Ultra-conservative Opus Dei group ponders role with new pope

[emad]

Associated Press
April 12, 2005 OPUS0413

MADRID, Spain -— As cardinals prepare to elect a new pope, members of one Catholic group wonder if the new Catholic leader will support their ultra-conservative beliefs.

The group Opus Dei has more than 80,000 members worldwide, and is central to the book "The Da Vinci Code.'' Pope John Paul had backed the movement as a way to confront a society that was secularized.

But others see the group as secretive and cult-like, allegedly brainwashing members into blind devotion and murky financial dealings.

Anthony Figueiredo, a professor of theology at Seton Hall University, says there is "obviously some concern over whether the next pontiff will be open to something like Opus Dei.'' He says the controversial movement will likely be discussed by cardinals meeting in Rome before the start of Monday's conclave.
http://www.startribune.com/stories/484/5343428.html

[emad]

1. Opus Dei Watching for Selection of Pope

Apr 12, 3:40 AM EDT

By DANIEL WOOLLS
Associated Press Writer

MADRID, Spain (AP) -- As cardinals prepare to elect a new pope, one Catholic community in particular has much at stake - Opus Dei, the ultraconservative movement at the center of the furor generated by "The Da Vinci Code."

Founded in Spain in 1928, the movement has more than 80,000 members worldwide, many of them lay people but also hundreds of priests, bishops and even two cardinals among those who will be casting votes in Rome.

Its mission, to give lay people a dynamic role in spreading the word of God, enjoyed firm support from John Paul II who championed the movement as a means of confronting the secularization of society and reinforcing his conservative doctrine.

But Opus Dei - Latin for "God's work" - has also been accused of secretive, cult-like practices, brainwashing of members into blind devotion and murky financial dealings.
http://staging.hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/P/POPE_OPUS_DEI?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2005-04-12-03-40-41

[leftchick]

4. This is exactly as I feared....

~snip~

Juan Maria Laboa, a priest and Catholic church historian in Madrid, said Opus Dei is so well established the new pope might not be able to curb it even if he wanted to. "In the life of the church, when a religious congregation is already very established, popes clearly have their preferences but they have a hard time influencing how it is run," said Laboa, a professor emeritus at Comillas Pontifical University in Madrid.

The two cardinals known to belong to Opus Dei are the archbishop of Lima, Peru, Juan Luis Cipriani, and Julian Herranz, a Spaniard based at the Vatican.

Another cardinal, the archbishop of Milan, Dionigi Tettamanzi, is known to be sympathetic to Opus Dei and is a possible papal candidate, according to Figuereido and Spanish theologian Enrique Miret Magdalena.

Figuereido cited three reasons to watch Tettamanzi: he played a prominent role at a bishops' meeting called a synod that was dedicated to Europe and in 1993 he was influential in the writing of a major papal encyclical on morality that was called the Splendor of Truth.

[peacetalksforall]

2. I used to dismiss secret societies as irrelevant. No more. The main

theme running through them (whatever they claim themselves to be) is power, control, money. (Plus drugs and sex?).

It means serfdom and slavery in all its implications. It is anti-thetical to man's soul and potential for evolving.

[JohnnyBoots]

3. It seems like we are headed back to a fuedal state

[knitter4democracy]

5. That's one scary group.

I taught at a Catholic girls school they tried to take over, and everyone there pretty much hated them. Then, we hired a new religion teacher, and we found out that he was Opus Dei. He got fired when it was confirmed. They will do anything to take over, and they're really sneaky.

What they really want to do (at least the main rank and file) is get rid of Vatican II. Period.

[cliss]

6. Opus Dei.......

according to the Da Vinci Code, these are the Zealots who bend the rules (quite liberally), use mortification and self-flagellation.

In other words, they whip themselves until they bleed, and they feel good about it.

This kind of stuff is a psychiatrist's nightmare. I thought these things ended in the Middle Ages.

[emad]

7. S&M sex masking itself behind a religious cult on theological

grounds?

All goes back to the ancient Mediterranean cult of the snake.

[BuddhaGirl]

10. the self-flagellation or self-mortification practiced by Opus Dei

members is not S&M...the two are very different.

[emad]

11. How? Self-abuse with whips masquarading as a deeply devout

religious ritual? Humbug!

[AngryAmish]

8. First, DaVinci Code is a work of fiction

When one reads fiction one must understand that some elements of the book are untrue. For example, you may be familiar with the comic book about a guy named "Superman". Superman does not exist. Really. Nobody, in real life, can fly without mechanical aid. No person has x-ray vision.

[Matilda]

9. Self-flagellation is almost as old as the Church itself.

I guess it seemed impressive - suffering for God. It took modern
psychiatry to clue us into the fact that some people get their
jollies that way.

[Javaman]

12. Poor anology...

Comparing actual organizations that appear in a fictional work to superman, is like going from 0 to 60.

Aside from various strongmen and extreme sport competitors, none come close to the abilities of the fictional character superman. Leaping tall buildings, out run a train, etc...

However, Opus Dei is in fact a real organization. And if you had read anything about them, not just the De Vinci Code, you will understand that they are a powerful offshoot of the Catholic church, that is bent on power and control.

I honestly believe that when the American Catholic Church breaks from Rome, which it will at some point, Opus Dei will be in the position to take over the reigns from whom ever is immediately in charge of the new American Catholic Church.

This is what they are working towards.

As far as them being a cult, IMO, yes they are, every bit of one. The difference between them and Jim Jones is: Opus Dei has better marketing and come from and established religion.