Conrad Bauer - Secret Society: Opus Dei - Catholicism’s Secret Sect

Secret Societies

Opus Dei

Catholicisms

Secret Sect

Conrad Bauer

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Of the billion or so Catholics in the world, the members of Opus Dei constitute almost a hundredth of one percent. Though their numbers might be relatively minuscule, their reputation is many orders of magnitude greater. While the guiding lights of the Church have taken a more genial, modern approach to religion in the last century, the members of Opus Dei have stuck rigidly to the traditions of old. In doing so, they have become known as the hardcore. The fiercely devoted. The stringently religious. Unmoving, distant, and utterly compelling. In an age when the Vatican is reaching out to many millions of people worldwide, Opus Dei seems to be shrouded in secrecy, a secret sect that adheres to the ancient practices of Christianity.

Perhaps because of this adherence to the older models of Christianity, the group has come to represent the most devoted and most controversial of all Catholic arms. its practices are said to include ancient languages, self-flagellation, corporal mortification, aggressive recruiting, controlling the free will of members, cult-like behavior, misogynistic policies, support of fascists, and many more secrets hidden away within the organizations walls.

In this book, we will attempt to look deeply into the hidden history of Catholicisms most radical and divisive sect. Using ancient texts, accounts of former members, extensive research, and secret documents, we will discover the truth behind Opus Dei. If you would like to learn more about this zealous, sometimes terrifying organization, then read on. For the truth behind Catholicisms secret sect, this book is all you will ever need.

Before we begin our in-depth study of Opus Dei, we should take the time to get a general overview of the organization itself. It is commonly misunderstood, and there are many rumors, conspiracy theories, and superstitions that surround the institution and its practitioners. If we are to discover the truth, then it is important to understand the basics.

The name itself is Latin. Translated, Opus Dei means Work of God. That gives us an insight into the core belief of the group. That is to say, it is their belief that God is not limited solely to the Church. Instead, one can infuse their own work with a sanctity and a dedication to religion at all times. Whether youre an engineer, a plumber, or a schoolteacher, the work that you carry out as an Opus Dei member is dedicated to God. There is a religious appreciation of the mundane details of life, often giving the appearance of religious fervor that can appear odd to the outsider. Together, the members of the church and its clergy dedicate their lives and their work to the divine power. Literally, the day-to-day lives of members becomes the eponymous work of God.

But Opus Dei is so much more than this. Over time, the group has come to embody long-standing criticisms of Catholicism and the history of organized religion. It has become associated with a biblical literalism and a staunchly conservative mind-set. There have even been suggestions of a global conspiracy network. But how to these ideas relate to the basic principles of Opus Dei?

It is true, certainly, that a traditional problem of Opus Dei has been communicating their message to the layman. Often, the organization focuses on promoting what it is not, rather than what it is. This gives Opus Dei a defensive appearance, which somewhat paradoxically leads more people to become even more suspicious than ever before. To find out more about what Opus Dei actually is, lets go back to the very beginning.

The date is October 2 nd , 1928. A young Spanish priest named Josemaria Escriva makes a retreat to a secluded monastery in Madrid. Inside the Vincentian institution, he has a vision. The details of the vision seem strange, but Escriva is left with no doubt what he must do. After the experience, he is inspired to create his own organization, an order that would eventually become Opus Dei.

The vision of the Spanish priest was the inspiration for Opus Dei. Josemaria Escriva, the man who would later be regarded as the founder of the organization, would have subsequent visions, in which the further details of Gods plan were laid out to him. Part of these visions seemed to give Escriva the general overall idea of Opus Dei, while others were more specific. There should be a dedicated branch for women, there should be an organized body of priests, and many other details that would go on to shape the structure and principles of the church. But these would all come later. According to Escriva himself, the original vision contained the essential elements of Opus Dei.

October the 2 nd is a special day. It is a recognized day within the Catholic Church, known as the Feast of the Guardian Angels. It was on this day that Escriva received his vision. His own description of the event remembers that it was a feast day. According to the priests description of his vision, it was on this day that the Lord willed that Opus Dei as a group might come to be. Furthermore, he went on to describe the vision as one that told him of an organization in which men and women were willing to make a sacrifice of themselves for other people, in order to make sure all of the ways of man were divine and that every upright work would be suitably sanctified. Even if he did not have the structural backing, it clear to see that Escriva had the central tenants of what would prove to be a controversial interpretation of Catholicism.