Monday, February 20, 2006

God in the modern world


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Originally uploaded by jmcamd.
Question: Where does God fit into this picture?

Answer: Everywhere. In all of the ordinary circumstances and events of our lives.

In the words of Opus Dei's founder St. Josemaria, "There is no other way, either we learn to find our Lord in ordinary, everyday life, or we shall never find him. That is why I tell you that our age needs to give back to matter and to the apparently trivial events of life their noble, original meaning. It needs to place them at the service of the Kingdom of God; it needs to spiritualize them, turning them into a means and an occasion for a continuous meeting with Jesus Christ. "

Is Opus Dei Secretive

If you base your opinion on media coverage, it seems Opus Dei has something to hide. The reality is quite the opposite. First, that descriptor has been repeated by reporters ad nauseum for years, without any serious independent investigation until John Allen's book. Opus Dei, for the most part, does not operate as a collective movement. People join because God calls them to live their personal lives dedicated to the service of others and the Church. Almost all members are married lay persons, meaning, they are not ordained. Conclusion: there are thousands of people worldwide that belong to Opus Dei that do not advertise their membership and want to come closer to God in a very personal way through their work, family life, social dealings, etc. I never considered myself a "joiner" and like Opus Dei because it's not another club or an activist grass-roots movement.

Sunday, February 19, 2006

John Allen's Book on Opus Dei

A good resource that explains the common misgivings on Opus Dei is John Allen's recent book. His assessment is extremely fair toward Opus Dei and based on extensive research through interviews with current and former members. In fact, he was surprised by the access given to him by representatives in Rome. Allen is not a member himself but spent countless hours talking with people about the common (mis)perceptions that people have toward Opus Dei. For the most part, it is very true to its title and is an objective assessment.
He interviewed me. We had a nice conversation, I told him what I thought, and was certain I wouldn't be included as he already had enough research at the time to publish his book and was nearly finished with the research. Much to my surprise, I was included several places in the book. Not quite elevated to the level of fame, however, just a bit character. Maybe since I was an ex-member (late 80's) and now a member again, he was intrigued by my story.

Saturday, February 18, 2006

Media coverage in advance of movie

There was a recent piece on ABC News that acknowledges Opus Dei is aiming to defend its reputation and take advantage of publicity surrounding the Da Vinci Code movie to tell the real story behind its role in the Catholic Church. See the ABC link here. There's also a video piece on Reuters as well. See the Reuters link here.