Who tells you they are secretive? Who are the many others who have had negative experiences? Have you ever tried to go to a meeting and been denied?
"There is something very strange about Opus Dei."
Please Lauralee you may be young but you seem more insightful than that.
I won't pretend that I've seen everything in an order that is now all over the world, but I've never seen anything like that. I've never seen anything secretive about it, just a matter of minding their own business. I've also never run into anyone in the order who was a dissenter. But on the other hand, they are not fanatical traditionalists, either.
Mostly what I've seen is people working communally to try to help each other lead better lives. I don't know what your sources are, but sometimes people who go idealistically into something like this can find that it's not for them, and then be bitter in their disappointment.
No organization is perfect, so no doubt there may have been some bad experiences. You can hear the same complaints about most of the Catholic religious orders, where people have tried them out and then quit.
Or you can hear complaints about the military. There are bound to be some bad officers, and basic training isn't fun, but that's the nature of things in this world.
According to the story, it sounds like Opus Dei IS about bringing Jesus to the world, in their daily activities.
I would not be surprised at ALL to learn that some Jesuits were the driving force behind the ugly rumors about Opus Dei. The Jesuits have been dwindling for years, and so many have sown dissent among so many Catholics, it makes me start thinking of millstones.
They're not secretive - it's simply that they don't flaunt their religiousity. In Spain prior to Escriva, pious laypeople were often known as "beatas" (or "beatos," in the case of men). However, their form of piety left much to be desired. They would be in churches for every service, liked to have lengthy public prayers, were not usually very engaged in society but were obsessed with the internal doings of the local diocese or even parish, mistreated their servants and family members, didn't value education, etc. Unfortunately, to many Spaniards, being religious essentially meant being a "beata."
Escriva changed all this, telling them that parading their devotion publicly was not the essence of religion, but that faith was something that affected every aspect of one's life, including one's professional life. And furthermore, it wasn't just for the clergy or clerical wanna-be's. People could lead devout, holy lives without abandoning their families or professions and without flaunting it like the Pharisees.
The only reason Opus Dei is considered "secretive" is because the left and the media - which hate Opus Dei because it has been so effective - either misunderstand or twist this humility into something it's not, that is, secrecy.
I don't know how they do things in New York, but down here in Nashville, all of our Opus Dei events and gatherings are so darn secretive that they're open to anyone, including non-Catholics. It says so right on the announcements they send out.
Now don't tell anyone I told you, 'kay?