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Opus Dei: An Objective Look Behind the Myths and Reality of the Most Controversial Force in the Catholic Church

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The address for Opus Dei's headquarters in New York is given in Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code." Unfortunately, in yet another one the book's inaccuracies, Brown gives the location of the entrance to the women's quarters (which are separate because the members are celibate). The story is that many readers of Brown's book loiter outside this entrance, trying to get a "peek" into the mysterious world of Opus Dei. And what do the women members do? They invite them in for coffee, they answer all of their questions, and they give them literature so that these "gawkers" can learn more about the Prelature of Opus Dei.

John Allen's book is a door opening. He was apparently granted incredible access not only to members (some of whom might have rightly resented an intrusion into their religious practices, an inherently private matter), locations and history. The result speaks for itself. This book is not propaganda, but a look inside an organization that has touched (and continues to touch) many lives. These are "normal" people, friends, who want to cooperate with God and be the best human person they can be.

Although reading names of members will make this book appear "juicy" (kind of like the annual listings in Finland - released yesterday - of people's net worth or finding a list of country club members in your home town), the value of this book is how it represents a sort of Opus Dei "Glasnost" for the common man. Why are Opus Dei members given names like "numerary" or super-numerary"? Isn't that kind of "masonic"?? Short answer: they are common civil and academic terms used in Spain, where the founder of Opus Dei was born and raised. What is the purpose of Opus Dei? Doesn't it involve arcane rites and devious practices?? Short answer: it's purpose is to encourage its members to live holy, happy lives in the "real, everyday world." Isn't it a right-wing conservative group that has a lot of influence within the Catholic Church??! Short answer: at the time that Opus Dei was founded in the 1940's, it was considered hugely *liberal* and anti-clerical because it wanted priests and lay people, as well as men and woman, to work - get this! - together!

For someone who desires to learn more about St. Josemaria Escriva, the Personal Prelature Opus Dei, and the universal "call to holiness," this book is square one. And sure, you'll learn about the physical mortifications and fasting. But journalistically speaking, this is no white wash. In fact, Allen openly admits to his wife's own prejudices against Opus Dei. In a world of slanted viewpoints and personal agendas, Allen is one of those rare people who just wants to "get it right." I think he did.

Unlike other reviews, this is not a debate on the merits and flaws of Opus Dei, that unique, fascinating and often-mysterious Catholic institution. Rather it is a review of the book itself and its literary and journalistic attributes.

The author, veteran "National Catholic Reporter" Vatican correspondent and noted CNN and NPR commentator, has fashioned a well-written and balanced journalistic exploration of the Church's most puzzling organizations. Opus Dei - maligned and venerated for both reality and perception - is given and objective and comprehensive look by a well-organized and polished writer/journalist. With a keen investigative eye, Mr. Allen interviewed numerous Opus Dei members, ex-members, supporters, critics, allies, and opponents to paint a comprehensive, yet nuanced portrait of the group, so prominently (and often erroneously) featured in contemporary fiction.

Mr. Allen's writing is clear: the reporting, thorough; and the style, brisk and engaging. As with his similar books, including CONCLAVE, ALL THE POPE'S MEN, and THE RISE OF BENEDICT XVI, this effort helps the reader develop a thorough understanding of the group, without either a stridently supportive or adversarial agenda. The objectivity is the greatest mark of a journalist and Mr. Allen ably meets the mark.

It's a cliché by now to say that someone has "wrestled" with a difficult question, but to the extent it can ever be applied appropriately, I believe this book merits it. John L. Allen has tacked a large and complex topic -- one that is surrounded in myth and mystery, brings out strong feelings from critics and defenders alike, and involves questions of deep, even eternal, importance. He has done it remarkably well.

I've read, I believe, all of John Allen's books, including both "Cardinal Ratzinger" and "The Rise of Benedict XVI," and one thing that has always stood out for me is his dedicated, even strenuous, objectivity. That's especially evident in this book. Readers expecting Allen to confirm the apparently ridiculous portrayal of Opus Dei in "The Da Vinci Code" (I haven't read that book myself) are sure to be disappointed. But other fair-minded readers should be satisfied with a study that neither whitewashes nor savages "the most controversial force in the Catholic Church."

