I am still not convinced that Bannon is not a major player, even though he has been 'removed' from Trump's cabinet. Lots of big players behind the scenes who can do more outside of public scrutiny.
Anyways, here is an interesting bit on Bannon and his ties to the far-right faction of Catholicism, Opus Dei:
Mathew Fox and Paul Jay discuss Bannon's alliance with the far-right Catholic Opus Dei, and his vision of the Judeo-Christian West
Bannon's Relationship with Opus Dei
Here is a nice summary of Bannon by our chica Abby Martin
Opus Dei
Opus Dei are referred to in The Da Vinci Code as an archaic and strict religious order. In Dan Brown's story they are the power-driven nemesis of the Priory of Sion; both groups fighting for ownership of the ultimate secret of the Holy Grail.
Founded in Spain in 1928, Opus Dei (meaning 'the work of God') do still exist and have grown into an international institution. Officially, they are a part of the Catholic Church and according to their website were first approved by the Bishop of Madrid in 1941 and then by the Vatican City in 1947.
Opus Dei adhere to the more extreme teachings of the Catholic Church. To the most committed members, this includes a vow of celibacy, a life of penance and the practice of corporal mortification – all of which brings devotees in line with the suffering of Christ and the remission of sin. There have been suggestions that members routinely inflict pain on themselves, but the truth is hard to discover. Opus Dei insist that they place emphasis on less severe sacrifices.
Although Opus Dei do exist as a fundamentalist sect, the truth of their involvement with the Grail is doubtful. Their image as a group of cold, almost ascetic, monks, makes the perfect foil for Dan Brown's Grail hunter, Sophie Neveu, grand-daughter to Sion Grand Master, Jacques Saunière. And so the link is probably fiction. But it certainly makes sense that any sect or branch of Christianity would do their best to suppress evidence as potentially damaging as a bloodline of Mary and Jesus.
And so the truth is hard to come by, especially once it is shrouded in the marvelous mystery of Grail legend.
Opus Dei is a Catholic organisation with around 85,000 members worldwide and about 500 members in the UK.
Members are encouraged to promote their faith through their professional work and their everyday lives.
Critics accuse the organisation of being secretive and elitist but members wholeheartedly reject this.
Despite these very public criticisms, thanks to the publicity the organisation has been getting from The Da Vinci Code phenomenon, UK numbers are rising. Jack Valero, Opus Dei spokesman in the UK, claimed that they got two to three enquiries a day - up to 50 a month - from people looking to join.
Practices and beliefs
Opus Dei describes itself as "a personal prelature of the Catholic church that helps people seek holiness in their work and ordinary activities". In other words, they try to help others through their regular work and their day-to-day life.
Joining Opus Dei is a long process. Often people are invited along to a meeting, although according to their website any lay Catholic may ask to join Opus Dei as long as they are at least 18 years old. It takes over five years to join, with a person's commitment to joining having to be renewed each year, before a lifelong commitment is possible.
Opus Dei is a strong advocate of traditional Catholic values, focusing particularly on spreading the Catholic teaching that every individual is called to become a saint and an apostle of Jesus Christ and that ordinary life is a path to sanctity. It also lays particular stress on the unique character of Roman Catholicism - as compared with other churches and faiths.
There are three types of members of Opus Dei: numeraries, associates and supernumeraries. Associates and numeraries make up about 25% to 30% of members. They are celibate, live with other members and, on occasion, practice corporal mortification - the most controversial of Opus Dei's traditions.
Corporal mortification is the practice of physically enduring a minor amount of suffering. Some of the celibate members of Opus Dei sometimes practice traditional Catholic penances such as using the cilice (a light metal chain with prongs which is worn round the thigh) and the discipline (a woven cotton strap). These are practices which Opus Dei states Catholics have used for centuries. The Opus Dei website states the motivation for these voluntary penances is to imitate Christ and to join him in his redemptive sacrifice (cf. Matthew 16:24), and that they can also be a way to suffer in solidarity with the many poor and deprived people in the world.
