Opus Dei: history, organization, and influence

Opus Dei

What is Michael Walsh's view of Opus Dei? Do you think he is justified in this?

Walsh has a decisively and divisively denigrating view of Opus Dei. His cynicism might be connected with general distrust of the Catholic Church because of its historic secrecy and overt hierarchical structures that prevent the free flow of information. Moreover, Walsh's criticism is launched against the conservative social trends and values that Opus Dei represents. Walsh therefore uses a diatribe against Opus Dei to confront broader ills in the Catholic Church.

Whether I think Walsh is justified or not is irrelevant. If what he says is true, and it might be, then it would not surprise me. The author is certainly justified in expressing his opinion, and even more so if that opinion is rooted in fact. It is true that the Catholic Church operates Opus Dei as a secretive arm, and that arm likely has more power than it seems on the surface. Walsh is also justified in saying in the introduction to the new edition, that "partly because of its wealth, partly because of its aggressively conservative stance in matters theological…and partly because of its privileged status in the Church," Opus Dei deserves attention (p. viii_.

2. How is the life of a lay member of Opus Dei different from that of the normal layperson in the Catholic Church?

Although it is impossible to know for certain what the life of a lay member of Opus Dei is like without actually being one, there are core differences in the view of laity by the Catholic Church proper vs. Opus Dei. Opus Dei has a multifaceted view of laity, in which Church attendance is not expected and yet confession and other traditional manifestations of worship are expected. The traditional (non-Opus Dei) Catholic view of the layperson is that the person should participate in Church activities as much as possible, whereas the Opus Dei lay member is not as concerned about ecclesiastical matters. The Opus Dei brand of spirituality is much more focused on personal and private spirituality, which seems contradictory to Church doctrine. Moreover, the Opus Dei approach of "being in the world" encourages laity to avoid, or at least not give too much credence to, Church ritual and congregation. There is a separate clergy for Opus Dei, but it offers s different approach than traditional Catholicism. Opus Dei does, however, encourage confession. A lay person in Opus Dei are regular people. The level of associates and numeraries are celibate.

3. Has Opus Dei been shown special privileges by the Vatican and if yes, why?

The Vatican has offered a lot of power, privilege and autonomy to Opus Dei. Opus Dei has been permitted a great deal of leeway, and operates in privacy and with stealth. Walsh supposes the reasons are sinister: to keep in place an order that promotes patriarchy and prevents liberal trends in Catholic thought. Opus Dei's recruitment practices, and its targeting elites, allow the Church to promulgate its core commitment to what often manifests as misogyny. Issues, especially those related to class and social power, are raised, too. Opus Dei is less than transparent meaning that ordinary Catholics do not have access to the means by which decisions are made within the organization, let alone between the papacy and Opus Dei.