Beatification Brings Opus Dei Into the Open

THE NEW YORK TIMES
By Raphael Minder and Elisabetta Povoledo

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SPAIN---Beyond reverence, there is always a hint of mystery, even politics, at play whenever the Roman Catholic Church decides to advance someone toward sainthood. On Saturday, the Catholic Church will beatify Msgr. Álvaro del Portillo, a Spanish priest who led Opus Dei and died 20 years ago. But the rite is nonetheless seen as telling coming under Pope Francis, an Argentine who belongs to the Jesuit religious order, which is viewed as liberal and emphasizes ministering to the poor and the dispossessed. Opus Dei runs many charitable efforts that serve the poor, but it is best known for cultivating the highly educated and elite professionals who can spread Opus Dei’s ardent brand of Catholic spirituality to ever-wider and more powerful circles. [link]