Criticism

Opus Dei has been called "the most controversial force in the Catholic Church", ^{[1] [2]} and Escrivá has been described as a "polarizing" figure. ^[3] In the English-speaking world, the most vocal critic of Opus Dei is a group called the Opus Dei Awareness Network (ODAN), a non-profit organization that exists "to provide education, outreach and support to people who have been adversely affected by Opus Dei." ^[4] Other critics include former members of Opus Dei ^[5]. liberal catholic theologians and supporters of Liberation theology. ^{[6] [7]}

The various critics make a number of different allegations about Opus Dei. One such claim is that the organization maintains an extremely high degree of control over its members, noting that numeraries in Opus Dei generally submit all their incoming and outgoing mail to their superiors to read. ^[8] They also point to an alleged "Forbidden Books List" that details which books members are not allowed to read without the express permission of their superiors. ^[8] According to some critics, Opus Dei pressures numeraries to cut off social contact with non-members, including their own families. ^[9] Others have refered to Opus Dei as a "cult" or "cult-like, referring in part to the allegations that Opus Dei is rigidly controlling of its members.

Similarly, Opus Dei has been accused of engaging in deceptive or extremely aggressive recruitment practices. For example, critics claim that Opus Dei uses a cult-like recruitment technique called " Love bombing", in which potential members are showered with flattery and admiration by members of the organization in order to entice them into joining. ^{[9] [10] [11]} They allege that Opus Dei puts great emphasis on recruting, and that numeraries are encouraged to form friendships and go to social gatherings explicitly as a means to recurit. According to its detractors, members of Opus Dei even go so far as to fill out regular written reports on friends who may be potential recruits, and attend regular meetings with their supervisors to discuss recruiting tactics.

One of the most controversial aspects of Opus Dei is its members practice of regular self-mortification. ^[12] According to critics, the mortification used by Opus Dei is a "startling" and "questionable" practice. ^[13] Critics often cite the fact that Escriva himself engaged in more extreme forms of mortification than those typically practiced by Opus Dei numeraries. ^[14] For example, Escriva's closest aid has described an incident in which Escriva flailed himself over a thousand times. ^{[15] [16]} Critics say the practice borders on masochism ^[17], and opponents of Opus Dei often criticize Escriva's maxim on suffering: "Loved be pain. Sanctified be pain. Glorified be pain!" ^{[13] [18]}

Critics have often accused Opus Dei of being intensely secretive. Unlike most other religious groups, Opus Dei does not publish its memberships lists, and members generally do not publically reveal that they are part of the organization. This practice has led to rampant speculation about who may or may not be a member of Opus Dei. ^[2] Indeed, according to its 1950 constitution, members are forbidden to reveal their membership without the express permission of their superiors. ^[19] Additionally, opponents cite the fact that Opus Dei often will not directly reveal its relationship to many of its institutions. ^[20]

Some critics are wary of Opus Dei's relationship with the rest of the Catholic Church. They argue that Opus Dei's unique status as a personal prelature gives the organization too much independence from the Church, making it in essence a "church within a church". ^[21]. Some also speculate that Opus Dei exerts a disproportionately large influence within the Catholic Church itself. For example, critics claim that Escrivá was canonized as a saint after an unusually short period of time following his death, and that there were other irregularities in the canonization process. ^[22] (See Josemaría Escrivá: Canonisation)

Critics claim that Opus Dei has ties to Far-Right politics and to Fascist regimes. Critics accuse Escrivá and Opus Dei of supporting the oppressive government of Francisco Franco ^{[23] [24] [25]} in Spain and the regime of Augusto Pinochet in Chile. ^[26] Critics also allege that Escriva expressed sympathy for Adolf Hitler. ^[27] According to a former Opus Dei priest, Escriva once said that Hitler had been "badly treated" by the world and that "Hitler couldn't have been such a bad person. He couldn't have killed six million [jews]. It couldn't have been more than four million." ^{[28] [29]}(see Opus Dei and politics)

Lastly, Opus Dei, as a part of the Roman Catholic Church, also shares any criticisms of Catholicism in general. For example, some criticize the Vatican's prohibition of birth control or its patriarchal governance. (See Controversial Catholic teachings)

Support and replies to criticism

In addition to its 80,000 members, Opus Dei has no shortage of supporters. According to one author, "Escrivá is ... venerated by millions".Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page). Approximately 300,000 people gathered in St. Peter's Square on the day of Pope John II canonized Josemaria Escrivá. ^[30]

The current pope, Benedict XVI, is also a particularly strong supporter of Opus Dei and of Escrivá. In 2002, Benedict XVI (then-named Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger), wrote that Escrivá was "an instrument with which God had acted" and spoke of Opus Dei's "surprising union of absolute fidelity to the Church’s great tradition, to its faith, and unconditional openness to all the challenges of this world, whether in the academic world, in the field of work, or in matters of the economy, etc." ^[31] He further explained:

"the theocentrism of Escrivá...means this confidence in the fact that God is working now and we ought only to put ourselves at his disposal...This, for me, is a message of greatest importance. It is a message that leads to overcoming what could be considered the great temptation of our times: the pretense that after the 'big bang' God retired from history." ^[32]

Supporters of Opus Dei praise what they see as Opus Dei's educational and humanitarian achievements, such as the organization's schools, universities, and hospitals. They often liken Opus Dei to a family, and many claim members of Opus Dei resemble the members of the early Christian church. ^{[33] [34]}

Supporters have a variety of responses to the charges made by critics. Many supporters of Opus Dei often argue that Opus Dei is merely misunderstood. ^{[35] [36] [9]} One author explained this view by saying "There are two Opus Deis: an Opus Dei of myth and an Opus Dei of reality." ^{[37] [38]} For example, supporters claim Opus Dei's relative silence stems not from a secretive nature, but rather is the result of a deep commitment to privacy, humility, and "avoidance of self-aggrandizement". ^[39]

In some cases, supporters deny the accusations outright. For example, supporters say that Opus Dei's relationship with the Franco government has been overstated. ^[40] Similarly Alvaro del Portillo, the former Prelate of Opus Dei, said that any claims that Escrivá supported Hitler were "a patent falsehood," that was part of "a slanderous campaign". ^[41]

In other cases, supporters cite religious justifications for the practices of Opus Dei. For example, supporters defend the practice of mortification within Opus Dei by citing Jesus's biblical command to "take up the cross", ^[42] and by pointing out that many revered modern individuals, including Mother Theresa and Padre Pio, have also practiced mortification. ^[43] Some claim that a certain estrangement from family is appropriate, quoting Jesus's biblical comment that "He who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me". ^[44]

Supporters of Opus Dei have also questioned the motives and reliability of the critics. They point out that former members of any religious group may have psychological or emotional motivations to criticize their former groups. ^[45] Many supporters of Opus Dei have expressed the belief that the criticisms of Opus Dei stem from a generalized disapproval of spirituality, Christianity, or Catholicism. Expressing this sentiment, one Opus Dei member claimed "Opus Dei has become a victim of Christianophobia." ^[46] Another author argues that critics oppose Opus Dei because "they cannot tolerate 'the return to religion' of the secularized society". ^[47]

Lastly, some supporters of Opus Dei have viewed the controversy surrounding the organization as a " Sign of contradiction". Proponents of this view hold that blessed, divinely-inspired Christian organizations will always be criticized, just as Jesus was criticized by his contemporaries. Accordingly, they see the very existence of critics as further proof of the organization's sanctity. ^{[48] [49] [50] [51]}