I am curious about your experiences if you have ever attended an evening of recollection or visited with an Opus Dei member. Or even more interested if you are in The Work.

I went to a day of recollection and it was lovely. Some of the nicest and most sincere people I've ever met. They very genuinely are striving to follow Christ.
That's the limit of my experience, however.

In Jesus and Mary,
Lauren

A dear friend of mine is in Opus Dei and he is one of the most virtuous people that I have known.

Thanks for the responses

I have been feeling a vocation to a 3rd or secular order for a few decades now. The SFO has always seemed attractive to me. However I have been reading and learning about Saint Escriva and The Work for about 10 years. I would say it's about time to do more than just read up and pray, eh?

The spiritualities are quite similar, aren't they? That's the impression that I have had. While I still think that the SFO may well be more practical for me, and I just continue to feel more drawn to it, I am still planning on attending an Opus Dei evening of recollection.

I have been to an evening of reflection and a couple men's circles. I've also been to confession "in the spirit of Opus Dei", and I've been in contact with a member for some time now. I recently went on a little pilgrimmage with one. While I'm not sure it is for me, I love Opus Dei and Escriva's writings. I focus on his stations of the cross and on furrow.

I am beginning to think the same thing. While I am not sure that my vocation is to Opus Dei, I very much dig The Work as far as the examples, the teachings and the various practices. If I do join the Secular Franciscan Order, I shall still incorporate Saint Escriva's teachings and practices in my life. I already have been trying to use Opus Dei "norms" to plan out a regular day-to-day prayer life.

I think that Opus Dei's teachings and formation compliments many things Catholic--particularly Franciscan in spirituality. Don't you think?

I have The Way, The Furrow and The Forge in one book and I love that book. It has a way of making even the most distant scriptures come alive for me and to help me to see my faith even in the most mundane tasks. I have not ever had amy contact with Opus Dei.

I don't like the secretiveness. They say they aren't secretive, but I read an article that pointed out, "If you want to know who all the Jesuits are working in the diocese of Boston (etc), if you write to somebody, they can send you a list. You can't do that with Opus Dei." I know a woman who is a numerary, though she has never said either that word or "Opus Dei" to me, even though I've been to the center where she lives. I know another man who goes to the TLM that I go to and someone recently told me that he is a member also. I don't know how to tell. Can't ask him, and if I ask a classmate who is from an Opus Dei family and surely knows whether he is, I feel that I can't trust whether I'll get a true answer, after reading that it's forbidden to say whether someone is a member.

Further, this friend also told me that St. Josemaria cried (either that or asked for permission never to say it, I've confused his story & another's) when he heard about the new Form of Mass. Yet Opus Dei says the new Mass, albeit in the most reverent way possible as I hear (and I've been in one of their tiny Oratories, very tasteful) and does not promote the TLM. I don't like it.

very strange.

Interesting.

I didn't know this. Can I read this as well?

I always thought that one was not suppose to go shouting around one was involved with Opus Dei, but if asked one could and should say that they are if they are. I have found this with some Third Orders though. Like, I know a man who is a Third Order Carmelite, but he has never mentioned it to me or said anything. His parents told me when I was visiting them. Archbishop Fulton Sheen was a Third Order Carmelite, but I didn't know that either until recently. I could be wrong on this, but it doesn't seem that this was common knowledge he clued everyone he spoke with in on? Perhaps the reasons for being so secretive are spiritual; like not talking of oneself. In a thread a while back the topic was being open about the fact one is discerning (I think). Something was said along the lines of Our Lady, upon finding out that she was the Mother of God, did not tell everyone. Even upon going to her cousin she did not go to tell her that she was to be the Mother of God. Elizabeth brought it up, and only then did she let Elizabeth in on it. She kept this fact that she was to herself, also - kind of, I guess - secretive. “Mary, the most holy Mother of God, passes unnoticed, as just one more among the women of her town. Learn from her how to live with naturalness.” - St. Josemaria Escriva, The Way, #499

I have known some involved with Opus Dei to openly tell me in conversation that they were. Then I have known others that keep it very much a secret. One man that works for the diocese is involved in Opus Dei, and it is being kept very hush-hush. I heard it from a priest who let it slip, but the priest also mentioned that the man fears that he will lose his position if anyone finds out. Perhaps there are more practical reasons as well for being so secretive.

