Opus Dei marks 50th anniversary in Canada

By DEBORAH GYAPONG

OTTAWA (CCN) -- Opus Dei has come a long way in Canada since Cardinal Paul-Emile Leger of Montreal invited Opus Dei to open its first centre near the University of Montreal 50 years ago.

CCN L'Osservatore Romano Archbishop Michael Presenting the offering at St. Patrick's Basilica at Mass in honour of Opus Dei founder.

In Vancouver and across the country, in late June, some of Canada's top clerics will be marking Opus Dei's 50th anniversary.

Archbishop Raymond Roussin, SM, will offer a solemn Mass at 7 p.m. in Holy Rosary Cathedral on June 26, the feastday of St. Josemaria Escriva, founder of Opus Dei. Confessions will be heard starting at 6:30.

In other cities the Mass will be offered for Opus Dei by Cardinal Ouellet June 25 in Quebec City, by Cardinal Jean-Claude Turcotte June 27 in Montreal, by Archbishop Thomas Collins June 20 in Toronto, and by Bishop Fred Henry in Calgary.

Msgr. Fred Dolan, Canada's Opus Dei Vicar, will offer the Mass in Ottawa and Kingston, and Father Joseph Soria will do the same in Edmonton.

Book turned out to be `huge flop'

Opus Dei only goes "where it is invited," said Msgr. Dolan in a recent interview in Ottawa. "We are invited to many more places than we can go right now." At present Opus Dei has 16 centres in five cities: Montreal (1957); Coteau-du-Lac, Quebec (1964); Quebec City (1964); Toronto (1982); Ottawa (1989); and Vancouver (1997).

The mostly-lay movement hopes to establish centres soon in Calgary, Edmonton, and Kingston, where it now makes frequent "apostolic visits." Opus Dei also hopes to move into Russia, Bulgaria, Romania, and Vietnam soon.

"People in all our centres are being stretched," Msgr. Dolan said, pointing out how among young families especially there is "so much thirst for formation."

He yearns to be able to go into Atlantic Canada as well. "If we begin anywhere, we come in with a whole package," he said. That times time and personnel to develop.

Opus Dei has been looked on favourably by Popes from Pius XII to Benedict XVI, but not by The Da Vinci Code, a book by Dan Brown which was made into a movie of the same name.

It's been one year since the release of movie starring Tom Hanks. Despite all the hype, it "turned out to be one huge flop," Msgr. Dolan said, but has been a boon to Opus Dei.

The movie's release coincided with the release of veteran Vatican reporter John Allen Jr.'s book Opus Dei: An Objective Look Behind the Myths and Reality of the Most Controversial Force in the Catholic Church; and with the publication of The Way, based on the writings of St. Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer, who founded the movement in 1927.

At the same time, Opus Dei prepared for all the questions the book and movie would generate by revamping its web sites. Many people looked them up on the Internet, Msgr. Dolan said, because they realized "this can't be true" when they read Dan Brown's blockbuster bestseller or saw the movie.

"The number of messages we are receiving is skyrocketing," Msgr. Dolan said. Some have even become members.

"We have been forced to find ways of talking about ourselves," Dolan said, calling the process "very healthy."

He said Opus Dei's basic message is that you "have to find God in the things you do every day."

How does a lay person seek holiness? In and through ordinary things, in your work and in the circumstances of daily life, Msgr. Dolan said. It's "tackling everyday work and treating it as holy ground."

Opus Dei has about 600 members in Canada, though more than 1,500 more participate as "co-operators" who support the work and benefit from spiritual direction, retreats and other programs. Far more than that have a looser relationship with the movement. Worldwide, Opus Dei has 87,000 members, 98 per cent of whom are lay persons.

A DVD of a documentary produced by Salt and Light Television entitled Opus Dei: Decoding God's Work, unveiling the history and significance of St. Josemaria Escriva and "The Work" God entrusted to him, is available.

More information about anniversary celebrations can be found at www.opusdei.ca, and about the DVD at www.saltandlighttv.org.