PURPOSE and INTRODUCTION

The founder of Communion and Liberation, Msgr. Luigi Guissani, said to Vittorio Messori back around 1984: “we (referring to Communion and Liberation) are the guerrillas, the irregulars, the rock-throwers. We do our part, and sometimes really stir something up. But those people in the Work [Opus Dei], they have the tanks: they are well armored with rubber-coated treads. Nobody has heard of them yet, but they’re here, believe me. And we’ll be talking more and more about them, you’ll see.”

It logically follows that the alert citizen of this world —whether Catholic or Jew, Muslim or Hindu— should know as much as possible about this “discreet” group since there is no escaping from their meddling in critical world affairs.

Therefore, we are quoting in this brief document two key sections from the above-cited document authored by Lee Penn, in which the reader can see how the Bishops of Rome have interacted with Escrivá and his brain child – The Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei.


CONTENT



DETAILS

In favor under Pius XII

Opus Dei was in favor under Pope Pius XII, who reigned from 1939 to 1958. During 1943, with World War II at its height, it took less than 6 months for the Vatican to approve creation of Escrivá’s “Priestly Society of the Holy Cross” as an adjunct to Opus Dei. (1) In 1947, less than 12 months after the founder made the request to Pius XII, the Pope made Opus Dei and its priestly affiliate a “secular pontifical institute”. This gave the movement what Opus Dei historians describe as “universal juridical standing” and “convenient internal autonomy”, protecting it from “incomprehension and persecution”. (2) In 1950, Pius XII made the “pontifical institute” status permanent, and approved the movement’s charter and statutes; in 1952, he appointed Cardinal Federico Tedeschini as “Protector” of Opus Dei. (3) Tad Szulc, a biographer of John Paul II, notes that “very quietly, Opus Dei was acquiring influence all over the world, at strategic points in Church establishments and ... very discreetly in political and business circles.” (4)


Out of favor under John XXIII and Paul VI

However, the movement and its founder were at arm's length (at best) with Popes John XXIII (1958-1963) and Paul VI (1963-1978). As an Italian newspaper notes, “Between 1967 and 1973, when Opus Dei already numbered 40,000 Catholics, Pope Paul VI refused even to meet Escriva, wanting to draw a clear line between himself and the regime of General Franco in Spain.” (5) A Catholic journalist, Michael Walsh, has said, “Popes before the present one [John Paul II, at the time Walsh wrote] can hardly be said to have been enthusiastic in their endorsement of Opus, and for every bishop who welcomes Opus into his diocese it is clear that there are many who either will not accept them, or are unhappy at finding them installed in their jurisdiction when they take up their appointments.” (6) During his lifetime, Escrivá never became a bishop; the four Popes who reigned from 1928 to 1975 (from the establishment of Opus Dei until the founder’s death) did not grant this promotion to him. Escrivá repaid these popes with public obeisance and private derision. He said of Pius XII, “Let’s see if he leaves us in peace once and for all, and the Lord God in his infinite mercy takes him to heaven”, and referred to John XXIII as “a hick”, and called Paul VI “an old Jesuit” – which was not a compliment. (7)


Moving to the center stage under John Paul II

With the election of Pope John Paul II in October 1978, Opus Dei came in from the cold.

George Weigel said, “Cardinal Karol Wojtyla had long been sympathetic to the Work and had spoken to one of its student centers in Rome during the 1970s. Opus Dei’s stress on sanctifying the workplace through apostolically committed professional men and women paralleled his own understanding of one of the key themes of Vatican II.” (8) Opus Dei returned the favor, and began sending funds to Wojtyla’s Polish archdiocese before 1978. (9) They also published a collection of the speeches that the Cardinal had made when visiting Opus Dei centers. (10) When Wojtyla went to Rome for the 1978 conclave that would elect him to the Papacy, he went to the Opus Dei headquarters and prayed at Escrivá’s tomb. (11) (This was one of numerous Roman shrines that he visited.)








Continued power under Benedict XVI

It’s a given that Benedict XVI will continue the prior Pope’s strong support for “The Way”.






CONCLUSION

Without the support of John Paul II and Benedict XVI, Opus Dei would not have risen to its present influence in the Catholic Church and in the world. (37)









En Español:  Los Papas y La Prelatura de la Santa Cruz y Opus Dei

Published on February 20th, 2011 – Memorial of Our Lady of Tears