Saints and schemers

The Roman Catholic organization known as Opus Dei seems to attract either virulent criticism or extravagant praise. It has been attacked as a "secret society," an "ecclesiastical mafia," and a cult that promotes bizarre ascetic practices, enslaves its members by mind-control techniques, and intimidates detractors through personal attacks and character assassination. But it has many powerful allies, especially in the Vatican.

Indeed, Pope John Paul II is a staunch supporter of Opus ("The Work") and of its founder, the late Monsignor Escriva de Balaguer, whose controversial beatification attracted 200,000 followers to St. Peter's Square in 1992.

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Drawing on dozens of interviews with members and former members - including priests, educators, doctors, Jesuits, and insiders connected with the Vatican Curia - and mining Opus Dei's own literature for clues, Joan Estruch provides the first authoritative portrait of this elusive organization. He begins with a fascinating look at the founder of Opus Dei, uncovering much information not found in the official biographies of Escriva.

Estruch also sheds much light on the origin and evolution of this influential and controversial movement. Saints and Schemers traces Opus Dei's remarkable evolution from a local diocesan movement in Madrid to an international movement with 75,000 highly disciplined members in positions of power and influence throughout the world. First published in Spain in 1993, this volume offers the most reliable source of information on Opus, its history and ideology, and its current role in the Church.