Opus Dei and the Pope's visit to Britain

I have to admit I am taken aback by Damian Thompson's attitude to Opus Dei in his latest blog entry .  He does, thankfully, describe Dan Brown's depiction of them in The Da Vinci Code as "ludicrously caricatured" but then goes on to say "I happen to think that the truth about Opus is quite creepy enough without inventing stuff, but that’s just my view."  He does not, of course, give any reasons for his 'view' so one can only guess at what it is he must be thinking.  One also has to wonder - have they really 'swooped in', or have they been called upon by the Holy See?

I work in a parish that is run by the Prelature of Opus Dei.  I am not a numerary, supernumerary or a cooperator but I have developed a great respect for the Prelature based simply on the reverence that they have for the Blessed Sacrament and their total obedience to the Holy Father.  I have, for just over a year now, attended their monthly Recollections at which one listens to a reading from one of St Josemaria's works (which are excellent, by the way), one is given a meditation by an Opus Dei priest, one is allowed time to make an examination of conscience and is given the opportunity to go to confession and then one listens to a talk on a particular spiritual topic by an Opus Dei numerary.  The Recollection then comes to a close with a Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament which I always find quite beautiful.  At NO time have I ever been pushed or forced to do anything by anyone in Opus Dei.  If you read some of the 'testimonials' of ex-numeraries and supernumeraries you would swear that you are dealing with the Catholic version of 'the Moonies'.  All I can say is that if one does come across such things, one should read such them with a great deal of common sense and discernment, especially if you have had no previous contact with Opus Dei.  There are also always two sides to a story.

Have people had bad experiences with Opus Dei?  Of course, I have no doubt of that.  That is simply life.  No religious Order or Association is perfect because it is peopled by human beings who are weak and given to error.  How many of the saints were badly treated by members of their own order?  St John of the Cross, St Margaret Mary and St Faustina are just a few who immediately spring to mind.  In the end, no matter which Order they belonged to, their sole (soul?) focus was Christ and not their own particular wants, needs or opinions.

Make no mistake, Opus Dei is totally oriented towards Christ and the Church and I am thoroughly tired of people who call them the "Catholic Mafia" or "fanatics".  If being loyal to the Holy See makes you a 'fanatic', then God help Catholicism.

I would like to end with a quote  from St Josemaria Escriva's The Forge which I have always found inspiring:

39.  I see myself like a poor little bird, accustomed only to making short flights from tree to tree, or, at most, up to a third floor balcony… One day in its life it succeeded in reaching the roof of a modest building, that you could hardly call a skyscraper.

But suddenly our little bird is snatched up by an eagle, who mistakes the bird for one of its own brood. In its powerful talons the bird is borne higher and higher, above the mountains of the earth and the snow—capped peaks, above the white, blue and rose—pink clouds, and higher and higher until it can look right into the sun. And then the eagle lets go of the little bird and says: Off you go. Fly!

—Lord, may I never flutter again close to the ground. May I always be enlightened by the rays of the divine sun — Christ — in the Eucharist. May my flight never be interrupted until I find repose in your Heart.

St Josemaría Escrivá and his love and veneration for the Pope

I am always touched when I read of the love and devotion that St Josemaría Escrivá had for the Holy Father. Here is a particularly touching extract from a book on the founder of Opus Dei, by the current Prelate of Opus Dei, Bishop Javier Echevarria:

When Saint Josemaría Escrivá was very young he used to dream of getting close to the Pope even for only a few moments, to have the chance of showing him his love and readiness to serve him. Msgr Javier Echevarría says: “His joy when he was actually in the Pope’s presence was immense. I could see that whenever I went with him to an audience with the Pope.” Msgr Echevarría, now the prelate of Opus Dei himself, witnessed Saint Josemaría’s love for the Pope back in the summer of 1950, at Castel Gandolfo, when they were staying near the Holy Father’s summer residence.

From that period I remember how affectionately he used to talk to us about the Pope. He used to get up enthusiastically to go to the roadside to see Pope Pius XII going past, on his way back from Rome to Castel Gandolfo after the Holy Year audiences. Msgr. Escrivá used to ask us to pray very hard for the Pope and love him very much, and show him our affection, because we ought always to see the Pope as the successor of Saint Peter, the dolce Cristo in terra, the “sweet Christ on earth”. And I saw how devoutly he would receive the blessing which the Holy Father gave from his car as he went by.

Before I went back to Spain Msgr. Escrivá asked me to spend two days in Rome to gain the Jubilee and visit the four Basilicas. He asked me to pray with great faith, especially in Saint Peter’s, feeling very united with the Pope, for the holiness of everyone in the Church to increase, and for more conversions everywhere. He recommended me not to forget my family, and to add my parents’ devotion to my own, since in a way I could represent them, because they would have loved to have the chance to pray in the Eternal City close to the See of Peter.

