Women in Opus Dei

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Women form 57% of the membership of the Opus Dei prelature. [1] The role of women in Opus Dei has sometimes been a source of criticism for the organization. [2]

Contents

Segregation of men and women

Some of these gender-related criticisms have been directed specifically towards Opus Dei. Unmarried male and female numeraries are segregated, with only limited contact between genders—male and female numeraries live in separate centers and attend separate classes and retreats. Some[ who? ] have said that Opus Dei's U.S. Headquarters even has separate entrances for men and women, but this is not so: there are separate entrances to the men's house and to the women's house, but men and women can enter either house through the appropriate entrance. [3]

"Assistant numerary" members and criticisms

In Opus Dei, there is a sub-group of female "assistant numeraries" who perform cooking, cleaning, sewing, and other household duties in centers of Opus Dei as their professional work and as a way to serve the others. Members emphasize that the numerary assistants clean both men's and women's centers, but critics take issue with the fact that while women clean for men, men never clean for the women.

In recent years, Opus Dei has faced a number of accusations of exploitation of assistant numeraries, for example, recruiting them from poor families while young, even as minors, working them for 12 hours a day, with few days off, not paying them fairly, and not providing financial support to those who leave.

These accusations were accepted by the French appeal court of Amiens in 2016, which convicted a hospitality training center controlled by Opus Dei members of criminal breaches of French labor law and awarded compensation to former assistant numerary Catherine Tissier. See Controversies about Opus Dei#Legal disputes

In 2021, a group of 43 former assistant numeraries from Argentina and other countries in South America made a joint complaint to Opus Dei and the Vatican relating to similar matters. [4]

In early 2024, three Irish former assistant numeraries made similar accusations in the media, with 13 other assistant numeraries from the US, Europe and Africa also interviewed by the Financial Times. [5] [6] [7]

Escriva's teachings on women

Critics also object to some of Escriva's teachings on women. He once wrote, "Wives, you should ask yourself whether you are not forgetting a little about your appearance. Your duty is, and will always be, to take as good care of your appearance as you did before you were married—and it is a duty of justice." Escriva similarly stated that "Women needn't be scholars—it's enough for them to be prudent." [8]

Opus Dei's view on the equality of men and women

Opus Dei and its supporters reject any suggestion their policies are inappropriate. While they admit women are sometimes treated differently than men within Opus Dei, supporters emphasize that men and women are nonetheless regarded as equals. A spokesman has said that Opus Dei is committed to the "equal dignity of men and women." In the opinion of one member, women should not enter the workforce as "one more" but as a "different one," given that "the only ontological difference among human beings is determined by the sexes," and that care for the family and the home are "eminently feminine." [9] Supporters say that Opus Dei, with its emphasis on work, is a strong advocate of women becoming professionals—according to one scholar, "Opus Dei has an enviable record of educating the poor and supporting women, whether single or married, in any occupation they choose." [10]

Women in the governance of Opus Dei

Supporters also point out that women participate in the governance of Opus Dei—for example, the Central Advisory, which oversees the women's branch of Opus Dei, is made up entirely of women. Thus, John Allen reports that half of the leadership positions in Opus Dei are held by women, and they supervise men. [11]

Similar criticisms directed at Catholicism as a whole

Many of these criticisms are directed not just at Opus Dei, but at Catholicism as a whole. [12] As in the rest of the Catholic Church, women may not join the priesthood or participate in the very highest levels of church governance. The Catholic prohibitions against abortion and birth control have also drawn criticism. While a minority of Roman Catholics have advocated for changing these stances, Opus Dei is generally seen as supportive of them.[ citation needed ]

Traditionalist approach to women

Many critics of such policies have therefore opposed Opus Dei, as in the case of one author who views Opus Dei "as one of the most reactionary organizations in the Roman Catholic Church today...for its devotion to promoting, as public policy, the Vatican's inflexibly traditionalist approach to women, and reproductive health." [13] Those who approve of the Vatican's policies, meanwhile, applaud Opus Dei's stance on those issues. [14]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Opus Dei</span> Institution of the Catholic Church

Opus Dei is an institution of the Catholic Church that, by a purported divine inspiration, was founded in Spain in 1928 by Catholic priest Josemaría Escrivá. Its stated mission is to help its lay and clerical members to seek Christian perfection in their everyday occupations and within their societies. Opus Dei has long attracted significant controversy regarding its political activities and its alleged cult-like practices. One example of an article about the theology of the secularity of the lay faithful has been published in 2005 by the eminent canonist Professor Jorge Miras. Another example is a book published in 1972 by Blessed Alvaro del Portillo. Fr Paul Hayward, of London UK and the Canon Law Society of Great Britain and Ireland, has also published in 2013 a more recent consideration of some of these unfolding matters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Josemaría Escrivá</span> Spanish Catholic priest and saint (1902–1975)

Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer y Albás was a Spanish Catholic priest who founded Opus Dei, an organization of laypeople and priests dedicated to the principle of everyday holiness. He was canonized in 2002 by Pope John Paul II, who declared Josemaría should be "counted among the great witnesses of Christianity."

