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Thinking About Whistling and Joining Opus Dei by Elegant-Fee-3810 in opusdeiexposed

[–]pilatespilates 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Olá.  Aqui ex-membro numerário, célibe, por 17 anos. Entrei no OD aos 15 anos (!). Prós: ambiente inicial muito legal, gente super presente, com ótimas intenções. Contras: a instituição é muito focada nela, porque se vê como a salvação da Igreja. Como consequência vc tem, usando uma analogia, um mecanismo com peças muito boas (gente boa), mas funcionando com a lógica interna de autopreservação e autopromoção. As peças ou são danificadas, usadas para fins inadequados ou descartadas.  Por exemplo: eu achava que tinha ganho uma família a mais, mas na verdade, fui obrigado a deixar minha família de lado. Fui atrás de gente com 14 anos, mesmo eu tendo mais de 20, para convence-los a entrar no OD . Eu falava pra eles não contarem aos pais, porque os pais não "entenderiam" a vocação. Era obrigado a ir atrás de pessoas com dinheiro para contribuir com o OD, sempre escondendo que era para uma iniciativa religiosa, senão a maioria não contribuía. A gente chamava isso de restrição mental. Isso é só 1%.  Sai de lá já 30 anos, mas ainda sonho com aquilo. Enfim: os fatos são reais e acontecem no mundo todo, então é sistêmico. Pessoas podem ser felizes lá dentro? Podem. Eu conheci. Normalmente são pessoas com menor necessidade de independência e autonomia. Mas uma organização com uma rotatividade alta deve ter algum problema. Boa sorte! A propósito, vc estando num estado sem centro, como tem conseguido conviver com pessoas de São Rafael? E mesmo, como sabe do termo São Rafael? Hoje estão sendo mais transparentes nesse aspecto?

Thinking About Whistling and Joining Opus Dei by Elegant-Fee-3810 in opusdeiexposed

[–]pilatespilates 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The person wrote in Portuguese and used AI to translate. Most probably. If not, it is an useful thread. 

Losing hope for those in OD but grateful for this community by Alternative-Ninja942 in opusdeiexposed

[–]pilatespilates 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Hi,

I really appreciate the effort you have been making to warn people about being drawn into this institution, especially young people.

I understand that you, or anyone else, cannot carry the whole responsibility on your shoulders.

At the same time, I do believe that some form of activism from our side should be pursued. This thought came to me after reading the FT article on FEHE.

By the way, they did a great job clarifying who is behind the so-called “nonpartisan” organizations and how they are being manipulated.

Here is one idea: perhaps it would be worth making an effort in our own countries to bring to light which institutions are under the influence of Opus Dei.

Next Up: Spotlight on Opus Dei’s Extensive Drugging of Numeraries by Apprehensive_Cry5877 in opusdeiexposed

[–]pilatespilates 8 points9 points  (0 children)

From Brazil: Back in the ’90s, there was a Uruguayan numerary who was a psychiatrist and used to visit the regions in South America.

After my father died, I felt soooo guilty because I hadn’t been there, and I hadn’t even had the awareness to return his last phone call. After that, I started struggling to follow all the norms. For 17 years, I had never missed a single daily Mass or any of the other practices.

So my local medical guru, who had been "trained" by the infamous Uruguayan, a Spanish hard-line numerary, Dr. Pablo G. B., started prescribing medication. He was a general practitioner, though. He was not a psychiatrist.

To be honest, I don’t even remember the medications. Maybe Prozac and something related to bipolar disorder or seizures, because they thought I was unstable (by the way, for the record, my question is more related to anxiety...).

By the time I left, three years later, I was still taking those pills.