The majority of Opus Dei members are supernumeraries. They account for around 70-75% of members and they are usually non-celibate, married men or women.
A discussion of corporal mortification
Contributors from Opus Dei and a Greek Orthodox church discuss self-denial, fasting and corporal mortification with a Muslim chaplain.
Structure
The fact that Opus Dei was designated a personal prelature in 1982 by Pope John Paul II has meant that some critics have referred to its position as being similar to that of a "church within the Church". Admittedly this is a unique position to be in - it is the only personal prelature within the Catholic Church. However Opus Dei's members argue that this unique position does not in any way mean that its members are held in a specifically high regard by the Vatican, or given any special treatment.
Personal prelature is a canonical term meaning that the jurisdiction of the Catholic Church over Opus Dei covers the members of Opus Dei rather than a geographical area like a diocese. A personal prelature operates in a very similar way to a religious order; however, there are no geographical limits, and its members are lay-people rather than monks or nuns. Those Catholics who belong to Opus Dei also continue to be part of the congregation at their local church. Unlike members of religious orders, the members of Opus Dei join by means of private contracts and not vows. In order to join a member must ask to do so, and they must also be convinced that they have received a vocation.
Opus Dei is seen by many to be a fairly wealthy organisation. Members have to donate a significant part of their income to Opus Dei. It is a decentralised organisation and does not publish its general accounts so it is difficult to be precise over the state of its finances.
The orgranisation has sponsored a network of institutions across the UK, such as Netherhall House and Kelston Club for Boys in Wandsworth. Some estimates put the number of centres and charitable ventures owned by Opus Dei at more than twenty-five.
Controversies
Opus Dei appeared frequently in the press in 2003 because of its importance to the plot of The Da Vinci Code. The novel (and film adaptation) paints it as an all-powerful, wealthy and secretive cult-like Catholic sect.
Beyond this portrayal, the methods Opus Dei members employ to encourage others to join the organisation have been attacked by critics. Much of this stems from a statement by Opus Dei's founder, Spanish priest Josemaría Escrivá. In 1975 he was quoted as saying "...we must be a little crazy ...you must kill yourselves for proselytism."
The Opus Dei Awareness Network is one of the most vocal opponents of Opus Dei. Dianne DiNicola, its executive director has said: "The biggest problem we have with Opus Dei is that a person is not free to make their own decisions. They live in a controlled environment and all the while Opus Dei hides behind the Catholic Church."
Critics have also described it as a sort of Catholic freemasonry - accusing it of being secretive and manipulative.
Opus Dei members respond to these allegations by emphasising the fact that all members are free to join, and leave, as they please. The allegations of secrecy and aggressive recruiting tactics are more often than not attributed to misinterpretations of the way Opus Dei was viewed in the past - the existing organisation has taken great pains to present itself in a more moderate way.
Well-known members
It has been suggested that Opus Dei has a wealth of important and powerful members in both the religious and the political spheres. However, Opus Dei does not publish official lists of members, believing membership is a private matter.
Opus Dei's UK spokesman Jack Valero denies the belief that many key figures at the Vatican are Opus Dei members: "The number of people from Opus Dei working in the Vatican is very reduced: five or maybe six people, including the spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls. The influence of Opus Dei in the Holy See has been exaggerated."
Ruth Kelly, British Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government
An Opus Dei member in the British government attracted questions in May 2006. Questions were raised over Ruth Kelly's suitability for the role of Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government; however, she insisted as a practising Catholic her faith would not influence decisions she needs to make for her job.
Asked if she thought homosexuality was a sin, Ruth Kelly stated: "I don't think it's right for politicians to start making moral judgements about people. That's the last thing I would want to do. What I think the question is, is what are my political views and as a politician those are the ones I'm accountable for to the public. As a politician I think anybody should be free from discrimination and I'll fight to the absolute end to make sure that is the case."
