Opus Dei?

[MitchieInge]

wondering what to expect at one of their retreats, I'm not especially ripe for or worried about recruitment but curious I suppose, it's the second time I've had an opportunity to attend something run by Opus Dei from an entirely separate sources so it's interesting

I know they have plenty of co-operators who are not even Catholic so retreats must be attended by quite diverse groups of people?

obviously will have to go and find out for myself eventually

self-flagellation?

You can expect a gathering of utterly posh, polite, rich people who have parented a huge amount of children with the same partner. And they all will take religion very seriously, they don't flagellate (at least not as the DaVinci Code wants people to believe) but they won't miss mass even if their lifedepended on them.

They are normally good company, but don't bring religion into the conversation. Difficult I know, if you are attending a retreat ;-)

Thanks piglet, I don't think I'll fit in very well. Pity about the flagellation. :(

Think I might go anyway though. Maybe I am the first poor person to be called?

I've been to several of these retreats by Opus Dei and they are a great way to rejuvenate spiritually. They are usually "silent" or reflective. Topics that they cover range from family life, how we parents can help kids with the formation of virtue, talks on strengthening your married life and of course how we could become stronger in our faith. It's all good!

Of all the negative press Opus Dei gets, it does not ever come close to the truth. So, I think you should find out for yourself, go with an open mind and have a good retreat! :)

I just love sweeping generalisations. I've been doing retreats with OD for years- and bcs they're straight down the line you're always going to hear the truth and not fluff. Retreats are great for taking stock of things and seeing what needs changing - in oneself that is.

Hope you have a better experience than some of my friends: one went on an Opus Dei retreat and had to spend the whole time silent, while being told that modern music, films, tv and pretty much everything in modern life is the path to the devil.

Several other friends, all practicing and devout Catholics, were estranged from family members who had joined Opus Dei, and were then discouraged from fraternising with Catholics who were not OD.

They are basically hardline traditionalist Catholics. If that's your cup of tea, go right ahead.

I'm abroad so may be different 'brand' over here, but my genuine experience of them (having been initially very sceptical) is that they are generally v. professional, intelligent, hard-working and committed (and I've come to admire the "don't talk about it just do it/live it" philosophy. That's quite a rare thing nowadays.)

Don't recognise the posh/rich description, not majority of them anyway!! (Do recognise huge amount of dc though!!)

I'm a liberal Catholic so their brand of politics is not mine - and disagree profoundly on certain issues eg the role of women - but no denying that they do an awful lot of good in the world too.

Sorry - no experience of retreats - just a few prayer groups - which I found profoundly moving (and more satisfying than usual, rather banal parish fodder). Don't mean that to sound as patronising as it reads. Think a Catholic parish is a great thing - one of the few places left in the world where all classes can meet on the same terms. Just sometimes think that they have thrown baby out with bath water in terms of "accessible" liturgy ie absence of mystery/spirtuality.