Still, there are others who criticise various things about Opus Dei, or about particular members. Such discussion is bound to be a part of the life of the Church when a religious society is so effective in its apostolate and powerful in its work for the Church. None of us should expect to be immune from criticism; what matters is how we respond to it.
There is a good example of the approach of Opus Dei on Laurence England's blog. A couple of weeks ago, he wrote a post suggesting that an unemployed person would not be welcomed. The other day, Fr Paul Hayward replied openly, politely and with genuine charity and warmth. It is a fine priestly example of how to react to criticism.
5 comments:
I am not a member of Opus Dei but I endeavour to follow their spirituality. Finding "In Conversation With God" by Fr Francis Fernandez in church one day literally turned my life upside down. I was a bitter, unhappy woman and learning about sanctifying every bit of my life didn't change my circumstances, although things have improved, but helped me to regard my cross in a more positive light.
I suppose Fr. Hayward has addressed Laurence's initial quips with charity - something so lacking these days sadly.
However I cannot help but detect a hint of truth in Laurence's original post. I know from having attending a couple of evening's of recollection, there is a certain group of people that comprise the make up of their audience e.g.) lawyers, bankers, company directors, doctors.
I would go as far as to say that, it would be disingenuous on their part, to claim they don't make an effort to target members of certain professions, who would be rather generous with funding them when they are fully fledged members.
Yes,very polite and "holy" but he does not grip the question as to whether unemployment is a bar to OD membership. They have been described as "slippery". Is this an example?
I was unimpressed by their efforts to "get" me as an undergraduate though I freely admit that I probably did not impress them!
I'm going to be charitable Father and assume that Fr Hayward's intentions were good, but he does come off as incredibly sanctimonious.
It doesn't help Opus Dei that (at lest in my experience) they come across as an outfit for middle and upper class Catholics. Whilst my brief association with the Work ended on good terms, I get the sense that they consider working class Catholics to be inctrinsicaly inferior to them.
On re-reading Fr Hayward's comments, I think it is clear that he is saying that unemployment is not a bar to being a member of Opus Dei. It may well be that there is a "middle class" atmosphere in many events, but after all, we are not marxists. The middle classes and the workers may have something to each other.
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