OPUS DEI QUESTION from REV. DEACON GERALD A. FOLEY August 11, 2001 In my ministry as a Permanent Deacon, and in general as a Catholic Christian, I continue to come across serious objections, antagonistic, highly uncharitable accusations, and to put it mildly, generally 'bad press about this Organization. My question: Is this continuing distortion, innuendo, blatant misrepresentation of this officially sanctioned Sprititual Movement based on pure malice or just crass ignorance? Has its Founder not been Infallibly Beautified by our Present Holy Father, and should that fact not for Catholics at leat make the spiritual and eccelesiastical legitimacy and authenticity beyond question. Thank you for your response.
ANSWER by John-Paul Ignatius, OLSM on August 12, 2001 Dear Deacon:
Before I answer your question, just a little housekeeping. Please do not use ALL CAPS when typing your name or the subject of the question. Please follow the instructions on the Posting form. Thanks.
Opus Dei is a fine organization. Because it is a group that is absolutely loyal to the Pope and the Magisterium it gets constantly attacked by people who are jealous, ill willed, and sometimes outright evil.
The fact that Opus Dei's founder has been beatified does not guarantee orthodoxy of the organization. Organizations do go astray and in fact most of the old ancient Orders have lost their obedience to the Church and their original charisms. It is a sorry state of affairs. But God is raising up many new groups who are without apology loyal to the Church. Opus Dei is one of them. We, the Order of the Legion of St. Michael, are another. We get constant slanders too. It is par for the course.
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