Timeline
1928 Josemaría Escrivá, a 26-year-old Spanish priest, creates Opus Dei. His vision is to extend the Sunday religiosity of working people into their everyday lives. He is initially seen as a heretic by the church hierarchy.
1933 The first Opus Dei centre opens in Madrid, an academy teaching law and architecture.
1936 The Spanish civil war unleashes anti-clerical persecution and Escrivá goes into hiding.
1939 Escrivá supports General Franco's victory and starts to proselytise throughout Spain.
1946 Opus Dei extends to Britain, Portugal and Italy. Escrivá regularly visits Britain and calls it a "crossroads of the world".
1950 Opus Dei's secretive constitution is published. It states: "No one must reveal to anyone that they themselves belong to Opus Dei." Opus Dei is given final and complete approval by Pope Pius XII.
1975 Escrivá dies, leaving behind a thriving and affluent movement with about 60,000 members.
1981 Revelations in The Times about Opus Dei's practices, such as corporal mortification, prompt Cardinal Basil Hume to announce he is against the recruitment of members into Opus Dei who under 18 in Britain.
1982 Pope John Paul II establishes Opus Dei as a personal prelature, confirming its growing status in the Catholic Church.
2002 John Paul II canonises the founder of Opus Dei, Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer, in a 'fast track' process only 27 years after his death. Thousands of supporters pack St Peter's Square for the canonisation.
2003 The Da Vinci Code is published.
2006 Opus Dei uses The Da Vinci Code movie to promote its work. A website competition offers the chance to meet a genuine Opus Dei member.
Opus Dei, formally known as The Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei (Latin: Prelatura Sanctae Crucis et Operis Dei), is an organization of the Catholic Church that teaches that everyone is called to holiness and that ordinary life is a path to sanctity.[2][3] The majority of its membership are lay people, with secular priests under the governance of a prelate (bishop) appointed by the pope.[2] Opus Dei is Latin for "Work of God", hence the organization is often referred to by members and supporters as "the Work".[4][5]
Founded in Spain in 1928 by the Catholic priest St. Josemaría Escrivá, Opus Dei was given final approval in 1950 by Pope Pius XII.[6] In 1982, by decision of Pope John Paul II, the Catholic Church made it into a personal prelature—that is, the jurisdiction of its own bishop covers the persons in Opus Dei wherever they are, rather than geographical dioceses.[6]
Members of the Prelature numbered almost 90,000 with almost 2000 priests in the year 2009.[1] They are in more than 90 countries. About 70% of Opus Dei members live in their private homes, leading traditional Catholic family lives with secular careers,[7][8] while the other 30% are celibate, of whom the majority live in Opus Dei centers. Opus Dei organizes training in Catholic spirituality applied to daily life. Aside from personal charity and social work, Opus Dei members are involved in running universities, university residences, schools, publishing houses, and technical and agricultural training centers.
Opus Dei has been described as the most controversial force within the Catholic Church.[9] According to several journalists who studied Opus Dei separately, most of the criticisms against Opus Dei are mere myths created by its opponents,[9][10][11] and Opus Dei is considered a sign of contradiction.[12][13] Several popes and other Catholic leaders have endorsed what they see as its innovative teaching on the sanctifying value of work, and its fidelity to Catholic beliefs.[14] In 2002, in a move interpreted by both sides of the debate as signaling his approval of Opus Dei, Pope John Paul II canonized Escrivá, and called him "the saint of ordinary life."[15]
Controversies about Opus Dei have centered around criticisms of its alleged secretiveness,[16] its recruiting methods, the alleged strict rules governing members, the practice by celibate members of mortification of the flesh,[17] its alleged elitism and misogyny, the alleged right-leaning politics of most of its members, and the alleged participation by some in authoritarian or extreme right-wing governments, especially the Francoist Government of Spain until 1978.[18] Within the Catholic Church, Opus Dei is also criticized for allegedly seeking independence and more influence.[19] . Members and people who have knowledge of Opus Dei activities however agree that this is not the truth.
