Theos-Talk Archives (May 2006 Message tt00736)

Dear Friends, 

Journalist John Allen Jr. wrote a book on Opus Dei.(1) He reports that Opus Dei is an organization which depends directly on the Pope, and therefore is NOT dependent from any local Bishops of the Catholic Church.

Its Founder, José Maria Escrivá, was made a Saint in the shortest time in he Church's History.  He was a Spanish Fascist -- "Franquista". 

There is an intense work of OPUS DEI among universities. They already control 15 universities and 11 other University Institutions. 

Opus Dei includes people from other Christian groups besides Catholics, and also Moslems, Jews, Buddhists and people with no religion.  Some center-left politicians also joined it, though the great majority  is extreme-right. 
 
Opus Dei works as a "Department of Special Operations" for the Vatican and the Pope. It was very infuential, for instance,  in the election of the  present Pope in 2005. 

It has extensive political connections.  In an "Hard-talk" interview with an Opus Dei officer, Mr. Jack Valero, the BBC World TV stated on May 17th 2006  that the President of Colombia, a recent  ex-Prime Minister of Spain and various USA Senators are said to be among the members of Opus Dei.  
The organization combines some caracteristics of a Masonry with some  characteristics of an "Esoteric School", only in a exceedingly strange way: its "inner members" regularly practice physical aggression to themselves, as described in the movie "The Da Vinci Code".  This is a medieval practice.  

The organization is completely "top-down" and rather secretive in its inner proceedings, but has calle attention for its great involvement in power-politics inside and outside the Vatican.    

 Best Regards,   Carlos Cardoso Aveline 

NOTE: 
(1) The Brazilian Edition title, translated, is: "Opus Dei - Myths and Reality". 


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