Recent events suggest that the Legionaries of Christ and Opus Dei are the conservative organisations who now exert most influence on the Catholic Church, writes Patsy McGarry, Religious Affairs Correspondent.
The episcopal ordination in Rome this week of Dublin-born Father Brian Farrell as the new Bishop of Abitine has highlighted once more this papacy's deep regard for two of the Catholic Church's newer and more conservative organisations - the Legionaries of Christ and Opus Dei.
Bishop Farrell (58) is a member of the former. He is also a friend of the Archbishop of Dublin Cardinal Desmond Connell, who attended his ordination. Bishop Farrell was also appointed to the influential post of Secretary to the Vatican's Council for Promoting Christian Unity.
Last October Pope John Paul canonised Father Josemariá Escrivá, founder of Opus Dei, who died as recently as 1975. The Vatican spokesman Dr Navarro Vals is a member of Opus Dei.
The canonisation of Father Escriva followed the fast-track-to-sainthood procedure employed by the Vatican where favoured sons and daughters are concerned. Others not so favoured, such as Pope John XXIII who died in 1963, must wait. Pope John was finally declared "Blessed" in September 2000 and then, in what was seen by Rome-watchers as a less-than-delicate balancing act to keep the conservative Catholic lobby happy, his elevation was in the company of Pope Pius IX, one of the most controversial popes in recent history.
Catholicism as practised by the Legionaries of Christ and Opus Dei has deep resonances of the way things were within the church before Vatican II. Indeed such characteristics, and the standing of both organisations in Rome today, strongly suggest a hankering after the absolutes of times past with their unequivocal one-true-church certainties in practice and belief. Such was the way before that clear view was muddied by the all-embracing "caretaker" pope Angelo Roncalli - as some conservative Catholics would see it.
Indeed, as matters have evolved over the latter years of this papacy, one could be forgiven for thinking that the prevailing orthodoxy in Rome is of a belief that the Holy Spirit was taking a nap when Pope John was elected in October 1958. And, further, that this "orthodoxy" is determined to rectify the "mistakes" of that brief papacy.
Many would feel that both the Legionaries of Christ and Opus Dei rest easy with this task though both would protest their allegiance to the changes of Vatican II. Yet there remains a conviction that such allegiance is more to the letter than the spirit of that momentous event in the life of the church.
Meanwhile both have displaced the Jesuits - "storm-troopers" of the papacy since Reformation days - in terms of influence in Rome. It would appear that they (Jesuits), the biggest order in the church with more than 20,000 priests worldwide, embraced all-too-heartily the spirit of Vatican II. And not least some leading Jesuit theologians.
Bishop Farrell's appointment as Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, which is headed by German Cardinal Walter Kasper, has led to the uncharitable suggestion that this was akin to appointing the DUP's Peter Robinson as secretary to a would-be organisation for "Promoting Irish Unity". It is felt that Bishop Farrell's view of Christian unity would not be dissimilar to Robinson's view of Irish unity - both could take place when "the others" became Roman Catholic/British.
Cardinal Kaspar was critical of the church's Dominus Iesus document, published in 2000 by fellow-German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, prefect of the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. It asserted that the Catholic Church was the one true church, whereas other Christian denominations were "not churches in the proper sense" and were not even to be referred to anymore as "sister churches", while followers of other religions were "in a gravely deficient situation". No doubt the appointment of Bishop Farrell will help Cardinal Kaspar cope with his unhappinesss at those assertions.
Bishop Farrell has had a distinguished Vatican career since joining the Secretariat of State there in 1981. He was head of the general affairs section since 1999. His brother Kevin, also a member of the Legionaries of Christ, was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Washington in 2001.
The Legionaries of Christ were founded in Mexico City by Father Marcial Maciel, in 1941. Father Brian Wilson of its Dublin novitiate told The Irish Times: "we just try to live all our life in a very personal and real relationship with Christ, ready to do our best for him. Mary is for us the great model of what it is to be a follower of Christ and, of course, a mother who cares for us - that feminine presence that every man needs."
