I am not superhuman

By Olivia Darby in New Statesman. She joined Opus Dei at age 19. She is now 23 years old and works for an educational charity helps disadvantaged children in London.


If you have learned about Opus Dei from the media and Da Vinci Code, it is easy to believe that it is a shadowy sect, governed by some sinister Dr No type figure, high on power and attempting world domination.

I am a member of Opus Dei. I take the bus with you. I walk past you in the street. I might be behind you in the supermarket queue, and you might buy me a drink at a bar. I am 23, I work for a charity, I love cooking, reading, and walks along the Thames. I struggle to get up every morning and I find it impossible to be tidy. Superhuman – I don't think so. When my brother asks me whether I've been brainwashed, I can only sigh, "I wish!” Maybe Opus Dei could wave a magic wand and help me keep my room tidy!

I am in the middle of the world – your world – but you probably wouldn't notice me amongst the hundreds of other people you pass on your way to work. I'm not a nun. I do not live in a dungeon, nor an ivory tower. Members of Opus Dei live their lives side by side with everyone else.

I guess this can lead to the other fear – the infiltration of society by a group of people who you don't quite understand. There are two good reasons to laugh at this. Firstly, I am free. Contrary to popular expectations, I have never been instructed to kill any infidels. I joined Opus Dei four years ago. I think I may have got an inkling of this if it were the case, and if someone did ask me I would a) say no, and b) make them an appointment with their doctor. Secondly, there are about 500 members of Opus Dei in the UK, out of sixty million people. None of us has super powers!

But hold on, I may have missed the key point: the vocation to Opus Dei is a vocation to be saints in our daily lives. Saints have to emulate Jesus. They have to love people. Saints are people who try every day (even though they might not always succeed) to love God a little bit more, and consequently make the lives of those around them easier.

What does this mean to me? I work with around 180 disadvantaged children a week. I chose this work because I hope I can have a positive impact on their lives. But perhaps more importantly, I try to see each child as an individual, as a child of God, just like me, regardless of their religious background. With so many children, there is the temptation to see them as numbers, and just look at the statistics (x number passed their exams, no one got pregnant this year). But the real point is to develop the personality of each child, to help them to learn about themselves, to pass their exams so that they can give something back to society. Too see the joy on a girl's face when she realises that she is worth something after she has helped a younger child achieve something.

My vocation means looking after my friends. Not to be a fair weather friend, but to be there through thick and thin. My vocation means that of course I want my friends to come closer to God, because I believe that fulfilment comes through loving Him. But this does not mean that I would pressure them into it. My boyfriend is not a Catholic. I would love him to share my faith, but faith is a gift –it cannot be forced on someone. I love him just the same.

My vocation means trying to build a deeper relationship with God, through daily Mass, prayer and sacrifice. People get a bit worried about the sacrifice bit. But really, we all make sacrifices for the people we love. You don't know that someone loves you until they give you their last rolo. And we make so many sacrifices for much less important reasons- stilettos, leg waxing, nails so long that you're almost disabled (vanity, vanity). What is forgoing salt or getting up on time for love of God compared to blisters from too-tight shoes?

I chose to join Opus Dei. No one even suggested it to me before I said that I wanted to. And ever since I have been a firm believer in St Augustine's "our hearts our restless until they rest in You alone, O Lord". Accepting my vocation, which crept up on me and was never in my life-plan as a teenager, has given me a great peace. I couldn't have said no, not because anyone forced me, but because saying no to God, when he has called you, does not make one happy. Trust me - as a nineteen year old it wasn't what I had thought I wanted - but I was also quite sure it was the right thing to do. I'd be lying if I told you it was always easy - as I said before, I'm not superhuman - but it is always worth it.

Finish at least one of your projects

By William Keenan. He first encountered Opus Dei in Manchester in the 1960s. He is a writer and journalist and he worked for many years on the Daily Mirror as a feature writer, television critic and investigative journalist. He has also written several detective novels and radio plays for the BBC.

I first came into contact with Opus Dei when a doctor in my parish began holding monthly social gatherings for parishioners at his home. One day he invited a priest of Opus Dei to give a talk. I seem to recall, that the talk wasn’t received too well with many of the liberal Catholics at the meeting. But I found the idea of finding holiness in everyday life and ordinary work fascinating.

