see how much work needs to be done, how many people look lost and directionless, how many sins are committed through ignorance, how many sins are committed because 'good' people do nothing. These are sins of omission on the part of those who know better as well as on the part of the perpetrator- think of the slow approval of human hybrids...

We each have a role to play in making this world a better place, and that is our vocation. Whether or not you are called to serve God in Opus Dei, He has asked you to serve Him in some way, and by saying yes to that call and being faithful you will become a saint.

Let us pray not to be lead into temptation , because to be immersed in the world yet keep one's heart for Christ is impossible without grace...

Excellent introduction to Opus Dei

By Veronica Singh (Ottawa, Canada) on Ordinary Work, Extraordinary Grace: My Spiritual Journey in Opus Dei by Scott Hahn

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

I was extremely surprised when I was given this book as a gift. I had no idea that Scott Hahn was a member of "The Work" as OD members call it. As someone who has had many positive experiences with Opus Dei and who has wanted to know more about them for a while, I found this book to be exactly what I was looking for. There is not much of Scott Hahn's own biographical journey here, although it is briefly mentioned in places. It is really an introduction to the spirituality of Opus Dei for the ordinary person. Extremely clear and well written, and inspiring! After reading this book, I have a deeper understanding of the motive, mission and philosophy of Opus Dei (their charism, really) and a more profound respect for their work.

Bishop would recommend Opus Dei to anyone

by Dr. Bombay, a Senior Member of Catholic Answers Forum

I had a chance to meet our bishop and I asked him about Opus Dei.

He said he thought very highly of it and would recommend it to anyone. Apparently, he's been involved with Opus Dei people for many years and spoke glowingly of them.

I didn't ask if he was a member himself (thought that was too personal a question).

The work on the Work

By a member of the Dominican Laity on Monday, September 17, 2007

Okay, so this isn't the most timely review, seeing as John Allen's Opus Dei: An Objective Look Behind the Myths and Reality of the Most Controversial Force in the Catholic Church first came out two years ago and the paperback reprint three months ago. But I do what I can, when I can, to keep the insect overlords who send me review copies happy.

Between the 2005 hardcover publication and the 2007 trade paperback, the DaVinci Code movie came and went. Allen took advantage of this to frame the preface he wrote for the paperback edition, in which he makes this perhaps surprising claim:

With the possible exception of Pope John Paul II, Opus Dei never had a better friend than Dan Brown.

Brown's absurd caricature of Opus Dei led to "Operation Lemonade," the strategy of using the attention the book brought as an opportunity for the prelature to inform the curious (and the doubtful) about what Opus Dei is really all about.

And if Brown is the Work's second-best friend, John Allen comes in third. From now on, anyone who wants to bring a charge against Opus Dei or its founder will first have to check whether the charge has been investigated and answered by Allen in his book.

He begins with a look at St. Josemaria Escriva, whom some have charged with vanity, Masonry, and fascism, and at the new association he founded, upon the spirituality of divine filiation and sanctification of secular work. Then he looks at eight "Question Marks About Opus Dei": secrecy; mortification; women; money; Opus Dei in the Church; Opus Dei and politics; blind obedience; and recruiting.

Among Allen's conclusions, which may disappoint the anti-Opus Dei folks:

* "Many of the charges leveled against... Saint Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer... are open to interpretation, and in any event do not seem to disqualify in terms of personal sanctity."
* "Opus Dei is not especially 'secretive.'"
* "Practices of corporal mortification... have a long pedigree and accepted theological rational, and do not generally seem to be taken to extremes."
* Opus Dei is not rich, at least by the standards of other organizations in the Catholic Church...."
* "The profile of Opus Dei as 'elitist' has some historical validity.... Yet Opus Dei is not 'elitist' in the sense in which people often invoke the term, meaning an exclusively white-collar phenomenon."
* "Opus Dei's is not an exclusively vertical spirituality; it does have a social conscience."
* "Opus Dei is not 'taking over' the Catholic Church."
* "Opus Dei is not the voracious recruiting machine of myth, given the snail's pace of recent grown, averaging 650 new members per year worldwide the last four years."
* "There's little evidence... that unwilling people are being subjected to this regime [of numerary life] through 'mind control.'"

Even granting that:

* "A substantial number of ex-members... report feeling damaged by their experience... These reports suggest the need for care in vocational discernment, especially among the young."

