Opus Dei...

[HartfordWhalers]

[quote name='Aloysius' date='Aug 31 2004, 09:03 PM'] a good self-mortification penance would be if you have a headache, don't take any advil but ride it out and offer up your suffering.

if we get comfortable always avoiding any type of suffering, we miss the suffering that makes us stronger. [/quote]
Another good penance a Priest has suggested to me is taking cold showers.

(edit): by the way, I have heard mostly good abotu Opus Dei (OD), but some of the "recruiters" I have heard are just as bad as Regnum Christi (RC) in trying to coerce people into joining. That has not been my experience (I have been to one OD "circle" I see it is called?) I don't know if they follow the RC way of trying to pick out attractive people for seminarians, but I know RC does that, and OD, I have heard, can be just as bad. I said, though, my experience with them is good.

Edited September 1, 2004 by HartfordWhalers

[Norseman82]

[quote name='cmotherofpirl' date='Aug 31 2004, 06:27 PM']
However you can find a few bad apples in every barrel. :angry: [/quote]
And I happen to have run into the "bad apples" when I started to get more into Opus Dei. Maybe it was limited to my circle or the group that I went to for nights of recollections, but the damage was done, and others in my circle felt similarly (one even said that they just want to make peoples' lives miserable - and he is no liberal heretic, mind you).

I also ran into a certain amount of "cliques", especially among the female half of humanity.

But the priests at St. Mary of the Angels in Chicago at least seem to level-headed. Maybe they can rub off on the "wacko fringe".

But what was said about it not being for everyone is correct. From the people I got to know, if you came from a large happy intact family with a normal childhood in a comfortable suburb, it was perfect. But they could not relate to someone from the "wrong side of the tracks", so to speak.

[kateri05]

[quote name='HartfordWhalers' date='Sep 1 2004, 12:00 PM'] Another good penance a Priest has suggested to me is taking cold showers.

(edit): by the way, I have heard mostly good abotu Opus Dei (OD), but some of the "recruiters" I have heard are just as bad as Regnum Christi (RC) in trying to coerce people into joining. That has not been my experience (I have been to one OD "circle" I see it is called?) I don't know if they follow the RC way of trying to pick out attractive people for seminarians, but I know RC does that, and OD, I have heard, can be just as bad. I said, though, my experience with them is good. [/quote]
whats wrong with RC? they only pick attractive people? why do people say that?

[MagiDragon]

[quote name='Norseman82' date='Sep 1 2004, 01:53 PM']But the priests at St. Mary of the Angels in Chicago at least seem to level-headed.[/quote]
hey! isn't that where Fr. Mark Mannion is stationed? He's awesome!!!

Peace,
Joe

[flip]

[quote name='Cam42' date='Aug 31 2004, 10:10 PM'] As a supernumerary, I can tell you that there is nothing, nothing wrong with the Work.

The Work does more good than one can know......ODAN is a crock and a lie....so is The DaVinci Code, btw....

Cam42 [/quote]
i would love to know... what exactly do you do at what levels?

I have heard that moritfication is in there... as we have said, is not bad at all.

are thier speacial Opud Dei priests and Bishops? Why do they have to have thier own clergy?

What is the role of an Opus Die spirtual director?

I heard that once at a specfic level, you must tithe much more of your money, and keep records of all your money with your spirtual director...

someone tell me the realities of OD!

holla!

[Scofizzle]

I know nothing of Opus Dei but I have read some of Josemaria escriva's stuff and it seems to be pretty orthodox.

[HartfordWhalers]

[quote name='kateri05' date='Sep 1 2004, 05:32 PM'] whats wrong with RC? they only pick attractive people? why do people say that? [/quote]
Well for one, they are not very orthodox, at least I don't think so. Secondly, they have Nazi-like (sorry if that's not PC) tactis of controlling people and coercing them into something. Once people get in, it's almost like a secret society, you can't get out. One man I know used to run one of the "recruit" centers. He was instructed to keep calling people until they would join. If people stopping coming to meetings, he was supposed to pester them to come back, continually. It took hours per day on the phone calling people. Eventually, he left RC. Many of his "friends" from RC completely stopped talking to him. That is basically the situtaion. And, yes, I have heard that they target attractive people to be Priests to attract other people. Seems sacrilegous to me...

[kateri05]

[quote name='HartfordWhalers' date='Sep 2 2004, 11:30 AM'] Well for one, they are not very orthodox, at least I don't think so. Secondly, they have Nazi-like (sorry if that's not PC) tactis of controlling people and coercing them into something. Once people get in, it's almost like a secret society, you can't get out. One man I know used to run one of the "recruit" centers. He was instructed to keep calling people until they would join. If people stopping coming to meetings, he was supposed to pester them to come back, continually. It took hours per day on the phone calling people. Eventually, he left RC. Many of his "friends" from RC completely stopped talking to him. That is basically the situtaion. And, yes, I have heard that they target attractive people to be Priests to attract other people. Seems sacrilegous to me... [/quote]
i know lots of people in it and they seem VERY orthodox to me; they built a seminary for the legionaires in rome and when the pope said that he needed one, they gave it to him, for free! and, the people who i know that are in it, don't want to leave. its a spirituality, a way of living, not a club... i'm sorry you have such a negative impression of it. i myself am not in it, but have been to a day of reflection sponsored by RC and have a friend serving a year of service who loves it!

