The Opus Dei's main characteristic is self-denial before the institution. This shadow organization endeavours to attract the elite; and for that purpose, it infiltrates universities to recruit its future executives. It tries to attracts students in view of their incorporation into the order while carefully avoiding to alert their family. In Spain, the university of Pampelune is an Opus Dei stronghold.
This sect's strength rests in its hierarchy and the secrecy surrounding it, the duty of each member not to reveal their affiliation to the (oct)opus. An enemy is more difficult to eliminate if he is less identifiable.
The Opus Dei is active in political lobbying, backed with real financial power thanks to supporting banks. The supremacy of this "Holy Mafia" definitively appeared in 1982, when pope Jean-Paul II gave it the rank of "personal prelacy". Opus Dei centers therefore no longer depend on their local bishopcy; they directly receive orders from the pope, and therefore have much more freedom.
With members of the Opus Dei, Jean-Paul II created a close personal protection corp to fight influence from the Jesuits, another community with an iron hand. This is a good reward for Opus Dei's influence at the time of his election to papacy in 1978. But the pope's solicitude didn't stop there, since in 1992 he beatified the founder of Opus Dei, deceased in 1975, after a suit in which French former prime minister Raymond Barre, among others, came to testify on the "signs of holiness" of the corpse.
The pope continued to infiltrate Opus Dei in high spheres while surrounding himself with Opusian counselors and naming several Opusian bishops in South America. In return, God's Work bring some expertise in propaganda and finances, taking special care of the diffusion of the papal book "Enter Hope" (1994), an interview with the Christian guru.
This was not enough for the Opus Dei, which also infiltrated political circles. It had its golden age under Franco. Since 1956, certain disciples of Escriva de Balaguer became ministers in Franco's government. King Juan Carlos was formerly educated by a member of Opus Dei. In 1969, 12 out of 19 Spanish ministers were members of "God's Mafia". After the socialist period, the organisation found its way back into politics thanks to the Partido Popular of José Maria Aznar. Indeed, three political personalities linked to the Opus Dei obtained ministerial positions. As in the Vatican, the Partido Popular endeavours to place Opus members in various position of high responsibility. Again, Spain is under threat of the Catholic mafia.
Of course, France also is a shelter for Opus Dei intrusions. Besides above mentioned former prime minister Raymond Barre, it is well-known that right-wing politicians have sympathy for this secret institution. Those characters are found among the most active right-minded "Catholics" militants. In the French language, "right-minded" paradoxically means "reactionary immobilist thinker". The first Juppé government included two of these apostles.
Beyond French and Spanish borders, God's mafia organisation has the sympathy of president of Peru, president of the European Commission in Brussels, and of several European royal families as well. One of Opus Dei's members is the president of the Olympic International Committee.
This gluttonous sect of course has built itself a financial empire, but the latter was seriously shaken by a number of scandals. The first bank that fell into the Octopus's tentacles was Banco Popular Español in the years 50, followed by other Iberian banks. The greatest scandal took place in 1969 with the Matesa affair: 700 millions of francs vanished in thin air. A French bank also was contacted through the intermediary of the very father of French former president Valéry Giscard d'Estaing.
The Opus Dei greatly benefitted from Karol Wojtyla's accession to papacy, a longtime friend. The sect has all characteristic features of a mafia organisation: financial power, secrecy, infiltration of political life. Only permanent vigilance can help us annihilate the foul beast.
Josemaria Escriva of Balaguer has been canonized in October 6, 2002. |
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