Allen follows up with:

* "Some of the critical testimony of ex-members comed down to the failure of certain officials of Opus Dei to use good judgment. As time goes on and Opus Dei matures, these episodes seem less frequent, and the internal climate seems more open."

Bottom line, and slightly simplifying: Much of the controversy is ill-founded (if often exacerbated by Opus Dei's tone-deaf reactions), and much of the rest is due to Opus Dei's learning curve as it grows from a personal vision of its founder to a self-sustaining, worldwide association of the faithful (i.e., the boneheadedness of iindividual members). I had the sense in reading this book that Allen himself was surprised to come to such a benign impression of the Work.

Still, he offers three suggestions that might help Opus Dei "to thrive, assuaging the anxieties people sometimes have and thus opening new apostolic horizons": increased transparency; increased collaboration with other Church organizations; and increased institutional self-criticism. (Note: All very American suggestions. Even Allen doesn't seem sure they'd have much appeal within Opus Dei. Collaboration in particular is viewed as against "the spirit of the Work," which is directed ad extra.)

In any case, anyone looking for a thorough (in spots thorough to the point of dullness) examination of the controversies surrounding Opus Dei really should start here. Not only because Operation Lemonade and other changes on the prelature's part have made a lot of the criticism anachronistic, but because Allen seems to make a real effort to present both sides of the still-disputed questions surrounding Opus Dei.

A Coming To and a Coming Home

By Bing Bonilla May 24, 2007

“I’m a recovering drug dependent,” confesses Gil, 52, entrepreneur and former leftist activist. After eight years, he is now on the 12th and final step of the drug recovery program: helping others, especially other dependents. His wife Ming, a cooperator of Opus Dei believes “St. Josemaria interceded for us through the Immaculate Mother and answered our prayer.”

Gil started a livelihood project in Angeles City that employs 50 men.
Little did Ming imagine that when she married Gil, he was hooked on drugs. She felt trapped but she also remembered her vows to live with him for better or for worse. She made a novena to St. Josemaría whom she got to know through her sister-in-law, a supernumerary member of Opus Dei. It was a struggle for her and for his family to get him to a rehabilitation center. The first time he was put on a drug rehabilitation program in April 1996, they did not know what to expect. On the way there, they prayed the Rosary. During the visit, Gil’s sister brought a relic of St. Josemaría and would caress his back with it. When he got out of the rehab center, things were better. But soon after, he would have a relapse. After four drug rehabilitation confinements and through much prayer, “Gil never again took drugs and he even gave up his smoking and drinking habits”, Ming happily says.

Ming recounts, “one night, I knelt down to pray the Rosary with arms outstretched. I finished all three mysteries while offering the pain as a sacrifice and asked God to end this family trial. I do not usually read the newspapers, but the following morning, I got hold of one and saw an article about a French doctor who was doing laser acupuncture that got rid of drug addiction. I immediately called up my mother-in-law and we went to see the doctor. I considered it a miracle that my husband agreed to see the doctor. After a month, he was recovered. The relationship within the family got better. I believe that St. Josemaría interceded for us through the Immaculate Mother and answered our prayer.”

Five years ago, Gil started a livelihood project in Angeles City, that employs fifty men and helps sustain their families. The project is a parking lot near the wet market, which was a way to help keep a sanitary food depot. “We need to clean up Angeles, especially Pampang, the heart of the city,” stresses Ming. The place is considered among the most depressed of municipalities with a bad road network and busted drainage system.

“So we cleaned up and leveled this part of our property, settling the squatters in another two-hectare property. This makes it safer for those going to the market, with guarded parking slots and proper traffic,” Gil explains.

The book that spread devotion to St. Josemaria


The devotion to St. Josemaría has spread among the employees who have been introduced to him through the book, “God Provides” which chronicles miracles and favors granted through the intercession of the saint. The book was passed around among them. Prayer cards could be seen on some of the employees’ tables and Ming has been told of answered favors every time they pray it. Among the employees of their small company, about 10 are recovering drug dependents.

As a member of a wealthy clan in the city with tracts of land that had been illegally occupied by settlers, Gil realized they had yet to resolve their own land problems. Another project was to turn over titles to the squatters.

“We talked to the city government, and they told us to turn over 13 hectares as payment for investment taxes,” recalls Gil. “They would be the ones to subdivide and distribute the property to the squatters. The transfer was completed only three weeks ago. The first installment was last December. We started this project in 1997. In spite of the intimidation we received from some of the townfolks, we remained consistent. We want to really resolve this because we just inherited these properties and these problems. We don’t want to pass these on to our children.”