Perhaps the most difficult part of Allen's task is solving the Rashomon dilemma: reconciling different observers' view of the same event or phenomenon. Part of the solution is Allen's deceptively simple conclusion that Opus Dei isn't right for everyone: behavior or doctrine some would see as controlling or stifling, others interpret as orderly, even helpful. There's also the difficult question of whether one person's individual experience is typical of the organization as a whole. As I said, Allen has wrestled with these questions, and clearly put a lot of thought and effort into how he asks and answers them. It's not for nothing that John Allen is so highly respected as a journalist and writer.

In making his analysis, Allen employs some tools that critics of the organization seem to regard as invalid. Most importantly, he draws a distinction between Opus Dei as an organization and the individuals who make up that organization. If Opus Dei members tend to be politically conservative, does that mean Opus Dei as an organization promotes a rightist political agenda? If the director of a large company belongs to Opus Dei, can that corporation's assets be said to be "controlled" by Opus Dei? Many critics would, and have, answered both questions "Yes." Allen says No, and cites Opus Dei's emphasis from the beginning on members' independence in their secular and professional lives. Allen has interviewed Opus Dei members who are left-wing politicians, outspoken journalists, and directors of big businesses who all attest that at no time has Opus Dei or any of its leadership attempted to sway their voting, writing, or business management.

Similarly, Allen does a good job placing Opus Dei in its historical context, both as a movement within the Catholic Church and as something arising from twentieth-century Spain. To those who charge the founder of Opus Dei was pro-Franco, for example, Allen concludes that he was, at best, not anti-Franco. But he also makes the valuable point that nearly all of Spanish Catholicism in the 1930s was to some degree pro-Franco. After all, the Republicans had by that time already murdered literally thousands of Catholic bishops, priests, and religious (both male and female). It strikes me that it would have been a particularly self-hating Catholic who would have embraced the Republicans at that point in history.

Mentioning Allen's use of history and interviews brings up one complaint I've had with his earlier books and which sadly applies here as well: he still -- still! -- doesn't include a bibliography. That's especially annoying here, in a book which is chock-full of interviews, references to other books and monographs, and a lot of history. Allen will even excerpt other writers' work (Mary Vincent's on page 57, for example) without bothering to give us the name of the book cited. Please, John, I'm begging you here...

Apart from that long-standing complaint, however, I think Allen has to be congratulated for the obvious effort he put into this book, and for how well it turned out. Extremists on both sides of the question may not be satisfied, but readers with an open mind, an open heart, or just an interest in a dramatic movement in the modern church should find a lot to interest them, and a lot to think about, within these pages. I looked forward to reading this book since I first heard Allen was working on it, and it certainly repaid the wait.

John Allen's book on Opus Dei is an exquisitely articulate analysis of the organization and its standing in the world. His portrayal of Opus Dei as a "strong brew, an acquired taste which is clearly not for everyone" is the freshness that his independent view brings to the discussion about Opus Dei. It is something that Opus Dei has not been willing to admit -- they insist they are a lay vocation for everyone. And although it is now in the public record, it is the opinion of an outsider, and quoting from John's book is not likely to help a pressured recruit convince his director to back-off.

Quite adroitly, John points out that Opus Dei has been caught up in post-Vatican II ideological wars and other "hot button issues" which have nothing to do with its message, but they do have an image problem and complaints from ex-members are too widespread in time and place to be brushed off as insignificant.

John has invested considerable effort researching his book and he lays to rest many of the wild rumors and stories about Opus Dei. In an attempt to be balanced, he tells the Opus Dei story from their point of view. He says that if you want to try to understand them, you have to hear the way they think of themselves. But he also documents a number of major challenges and recommendations to Opus Dei and goes on to lay out many of the complaints against Opus Dei, although he fails to capture the personal intensity involved when Opus Dei provokes a vocational crisis in a person and the level of psychological control they impose. And his suggestion that Opus Dei is like a Catholic "Rashomon", in which everyone describes it from his own point of view seems superficially inadequate.