Are reasons for the secretive nature of Opus Dei given?

All of those who I've known in Opus Dei have been very open about it. They haven't necessarily introduced themselves as "Hi, I'm so and so, and I'm a numerary," but they've been honest and are very kind. I've been in more and more contact with Opus Dei throughout the past few months, and, while I don't think it's for me, I really love their spirituality and their way of life. I think its a beautiful vocation.
I don't know why one would be so secretive. I would think it would be against St. Josemaria's ideals to flatly lie and say someone was not a member when they were.

Especially as I'm sure "you shall not bear false witness" was said quite firmly in some holy book or other!

I don't make a huge thing of being in a 3rd Order, but I wear a Dominican cross all the time, and it's been a talking point at work, on the bus, in the pub, and in a jeweller's. If it comes up, I talk about it. If it doesn't, I don't. I don't try and hide it (kind of difficult with a 1.25" cross round my neck), and I'd never dream of lying about it.

I guess I must have been thinking of this:

QUOTE

Its 1950 constitution barred members from revealing their membership without permission from the director of their center.

However, I forgot or didn't read that:

QUOTE

In 1982 a new document repudiated "secrecy or clandestine activity," and Bohlin, the U.S. vicar, claims that the continuing impression is a misunderstanding based again on decentralization.

These are just from a TIME article, but accurate, I assume.

I did read John Allen's book, so he may have treated this, and I've read other articles too. So, I'm not sure where I got my original misconception about current regulations.

Thanks for posting

I haven't read John Allen's book. I'll have to look into it. Thanks!

A necessary part of the point of having a secular vocation is to live in the secular world. That means it is necessary to be a part of it (without taking part in the "spirit" of the secular world, which is a different thing entirely). That is why Opus Dei has no habit, no uniform, no emblem, nothing worn on "the sleeve," so-to-speak, that announces that one is a member of Opus Dei.

As soon as some distinction is made, the member becomes separated from the secular world, the way a priest is when he wears a roman collar, or a Franciscan does when wearing the Tau. It's not meant to be "secretive." It's just meant to be a part of the secular world. Any member can say they are a member, it's just not usually necessary. Also, and unfortunately, many people would over-react if someone did say they are a member.

The same way I don't go around telling every one that I am Catholic, or that I have 8 kids, or if my wife is pregnant. It's not necessary, so why should I? And many people would over-react, especially if my wife was pregnant again--so it's not usually worth it.

But the down side is, it's interpreted as "secrecy." There is an emphasis on discretion. But there is nothing currently in Opus Dei that tells its membership to keep their membership a secret.

The John Allen book is fantastic. It is very objective, and he spends time with critics as well as proponents.

Also, there is a DVD titled Opus Dei: Decoding God's Work. It interviews John Allen. However the DVD is more geared to address Dan Brown's junk that he puts forward in his supposedly "fact-based-fiction."

LoungeDaddy answered even better than i was going to.

As for it being secretive and not being able to find people involved in opus dei in your area, it's really easy. just go to the opus dei website (not sure what it is, but google, it, it's easy to find) and look around until you find a "contact us" or something. That's how I first came into contact with opus dei. A priest sent me an email address about a week later, and then a few weeks later i attended a night of reflection. I had no difficulties at all. If you approach members completely open, there's no secrecy. It's pretty straight forward, once you understand it and have talked to members themselves.

Like any religious group, there are a few bad apples that may ruin it. Just know your faith and watch out for anyone who may be a fringe wacko who may seek to impose personal preferences as a matter of theology.

Since you are married, you most likely will not be living in one of the centers as a numerary, but instead may become a super-numerary.