Gil believes a person should have a property of his own because this gives him self-esteem and will enable him to manage it with a sense of responsibility.


To help inculcate these values, Ming and Gil came up with the San Marcelo Youth Camp, named after Saint Marcellus, a Roman centurion who refused to take part in idolatrous rituals of Emperor Maximian Hercules. The Christian soldier was beheaded for his defiance. Gil considers this saint the patron of conscientious objectors, and it was providential that the government approved the project on the martyr’s feast day, October 30. They had named their company PhiloVier Corporation, after their children Tamara Philomena and Camilo Javier.

The Youth Camp trains young people in leadership and the exercise of freedom. “We climb mountains with them to appreciate nature and be aware of the Creator; we bring them to museums to be proud of their origins; and we bring them to drug rehabilitation centers to see what happens to people who go into drugs,” Ming enumerates. “We show them that they have choices in what they do with their lives. Often they grow up thinking that, since they are poor, they don’t have much to do but just work enough to get by. We present possibilities to them so that they expand their horizons. Recalls Gil, “We even brought the 1st batch to Mt. Pinatubo. When we got there, I told them to find their spot, without talking. If in times of crisis, you call on God, this time, in the sight of beauty, you invoke God.”

The alumni are now the ones recruiting their friends and relatives to join these camps. They look for sponsors and come up with initiatives for fund-raising. Some have become peer counselors.

Gil and Ming do this exercise of expanding horizons on a more day-to-day level in their own company. They provide pointers on critical thinking, team-building, values formation, and in some cases, the basics of communication (written and oral) in the course of their meetings and more individualized dealings.

But Gil and Ming know that whatever good they’ve somehow helped bring about in the people around them would really redound to them, to their own home.

“We also want to protect our children when they go out into the world,” Ming admits. “Gil was saying we should not just prepare our children for what’s out there but to also help people around us become good, so that when our kids go out, these same people would be around to somehow protect our kids.”

Following the Opus Dei path to meaning

Work's value takes on a different perspective through Catholic eyes
By Mark Pickup at My Glass is Half Full

I was having a telephone discussion with American author and bioethical thinker, Wesley Smith. At one point during our conversation, he asked me if I had ever considered joining Opus Dei. As a matter of fact, I have flirted with the idea; I've been receiving their electronic newsletter for a few years.

The Opus Dei website says, " Opus Dei is a Catholic institution founded by St. Josemaria Escriva. Its mission is to spread the message that work and the circumstances of everyday life are occasions for growing closer to God, for serving others and for improving society" (see www.opusdei.ca).
Negative publicity

That sounded pretty good to me so I decided to attend an Opus Dei meeting. I did not know what to expect, and I was a bit hesitant with all the negative publicity given to the organization recently. We are living in a time where the Catholic Church is under increasing attack - fuelled by hostile secular media bias - so I decided to give Opus Dei the benefit of the doubt. That was good, as I would soon discover; the negative publicity is unfounded.

The church where the Opus Dei meeting was held had a number of people quietly praying before the Blessed Sacrament. There were no sinister monks (albino or otherwise) lurking in the shadows. That was the bigoted anti-Christian fiction of Dan Brown's novel The Da Vinci Code.
Spending time

A priest delivered a half-hour reflection. He spoke about time: The difference between wasted time and time well spent serving God, our families and communities. It was good stuff. I could relate to the message because I have so often been guilty of idly wasting time when I could have put it to good use serving God or others around me.
I have been able to serve others facing the consequences of catastrophic disabilities or chronic illnesses.

When the priest finished his reflection, there was opportunity for Confession for interested participants.

In an adjacent room to the chapel, an Opus Dei member gave his insightful thoughts about prayer. Again, his reflections spoke directly to me. I need to adopt a disciplined approach to my prayer life. So often I have neglected serious prayer time in favour of wasting time with frivolous diversions that do nothing for my spiritual life.

Then we made our way back to the chapel for meditation before the Blessed Sacrament and a final reflection by the priest to assist those present with their Christian walks.

I think I might join Opus Dei. Granted, I have been unable to work for years because of multiple sclerosis. But my circumstances of everyday life - relegated to a wheelchair and plagued by fatigue of a degenerative disease - have proven to be fertile ground for growing closer to God. Already in my personal disability journey spanning more than two decades, I have been able to serve others facing the consequences of catastrophic disabilities or chronic illnesses.