In recent years, Opus Dei has received international attention due to the novel The Da Vinci Code and its film version of 2006, both of which many prominent Christians and non-believers protested as misleadingly inaccurate and anti-Catholic.
https://sites.google.com/site/knightste ... 0/opus-dei
Opus Dei are referred to in The Da Vinci Code as an archaic and strict religious order. In Dan Brown's story they are the power-driven nemesis of the Priory of Sion; both groups fighting for ownership of the ultimate secret of the Holy Grail.
Founded in Spain in 1928, Opus Dei (meaning 'the work of God') do still exist and have grown into an international institution. Officially, they are a part of the Catholic Church and according to their website were first approved by the Bishop of Madrid in 1941 and then by the Vatican City in 1947.
Opus Dei adhere to the more extreme teachings of the Catholic Church. To the most committed members, this includes a vow of celibacy, a life of penance and the practice of corporal mortification – all of which brings devotees in line with the suffering of Christ and the remission of sin. There have been suggestions that members routinely inflict pain on themselves, but the truth is hard to discover. Opus Dei insist that they place emphasis on less severe sacrifices.
Although Opus Dei do exist as a fundamentalist sect, the truth of their involvement with the Grail is doubtful. Their image as a group of cold, almost ascetic, monks, makes the perfect foil for Dan Brown's Grail hunter, Sophie Neveu, grand-daughter to Sion Grand Master, Jacques Saunière. And so the link is probably fiction. But it certainly makes sense that any sect or branch of Christianity would do their best to suppress evidence as potentially damaging as a bloodline of Mary and Jesus.
And so the truth is hard to come by, especially once it is shrouded in the marvelous mystery of Grail legend.
Opus Dei is a Catholic organisation with around 85,000 members worldwide and about 500 members in the UK.
Members are encouraged to promote their faith through their professional work and their everyday lives.
Critics accuse the organisation of being secretive and elitist but members wholeheartedly reject this.
Despite these very public criticisms, thanks to the publicity the organisation has been getting from The Da Vinci Code phenomenon, UK numbers are rising. Jack Valero, Opus Dei spokesman in the UK, claimed that they got two to three enquiries a day - up to 50 a month - from people looking to join.
Practices and beliefs
Opus Dei describes itself as "a personal prelature of the Catholic church that helps people seek holiness in their work and ordinary activities". In other words, they try to help others through their regular work and their day-to-day life.
Joining Opus Dei is a long process. Often people are invited along to a meeting, although according to their website any lay Catholic may ask to join Opus Dei as long as they are at least 18 years old. It takes over five years to join, with a person's commitment to joining having to be renewed each year, before a lifelong commitment is possible.
Opus Dei is a strong advocate of traditional Catholic values, focusing particularly on spreading the Catholic teaching that every individual is called to become a saint and an apostle of Jesus Christ and that ordinary life is a path to sanctity. It also lays particular stress on the unique character of Roman Catholicism - as compared with other churches and faiths.
There are three types of members of Opus Dei: numeraries, associates and supernumeraries. Associates and numeraries make up about 25% to 30% of members. They are celibate, live with other members and, on occasion, practice corporal mortification - the most controversial of Opus Dei's traditions.
Corporal mortification is the practice of physically enduring a minor amount of suffering. Some of the celibate members of Opus Dei sometimes practice traditional Catholic penances such as using the cilice (a light metal chain with prongs which is worn round the thigh) and the discipline (a woven cotton strap). These are practices which Opus Dei states Catholics have used for centuries. The Opus Dei website states the motivation for these voluntary penances is to imitate Christ and to join him in his redemptive sacrifice (cf. Matthew 16:24), and that they can also be a way to suffer in solidarity with the many poor and deprived people in the world.
The majority of Opus Dei members are supernumeraries. They account for around 70-75% of members and they are usually non-celibate, married men or women.
A discussion of corporal mortification
Contributors from Opus Dei and a Greek Orthodox church discuss self-denial, fasting and corporal mortification with a Muslim chaplain.
