THE TRUTH ABOUT THE OPUS DEI SOCIETY

Founded in 1928 in Madrid, Spain, by the Roman Catholic priest Josemaria Escriva, Opus Dei is a Catholic organization whose mission is to spread the word that everyone is called to become a saint and apostle of Jesus Christ and that life is a path to sanctity. The group's formal name is "Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei," but it's commonly known as Opus Dei, which is Latin for "a work of God."

Years after its founding, Opus Dei was established as a personal prelature by Pope John Paul II, thus making it a part of the Church's institutional structure. In fact, many Catholic leaders support what they see as the group's innovative teachings - along with its complete fidelity to the Church - through which it is able to (hopefully) solve the challenges of the world. Yet this society has often been accused of secrecy, ultraconservative beliefs, a right-wing political agenda, and even cultlike methods as far as how it treats its members.
As an aside, Amway and other multilevel marketing organizations, charismatics, and Pentecostals have also been listed as cults by some watchdog groups. This may seem ludicrous, but it appears that any sort of gathering, religious or not, can become a cult. It can happen anywhere, with even the best of intentions, when the human ego comes in and starts to complicate very simple teachings. Christianity is the greatest example of this - the religion doesn't actually follow Jesus Christ's words, but rather puts its own spin on them.
Anyway, Opus Dei came into the public's consciousness because of The Da Vinci Code, in which author Dan Brown calls it a "Catholic sect" on the novel's first page relating to "facts." Brown then spins a story in which the fanatical devotion of one of this group's members and the self-interest of its leader are used by a mysterious retainer for sinister motives. Brown has said that his portrayal of Opus Dei was based on interviews with current and former members along with various books about the organization.
Of course we know that The Da Vinci Code stirred up a hornet's nest that has kept Opus Dei and the Vatican hopping mad to this day. In response to the controversy, Opus Dei spokesperson Marc Carrogio issued a "declaration of peace" to Brown and his publisher, while other Christian scholars deemed the work to be either willful ignorance or purposeful malice. I'd like to make one thing very clear here: I think that many people have totally forgotten that this is a work of fiction! We all need to remember that authors have freedom of speech and literary license to put forth their own points of view. Being a nonfiction writer myself, I've always tried my best to back up my words with evidence, but a novelist doesn't have to (although I think most do try to get their facts straight, and I include Mr. Brown in that category).
If you think that Opus Dei has been maligned, Dan Brown himself has attracted even more spite with a horde of books trying to debunk him and his work. Christian scholars and historians have come out of the woodwork with scathing criticisms of his writing and research, but I for one (along with millions of others, I might add) found The Da Vinci Code to be highly entertaining. While a work of fiction is often based on some facts, to expect a novelist to expend the time on research that a scholar does is ridiculous and should be seen as such. I've always found that people who are secure in their belief systems don't have to scream and criticize those who attack them, but those who are insecure in their faith always fight back - sometimes viciously.

What's This Society All About?
Vatican analyst John L. Allen, Jr. did some recent studies on Opus Dei because of the criticism it has received, and he concluded that some of the group's views are misunderstood due to its newness - yet he also said that Opus Dei was the most controversial force in the Catholic Church. And in 1994, Dr. Massimo Introvigne (a conservative Catholic scholar and socialist of religion) said that the organization was only a target because as a secular society they were "returning to religion." I really don't understand this for the simple reason that I don't believe religion ever left. I imagine this merely means that most secular societies practice religion in private, while Opus Dei is now "going public," so to speak.
I understand that when you come across some of these quotes from scholars and supposedly learned men, you may be left with the thought, What in the hell does that mean? For example, Pope John Paul II once declared:
"Opus Dei is an institution which has in fact striven not only to enlighten with new lights the mission of the laity in the Church and in society, but also to put it into practice. It has also striven to put into practice the teachings of the universal call to holiness, and to foster at all levels of society the sanctification of ordinary work." If you're not confused by now, you sure are much, much smarter than I'll ever be!

Adding to the confusion is that while Opus Dei appears to believe in "family values" and the subjection of women. Unquestioned obedience (very useful to totalitarian governments) and a great degree of regulating power for the Church are also part of their creed. What follows in italics are tenets that come directly from Opus Dei, which my own two cents are added in parenthesis.

1. Holiness in ordinary life: Having become members of God's family through baptism, all Christians are called to a life of holiness. (Which means that like so many religions, theirs is the only one. This isn't a criticism; it's just that every religion believes only it has the truth. Spirituality, on the other hand, instructs that everyone is allowed to believe in whatever they feel is best for them.)

2. Whatever work Christians do is done with a spirit of excellence as an effective service for the needs of society, working out of love for God and all men and women. (I believe this part, as long it doesn't come with a price. In other words, we should always do good, but not just by building big churches. Let's construct homes for the elderly, children and the homeless instead - wouldn't this give real honor to God?)

3. Love for freedom :Christians should love personal freedom, both their own and that of all men and women. God the son himself, on becoming man took on human freedom. As man, he obeyed his Father's will throughout his whole life, even unto death. By his free-will choice, each person directs his life toward eternal union with God or eternal separation. (I believe that you choose your own road - whether it be hard, lonely, or easy - to glory and learn for God, for we are part of Him. To that end, Jesus was actually preordained to fulfill his prophecy. I also don't believe that "eternal separation" exists, for in the end even the wicked will be absorbed back into our all-loving God!