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Showing posts with the label Opus Dei

Film: There Be Dragons

Fr Z reports on an upcoming film There Be Dragons , a drama set during the Spanish civil war which has various themes running through it, including the story of the young St Josemaria Escriva , the founder of Opus Dei. The film is made by Roland Joffe who directed The Mission . At the official site , you can currently see a trailer but not much else. There is a Wikipedia page with more information, and Marcel at Aggie Catholics reports on a pre-release screening. The film is scheduled to be released later this year or early next year. I'm rather looking forward to it.
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Personal Prelatures and the laity

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In a recent post , I wrote about the "Personal Ordinariate": "It is not the same as a Personal Prelature which canonically only concerns clerics" Fr Paul Hayward replied in the combox: - that might be the impression from just looking at canon 294 of the Code of Canon Law, but in view of canon 296, plus the specific provisions of the Apostolic Constitution "Ut Sit" by which the only Personal Prelature to date, Opus Dei, was established, and the Statutes of the Prelature as given by Pope John Paul II, it is quite clear that the lay members are fully incorporated into the Prelature. Canonically, Personal Prelatures and Military Ordinariates seem to fall in the same genre: it remains to be seen whether Personal Ordinariates do also. Here are the texts of the canons mentioned: Can. 294 After the conferences of bishops involved have been heard, the Apostolic See can erect personal prelatures, which consist of presbyters and deacons of the secular clergy, to pro...
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Days of Recollection

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I had to rush a little bit to get away today after our Year 6 School Mass to get over to Wickenden Manor for the Opus Dei Day of Recollection for clergy. I was glad that I did, though; it was an oasis of calm with sound content, good liturgy and good company. Later, in the parish, we had an Evening of Recollection for Men along the lines of the Opus Dei evenings. Spiritual Conference (on prayer), Confessions (during which there was a talk by a layman) Spiritual Conference (on the Passion of Christ), Benediction, and Marian Anthem. When all was finished, we went to the bar for a beer or two, some good conversation and the excitement of the shoot-out between Roma and the Arsenal.
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Reading at lunch at Wickenden

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Last Wednesday, I was at Wickenden Manor for a day of recollection provided by Opus Dei for secular priests. As ever, it was a most enjoyable and helpful day. Added to the spiritual talks, God provided us with one of those beautiful and not too hot early summer days. The timetable allows for a little time to walk in the grounds between the talks and after lunch. There is always good company at these days and on this occasion, there were also a number of priests staying on retreat. We therefore had lunch in silence with reading. The book was "Milestones" by Cardinal Ratzinger. The custom is for the book to be passed round during lunch so that people read from it in turn without anyone having to read all the way through the meal. Fr Stephen Langridge and I were on the same table. He was reading the passage where the Cardinal spoke about his Schott (a German hand-missal): "The unquestionably positive gain of the liturgical movement was the way in which this missal made the...
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Good food, good company

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Food for reflection and prayer, that is. Opus Dei hold a Day of Recollection for secular priests once a month at Wickenden Manor. Another early Mass today at 7am (which also gives working people a chance to get to weekday Mass) a short drive over to Chislehurst to pick up Fr Briggs and an hour or so to get to the heart of the Sussex countryside in time for the first conference. The priests of Opus Dei are always sure to give some excellent and challenging advice to us. One particular point that stayed with me today was Fr Calduch's stress on the importance of a suitable rule of life. I do try to observe this but it is easy to allow unnecessary activities to intervene and waste time. There is always good company on these days. Today there was an unusually large gathering because a group of priests of the Society of the Holy Cross were in the middle of a week's conference. We were together for lunch and for the Holy Hour in the afternoon. Oh and the food was good too. Wholesome b...
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Telegraph obit for Professor John Henry

Thanks to Bernadette for pointing me to the Daily Telegraph Obituary for Professor John Henry which was published a couple of days ago. As well as speaking of his distinguished professional career, the article mentions his membership of Opus Dei and his devotion to St Josemaria Escriva. Professor Henry suffered kidney failure and St Josemaria himself prayed that a suitable idney would be found for transplant. Shortly after his death, a perfect match was found. The article speaks of Professor Henry's spiritual life: Throughout his busy life he went to Mass every day; and every day he made time for two periods of prayer or meditation, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon or evening. It was from this deep spirituality that he derived his drive and dedication to his work, as well as his infectious cheerfulness. May the good Lord reward the Professor for his witness to the faith in his professional life. Say a prayer for him today that the Lord may forgive "any sins h...
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Opus Dei FAQ

Thanks to Sharon in the combox for this link to Matt's Opus Dei FAQ . It is very sensible and answers questions that people genuinely ask about The Work.
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Escriva - links

Thanks to two commenters for these: Sam Schmitt pointed to the website with the writings of St Josemaria . Steven McEvoy (of McEvoy's musings ) drew attention to R. B. Media which has CDs and mp3 files of some of St Josemaria's writings.
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St Josemaria on politics

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Friends of God is a collection of homilies by St Josemaria Escriva, the founder of Opus Dei . He is a particular favourite of mine ever since I read the classic The Way when I was a teenager. The other day, I came across this passage which is striking when you recall how much St Josemaria is criticised for being involved in politics: I have never asked anyone who has come to me, about his politics. I am just not interested! My attitude here demonstrates a fundamental fact about Opus Dei, to which by the grace and mercy of God, I have dedicated myself completely, in order to serve our holy Church. I am not interested in the subject because, as Christians, you enjoy the fullest freedom, with the consequent personal responsibility, to take part as you see fit in political, social or cultural affairs, with no restrictions other than those set by the Church's Magisterium. (The phrase "restrictions set by the Church's magisterium" refers particularly to the social teachin...
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Reflecting on Faith and Lukewarmness