In my small way, I hope I've been able to serve society. Perhaps that service to society takes the form of bearing witness to inviolable dignity of all human life - even imperfect human life, like me.
Valuable presence

Do the disabled and chronically ill have worthwhile contributions to make to our families, our communities and to the greater society? Yes, I know we do. We are not lives unworthy of life, as some have asserted by their words or deeds. We have contributions to bring to the table of the human community, even if it is only by our presence.

We can challenge society to include those who may be difficult to include, or those who bring discomfort to sophisticated or polite company. We call those around us to a higher standard of love and friendship.

We can knock at the door of mainstream society and demand admission and reasonable accommodation so that we can find our rightful places in the world.
We are worthy

If the disabled and incurably ill despair of life, we need people to lift us up as indispensable members of society and worthy of life. We do not need the abandonment of a utilitarian society eagerly agreeing to assist with our suicides, or euthanasia of those who can't communicate to defend themselves.

Contrary to what bioethics may promote, our rightful places in the world are not graves or crematoriums. That is not inclusion. Euthanasia and assisted suicide are nothing less than abandonment of the profoundest nature. Euthanasia and assisted suicide are ways of telling people that their lives are unworthy to be lived.

A person like me is increasingly viewed as a liability to society. I need an organization like Opus Dei to encourage and mentor me to use my circumstances of everyday life for "growing closer to God, for serving others and for improving society."

Opus Dei and me

By Stephen Bauer, of Desolation Row, N.J. Profile according to his blog: middle-aged, with mortgage, wife, children, a commute and little-to-no real time for blogging, reading Plato, writing the great American short story, or meditating on the meaning of life.

This happened more than 20 years ago. I was working in lower Manhattan at the time.

One afternoon, I walked from my office building to go to the nearest Catholic Church (Our Lady of Victory) in order to receive confession. I went specifically to receive the Sacrament face-to-face, rather than use the traditional screen. It was obvious to me that the priest who heard my confession was a “heavy hitter.” He was very serious, very spiritual, and ultra-orthodox—exactly what I needed and wanted. To say that he was passionate about the faith would be an understatement. I sensed all this immediately from my brief, routine confession. He also asked me questions about my moral behavior at work—no one had ever asked me that before. That struck me as very conscientious on his part—somebody that really cared about my soul.

After confession, I was brimming with curiosity about who and what he was, and so I asked him, “What order do you belong to?”

“Oh, I don’t belong to an order.”

I looked at him with stunned curiosity. He was like no Diocesan priest I had ever run into before. Moreover, now that my confession was over, his manner of speaking, overall body language and demeanor was one of humility and self-effacement.

Quietly, he said, “I belong to the Prelature of Opus Dei.” I’m sure he saw the look of recognition on my face, at the mention of the name. His body language and facial expression changed to a cringe-like look of someone that had experienced undeserved hurt before and was anticipating more-- I had previously read reports in the mass media about Opus Dei (of course, I sensed that most, if not all, of the talk of conspiracies, of them being a cult, of manipulative recruiting and of being a secret power within the church was sour grapes and bunk.)

In my need to try and say something intelligent, I blurted out, “You guys are controversial.”

He responded sharply, “There’s no point in existing if you’re not controversial!”

This was a man was on a mission from God! (I can't say that about every priest that I've met.)

I just stood there, wanting to know more. After a pause, he very hesitantly handed me a business card with his name, a phone number and the address of the Opus Dei prayer center on Riverside Drive in Manhattan. I still remember his name: Fr. Lamb. The last thing he said to me (very humbly) was that he hears confessions here every Thursday.

This was the most memorable and high quality confession that I have ever had. I have had no contact with him or Opus Dei since. I’ve researched them on the Internet and in the media, including about the conspiracy theories, allegations of being a cult, allegations of being a secret power within the church and government, and of “recruiting.” I’ve made one observation about these negative stories: There are about 150,000 Opus Dei members, worldwide, and it seems like the worst allegations seem to be originating from two or three individuals and some of these are from decades ago. It seems the same stories get recycled over and over by the media. And none of this is to say that the individuals telling these stores have any credibility either.

I am not naïve. I do have some minor, negative opinions of Opus Dei, but again, based only on what I’ve read. I am sure some people have had negative experiences with them. It’s not inconceivable that in an organization of 150,000 people that has existed since the late 1920’s that there may have been some faults, imperfections or horror stories. But that occurs in every organization.

