Global InformationControversies about Opus Dei information
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Opus Dei is a personal prelature within the Roman Church that has been the subject of numerous controversies. Throughout its history, Opus Dei has been criticized by many, including by numerary members who knew the founder and had roles in Opus Dei's internal government.[1][2] The reports by former members in the US, England, Spain, Latin America, France, Germany, and other countries are published. Journalists have described it as "the most controversial force in the Catholic Church" and its founder Josemaría Escrivá as a "polarizing" figure.[3][4]
The canonization process of Escrivá has been described as unreliable.[5] Those who question the validity of the canonization of Escrivá note that John Paul II was naïve in the cases of Theodore McCarrick and Marcial Maciel,[6] both of whom procured large sums of money for the Vatican,[7] like Opus Dei.
Controversies about Opus Dei have centered on allegations of secretiveness,[8] but also on sexual abuse cases in Spain, Mexico, Uruguay, Chile, and the United States;[9][10][11][12] cases that were investigated and canonical sanctions were applied to the perpetrators.[13] Controversies have to do with recruiting methods aimed at teenagers becoming numeraries; the illicit use of psychiatric drugs in its central headquarters; the misleading of its lay faithful about their status and rights under Canon Law; the "mortification of the flesh" practiced by its celibate members (cilice, discipline, and sleeping on a board);[14] elitism and misogyny; and support of authoritarian or right-wing governments, including the reactionary Franco regime.[15]
According to former members of Opus Dei, the controversies about Opus Dei are rooted in practices institutionalized while Escrivá was alive and are written into internal documents and orally-transmitted customs that have not been reviewed by the Catholic Church.
Some of the more famous former numeraries who have reported on these matters are: Maria del Carmen Tapia, Secretary to Escrivá in Rome and commissioned by Escrivá to start the women's branch of Opus Dei in Venezuela; Vladimir Felzmann, a numerary priest;[2] Miguel Fisac, who accompanied Escrivá across the Pyrenees during the Spanish Civil War and lived for years with him in Rome; Antonio Perez Tenessa, Secretary General of Opus Dei and regional director of Opus Dei in Spain; and María Angustias Moreno.
Opus Dei has also been criticized for allegedly seeking independence and more influence within the Catholic Church.[16]
According to some journalists, criticisms against Opus Dei are based on jealousy or fabrications by opponents.[3][4][17] Critics respond that some of these journalists are associated with Opus Dei,[18][19] and that none of them interviewed numeraries who left Opus Dei in protest or examined internal governing documents.
Defenders of Opus Dei point out that John Paul II and other Catholic leaders have endorsed Opus Dei's teaching on the sanctifying value of work, and its fidelity to Catholic beliefs.[20][21]
- ^ Kamm, Henry (8 January 1984). "THE SECRET WORLD OF OPUS DEI (Published 1984)". The New York Times.
- ^ a b Maryniak, Irena (1993). "Binding the mind that serves". Index on Censorship. 22: 24–25. doi:10.1080/03064229308535487. S2CID 144352377.
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
ALLENBOOKwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b Noam Friedlander (8 October 2005). "What Is Opus Dei? Tales of God, Blood, Money and Faith". The Times. London. Retrieved 10 February 2008.
- ^ EST, Kenneth L. Woodward On 1/12/92 at 7:00 PM (12 January 1992). "A Questionable Saint". Newsweek. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Sexual abuse scandal of Marcial Maciel
- ^ Delia Gallagher, Hada Messia, Richard Allen Greene, and Rob Picheta (10 November 2020). "Vatican admits Pope John Paul II was warned about abusive archbishop Theodore McCarrick, while clearing Francis". CNN.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ David Van Biema (19 April 2006). "The Ways of Opus Dei". Time. Archived from the original on 19 May 2006. Retrieved 24 March 2007.
- ^ Núñez, Julio (28 September 2020). "El Supremo rebaja la pena de 11 a dos años de cárcel al profesor pederasta del colegio Gaztelueta". EL PAÍS.
- ^ Andueza, Iker Rioja (31 October 2020). "Habla la víctima de abusos sexuales en el colegio Gaztelueta del Opus Dei: "No me sorprendería que hubiese más casos. No hay que tener miedo a contarlo"". ElDiario.es.
- ^ "Dos exalumnos denuncian los abusos sexuales de un profesor de religión de Montgat". Noticiero Universal. 7 February 2019.
- ^ "Cinc exalumnes denuncien haver patit abusos a l'escola Bell-lloc de Girona". 30 January 2019.
- ^ "Statements Regarding Fr. C. John McCloskey". Opus Dei. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
- ^ "Inside Opus Dei | Access Online". Access. 18 May 2006.
- ^ "ICSA - Founded 1979 - Opus Dei Over Time". www.icsahome.com.
- ^ Michael Walsh (2004). Opus Dei: An Investigation into the Powerful Secretive Society within the Catholic Church. Harper San Francisco. ISBN 0-06-075068-5.
- ^ Patrice de Plunkett. "Entretien avec l'auteur de L'Opus Dei – Enquête sur le " monstre "". Zenit News Agency. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 20 June 2007.
- ^ "OPUS DEI | Kirkus Reviews" – via www.kirkusreviews.com.
- ^ "Four Courts Press founder who was 'a model of publishing integrity'". The Irish Times.
- ^ "Papal statements on Opus Dei". Opus Dei Official Site. Retrieved 27 November 2006.
- ^ "Quotes on Opus Dei from U.S. Bishops". Retrieved 11 December 2016.