Opus Dei: Caricature in the media distorts its real image

COMMENTARY: Unlike the threatening portraits made by critics of Opus Dei, Saint Josemaría Escrivá founded “the Work” to help people be “contemplative in the middle of the world”, sanctifying their daily life and work.

At the end of July, The Guardian published an article intended to discredit Kevin Roberts, president of the Heritage Foundation, for his association with Opus Dei, a personal Prelature of the Catholic Church.

The article strove to present Opus Dei in an ominous light. He described the group as “a political project shrouded in a veil of spirituality”; he took out of context a quote from the group’s founder, Saint Josemaría Escrivá, about the members forming a “nascent militia”, as if he were talking about a physical militia and not a spiritual one; and called Opus Dei “radical”: which, of course, is true, just not for the reasons that The Guardian think.

No doubt the author intended to evoke images of hooded monks running through torch-lit underground tunnels, as in The Da Vinci Code. This long-standing anti-Catholic canard—that Catholics are a secret sect bent on world domination—was used to discredit Roberts.

But this only made me think of my friend Joel, a supernumerary of Opus Dei who introduced me to the group four years ago.

Joel is, as they say, a character.

He has more friends than most people, he makes friends easily. He is a proud Mexican-American who keeps a stash of fine tequila in the trunk of his car in case he happens upon a party. He is a successful businessman and father of two young children. For these and other blessings, Joel reflectively gives credit to Jesus, Mary, and “the Work of God,” the words used by St. Josemaría to describe Opus Dei.

It is neither “traditional”, nor progressive, nor is it part of any other Catholic ideological subset. He’s crazy about the University of Southern California football team and he invited me to his wedding the first day we met. A few years later, he hosted my own bachelor party.

I finished reading the article The Guardian thinking about Joel for two reasons.

The first is that his life—and the lives of everyone else I have known involved in “the Work”—destroys such caricatures of Opus Dei.

The second is that an educational initiative that Joel helped found “the Camino Schools in Tustin, California,” was mentioned in the article. Roberts had given a speech at the classical Christian school in 2023, and the author used this to link Roberts to Opus Dei. The problem, however, is that the only “link” of the Camino Schools with Opus Dei is that they are inspired by the teachings of Saint Josemaría. There is no official affiliation with the group, just with my friend Joel and the other young parents he “conspired” with to start school four years ago.

But this is just the beginning of what the article The Guardian mistakenly says about “the Play” and what Roberts’ connection to it might mean.

Roberts, of course, has come under scrutiny in the last year for his management of Heritage’s “Project 2025,” which is a 900-page collection of policy recommendations from conservative academics for a hypothetical Republican takeover of the White House by early next year.

The Democratic Party has emphasized the project’s connection to Donald Trump in its campaign messages, despite the fact that he has repeatedly disavowed it, even calling it “terrible.”

The article of The Guardianwhich includes comments by the Catholic historian and commentator of Commonweal Massimo Faggioli, strives to make all the vaguely related dots connect.

“They are reserved,” says Faggioli about Opus Dei. “So, even if they are not part (externally) of this (Project 2025) for himselfit is not at all surprising that some of its members are part of it. They see this moment in politics—and the possibility of allowing the ‘woke ideology’— as a fundamental change in the nature of America, Western civilization, and Christianity.”

This is, of course, probably true, at least for the more politically conservative members of Opus Dei. The problem, however, is that everyone who calls themselves conservative in the Western Hemisphere would share this opinion. It is not an exclusive feeling of Opus Dei or Project 2025; In fact, it is a majority conservative position to oppose “woke ideology” and anything that might change the nature of Western civilization or Christianity.

This is not a secret, nor is anyone involved “secretive” about it. Faggioli’s comment gives readers the impression that something sinister is afoot, but its substance is empty.

The article also quotes financial journalist Gareth Gore, author of a forthcoming book on Opus Dei.

“Like Project 2025, Opus Dei is fundamentally a reactionary stance against the progressive drift of society,” says Gore. “For decades, the organization has poured its resources into penetrating Washington’s political and legal elite, and it appears to have finally succeeded thanks to its close association with men like Kevin Roberts,” he added.

Like Faggioli’s comments, this “accusation” is strange, in the sense that there is nothing extraordinary about it. Isn’t it common for institutions of all kinds to find favor with Washington? Why is it only harmful when Catholics do it?

It is equally normal for any conservative group—from the local Chamber of Commerce to any number of pro-life organizations—to oppose “society’s progressive drift.” This is not so much a damaging accusation as a definition of conservatism in its most basic form.

Gore also proceeded to “accus” St. Josemaría of wanting his followers to “go into battle against the enemies of Christ,” as if this did not represent mainstream Christianity. Catholic parishes of all stripes recite the “St. Michael Prayer” at the end of Mass, which uses the same type of language. Like Faggioli, Gore’s criticism amounts to a “nothingburguer“(insignificant, banal).

And The Guardian Had he endeavored to inform his audience about the true nature of Opus Dei, he might have explained his call, described by the Vatican Congregation of Bishops in 1982, for members to “insist on the sanctifying value of ordinary work; that is, in the obligation to sanctify work, to sanctify oneself in work”.

It could have explained St. Josemaría Escrivá’s desire for members to become “contemplatives in the midst of the world,” drawing closer to God through the dignity and purpose of their work.

It could have explained the centrality of the group’s devotion to Mary, because, as Saint Josemaría once wrote: “The beginning of the path, at the end of which you will find yourself completely carried away by the love of Jesus, is a love entrusted to Mary.”

Or I could have simply asked my friend Joel about Opus Dei, instead of slandering his school. I suppose, at the very least, they would have enjoyed his company.

Translated and adapted by the ACI Prensa team. Originally published in National Catholic Register.

Editor’s note: Peter Laffin is a staff writer for the National Catholic Register and a contributor to the Washington Examiner. He has published articles in The Catholic Herald, The Catholic Thing and RealClearPolitics. The opinions expressed in this comment correspond exclusively to its author. Laffin is in the process of joining Opus Dei.