Opus Dei

[vanilla]

Is anyone here with Opus Dei or interested in them? I'm interested in this prelature. I have a copy of the Way Furrow and Forge by St. Escriva. I like the spirituality, sanctity in everyday activities.

[tnavarro61]

[quote name='vanilla' date='04 November 2009 - 02:01 PM' timestamp='1257310897' post='1995987']
Is anyone here with Opus Dei or interested in them? I'm interested in this prelature. I have a copy of the Way Furrow and Forge by St. Escriva. I like the spirituality, sanctity in everyday activities.
[/quote]

I know someone who's involved with it. If you like, I'll ask him about OD.

[aalpha1989]

I discerned with them for about a year (attended meetings, reflections, etc.). It's not my charism, not for me, and I don't really know if I could answer questions... but I'd be willing to! Do you have any?

P.S. If you haven't checked out Escriva's Way of the Cross, it my favorite.

[organwerke]

I know it. I am a cooperator. but I don't live in the US...
Anyway if you want you can ask me!

[OraProMe]

[quote name='organwerke' date='04 November 2009 - 03:52 AM' timestamp='1257324725' post='1996031']
I know it. I am a cooperator. but I don't live in the US...
Anyway if you want you can ask me!
[/quote]
I have a bunch !

1. Can the numaries (the ones that live in the centres?) do any job they want?
2. Are they allowed to go out and see friends/family whenever or do they need permission?
3. What happens when they get too old to work.
4. How do they choose what centre they'll send the numaries (numeraries?) to?

Thanks

[GraceUk]

I must say it is not a charism that draws me but nevertheless I would still be interested in hearing more about it.

[Nunsense]

[quote name='OraProMe' date='04 November 2009 - 08:11 PM' timestamp='1257325914' post='1996035']
I have a bunch !

1. Can the numaries (the ones that live in the centres?) do any job they want?
2. Are they allowed to go out and see friends/family whenever or do they need permission?
3. What happens when they get too old to work.
4. How do they choose what centre they'll send the numaries (numeraries?) to?

Thanks
[/quote]


Their website has a lot of FAQs on it. [url="http://www.opusdei.us/sec.php?s=494"]Opus Dei[/url]

[organwerke]

[quote name='OraProMe' date='04 November 2009 - 11:11 AM' timestamp='1257325914' post='1996035']
I have a bunch !

1. Can the numaries (the ones that live in the centres?) do any job they want?
2. Are they allowed to go out and see friends/family whenever or do they need permission?
3. What happens when they get too old to work.
4. How do they choose what centre they'll send the numaries (numeraries?) to?

Thanks
[/quote]

Well, I am not a numerary, but I have several friends who are and so I try to answer this way, I hope not to say wrong things:
1. yes, they can do any job, and really they do. But sometimes there is a need for the centre to have someone who only takes care of the activities of the center itself, and so if you are a numerary you can be asked a total availability to work in the house. This of course depends on the personal situation of every member. This can be only for a short period, or even more.
2. For the second question, it depends of course on common sense. You have to ask permission, if you have to manage some activities...you are a free, lay person, but you are bound to Opus Dei and to the centre which become your new family, so you can manage your personal and familiar friendships according to the needs of the centre
3. sorry I can't understand the question
4. As for 1 & 2: there isn't a rigid rule upon this: for example, if a centre will be opened in a new country, some people can give their disponibility to go... or can be asked for. In general, the person lives where there is a need of the Prelature, but, for example, if you have a particular need to live near your family (if you have an ill parent or similar) you can ask to live in a particular centre. I know several situation like this.
I hope I have answered your questions

[Totus Tuus]

Yup

[TotusTuusMaria]

i'm interested.

[vanilla]

Thanks for the information! At least now I get to have useful replies to my threads.


I'm interested in the supernumerary vocation. They can get married.

Some questions:

1. Can Opus Dei members belong to other Catholic movements and organizations?
2. Do members attend regular meetings?

I'll see what I can still think of. For the meantime, this is it.

[Thomist-in-Training]

I'm interested in it as a phenomenon; my parents dealt with some lay members about ten years ago and weren't particularly impressed on the whole, and at college there were men's and women's centers nearby--one popular professor was a numerary--and I went to a few talks at the women's center. Actually, one of my friends is now a numerary associate (celibate and sort of "full-time" like a numerary but doesn't live in a center).

I think this book is really interesting: [url="http://books.google.com/books?id=CxRee2MEL4cC&printsec=frontcover&dq=beyond+the+threshold+a+life+in+opus+dei#v=onepage&q=&f=false"]Beyond the Threshhold: A Life in Opus Dei[/url]

[organwerke]

vanilla:[i]I'm interested in the supernumerary vocation.[/i]
The same is to me. If I thought of a vocation of perpetual verginity, I'd rather chose a religious order than Opus Dei.

[i]1. Can Opus Dei members belong to other Catholic movements and organizations?[/i]
This question too intersts me! I'm not sure, I have to ask, but I am sure that if you are a religious person, you can't belong to Opus Dei. If you are a supernumerary, I don't know...but I can ask and tell you.

[i]2. Do members attend regular meetings?[/i]
Yes. But, of course, you can organize your meetings according to your familiar and personal issues.
I have many friends who are supernumeraries. Usally they attend phormation meetings, spiritual direction, then there is a yearly retreat, and a week every year (in general it is in the summer) with some deeper phormation on this particular vocation.
Often a supernumerary can also be asked to do some activities (for youth, or adult people) on phormation, catechesis and so on.
I think it is a beautiful vocation. In my personal vision, I would become a supernumerary only after marriage, and not before (but many friends of mine became when they weren't engaged yet!), but, even if most supernumeraries are married, it isn't necessarily a vocation for married people.
I know that sometimes it could seem strange...but when you get familiar, you find that it is a quite flexible vocation!