I was then a journalist on the Daily Express in Manchester editing and laying out the feature pages, which included the City pages, the Leader page and the William Hickey gossip pages. My working hours were from four or five in the evening until around three a.m. the following morning. If I went straight home and to bed I would often have difficulty getting to sleep. I would find myself looking at the ceiling and redesigning pages and rewriting headlines in my head.

Several times a week when we finished work we would drive to the Press Club in Albert Square for a couple of pints of beer. This would mean getting to bed about four in the morning and rising about lunch time. After lunch I would try to do some writing. Then it was time to go to the office again.

I decided I would like to know more about Opus Dei and finding holiness in work and everyday life. The doctor who had organised the meeting was not a member of Opus Dei but used to go to the monthly evenings of recollection at Greygarth Hall, the Manchester centre of Opus Dei. He said the next time he was going he would take me with him. But he was unable to make it in the next few months so I took myself off to Greygarth for an evening of recollection.

Recollection, I discovered, consisted in a priest giving two meditations followed by Benediction. Afterwards there were tea, cakes, and biscuits. After that evening of recollection what impressed me very much was not what had been said during the meditations but the happiness and cheerfulness of the people I met and chatted to over tea and biscuits. That was the reason I continued attending over the next few months.

One person I seemed to get on particularly well with was a student from the Basque country of Spain who I think was doing a doctorate in electrical engineering. One day he asked how my writing was going and I told him about a play I had just started working on. He looked a little puzzled because the previous time we spoke I had told him about a novel I was writing whose central character was a northern detective called John Marne whose ankle had been crushed by a thieves' get-away car so he would always walk with a limp.

When he asked what had happened to the John Marne novel I explained that I had decided it wasn’t working, that it was no good and that I would be better doing a play. He then produced a copy of The Way -- the book for meditations written by St Josemaría Escriva, the founder of Opus Dei -- which is now a best selling spiritual classic. He showed me Point 42 which says, “Why those variations in your character? When are you going to apply your will to something? Drop that craze for laying corner stones, and finish at least one of your projects.”

The point really went home. I kept thinking about it and realised that of my many unfinished writing projects the detective novel was the nearest to completion. So I sat down and finished it.

I sent it off convinced that it wasn’t good enough, and it was immediately accepted. This led to two other novels and a biography and about eight plays for BBC Saturday Theatre. Many times when I was three quarters through writing them, I wanted to start something else and had to struggle to put the finishing touches to each particular project.

Since then I have met many writers who, when they were three quarters through what they were working on, would decide it was no good. And I would repeat the point in The Way and get them to finish it. A good friend of mine had been commissioned by the BBC to write a television play. One day he rang me to say he couldn’t finish it. It wasn’t working, it wasn’t good. He was going to send the BBC their money back. I took him for a pint and persuaded him to keep the money and finish his play. He did and it was broadcast without need for a rewrite.

I think it only fair to say that the point in St Josemaria’s The Way has not only helped me but also many of my friends and fellow writers.

Opus Dei’s center helps local clergy to seek holiness

By Santosh Digal at the Catholic Bishops' Conference website

MANILA, March 11, 2008—The Theological Centrum of the Opus Dei in the Philippines has been helping priests strive for holiness in their priestly ministry, says Fr. Mickey Cardenas, director.

The Vatican Council II reminded that all are called to holiness. In this regard, priests have greater role to help laity to achieve holiness. “But what about priests themselves who need to be helped in the same direction? Theological Centrum is an answer to that,” Cardenas told CBCP News.

Based in Mandaluyong City, Theological Centrum (TC) is an initiative for the "on-going formation of priests and seminarians for the local churches,” he said.

It assists many dioceses in the Philippines in the task of seminary formation integrated in various programs for formation, said the priest.

TC was established in 1985 by some priests of the Prelature of Opus Dei and the Archdiocese of Manila, along with a number of professionals, who were eager to assist bishops in their response to the call of the Vatican II.

To allow TC carry out this task more effectively in a new juridical framework and to initiate other activities, the Studium Theologiae Foundation Inc. (STF) was established.

Founded by Mgnr. Josemaria Escriva, Opus Dei is a personal prelature of the Catholic Church that helps clergy and lay people seek holiness.