I very soon saw how continually Saint Josemaría renewed the offering of his life for the Pope, in readiness to give his life at any moment, with the grace of God. And he repeated that offering on the morning of 26 June 1975.

He would repeat, with absolute conviction, the words of Psalm 35:10, Apud Te est fons vitae et in lumine tuo videbimus lumen! (In you is the source of life and in your light we see light). He used this to increase his unity with Christ’s Vicar on earth. He always firmly believed that his union with the Blessed Trinity would grow still closer, the closer he was united in mind and will to the Pope and his intentions.

On countless occasions I heard him use expressions like “the common Father” or “the house of the common Father”, referring to the Pope or the Apostolic See. These expressions helped him experience the catholicity of the Church. He was made deeply happy by whatever made the Pope happy, and he likewise suffered when the Pope was suffering.

While on this subject, I remember how in October 1958, as soon as he heard that Pope Pius XII was gravely ill, he followed all the official communiqués closely. (…) It was the same when Pope John XXIII was seriously ill. I saw in his face how much he was suffering as he told us what Msgr. Dell’Acqua had said to him. Msgr Escrivá’s heart poured out words and expressions, even sighs, that showed how he was accompanying the common Father, how affected he was by the Pope’s sufferings.

I should make it clear that Msgr Escrivá never got edgy. But when he was in the presence of the Holy Father he was genuinely moved, and he never tried to hide or to overcome that sensation. And he was also delighted when he got permission for me, as secretary, to go and greet the Pope, the Successor of Peter. He always told me the same thing: “Fall on your knees, and make the most of those moments to show your love and veneration, and to increase your prayer for and union with the Pope, the Vicar of Christ.”


Extracts from: Echevarría, Javier y Bernal, Salvador, Memoria del Beato Josemaría Escrivá, Madrid, Rialp, 2000 (1st edition).

Was someone asleep on their feet?

Given what happened in St Peter's Basilica last night I have to ask:  Were the members of the security contingent asleep on their feet?  I have watched the video quite a few times now and I was astounded to see how long it took the security guard to tackle her and then she still manages, somehow, to evade his grasp and grab the Holy Father's vestments.  Yes, it did happen quickly, but not so quickly, I feel, that they couldn't have prevented her from actually getting to the Holy Father.  It is also alleged that it was exactly the same woman who jumped the barrier last year.  If so, I find this extremely disturbing.  One can only hope that, if this is true, that measures will be taken this time so that she does not get the opportunity to do something like this again.

It also disturbs me that some commentators seem to be at pains to somehow exonerate the woman saying that she meant no real harm and that such people seldom do.  To me that is not the issue. It doesn't matter who she is or what her real intent was.  The fact is that she got close enough to the Holy Father to do some serious damage.

Given that the Holy Father was pulled down so quickly and so violently we can only thank God that he did not sustain any serious injuries.  It continues to be unclear as to how exactly poor Cardinal Etchegaray was knocked over and reports differ as to whether he has fractured his femur or his hip.  At 87 this is not a joke and we can only pray that, God willing, he will make a full recovery.  Let us pray too that this disturbed woman may also find some sort of peace and healing.

Gaudete Sunday

Gaudete Sunday is named for the first word of the Entrance antiphon (Introit) of the day, which reads “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice! The Lord is near.” Gaudete is Latin for “Rejoice!”.

Gaudete Sunday corresponds to Laetare Sunday during Lent. These Sundays allow us a glimpse of the joy and light which await us in the Incarnation and Resurrection of Jesus. Advent, like Lent, is a penitential season, something which is so often forgotten amidst the materialism, consumerism and man-made ‘happiness’ that surround us at this time of year. Whilst the ‘advent’ or coming of our Lord is a cause for celebration and joy, the light of our Saviour’s incarnation is dimmed for us if we are not adequately prepared for His coming. In order to prepare, we must examine ourselves closely and acknowledge those areas of our lives which are a barrier to our full communion with Christ.

In the Catechism of the Catholic Church we find the following regarding Advent:

“When the Church celebrates the liturgy of Advent each year, she makes present this ancient expectancy of the Messiah, for by sharing in the long preparation for the Saviour's first coming, the faithful renew their ardent desire for his second coming. By celebrating the precursor's birth and martyrdom, the Church unites herself to his desire.” "He must increase, but I must decrease." (CCC 524)

We must decrease, through humility, so that we may be filled with His light and goodness. We become Christ-like when we acknowledge and seek forgiveness in the Sacrament of Reconciliation for those thoughts and actions which separate us from Him. It is not He who separates us from Him but we ourselves who willfully turn away from Him through selfishness and pride.

