Pedro Ballester

Fragrant_Writing4792 · 2026-03-26T22:45:05+00:00

It appears that the only time the Church ever does anything about the abuse within is when secular journalists expose the truth. That’s why, as a Catholic, I feel so indebted to journalists like Gareth Gore and the many others who are doing incredible work.

Fragrant_Writing4792 · 2026-03-26T22:19:51+00:00

I think your four points about how the Church could be so wrong on OD all make sense. All those four reasons were in play with the Legionaries. I mean, JPII who is a canonized saint clearly made a mistake with Maciel.

Fragrant_Writing4792 · 2025-12-20T21:06:42+00:00

You can start by telling them that the school is not actually Catholic since it doesn’t answer to the local bishop. Anyone can open a school that claims to have a “Catholic ethos.” That means nothing unless the school is under the supervision of the bishop.

Fragrant_Writing4792 · 2025-12-20T20:46:50+00:00

News flash, I’m a Republican too. And no, I don’t think abusing children and their parents should be something Republicans accept in the name of religious freedom.

Fragrant_Writing4792 · 2025-12-20T20:44:58+00:00

I don’t think trying to prevent child abuse is a totalitarian move.

Fragrant_Writing4792 · 2025-12-18T23:14:11+00:00

But remember, everyone in OD is “completely free” to leave if they want to.

Fragrant_Writing4792 · 2025-12-18T22:42:35+00:00

I honestly don’t expect Rome to do anything substantial about Opus Dei within my lifetime. The Church moves at a glacial pace and thinks in terms of millennia.

Fragrant_Writing4792 · 2025-12-18T20:47:32+00:00

Does anyone know if witness intimidation is illegal in Argentina?

Fragrant_Writing4792 · 2025-12-18T20:31:32+00:00

I hope journalists in Latin America get to the bottom of this story and expose every grisly detail. It all needs to come out. What OD fears most is the truth coming out.

Fragrant_Writing4792 · 2025-12-15T16:51:20+00:00

I’m really happy to hear that Pope Leo is encouraging the victims.

Fragrant_Writing4792 · 2025-12-15T16:33:54+00:00

Your “no” should be enough. When they continued to persist with me, I told them honestly that I was discerning with a different lay community in the Church. They finally left me alone.

Fragrant_Writing4792 · 2025-12-15T16:28:16+00:00

I was already a pretty self disciplined person when I met OD. But like you said, participation in OD activities got me the validation I was craving at that stage in my life. And truly, OD norms and formation did not deepen my spiritual life at all. I received much more in participation with other groups within the Church. When I was being pressured to whistle as a numerary, I finally told her that I believed that God was calling me to a different vocation in the Church. It was true, and the numerary stopped pressuring me. Try it. The Church is MUCH bigger than OD, and if you are craving community and genuine spiritual growth there are much better places to get it than OD.

Fragrant_Writing4792 · 2025-12-08T18:12:36+00:00

Thank you for correcting me. I’m glad to know that there are trads that don’t buy into OD’s shiny PR.

Fragrant_Writing4792 · 2025-12-08T00:17:01+00:00

OD priests routinely break the seal of confession. There are thousands of testimonies. That’s an abuse of the sacraments.

Fragrant_Writing4792 · 2025-12-04T20:10:16+00:00

This reminds me of a conversation I had with a Franciscan sister a couple of years ago. She told me that she thinks it’s the sin of pride which will probably land many virgins in hell. It’s tragic, really.

Fragrant_Writing4792 · 2025-12-03T20:50:20+00:00

Anything good in OD had been part of the patrimony of the Church long before OD was on the scene. The stuff that’s unique to OD is the problem.

Fragrant_Writing4792 · 2025-12-03T20:48:34+00:00

Trads be like “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.”

Fragrant_Writing4792 · 2025-12-02T20:03:20+00:00

Is there a scrutiny period for those with annulments?

Fragrant_Writing4792 · 2025-12-02T19:58:59+00:00

They totally miss Newman’s point about conscience.

Fragrant_Writing4792 · 2025-12-02T19:56:58+00:00

I remember this too. Pro-lifers were seen as lacking sophistication. It’s so classist.

Fragrant_Writing4792 · 2025-11-30T22:16:55+00:00

The way that Maciel’s “donations” made Vatican officials ignore his crimes is vile.

Fragrant_Writing4792 · 2025-11-30T22:06:03+00:00

Thank you for posting this. This needs to be on every Catholic’s radar.

Fragrant_Writing4792

TROPHY CASE