List of members of Opus Dei

This is a list of prominent Opus Dei members. It is intended to include people whose membership in Opus Dei is documented in published sources, and therefore a matter of public record.

The names of Opus Dei directors and priests are available in official Catholic journals and Opus Dei's official bulletin, Romana.

Opus Dei maintains lists of cooperators, who are not considered by Opus Dei to be members, and who do not even have to be Roman Catholics, but who agree to assist with the work of Opus Dei in any of various ways. Such cooperators are not included in this list.

This article should by no means be considered an exhaustive list of past and present members and sympathisers of Opus Dei involved in political, religious, cultural, academic or literary life.

Contents

Opus Dei policy on publicizing membership

Opus Dei treats membership status of its lay members in a confidential manner, having a stated policy of neither confirming nor denying the membership of Opus Dei until the member in question has publicly acknowledged his or her membership.

Opus Dei's supporters express the belief that a person's spiritual life is a private matter, and that the practice of not divulging membership lists is common to many organizations such as trade unions, hospitals, schools and clubs.[1] They also believe that it is part of the secular nature of vocation to Opus Dei that their members do not represent the religious organization which provide them with spiritual instruction, in the same way that professionals do not externally represent their alma maters. According to several journalists who worked independently on Opus Dei accusations of secrecy come from a clericalist mentality which equates Opus Dei members with monks and priests, the traditional symbols of holiness who are externally identifiable as such.

Detractors argue that, given Opus Dei's strong defence of traditional Roman Catholic positions in social and moral matters, especially in regards to pro-life and marriage, membership of the organisation is indeed relevant to exercising functions in the public domain. In addition, Opus Dei states that it is a non-political organisation and does not direct or try to influence its members in any way in the fulfillment of their professional duties, whether in the public or private sphere, except where such activities impinge on their duties as Roman Catholics.

For the most part, Opus Dei members belong to the low and middle class in terms of income, social status and education.[2] Among its members are barbers, bricklayers, mechanics, and fruit sellers. Most supernumeraries are living ordinary middle-class lives.[3]

Government and Civil Service

Writing and journalism

Academia

Social work and medicine

Business

Sports, fashion, and entertainment

Clergy

For other members of the clergy, please see Opus Dei: Priestly Society of the Holy Cross

Footnotes

  1. ^ O'Connor, William, Opus Dei: An Open Book
  2. ^ Messori, Vittorio (1997). Opus Dei, Leadership and Vision in Today's Catholic Church. Regnery Publishing.
  3. ^ a b c John Allen (2005). Opus Dei: An Objective Look Behind the Myths and Reality of the Most Controversial Force in the Catholic Church. Doubleday Religion. 
  4. ^ Daniel Mansueto: Labels Don't Apply: An Interview with Paola Binetti, Godspy Magazine, July 26, 2006
  5. ^ Casas Rabasa, Santiago "Conversación en Madrid con Antonio Fontán" Anuario de Historia de la Iglesia Vol. 15 (2006) p. 333-365 ISSN 1133-0104
  6. ^ Biografías y Vidas: Alberto Ullastres Calvo (span.), 2004
  7. ^ El Mundo:[1]
  8. ^ Intervencionismo estatal durante el franquismo tardío. Mikel Buesa y Luis E. Pires, s/f. Universidad Rey Juan Carlos I (pdf)
  9. ^ XV Gobiernos de Franco
  10. ^ a b c Santiago Mata: El Opus Dei, Josemaría Escrivá y Franco, October 4, 2005
  11. ^ a b Ma. Ceres P. Doyo: Opus Dei in RP: It began with 3 Harvard boys, Philippine Daily Inquirer, May 18, 2006, p A1
  12. ^ a b Vernon Silver and Michael Smith: Opus Dei, Vilified in `Da Vinci Code,' Runs Global MBA Schools, Bloomberg.com, April 26, 2006
  13. ^ CNN: An In-Depth Look At Opus Dei: A Conservative Catholic Group, May 18, 2001
  14. ^ Annemarie Bruinsma Hanlon: Justice Rory O'Hanlon, Hanlon people & Businesses, (undated)
  15. ^ Sunday Tribune 19 March 2006
  16. ^ Sunday Tribune Romana No. 42 • January - June 2006 • Page 136
  17. ^ BBC 21 December 2001
  18. ^ Allen says he is a member in his book, Opus Dei.
  19. ^ a b Messori, Vittorio (1997). Opus Dei, Leadership and Vision in Today's Catholic Church. Regnery Publishing. ISBN 0-89526-450-1. 
  20. ^ His own web page
  21. ^ Giles Tremlett The Guardian October 5, 2002
  22. ^ La Repubblica April 2006
  23. ^ John Allen in National Catholic Report January 30, 2004
  24. ^ a b c Kieron Wood: Founder of controversial religious group to be canonised, ThePost.ie, September 29, 2002
  25. ^ Larry Henares, Saints and Sinners
  26. ^ John Allen, Pope taps Princeton water expert, believer in global warming for science academy January 10, 2008.
  27. ^ Romana #31 July 2000
  28. ^ John F. Coverdale: The Vocation to Opus Dei, 1994
  29. ^ Scott Hahn: Ordinary Work, Extraordinary Grace: My Spiritual Journey in Opus Dei (excerpt), 2006
  30. ^ He recounts his early years in Opus Dei in his book Años de Juventud en el Opus Dei
  31. ^ Comunidade jurídica reverencia Ives Gandra pelos 70 anos (portug.)
  32. ^ His own webpage
  33. ^ First Things, 2003 The Holocaust: What Was Not Said
  34. ^ Opus Dei webpage
  35. ^ His own webpage
  36. ^ Interview on Opus Dei web page
  37. ^ Limmat-Stiftung: FAQ 9: Why are the majority of project beneficiaries women?, accessed December 3, 2006
  38. ^ Opus Dei Information Office: Toni’s Life, accessed December 3, 2006
  39. ^ John L. Allen: A journey to Africa: confronting AIDS, relations among religions, and the challenges of poverty, National Catholic Reporter, vol 4 no 4, September 17, 2004
  40. ^ Times, May 14, 2007
  41. ^ Hoy: 'Roturar y sembrar' hace historia de las Escuelas Familiares Agrarias, accessed October 22, 2007
  42. ^ Felipe González de Canales: Roturar y sembrar, accessed October 22, 2007
  43. ^ El Mundo (Spain) (supplement): Los españoles más influyentes del año 2004, 2004
  44. ^ Le Point: Les ambitions de Jacques de Chateauvieux, June 22, 1996
  45. ^ El País:Ultimátum del Opus a Ruiz-Mateos para que rectifique sus declaraciones , 28.05.1986
  46. ^ José Miguel Cejas: Antonio Bienvenida, torero. Supernumerario del Opus Dei, (undated)
  47. ^ Irish Independent: The true cost of landing Trapattoni – February 17, 2008
  48. ^ Allen, John, Jr. Opus Dei, The Truth about its Rituals, Secrets and Power, 2005, Penguin Books, ISBN 0-141-02465-8, pp 287-290
  49. ^ Catholic hierarchy

References