In Mexico, where its work is most developed, Legionaries are involved in youth work and retreat work in schools and universities. They are also involved with new forms of evangelisation and catechesis, as well as mission work. They promote social advancement among the underprivileged with an emphasis on promoting a self-help ethos among the poor .
A Legionary's formation is not for the faint of heart. Its website (legionofchrist.com) says "he has to form within himself a sturdy, disciplined spirit, a firm and tenacious will; he is to be austere, organised, and constant. He strives to be pleasant, communicative, educated, gentlemanly, sincere, loyal and grateful". Former members speak of the practice of mortification, in particular of flagellation.
They have been in Ireland since 1960 and currently have five priests, five professed religious, and 25 novices here, who are from the United States, Mexico and Poland. Worldwide, they have almost 3,000 members, 530 of whom are priests. There are almost 60 Irish priests among the Legionaries and 10 Irish students. They have houses in 20 countries, mostly in North and South America and Europe, and members come from 40 countries on all five continents.
In Ireland they are mostly involved in retreat and youth work, besides being responsible for a Catholic boys' school for overseas students who spend a year or two learning English while following the regular school curriculum. Two sons of the Mexican president Vicente Fox spent a year at the Legionaries' Dublin school for overseas students. Legionaries also serve as chaplains to a girls' and a boys' school in the greater Dublin area.
Opus Dei was founded in Spain in 1928 and currently has a membership of approximately 80,000 in about 70 countries with 1,800 priests. It was granted "personal prelature" status by Pope John Paul in 1982, meaning it is directly answerable to him rather than any local bishop. It teaches that holiness is for everyone and can be found in the rough and tumble of everyday life.
The responsibilities of work and family and the joys and stresses of high-tech living are not to be seen as obstacles to seeking holiness but rather the very stuff of sanctity. Opus Dei has been in Ireland since 1947 and has about 800 members, 18 of whom are priests. Members are concentrated mainly in Dublin, Galway, and Limerick. Membership includes numeraries - who remain celibate and live in Opus Dei houses - and supernumeraries who may be married with families. Obedience is valued and, though membership is not private, it is regarded as a personal matter. Women, as with the Legionaries of Christ, belong to a separate apostolate within the organisation and usually have responsibility for the management of their centres.
Both organisations have been accused of being secretive, sect-like, and targeting the brightest. Both deny this and insist they have a membership which is more reflective of humanity in general.
As with the Legionaries, formation of Opus Dei members is startling to less robust sensibilities. In a interview with UCD's College Tribune student newspaper, David Mac Donagh, director of Opus Dei's Ely University Centre residence in Dublin, said "mortification of the flesh is part of what we do. It is often sensationalised. It goes to the idea of the cross and sacrifice. Mortification can also mean being of service to others, and the idea of doing the work well. Some use flagellation but it is not given particular importance. You are encouraged to seek mortification in dealing with people or in difficult situations. Physical mortification is recommended as far as people are able."
The dark side
The founder of the Legionaries of Christ, Father Marcial Maciel was born in Mexico in 1920. He accompanied Pope John Paul to Mexico in 1979, 1990 and 1993, and since 1994 has been a permanent consultant to the Vatican's Congregation for the Clergy. Complaints of sexual abuse against him were first made public in US newspaper, the Hartford Courant, in February 1997.
Among the nine accusers - most former Legionaries themselves,including three professors, a priest, a teacher, an engineer, a rancher and a lawyer - was Juan Vaca, a former priest who had been president of the Legionaries in the US until he left in 1976. They alleged Maciel, praised by Pope John Paul in 1994 as "an efficacious guide to youth", first abused them when they were between 10 and 16. He sometimes told them that he had permission from Pope Pius XII to engage in sexual acts with them to get relief from pain caused by an unspecified stomach ailment. Several other Legionaries have claimed that he was addicted to pain-killing drugs.
Father Maciel and the Legionaries have repeatedly and strenuously denied the allegations, accusing the nine of a conspiracy to defame him. The Vatican has ignored the allegations. Father Maciel survived a Vatican investigation, between 1956 and 1958, following allegations that he abused drugs. During that investigation he was suspended as head of the Legion.