this post was submitted on 06 Apr 2026

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165

He spent years investigating Opus Dei, a Catholic group accused of a vast conspiracy of abuse. Then Pope Leo asked to meet (www.theguardian.com)

submitted 2 weeks ago by HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works to c/news@lemmy.world

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Gareth Gore was on a research trip to California earlier this year when he was told to expect a call from the Vatican arranging a one-on-one audience with the pope.

Gore was stunned. In 2024 he published the book Opus, a meticulously researched and gripping account of the abuses allegedly perpetrated by Opus Dei, the highly secretive Catholic group started by the Spanish priest Josemaría Escrivá in the 1920s. Over a century Opus Dei established itself as a deeply religious order that, they claim, helps ordinary people “love God and serve others through work well done, carried out with honesty and integrity”.

Gore’s book lays out claims the organisation is at the heart of a conspiracy involving child grooming, human trafficking, and psychological and emotional control, with former members saying the group used private confessions as leverage against members and drugged those under its sway – claims Opus Dei categorically denies. Gore reported that Opus Dei collaborated closely with the bloody dictatorship of Francisco Franco in Spain, before supporting rightwing causes around the world.

Gore laid much of the blame for these alleged abuses with the wider Catholic church, which relied on Opus Dei for financial support in the 1970s and in return gave it freedom to operate as a legitimate branch of Catholicism, but outside the Vatican’s normal structures. In 2002, Escrivá was made a saint after ferocious lobbying by Opus Dei, despite much protest from within the Vatican, as abuse allegations mounted and some Catholic leaders began to raise questions about the organisation.

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[–] Pacattack57@lemmy.world 17 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Opus Dei is the organization in the DaVinci Code book/movie

[–] exasperation@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

It's also a point of friction in the Sopranos episode "Rat Pack," at the funeral of Carmine Sr., with an Opus Dei rosary used by Johnny Sack to convey to Carmine Jr. (while they were maneuvering for succession) that he didn't know his dad as well as he thought he did. Opus Dei's background as a secretive organization is part of the tone of that interaction.

[–] Gates9@sh.itjust.works 4 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Yeah the albino guy flagellates himself and wears some kinda spikey garter, do they really do that?

[–] Stamau123@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

There is self flagellation, but not as dramatic as in the movies

[–] teyrnon@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I'm no expert, but when christianity first took off, before Rome embraced it, they had tons of crazies doing flagellation and hurting/depriving themselves.

It was partly the craziness of the faithful to hurt themselves for no seeming good reason that led rome to adopt the religion to make good little slave subjects, as I understand it.

[–] Randomgal@lemmy.ca 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Then you don't understand it very well.

[–] teyrnon@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 weeks ago

Eh? How so? Because what I wrote is accurate, the degree to which the crazies were a factor on the romans to adopt the religion is debatable, and yes, calling all catholics slave subjects may not have been the most political way to put it. Nevertheless. How is it inaccurate praytell?