In closing his book, John leaves everything in an upbeat note. Those with experience with Opus Dei have noted that Opus Dei still was not fully open in many of their interviews with him, as for example in the treatment of the Index of Forbidden Books and the so-called equality of women in electing the prelate.

The most disturbing issue which needs to be addressed is that Opus Dei still tries to manipulate people in the extent of their vocation. Opus Dei told John that they cannot release translations of the Latin statutes and constitutions because there are difficulties in the interpretation of the "contract" by which members are joined to the prelature in Canon Law. It is done so without vows, but the contract still binds like a vow. This is after 77 years of existence. It is a couched way of saying that Opus Dei does not want to put limits on what it can ask of its members as it steps through its method of testing members and looking for vulnerabilities. It is quite clear that Opus Dei does not place the same demands upon all its members. And despite the excellence of John's book, it is the one area which needs to be clarified most.

This book is no doubt a watershed standard on the debate over Opus Dei. It has been extensively researched and presented in a comprehensive and interesting format, but it has not put to rest the problem of Opus Dei.

Journalist Allen's investigative study of Opus Dei is revealing and very informative. Silently responding to sensationalized sketches of this controversial group, Allen takes advantage of his unprecedented access to the hierarchy and membership of Opus Dei to present (what seemed to me to be) a balanced and dispassionate account of this fascinating group.

Mr. Allen has occasionally been cited for too sympathetic a portrayal, but I'm not buying this; if anything, the book is, now and then, dry and even clinical, especially in the summary of Opus Dei's finances. If Mr. Allen is sympathetic to "the work," this is surely because the works and workers he has encountered are constructive and positive.

I recommend the book for facts, not for thrills - but fiction is always better at thrills.

I'd like to comment on this book, rather than outside impressions as other reviewers have about their experiences with Opus Dei. While I understand people have strong inclinations that they bring to the reading of this book, commenting on the book itself is, after all, the point of this part of the site.

John Allen writes exhaustively and cogently about this particular group, shrouded in some mystery and misrepresentation. He digs deeply into their origins as well as purpose--a purpose that is not new, but seems absolutely timeless. Crucially, he writes not just of Opus Dei's distinct, and, to some, often overly intense spirituality, but also all their other corporate, charitable and educational works where such spirituality, seen as threatening in some quarters, is neither particularly present nor hardly harmful.

Allen doesn't seem to leave any major contraversial stones unturned: secrecy, mortification, women, recruitment, Vatican influence, politics and obedience. In terms of picking through dirty laundry, it seems difficult to ask Allen to go much further. Particular sensitivity was given to the experiences of disgruntled former members but I was a little disappointed that there wasn't a bit more depth there. Discussion of the clear steps typically taken, both by spiritual directors and friends at a particular center and the prospective member, to "whistle", clearly consequential moments presumably for the good for a current member and presumably for ill for an ex-member, would have been helpful to be more clearly expanded and developed. I believe if Allen had tackled this more head on, he would have given due justice to both the experience of embittered ex-members and shown light on how the organization has gone about, and should go about in the future, these critical phases.

Transparency, Allen asserts, would help both Opus Dei's image and its mission. It is simple, powerful advice but it can be taken a little too simply in its application. In order for a person to know and understand a vocation to Opus Dei, it's absurd and self-defeating for a person to know all the pieties, roles and responsibilities for a vocation, right away. Perhaps the aim of Opus Dei's detractors is precisely that. Also, given the increasing prejudicies out there of not just Opus Dei but of traditional forms of Catholic prayer and practice more broadly, a certain hesitancy is very understandable, particularly given the prelature's committed secularity "in the world" living and working amongst everyone else. As Allen begins to imply, there are some corners that simply have an intellectual problem with laypeople, free of religious dress or habit, living a regimented spirituality in a way that could be kept private from public view. Still, in his points in favor of transparency, Allen is in principle suggesting a balance that Opus Dei, to be successful, must strike.

