Religion

Opus Dei, a long way

The Opus Dei organization is accused of occupying key posts in the Vatican, of contributing to the election of John Paul II and of dictating his authoritarian doctrine to the current Pope. In fact, Opus Dei is described as having all the characteristics of a conservative ´Holy Mafia,´ and of being the brains behind the murkiest plots. Opus Dei´s strength lies first in its pure and thorough Catholicism, and on the discipline of its 80,000 members, spread throughout the world in 87 countries. The identity of its most famous accomplices is still a secret, however. What is the reality of its power? Did it bring about the election of John Paul II as is often suggested? How does ´God´s work´ (the translation of ´Opus Dei´) operate? On what and on whom are its power and wealth based? How can its undisputed dynamism, which began life on Spanish soil, be explained? These are questions which this documentary aims to answer. It starts by following in the footsteps of its founder, José Maria Escriva de Balaguer, born at the beginning of the 20th century in a small village named Barbastro, in Aragon, northern Spain.