My brother works with a person whose wife is a member of Opus Dei. The woman’s husband says that he has never heard of any of the crazy things the mass media has mentioned.

With regard to The Da Vinci Code: I read and appreciate serious, literary fiction. I purchased the book, a long time ago, to see what the fuss was all about. I’m perfectly capable of reading a book with an open mind, as fiction. However, I started the book twice and couldn’t get past the first chapter. The idea that an Opus Dei numerary would be a cold-blooded, pre-meditated killer is just so flagrantly ludicrous that it made me laugh out loud. Even as a self-contained work of fiction, it had no credibility for me. I conclude that the author is like most of the reporters in the mass media—completely ignorant about anything to do with religion.

I think that any religious organization with a clear sense of mission and highly motivated members is potentially liable to be associated with conspiracy theories or accused of being a cult. I can even understand that for some non-Catholics or non-religious people that a global organization of highly motived people that practices chastity, individual poverty and obedience might conjure up some paranoia.

I do not have any problem with them recruiting. Common sense dictates that if one is a member of an organization and you want that organization to grow and prosper that you are going to try and recruit people and that you are going to try and recruit the very best people you can. In my parent’s generation, in Jesuit run schools, the Jesuits always recruited the top students. No one ever had a problem with that; it was an honor to be the subject of Jesuit recruitment!

There are still many, very conservative, traditional Catholics in America and the world. I think that if they find a spiritual home in Opus Dei, well good for them! It’s a free country.

I think that Opus Dei’s overall purpose, of being a vehicle to help people in the work place achieve sanctity, is one of genius. I’ve read about how so many members are in the professions and the business world. Unfortunately, I’ve never had the opportunity to encounter a member at work. I would love to have the opportunity to have an Opus Dei numerary as a boss or in higher management.

And after posting this blog entry, I just hope I don’t have any albino hitmen coming after me! (LOL)

My brother, my hero

By JazzGlades on September 04

Come 15 Sept, my brother will be leaving home to join Opus Dei.

Yes, perhaps you've heard of Opus Dei (which is Latin for Work of God), made famous, or infamous by that infamous book Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. I'm not going to be writing about all the inaccuracies misrepresented in that book. In short, Opus Dei is an organization under the Roman Catholic Church. Its sole purpose is to help all Christians and non-Christians live their life well so that no matter what profession one is in, be it a teacher or a janitor, a lawyer or a nurse, one could turn everything one did into a form of prayer. Opus Dei to sum it up, helps one to find holiness through his everyday work.

There are 2 kinds of members. The 1st group are those who dedicate their lives to helping others through Opus Dei, who willingly give up a life of marriage, and choose to be single. Accordingly they leave their homes and join the Opus Dei centers so that they are able to carry out their mission better. The 2nd group are married, or see themselves getting married in the future. Both groups are still ordinary people, in the sense that they hold jobs like everyone else. My brother has decided to join the 1st group.

I remember when he first told us about his decision nearly 3 years ago. I can't say that my mother and I were surprised, considering his regular visits to the Opus Dei center and the fact that he had steadily progressed into a marvelous person of character and spirituality. But there was still a strong feeling of emotion on our part. I was close to him, my mom even more so. When he broached the subject to my dad however, my dad's violent objections 'postponed' his decision to move out. For the next 3 years, we went on as normal - although my brother's frequent absence from home often drew strong comments from my father.

2 weeks ago, my brother decided that it was the right time to bring it up to my dad again. This time, his reaction was much less violent - he still objected, but conceded that he would not stop my brother. Our relief was strong but it was still painful to know that my brother would be leaving very soon in the middle of this month. Even now, writing this, my heart aches to know that I won't be seeing him at home so often very soon.

I'm happy for him of course. His serenity in the face of his tremendous workload, his courage in holding firm to his convictions despite the obstacles, and his obvious generosity when helping others is a real joy to behold. What a nice growth from when he was a naughty, mischievous and irritating younger brother. I still remember us bathing together when we were really really young, and my banging my brother's head against the wall for irritating me.

Today, I could certainly learn a lot from him, in particular his spirit of self-giving and his constant cheerfulness. I'm proud to call him my brother. My hero. May God continue to bless you. And I'll miss you...

On the High Seas: From Zoroastrianism to Catholicism

Shahrookh Khambatta Damania tells the story of his conversion in which he crossed many seas, including those of the interior life.