[Guest JeffCR07]

[quote]Well for one, they are not very orthodox, at least I don't think so. Secondly, they have Nazi-like (sorry if that's not PC) tactis of controlling people and coercing them into something. Once people get in, it's almost like a secret society, you can't get out. One man I know used to run one of the "recruit" centers. He was instructed to keep calling people until they would join. If people stopping coming to meetings, he was supposed to pester them to come back, continually. It took hours per day on the phone calling people. Eventually, he left RC. Many of his "friends" from RC completely stopped talking to him. That is basically the situtaion. And, yes, I have heard that they target attractive people to be Priests to attract other people. Seems sacrilegous to me... [/quote]

First off, lets get our facts straight here. The Legionaires of Christ do not target "good looking" priests, you've got to admit that's pretty, however, just in case you're wondering, out of the Legionaires that I know, I would say only a small percentage of them are good looking.

Now, that issue having been discarded, anyone with any credibility at all will tell you that the Legion (and Regnum Christi) are about as orthodox as you can get. The "liberal" catholics claim they are ultra-conservative, while the "ultra-traditionalists" claim that they are too liberal. Ultimately, they are irrevocably in line with the Holy Father, and that makes them as orthodox as you can be.

With regards to recruitment, let me give you a little background. I am 18, a sophomore in college, and was incorporated into Regnum Christi during the summer before my Freshman year, so I know firsthand what it is like. I was certainly encouraged to join, but I was not pressured to do so. They are very careful to make sure that the people who join are at a properly mature level of spiritual formation beforehand.

It is very sad to see so many people with twisted views of groups like Regnum Christi, the Legion, and Opus Dei. All of them are very orthodox, very good, and very much loved by our Holy Father. I would certainly not deny everything that is bad that is said about the groups, but to claim that these things are the norm, and to claim that they reflect the inner workings and views of the institutions as a whole would be the same as claiming that all Catholic Priests are pedopheliacs and that the institution of the Church as a whole does nothing to prevent this.

honestly, I don't blame anyone for having the wrong idea of RC, the Legion, or Opus Dei, what with all the bad press that people give them, but the accusations really are pretty ridiculous.

- Your Brother In Christ, Jeff

[Ash Wednesday]

Norseman, your observations about personal background and how that affects someone's involvement in organizations like Opus Dei hits it right on the nose. I can definitely relate to that.

I am wary of people that hold any attitudes in some of these organizations (whether it's Opus Dei or what have you) that suggest it's not enough to just be the best Catholic you can be to receive salvation -- no, we are better than "the other Catholics", and the way to sainthood, or heaven even, is through "us" and if you leave "us" you will be committing mortal sin.

And maybe that's just the bad apples we're talking about.

To be fair, I can certainly appreciate it if these organizations inject a healthy dose of traditional Catholicism and Orthodoxy into the Church, which I hear they do.

[dUSt]

Everyone I know involved with The Legionnaires, Opus Dei and Regnum Christi are [b]very[/b] orthodox. The only place I ever hear anything bad about them is when somebody knew somebody who knew somebody. Everyone I met who was actually involved has nothing but the best things to say.

[Oik]

Norseman, while I can't understand nor know your experience with recruitment and pressures, I can say however, I understand what it is like to feel trapted in a ministry and know what it is like to feel the pressure of not leaving.

These things happen because of several reasons, bad leadership, fear of losing ground and numbers, yadda yadda yadda. The important thing to remember it that you can leave things anytime. Maybe God calls people out of a ministry or they joined for the wrong reasons or they were not called in the first place.

One thing I do know is that in the Church, the is a history of pain, accusation , and suffering, just study the saints. Many were dismissed , belittled, shunned, disowned, some even put on trial during the inqusition several times.

What this means is that part of being a Christian is be willing to sacrifice this life and its ways and offer them up to God. The Church teaches us how to accomplish life in this world. It helps up discern the Will of God in our lives.

I am weary to speak out against the Church or an ministry because I might criticize God's plan. Part of understand His Will is submitting to His plan, whether it is full of suffering or full of joy.

[flip]

sp - someone answer my questions!!!





i would love to know... what exactly do you do at what levels?

I have heard that moritfication is in there... as we have said, is not bad at all.

are thier speacial Opud Dei priests and Bishops? Why do they have to have thier own clergy?

What is the role of an Opus Die spirtual director?

I heard that once at a specfic level, you must tithe much more of your money, and keep records of all your money with your spirtual director...

someone tell me the realities of OD!

holla!

[Brother Adam]

lol. Sounds like someone got OD mixed up with Mormonism

[Sinner]

That which is truly holy will always be under attack. We should all be reminded that Opus Dei is a recognized entity (personal prelature) of the Catholic Church, approved by the Pope/Magisterium, and founded by a Saint. If you believe all the lies despite the facts above........ well, I doubt you can be talked into believing OD is beneficial.

Flip..... most of what you are asking has a small basis in reality, then has been blown way out of proportion. I have never been coerced, made or forced to do anything during my involvement with The Work. Most people associated with OD consider it a very personal aspect of their spiritual lives, and therefore do not speak about it "on stage".

This is a very good FAQ about OD: [url="http://www.interbit.com/blogger/OpusDeiFAQ.html"]Matt's Opus Dei FAQ[/url]

And this is the real deal with real answers:
[url="http://opusdei.org"]Opus Dei Official Page[/url]

Since my involvement with OD, my family goes to Mass daily, prays the Rosary Daily, receives frequent Confession..... and on and on. By its fruit in my family is it known at my house.