TC coordinates several activities for priests and seminarians all over the country, such as Holy Hours, publications of newsletters and books for spiritual reading and the ecclesiastical sciences, retreats and recollections, spiritual direction, conferences on Philosophy and Theology, yearly seminar for priests and seminarians, and live-in seminars at a regional or national level, said Cardenas.

Often regional meetings of priests are held such as in Manila, Laguna, Leyte, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Bicol, Tuguegarao, Bayombong and Baguio.

Since 1986, TC, with the help of generous benefactors, initiated a major project that aims to offer a much-needed support to the Church in the Philippines, a project called Formation for Seminary Formators of the Local Church.

For last 20 years, through this project, Bishops have been sending priests and seminarians to the University of Navarre in Pamplona, Spain, and to the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, for studies in the different ecclesiastical fields.

These two universities include research and study in the ecclesiastical sciences—schools of theology, canon law, philosophy, institutional social communications, and an institute for higher religious studies. The Schools grant the Bachelor's, Licentiate, and Doctoral degrees established by the Holy See.

TC carries out the selection process on the bases of the candidates' responsibilities to their bishops, and especially on their potentials in handling important tasks of formation in the seminaries.

TC shares the reflections of late Pope John Paul II that considers the importance of prayer in working together with the whole Catholic community to foster vocations to the priesthood, to give particular attention to seminary training and sound continuing education for the clergy, particularly trainers of future priests, Cardenas said.

TC’s library, holding around 3,000 basic books on Philosophy, Theology and Canon Law, is open to all the clergy.

TC also publishes reading materials like the Documentation Service to enhance the doctrinal and pastoral materials of the clergy. One effective instrument TC tries to establish in the training of diocesan priests and seminarians is to ensure their competence and formation in their ecclesiastical studies.

The Center published several books for the doctrinal, ascetical and pastoral needs of priests and seminarians.

Through its various programs, TC helps priests of the country to grow in priestly ministry and holiness, Cardenas added.

Fr. Peter Stravinskas on Opus Dei

By Fr. Peter M. J. Stravinskas, Ph.D., S.T.D. He is founding editor of The Catholic Answer magazine and the author of over 30 books and 500 articles.

Q. My husband and I are loosely affiliated to Opus Dei as cooperators, and like you we are surprised at the attitude of so many diocesan priests. After all, Opus Dei is very loyal to the Pope. Why would this threaten so many priests?

A. It's an indication of the sad state of affairs in some places that loyalty to the Holy Father is automatically interpreted as belonging to some type of secret society. Often I am "accused" of being a member because I represent orthodox Catholic teaching.

Easy to laugh off criticisms

By Gladys in Helium. About herself, she says: "My friends call me quirky, crazy and just plain weird. I'm not sure they're compliments. I'm passionate about a few things in life; namely jazz, food, travelling, my trusty piano and God. Always looking out for a chance to make a positive difference, no matter how small. We only live once anyway."

As a person who participates actively in Opus Dei's activities, it's easy for me to laugh off some of the criticisms and accusations so often leveled at the organization. I'm not an Opus Dei member, but I've had the chance to interact and observe its members now for almost 5 years. Opus Dei members have to be some of the most ordinary and civilized people around. Most of them hold normal jobs like many of us, they go to work 9-5 and they eat normal meals like us. While they lead ordinary lives, what is extraordinary about them is the way they lead their ordinary lives.

You see, Opus Dei's mission is to call all Catholics to find holiness through their normal everyday work and activities. We so often find a huge gap between work and God, and many people often complain about how work seems to take them away from their relationship with God. Opus Dei attempts to bridge that gap by bringing people closer to God THROUGH their work.

Members are taught to put in so much love into their work that it becomes a form of prayer and glorification to God. Order and attention to details are some of the little things that are given importance but the end result is people who are extremely dedicated to living their lives extraordinarily well for God and with God, and to spread that belief to their friends and family.

I've learnt so much about my faith since attending Opus Dei's activities (which by the way are open to all). Not only do I have so much more in-depth knowledge about the Catholic faith, but my relationship with God has deepened and grown. The environment at Opus Dei is really beneficial for anyone who wants to improve their relationship with God, or to just find out about the faith.