Edited November 5, 2009 by organwerke

[elizabeth09]

What is Opus Dei?

[Thomist-in-Training]

[quote name='elizabeth09' date='06 November 2009 - 01:42 PM' timestamp='1257532951' post='1997205']
What is Opus Dei?
[/quote]

It's an organization that Catholics can join. It's not the same as a religious order, but you can't be in it and a religious order at the same time, I think There are diff. levels of membership

Supernumerary--can be married--Sort of similar to religious order tertiaries. Contribute financially, attend retreat afternoons, make devotions.

Numeraries--live in a house with maybe half a dozen others of the same sex. Celibate. Encouraged to work professionally, ex. scientist, professor, etc. Famous thanks to Dan Brown for practicing the age-old Christian tradition of corporal mortification.

Numerary assistants--kinda like lay sisters they are sort of maids for numeraries... as far as I can tell...

Associate--Like a numerary but lives alone or with family.

---------------------

FOCUS Sanctification of work

'Plain vanilla everyday' Christian spirituality, with devotion to Our Lady and the Eucharist but nothing controversial about the devotions

----------------------
Controversies

They have a lot of money. Some people claim it's a machine that runs a lot of things in the Church through having so much money.

Some people who don't understand Christianity (because it's been so watered down, and because it's been presented sensationally by Dan Brown) think corporal mortification is perverted, alien, etc.

Secrecy--Their recruiting methods often involve getting to know people without actually saying "I'm in Opus Dei and I think you might want to be to" and then drawing them towards it. They don't wear any habit or special symbols, don't put letters after their name or anything. Someone said, I don't know if it's true but it kind of makes sense, that Escriva thought of them as a Catholic answer to the Masons (NOT with the Masonic beliefs--but using some of their ways of acting secretly as an influence in society).

[elizabeth09]

Thank you!

[TradMom]

+Praised be Jesus Christ!

I have been censored in the past for posting links to "ex-members" stories and perspectives. However, I think it is very important that we are able to look at things completely, especially when there is secrecy or the "unknown" involved. Many people who regularly post on this board are former members of cloistered communities and have spoken openly about their experience (thank you!) - difficulties, challenges and the beauties they encountered. I believe strongly in looking at both sides of ANY group before entering.

If anyone would like to pm me for further information, please do so.

Pax!

TradMom

[Totus Tuus]

I don't see a problem in not coming right out and saying, "hi, I'm in Opus Dei and you should join." In evangelization you don't hit people over the head with a Bible and tell them to convert. You just get to know them, and once you have established a relationship with them and they trust you, then you present your beliefs-- and your friend can take it or leave it. I don't know why OD is criticized for taking part in this age-old tradition, and I also don't think that this particular aspect of it is secretive. OD members also are not secretively manipulated by their spiritual directors, as is the case with other well-known organizations that might be viewed as similar to OD but are not.

[Thomist-in-Training]

[quote name='Totus Tuus' date='10 November 2009 - 01:22 PM' timestamp='1257877351' post='1999613']
I don't see a problem in not coming right out and saying, "hi, I'm in Opus Dei and you should join." In evangelization you don't hit people over the head with a Bible and tell them to convert. You just get to know them, and once you have established a relationship with them and they trust you, then you present your beliefs-- and your friend can take it or leave it. I don't know why OD is criticized for taking part in this age-old tradition, and I also don't think that this particular aspect of it is secretive. OD members also are not secretively manipulated by their spiritual directors, as is the case with other well-known organizations that might be viewed as similar to OD but are not.
[/quote]

I think part of it is this difference.

a) I work retail in a very secular environment. I don't walk in every night and say, Hi, my name is Thomist and I'm a Roman Catholic. But I usually wear a miraculous medal, unique to Catholics, and I have gotten into some discussions about being Catholic. If someone asks me, I'm proud to say I'm Catholic. I don't answer evasively.

b) Opus Dei members, as far as I know (I being a laywoman with the amount of contact I mentioned in previous post) almost [i]never [/i]say "I belong to Opus Dei". In fact, the numerary professor I mentioned is someone I got to know pretty well, I even went to the center where she lived and saw her there, and I don't think, in our three years of conversations, she [i]ever [/i]uttered the words "Opus Dei." Very occasionally there would be a flyer for an event at the center and it would simply say "Arborlea Study Center." As far as I know--someone may have a different experience--members of Opus Dei in general aren't always allowed to tell, when asked, whether they belong to it.

To me, that is a big difference.

*arg! 2 edits for clarity/formatting

Edited November 10, 2009 by Thomist-in-Training

[organwerke]

[quote name='Thomist-in-Training' date='10 November 2009 - 08:41 PM' timestamp='1257878476' post='1999638']
As far as I know--someone may have a different experience--members of Opus Dei in general aren't always allowed to tell, when asked, whether they belong to it.
[/quote]

This is wrong. Opus Dei members never aren't allowed to tell they belong to it. For what concern telling it or not, this is of course a personal choice of every member.

Trad Mom: the net is already full of sites of Opus Dei's exmembers. You can simply suggest the readers to insert "Opus Dei" on google and they will only have to choose among plenty of them!