September 02, 2007

I was born April 27, 1965 in Mumbai (Bombay, India) in a small enclave of 26 buildings where the Persees live. These are the followers of Zoroaster (Zarathustra). It was like an island in the midst of that enormous city of 14 million.

The followers of Zoroaster learn to practice good words, good thoughts, and good deeds. They originated in Persia at the time of the reign of Darius I (actually my son is named Darius) and then were expelled centuries later by the Muslims. There are fewer than 100,000 worldwide. They do not permit conversions of pagans, who are also excluded from the temples of fire where priests burn acacia wood in worship of God, who is symbolized as fire.

In contrast to Hindus, Zoroastrians do not have castes. I grew up in the neighborhood playing cricket. I admired Sunil Gavaster, captain of the Indian team, who played so well. I also liked "pop" music, although I was no fan of John Lennon. It was Bon Jovi who turned me on. And like any youngster, I used to put padlocks on the doors of our neighbors and broke an occasional window with the cricket ball.

My life has changed a lot since then. I’ve left behind those 14 million in exchange for the 50 million olive trees of Jaén (Spain). How did I come so far? It’s a long story.

In spite of my Persee roots, I attended the Catholic high school of St. Francis Xavier in Mumbai. Later I studied marine engineering, but after failing technical drawing several times was on the point of dropping out. My mother kept me at it, even though she would have preferred to have on terra firma rather than out at sea.

Then came the time for me to be married. I decided not to follow the ancient Indian tradition of arranged marriages, since I wanted to marry on my own. So before they could have me married, I left on a cargo ship. I traveled from port to port, until one fine day I was knocked off my horse--or rather, "off my ship."

It was in 1992. We had docked at the only port in Jordan--on the Red Sea, in the Gulf of Aqaba. After a hard day of work in the heat, I noticed some young ladies from Seville who were dancing. It was like an arrow. As they say here on Jaen (Spain), "me quedé prendao," I was taken captive by a young lady from Jaén.
Akaba.

We saw each other for only three days and then phoned each other for months, using up our salaries on phone bills. Finally she decided to come to India to meet my family. She stayed a month. As soon as she arrived, she asked for olive oil so that she could make a salad and a paella for my family. So, after having traveled halfway across the world in search of a good wife, I found myself having to travel halfway across India to find a little bottle of oil!

I decided to move to Jaén and cross another sea, this time of olives. A little later, in January 1993, we were married in the church.

During these years I discovered God’s Providence even before I met Him. It was everywhere, beginning with my wife and children-three blessings from Heaven. The children grew and grew as I was undergoing changes on the outside (several jobs) and on the inside: reconsidering what it is that we call God.

Meeting Opus Dei

We decided to place our children in Guadalimar, a school where the spiritual formation is entrusted to Opus Dei (of which I knew nothing). We found a cordial, sincere, and affectionate reception, and they didn’t ask us for any religious ID.

A little later I heard that Altocastillo High School was looking for an English teacher. I applied and was hired. I liked the school. The people were friendly and warm. There was one man who was especially affable, the chaplain, Don Luis, and we became friends.

During that time, as I said, I was experiencing the action of Providence, of Someone who was propelling the boat of my life from place to place without, however, depriving me of the helm of my freedom. And I was becoming more and more interested in Catholicism. I made a retreat at Rubín de Baeza, a very nice house near the wall where Antonio Machado lived in the 1920s [a leading figure in the Spanish literary movement, "Generation of ‘98"].

During the retreat I listened, kept quiet, and thought… Like that poet, I reflected in silence about this new ocean that was opening before me. Above all, I was looking inside. There I discovered the grace of God, whose presence I felt in that chapel. I began to read The Way, where I discovered unknown interior seas. Until then I had not read any religious book except for the Bible.

Easter Vigil 1999

A biography of St. Josemaría came into my hands. His life made an impression on me, especially the sorrow he experienced in childhood when his three little sisters died. At first I couldn’t understand that suffering, that faith… I couldn’t comprehend forgiveness, and even less the love of a God who forgives. But I continued sailing, letting the grace of God move me, and He granted me the gift of faith. In the Easter Vigil, 1999, the Bishop of Jaén baptized me in the Cathedral. My wife, a very good Christian, left me great freedom during that whole spiritual journey. Natalia, one of my daughters, was baptized with me.

Next came my appointment to be a cooperator of Opus Dei, and four years after that, during a pilgrimage to the Virgin Mary, I understood that I should give myself entirely to God. I told him Yes, trusting that God, who is a Good Father, would never abandon me.