Structure
The fact that Opus Dei was designated a personal prelature in 1982 by Pope John Paul II has meant that some critics have referred to its position as being similar to that of a "church within the Church". Admittedly this is a unique position to be in - it is the only personal prelature within the Catholic Church. However Opus Dei's members argue that this unique position does not in any way mean that its members are held in a specifically high regard by the Vatican, or given any special treatment.
Personal prelature is a canonical term meaning that the jurisdiction of the Catholic Church over Opus Dei covers the members of Opus Dei rather than a geographical area like a diocese. A personal prelature operates in a very similar way to a religious order; however, there are no geographical limits, and its members are lay-people rather than monks or nuns. Those Catholics who belong to Opus Dei also continue to be part of the congregation at their local church. Unlike members of religious orders, the members of Opus Dei join by means of private contracts and not vows. In order to join a member must ask to do so, and they must also be convinced that they have received a vocation.
Opus Dei is seen by many to be a fairly wealthy organisation. Members have to donate a significant part of their income to Opus Dei. It is a decentralised organisation and does not publish its general accounts so it is difficult to be precise over the state of its finances.
The orgranisation has sponsored a network of institutions across the UK, such as Netherhall House and Kelston Club for Boys in Wandsworth. Some estimates put the number of centres and charitable ventures owned by Opus Dei at more than twenty-five.
Controversies
Opus Dei appeared frequently in the press in 2003 because of its importance to the plot of The Da Vinci Code. The novel (and film adaptation) paints it as an all-powerful, wealthy and secretive cult-like Catholic sect.
Beyond this portrayal, the methods Opus Dei members employ to encourage others to join the organisation have been attacked by critics. Much of this stems from a statement by Opus Dei's founder, Spanish priest Josemaría Escrivá. In 1975 he was quoted as saying "...we must be a little crazy ...you must kill yourselves for proselytism."
The Opus Dei Awareness Network is one of the most vocal opponents of Opus Dei. Dianne DiNicola, its executive director has said: "The biggest problem we have with Opus Dei is that a person is not free to make their own decisions. They live in a controlled environment and all the while Opus Dei hides behind the Catholic Church."
Critics have also described it as a sort of Catholic freemasonry - accusing it of being secretive and manipulative.
Opus Dei members respond to these allegations by emphasising the fact that all members are free to join, and leave, as they please. The allegations of secrecy and aggressive recruiting tactics are more often than not attributed to misinterpretations of the way Opus Dei was viewed in the past - the existing organisation has taken great pains to present itself in a more moderate way.
Well-known members
It has been suggested that Opus Dei has a wealth of important and powerful members in both the religious and the political spheres. However, Opus Dei does not publish official lists of members, believing membership is a private matter.
Opus Dei's UK spokesman Jack Valero denies the belief that many key figures at the Vatican are Opus Dei members: "The number of people from Opus Dei working in the Vatican is very reduced: five or maybe six people, including the spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls. The influence of Opus Dei in the Holy See has been exaggerated."
Ruth Kelly, British Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government
An Opus Dei member in the British government attracted questions in May 2006. Questions were raised over Ruth Kelly's suitability for the role of Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government; however, she insisted as a practising Catholic her faith would not influence decisions she needs to make for her job.
Asked if she thought homosexuality was a sin, Ruth Kelly stated: "I don't think it's right for politicians to start making moral judgements about people. That's the last thing I would want to do. What I think the question is, is what are my political views and as a politician those are the ones I'm accountable for to the public. As a politician I think anybody should be free from discrimination and I'll fight to the absolute end to make sure that is the case."
Timeline
1928 Josemaría Escrivá, a 26-year-old Spanish priest, creates Opus Dei. His vision is to extend the Sunday religiosity of working people into their everyday lives. He is initially seen as a heretic by the church hierarchy.