Pope John Paul II was criticised for, amongst other things, an alleged lack of response to child sex abuse in the Catholic Church.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">José Horacio Gómez</span> Archbishop of Los Angeles (born 1951)

José Horacio Gómez Velasco is a Mexican-born American prelate of the Catholic Church. He became the fifth archbishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in California in 2011. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Denver in Colorado from 2001 to 2004 and as archbishop of the Archdiocese of San Antonio in Texas from 2004 to 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Javier Echevarría Rodríguez</span>

Javier Echevarría Rodríguez was a Spanish Catholic bishop who served as the head of Opus Dei from 1994 until his death. He held doctorates in both civil and canon law.

Opus Dei and politics is a discussion on Opus Dei's view on politics, its role in politics and its members involvement in politics.

Opus Dei and Catholic Church Leaders discusses the comments and observations of popes, cardinals, and other leaders of the Catholic Church as regards the Personal Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei.

This is a bibliography of works about Opus Dei, also known as the Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei, which was founded by Josemaría Escrivá.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Teachings of Opus Dei</span> Teachings of St Josemaría Escrivá

Teachings of Opus Dei are the teachings of the founder of Opus Dei, St. Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joaquín Navarro-Valls</span> Spanish journalist, physician and academic

Joaquín Navarro-Valls, M.D. was a Spanish journalist, physician and academic who served as the Director of the Holy See Press Office from 1984 to 2006. His role as the press liaison between the Vatican and the world press corps gave him perhaps the highest visibility of any one person in the Vatican during the long reign of Pope John Paul II, with the exception of the Pope himself. He resigned his post July 11, 2006 and was replaced by Father Federico Lombardi. On January 20, 2007, he was named president of the board of advisers of the Biomedical University of Rome, an office he occupied until his death.

Opus Dei in society refers to the social mission, general social strategy, social activities, work, relationship with politics and other aspects of Opus Dei.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Priestly Society of the Holy Cross</span> Association of Catholic priests attached to Opus Dei

The Priestly Society of the Holy Cross is an association of Catholic diocesan priests which is integrally united to the Prelature of Opus Dei.

Opus Dei is a personal prelature within the Roman Church that has been the subject of numerous controversies. Throughout its history, Opus Dei has been criticized by many, including by numerary members who knew the founder and had roles in Opus Dei's internal government. The reports by former members in the US, England, Spain, Latin America, France, Germany, and other countries are published. Journalists have described it as "the most controversial force in the Catholic Church" and its founder Josemaría Escrivá as a "polarizing" figure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John L. Allen Jr.</span> American Roman Catholic journalist (born 1965)

John L. Allen Jr. is an American journalist and author who serves as editor of the Catholic news website Crux, formerly hosted by The Boston Globe and now independently funded.

Canonization of Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer discusses John Paul II's decision to canonize Josemaría Escrivá, founder of the Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei, more commonly known as Opus Dei.

Lexington College was a Catholic women's college located in Chicago, Illinois. The curriculum was focused entirely on hospitality management studies.

Opus Dei: An Objective Look Behind the Myths and Reality of the Most Controversial Force in the Catholic Church is a book written by American journalist John L. Allen Jr. about the Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei, commonly known as Opus Dei, published in 2005. While the book received mixed reviews, there were more positive reviews than negative. Two journalists referred to it as "widely considered as the definitive book on Opus Dei." On the other hand, some said Allen "applied a daub of whitewash." Agenzia Giornalistica Italiana (AGI), a major Italian news agency, described his work as having an "empirical approach" and that his book is of "great historical and journalistic interest."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dora del Hoyo</span>

Dora del Hoyo Alonso, was a Spanish Catholic laywoman who was one of the first female members of Opus Dei.

References

  1. ↑ Vecchi, Gian Guido (24 January 2017). "Monsignor Fernando Ocáriz è il nuovo Prelato dell'Opus Dei". corriere.it. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  2. ↑ "The women of Opus Dei". indiancatholic.in. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  3. ↑ "Justina and David: As members of Opus Dei, the McCaffreys seek perfection -- even in their wedding dresses". ottawacitizen.com. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  4. ↑ "Women in Argentina claim labor exploitation by Opus Dei". apnews.com. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  5. ↑ "The Opus Dei Diaries". ft.com. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  6. ↑ "Upfront with Katie Hannon: from 31:05". rte.ie. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  7. ↑ "Unveiling Opus Dei: Anne Marie Allen speaks out". rte.ie. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  8. ↑ "News - The Scotsman". news.scotsman.com. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  9. ↑ Marta Brancatisano, a supernumerary, cited by Allen
  10. ↑ "Women of Opus Dei Explain "True Feminism"". religiondispatches.org. 8 August 2009. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  11. ↑ Julia Baird (2006-05-18). "Tall tale ignites an overdue debate". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2007-04-04.
  12. ↑ "Page Not Found". cathnewsusa.com. Retrieved 12 April 2018.{{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help)
  13. ↑ Urquhart, Gordon (1997). "Opus Dei: The Pope's Right Arm in Europe". Conservative Catholic Influence in Europe an Investigative Series. Catholics for a Free Choice. Retrieved 2006-05-16..
  14. ↑ "Opus Dei and women". opusdei.org. Retrieved 12 April 2018.

Bibliography

Women of Opus Dei: In Their Own Words by MT Oates, Linda Ruf and Jane Driver, MD

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