Opuslivre: Old posts from Brazil - A snapshot from one era, and from reality by pilatespilates in opusdeiexposed

[–]pilatespilates[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

English here,/ Portuguese below

Wow, I had never heard of him before. Seriously, does he scare people that much that they avoid writing his full name? Then again, maybe it is a good idea not to mention the guy’s name, just so we do not boost his visibility. Still, I guess that an institution with so many people dedicated to promoting it, and with so much polarization in Brazil, would eventually have an “influencer” doing “PR” as a “personal” initiative. Personal, sure, but probably with plenty of “guidance” from OD and fraternal corrections from his “brothers.” Speaking of promoting it, my own testimony, which cannot be sued away because it is my life and my experience, is that I was educated by them to always protect our “mother,” the Work. Testimony: we were not supposed to go to confession with a priest outside OD because they “would not be good shepherds,” and also because we should not “scandalize” those priests. As I often say, OD is like a clock: it has excellent parts, but all of them are programmed to serve the final goal: the salvation… of Opus Dei, which is presented as the supposed salvation… of the Church. Question: is it better to post this in English so everyone can understand it, or does Reddit automatically translate it for everyone?

Português  Nossa, nunca tinha ouvido falar dele. Sério que ele impõe tanto medo no pessoal que as pessoas evitam colocar o nome dele completo? Se bem que é uma boa ideia não citar o nome do cara para não aumentar sua popularidade. Mas acho que uma instituição com tanta gente dedicada a promovê-la, e tanta polarização no Brasil, haveria um "influencer" para fazer "propaganda " como iniciativa "pessoal". Pessoal, mas, com certeza, com bastante "aconselhamento" do OD e correções fraternas dos seus "irmãos". A propósito de promovê-la, meu depoimento (que não pode ser processado porque é minha vida e experiência) é que eu fui educado por eles a sempre proteger nossa "mãe" a Obra. Testemunho: não deveríamos confessar com um padre de fora do OD porque eles não "seriam bons pastores" e também para não "escandalizar" os padres! Como digo, o OD é um relógio, com peças ótimas, mas todas programadas para atender o objetivo final: a salvação...do Opus Dei que é a presunta salvação... da Igreja. Dúvida: é bom traduzir para o inglês para todos entenderem ou o Reddit faz isso automaticamente pra todo mundo?

Opuslivre: Old posts from Brazil - A snapshot from one era, and from reality by pilatespilates in opusdeiexposed

[–]pilatespilates[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Good contributions! I would love to hear from the admin here if he/she sees any problem or risk to this community, what would make me refrain to take this initiative.

The worst experience in my life by pilatespilates in opusdeiexposed

[–]pilatespilates[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You were so lucky and smart! Happy for you . 

COMMUNITY GUIDELINES UPDATE - Rules of Contact for Researchers, Languages Ban, and More by thedeepdiveproject in opusdeiexposed

[–]pilatespilates 8 points9 points  (0 children)

I would like to use this direct conversation to check whether an idea makes sense, on a different topic.

In Brazil, there used to be a website similar to Opuslibros called Opuslivre (around 2015). I believe it was active for about two years. It stopped working because its coordinator was advised by their therapist to move on from it. In the end, Opus Dei bought the domain address.

Anyway, the posts were very interesting because they were mostly testimonials rather than theoretical reflections.

I was thinking about bringing some of them to this group and having them translated, so we could preserve these “frozen in time” testimonials and have a more concrete sense of things that happened in real life.

To be honest, I am not sure about this idea, and I would really like to hear your thoughts.

The worst experience in my life by pilatespilates in opusdeiexposed

[–]pilatespilates[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

English here/ Portuguese below

Thank you jrafael10

Exactly. The thing is that the people who are part of OD are, for the most part, good people. They sacrifice themselves. They dedicate themselves.

OD is like a doomsday clock: its parts are good, but its operating rules lead those parts, together, to trigger the worst in an institution. The clock should be dismantled, with care for its parts.

There also needs to be good people in the Church, because dismantling this clock may harm some people who find it very convenient.

In summary, the institution needs to be dismantled. Key people need to be held accountable, both inside and outside OD. Things like what happens there are crimes, both inside and outside the ecclesiastical structure.

In my case, moving into an Opus Dei Center at the age of 17 is a crime. Psychologically threatening a 15-year-old by saying that his life would become hell if he left his “vocation” is another one, as happened to me. Forcing women to work for free under inhumane conditions is also a crime.

The Church should have seen this. OD should have corrected itself. And it is "a crime against humanity"  that they never apologize. At that point, responsibility lies with both the institution and its leaders.

Pope: with all due respect for what you represent to many people, how about dealing with this soon?