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I had to leave in a bit of a rush after Mass today in order to get to Wickenden Manor in time for the start of the Day of Recollection for priests. Hence I forgot to take my camera - I will try to remember next time. The photos on this post are rather poor quality snaps from the mobile phone, enhanced a bit using PaintShop Pro. Wickenden Manor is the retreat house of Opus Dei in the South of England (the north has Thorneycroft Hall, near Manchester.) It is in the heart of the Sussex countryside near the village of Sharpthorne. I would have driven there in just about an hour had I not taken a wrong turning just before my destination. The conferences were given by Fr Frank Calduch. He spoke first of all about the virtue of Faith and the importance of a living faith in the priest. The second conference was on the theme of Lukewarmness: something that St Josemaria wrote about. It was delightfully counter-cultural. Instead of telling us to find "Me Time" or to be happy with who we...
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Popular posts from this blog

Saint Gabriel

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The angels call for our veneration and awe as part of God’s creation. Part of the destructive modernism of the 1970s included advice to Catholic school teachers that they should not talk to children about angels. This wrought lasting damage which continues to need rectifying. We should include in our prayers a heartfelt recourse to our own Guardian Angels. The Archangel Gabriel “God is my strength” would be terrifying were he to appear to any of us. Our Lady was “troubled” at the word of Saint Gabriel and wondered at the manner of the salutation. Immediately, according to his mission, the awesome messenger explained himself. Modern retelling of the event is often reduced to the jejune “Mary said Yes to God”. In fact, she said “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word”. This conveys more accurately the flawless faith and trust of the Immaculata. In the infinitely wise providence of the Father, we now know the structure of the event in even more detai...
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Our Easter Faith: Not a Pious Crème Fraiche

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In public life, some basically well-meaning figures have the graciousness to wish us well at Easter and to recognise the importance of the Christian feast day. Perhaps they might assure us that their thoughts are with us at this time. That is kind of them and in Christian charity we should thank them for their kindness, but Easter should be a great deal more than that for us. We must believe that Our Lord Jesus Christ is risen from the grave, in the flesh, and lives for eternity. We cannot treat Easter as a jolly holiday that heralds spring, or the remembrance of a significant event from the past. It must change us today and every day, change who we are and what we do. The Christian faith cannot be a mild custard or blancmange of religiosity. (I am showing my age. Nowadays, I should say that it cannot be reduced to a pious crème fraiche .) We bow down and adore the King of Kings, risen from the tomb, who, “[…] continues for ever,...
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Blessing of the New Painting of St Bede at Clapham Park

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This morning, the parish priest at Clapham Park, Fr Marcus Holden, blessed a new picture of the parish's patron, Saint Bede, painted by James Tildsley. It is sited over a recently installed side altar near the rear of the Church. The altar itself was acquired from Antique Church Furnishings . The website gives the information that the altar was built and carved by a nun in a convent near Liverpool. It is a beautiful piece of work and it is always a joy when such works of art find a suitable and dignified home. The inscription on the gradine is AMANS AMATUS AMOR. The sellers translate this as “Loving is the object of love” which is a reasonable stab at “dynamic equivalence”. Today the parish's relic of St Bede was exposed for veneration in its distinctive brightly-coloured reliquary. After the blessing, there was High Mass with Fr Holden as celebrant, Fr Littleton deacon, and myself subdeacon. That gave me the enjoyable task of chant...
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Plenary indulgences not impossible

Dilexit Prior in Letters from a Young Catholic asked some useful questions today about indulgences. I thought it would be best to do a post here especially to cover the controversial question of detachment from venial sin. But first the other questions: The conditions for gaining a plenary indulgence Pope Paul VI set down a number of norms relating to indulgences at the end of Indulgentiarum Doctrina . Norm 7 states: To acquire a plenary indulgence it is necessary to perform the work to which the indulgence is attached and to fulfil three conditions: sacramental confession, Eucharistic Communion and prayer for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff. It is further required that all attachment to sin, even to venial sin, be absent. If this disposition is in any way less than complete, or if the prescribed three conditions are not fulfilled, the indulgence will be only partial, except for the provisions contained in n.11 for those who are “impeded.” It is worth reading the other norms bec...
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Portiuncula indulgence tomorrow (and indulgences generally)

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Tomorrow, 2 August, you can gain a plenary indulgence under the usual conditions ( see below ) by visiting a parish Church and there reciting the Our Father and the Creed . This is called the Portiuncula indulgence and goes back to St Francis of Assisi. Fr Z has the details . Don't forget that you can also gain a plenary indulgence by visiting a Church on the day of the titular feast, and there reciting the Our Father and the Creed . I made a list of other indulgences: please see the post Plenary indulgences for particular days which has a link to the list. The post has some background information which you may find helpful since indulgences are not well understood today - which is not surprising since indulgences are not included in most Catholic education curricula, and most priests never preach about them. Therefore many Catholics are left with whatever silly, half-baked, ill-informed nonsense about indulgences happens to be current. If you want to understand the theology...
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