In this light, consider the following brief examination of conscience:

Do I ignore God or exclude him from my life?
Have I used God’s name in anger or carelessly?
Have I received Holy Communion in a state of mortal sin?
Have I been impatient, angry or jealous?
Have I been lazy at my work or at home?
Have I been uncharitable or unkind in thought, word or deed?
Have I told lies?
Do I judge others unfairly?

This is a time during which we should use every opportunity to turn towards Christ, to convert fully and receive, with joyful and humble expectation, Christ’s light and grace within our souls.

Gaudete! Rejoice!

Another Priest Murdered in South Africa

A priest was shot dead in the early hours of Monday morning at his presbytery in Diepsloot, an informal settlement to the north of Johannesburg.

From the news24 website:

Pretoria - Father Louis Blondel, 70, a French priest of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Diepsloot, north of Johannesburg, was shot dead in his room on Monday at about 02:00 when child robbers gained access to the rectory.

Blondel is the fourth Catholic priest to be murdered in South Africa this year.

He was shot through his left shoulder, with the bullet exiting his back. The children had opened the door for the robber.

Blondel had been a member of the Missionaries of Africa, whose stated mission is serving the people of Africa. He's been in South Africa since 1987 and has lived in Diepsloot since August last year.

Before moving there, he worked in Tanzania, Soweto and Hammanskraal, north of Pretoria. Father Guido Bourgeois, 70, who saw Blondel being shot, said three teenagers entered the house through a window at approximately 02:00.

"They came into my room and woke me. I started to scream but they told me to 'shut up'. One of them was pointing something in my direction, but I couldn't see if it was a firearm," said Bourgeois.

Looked for money

The children asked for money, upon which he gave them a R50 note he had in his wallet.

"One of them removed a painting from the wall to see if there's a safe behind it. The other opened cupboards and said they're looking for money."

According to Bourgeois, the teenagers asked for keys to the house. They followed him to the front door, where they forced him to unlock it.

"When I unlocked the door, a big, tall man of about 35 years was standing in front of me."

Bourgeois said the robbers then forced him back into the house and wanted to know how many people there were in the house. He said there were three.

The other resident is a man who had been staying there for a few months, since he had no other place to stay.

The rest of this thoroughly unpleasant story can be read here.

The worst of it is that very little was taken. I believe that Fr Bourgeois gave them his cellphone in addition to the R50 (approx $6 or £4). The unfortunate fact is that many people seem to think that the Catholic Church and its priests are positively rolling in money. We have had two burglaries this year in our Parish and a couple of rather unpleasant incidents in which people with unpleasant motives have gained access to the rectory under false pretenses. One can no longer simply allow anyone unknown into the rectory anymore, even if they simply request to see the priest. They stay firmly outside on the other side of the security gate until their reason for being on our doorstep has been firmly established. This, of course, does not apply to people who are known to the Parish. Luckily no one was injured in the abovementioned incidents. However, it is certainly not pleasant to have to treat people in this way but it has, unfortunately, become very necessary.

Please say a prayer for Fr Blondel and for the Missionaries of Africa who do so much good work in the Diepsloot community and elsewhere.

Father Lionel Sham R.I.P

As requested by Archbishop Tlhagale, please keep Father Sham's family in your prayers. May he rest in peace.

From the website of our local newspaper, The Star:

One nabbed for missing priest

The body of a priest who had gone missing earlier this week has been found, the Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference said on Sunday.

"Archbishop Buti Tlhagale, Catholic Archbishop of Johannesburg, regrets to announce that the SAPS have found the Body of Fr Lionel Sham.

Sham, the parish priest of Mohlakeng had been missing since Friday afternoon.

Police had recovered his missing car at an accident scene in Denysville in the Free State on Sunday morning.

Captain Joseph Magoai said a man was arrested after Sham's car was recovered.

Magoai said police had been alerted on Saturday that Sham was missing.

"We received information that he was missing and some household items were missing," said Magoai.

SACBC spokesperson Father Chris Townsend said when Sham went missing on Friday, "there were signs of struggle in his presbytery and household and parish items and the parish car are missing.

"Townsend said Sham had been a "friend and mentor" to many."

He had worked at Boys Town, in various parish assignments, as administrator of the Cathedral of Christ the King in Johannesburg, Rector of the Orientation Seminary in Welkom, Secretary of the Seminary Department of the Bishops Conference, Vocation Director and Vicar General.

"All we can do now is pray with the family, the parish of Mohlakeng and the many people who loved and knew Lionel," said Archbishop Tlhagale. - Sapa

Please pray for Father Lionel Sham

I would like all who visit this blog to pray for one of the priests of our Archdiocese, Father Lionel Sham. He has been missing for over 24 hours. The details are not entirely clear but it is suspected that he was hijacked (carjacked) and, apparently, some valuables (not clear from where) have been stolen. In South Africa, this is not a good scenario.

Please hold this priest in your prayers.