In researching the views and experiences of disgruntled ex-members, Allen recognizes, quite rightly in my view, that in the extreme contrast of experiences between those who left Opus Dei on bad terms, those who left on good terms, and those who still belong, that it simply can't be that one of these sides is telling the truth and the others are lying. Rather, the case is most likely that each of these groups experienced similar events, tribulations, growing pains and pressures but interpreted and internalized them through very different prisms. This is a clear, balanced distinction, generally not present in most writing about Opus Dei. One gets the sense that if one decides to become a member of Opus Dei, despite its seeming intense demands and rigidity, it requires the person to be rather personally independent in pursuit of that, in the wider world and within Opus Dei's make up and organizational culture.

The "7 Sins of Opus Dei" as suggested for improvement by a current (not former) numerary that are in the final pages are worth meditating on for those in, close to and outside Opus Dei.

This book ought be the new standard by which Opus Dei is now viewed.

I found this book a refreshingly balanced study of Opus Dei. Allen did not shirk from any of the areas of controversy surrounding Opus Dei - its finances, recruiting tactics, its perceived secrecy - to name a few. For every accusation there is a well-researched corrective, with enough wiggle room, where appropirate, for the reader to make their own judgment. Sadly, a serious book like this is unlikely to dissuade the general public from the false notions espoused by the likes of Dan Brown.

John Allen's book seems to do a decent job at separating the myths from the realities about Opus Dei. It seems that many of the allegations against the organization have come from old false rumors, disgruntled ex-members (and in the U.S., the only constant critical voice is that of Tammy DiNicola who, Allen reports, was in Opus Dei only about two years and left around 1990, i.e., about 15 years ago) or from persons within the Catholic Church who seem ill-informed about why Opus Dei does things certain ways, e.g. having the men and women's programs independent from each other, promoting evangelization in the workplace as central to their service to the Church, offering spiritual coaching and classes by lay persons in Opus Dei, etc.

With respect to the ex-members, their criticisms appear dated and out of synch with what happy ex-members say in the book. To John Allen's credit, the book makes clear that Opus Dei -- the Guiness Stout of the Catholic Church, as he describes it -- is not for everyone, but is satisfying and fulfilling to those who do feel called to its demanding, Catholic way of life.

This book, although not exactly what I expected to read from John Allen, is a very well-written book. After having read Michael Walsh's book "Opus Dei: An Investigation Into The Secretive Society Within the Catholic Church", I expected to read something more along the line of another polemic in response to Opus Dei. What I found was something between an apologetic manuscript for the organization and an objective/centered presentation.

I believe that Allen did a great deal of research and had unprecedented access to much of the organization that previous authors did not have - and it shows. I find the facts that he presents to be both interesting and heard of for the first time. What is also appreciated is the fact that as a professional journalist, Allen strives to maintain as objective a position as possible. While I am not sure that is ever possible (as I reflect on some of my undergraduate journalism courses), I do feel that Allen's tone is not as clearly biased as Walsh's.

One thing is certain; John Allen sheds new light on the prelature that has been receiving much (mixed) press with the recent release of Brown's novel-made-film, "The Da Vinci Code".

I would recommend this book for anyone curious about a journalist's approach to understanding an often-misunderstood Catholic organization. It certainly raises a number of questions that lead to some very interesting conversations.

Pick this book up!

I've been a reader of John Allen's web reporting from the Vatican off and on for a couple years now and, while I'm sometimes frustrated by his middle of the road stance, I've grown to respect him far and above many other journalists (including those in the mainstream press). My objective in reading this book was to basically find out if Opus Dei is the boogey-man some people make it out to be. The short answer is "no", and therein lies my one criticism (if you can call it such): This isn't as good a suspense thriller as The Da Vinci Code. If you can't accept that fact then I do not recommend this book for you. I do, however, recommend it for clear-eyed adults out there who are interested in an accurate study on an enormously influential, sometimes strange, sometimes dark, and even sometimes admirable contemporary religious movement. This is non-fiction reportorial writing at its best.