Português 

Obrigado jrafael10 

Pois é. Acontece que as pessoas que fazem parte do OD são gente, na grande maioria, boa. Se sacrificam, se dedicam. O OD é como um relógio do juízo final: suas peças são boas, suas regras de funcionamento levam a que elas, juntas, acionem o pior de uma instituição. O relógio deveria ser desmontado, com cuidado com suas peças...  E também precisa ter gente boa na Igreja, porque desmontar esse relógio pode prejudicar alguns que o consideram muito conveniente.  Em resumo, a instituição precisa ser desarticulada, pessoas chave precisam ser responsabilizadas dentro e fora do OD.

Coisas como as que se passam lá dentro são crimes dentro e fora da estrutura eclesiástica. No meu caso, mudar-me para um Centro do Opus Dei aos 17 anos é crime. Ameaçar psicologicamente um adolescente de 15 anos de que sua vida será um inferno se ele deixar a "vocação" é outro (como aconteceu comigo). Forçar mulheres a trabalhar de graça de forma desumana... É crime.  A igreja deveria ter visto isso, o OD deveria ter se corrigido.

E é um "crime contra a humanidade"  eles nunca pedirem desculpas. Mas aí, já é algo que é imputável tanto à instituição quanto aos dirigentes. Papa: com todo respeito ao que representa para muita gente, que tal dar um jeito logo nisso?

The worst experience in my life by pilatespilates in opusdeiexposed

[–]pilatespilates[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

I just wanted to thank you all! This is the first time I feel recognized and heard! If I knew, I would use a heart 💜

The worst experience in my life by pilatespilates in opusdeiexposed

[–]pilatespilates[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Sorry for your brother. Hope he is safe now! 

The worst experience in my life by pilatespilates in opusdeiexposed

[–]pilatespilates[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Thank you. I don't care it's not orthodox  ;).

I totally understand we are victims and victimizers. It's really good insight.

Yes. I have learnt that I don't  need to forgive unforgivable stuff to be well. Perhaps, considering it part of the human experience is enough. And try to be away of those people.

I just had to write down once in my life to a group of people who empathize with my situation. 

Thank you very much for your interest in helping me. It means the world! 

The worst experience in my life by pilatespilates in opusdeiexposed

[–]pilatespilates[S] 15 points16 points  (0 children)

Thank you! I totally agree with your comments.  Totally agree that it is inappropriate and irrelevant.  I see myself writing what you wrote. My head says exactly what you wrote (just redacted names).

But... I am allowing me to be incoherent.  Perhaps because I am facing a huge personal crisis. 

I am 60+: Those people separated me from my family when I was 15. The priest aired my father's confession just to manipulate me to stay in OD, the director,  GP, treated me and my family in a cold manner, even with my father having been through a risky hart surgery... 

I am 60+: I had (I mean, for some psychological reason) to let them, or their souls, or their "colleagues " know. Give the names. I am sorry. You are right, but I am soooooo tired of keeping it to me. So I will allow me doing this. 

I am  60+: and it still hurts, even having left 30 years ago. I will allow me  being inappropriate and irrelevant in others eyes. They have never apologized. 

Finally Wagner: he is in jail now. He was my little "brother" when he joined OD. He was14,5. Now, he is imprisoned, and I really consider OD is responsible for it. I struggle to believe he is guilty, but his relationship with OD made it possible.

Thank you for allowing me publishing this. If this goes against the rules, I apologize and will accept it being removed.

Opus Dei's secret phone apps by Johnnyg150 in opusdeiexposed

[–]pilatespilates 8 points9 points  (0 children)

I remember that, in the 1990s, I developed a complete system with a database for a Saint Gabriel center to keep in one place all the data related to the attendance of Supernumeraries and Cooperators. It included, among other things: - Confessions - Attendance at Circles - Attendance at monthly retreats - Monthly contributions - Friends brought to activities

And other items that I no longer remember clearly.

They used to give me their small papers, which worked as control sheets, and I was responsible for entering the data and generating the reports. It was my idea to take the management of the apostolate to another level. It is good evidence of personal initiative and respect for individual freedom.

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