1933 The first Opus Dei centre opens in Madrid, an academy teaching law and architecture.
1936 The Spanish civil war unleashes anti-clerical persecution and Escrivá goes into hiding.
1939 Escrivá supports General Franco's victory and starts to proselytise throughout Spain.
1946 Opus Dei extends to Britain, Portugal and Italy. Escrivá regularly visits Britain and calls it a "crossroads of the world".
1950 Opus Dei's secretive constitution is published. It states: "No one must reveal to anyone that they themselves belong to Opus Dei." Opus Dei is given final and complete approval by Pope Pius XII.
1975 Escrivá dies, leaving behind a thriving and affluent movement with about 60,000 members.
1981 Revelations in The Times about Opus Dei's practices, such as corporal mortification, prompt Cardinal Basil Hume to announce he is against the recruitment of members into Opus Dei who under 18 in Britain.
1982 Pope John Paul II establishes Opus Dei as a personal prelature, confirming its growing status in the Catholic Church.
2002 John Paul II canonises the founder of Opus Dei, Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer, in a 'fast track' process only 27 years after his death. Thousands of supporters pack St Peter's Square for the canonisation.
2003 The Da Vinci Code is published.
2006 Opus Dei uses The Da Vinci Code movie to promote its work. A website competition offers the chance to meet a genuine Opus Dei member.
Opus Dei, formally known as The Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei (Latin: Prelatura Sanctae Crucis et Operis Dei), is an organization of the Catholic Church that teaches that everyone is called to holiness and that ordinary life is a path to sanctity.[2][3] The majority of its membership are lay people, with secular priests under the governance of a prelate (bishop) appointed by the pope.[2] Opus Dei is Latin for "Work of God", hence the organization is often referred to by members and supporters as "the Work".[4][5]
Founded in Spain in 1928 by the Catholic priest St. Josemaría Escrivá, Opus Dei was given final approval in 1950 by Pope Pius XII.[6] In 1982, by decision of Pope John Paul II, the Catholic Church made it into a personal prelature—that is, the jurisdiction of its own bishop covers the persons in Opus Dei wherever they are, rather than geographical dioceses.[6]
Members of the Prelature numbered almost 90,000 with almost 2000 priests in the year 2009.[1] They are in more than 90 countries. About 70% of Opus Dei members live in their private homes, leading traditional Catholic family lives with secular careers,[7][8] while the other 30% are celibate, of whom the majority live in Opus Dei centers. Opus Dei organizes training in Catholic spirituality applied to daily life. Aside from personal charity and social work, Opus Dei members are involved in running universities, university residences, schools, publishing houses, and technical and agricultural training centers.
Opus Dei has been described as the most controversial force within the Catholic Church.[9] According to several journalists who studied Opus Dei separately, most of the criticisms against Opus Dei are mere myths created by its opponents,[9][10][11] and Opus Dei is considered a sign of contradiction.[12][13] Several popes and other Catholic leaders have endorsed what they see as its innovative teaching on the sanctifying value of work, and its fidelity to Catholic beliefs.[14] In 2002, in a move interpreted by both sides of the debate as signaling his approval of Opus Dei, Pope John Paul II canonized Escrivá, and called him "the saint of ordinary life."[15]
Controversies about Opus Dei have centered around criticisms of its alleged secretiveness,[16] its recruiting methods, the alleged strict rules governing members, the practice by celibate members of mortification of the flesh,[17] its alleged elitism and misogyny, the alleged right-leaning politics of most of its members, and the alleged participation by some in authoritarian or extreme right-wing governments, especially the Francoist Government of Spain until 1978.[18] Within the Catholic Church, Opus Dei is also criticized for allegedly seeking independence and more influence.[19] . Members and people who have knowledge of Opus Dei activities however agree that this is not the truth.
In recent years, Opus Dei has received international attention due to the novel The Da Vinci Code and its film version of 2006, both of which many prominent Christians and non-believers protested as misleadingly inaccurate and anti-Catholic.
https://sites.google.com/site/knightste ... 0/opus-dei
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