Tuesday, October 11, 2005

Opus Dei Topic of Dicussion for the Post Dispatch

Here is one article briefly explaining some of the things Opus Dei members do in living one's life for God: Opus Dei is unique in Catholic world

and this article about Mortification: Opus Dei's practice of corporal mortification
It is one of the more dramatic and controversial aspects of the Catholic movement Opus Dei: corporal mortification.

Mortification, which literally means "to make death," is a method of killing everyday temptations that distract from God. When a Christian gives up something for Lent, that is a form of mortification.
It's controversial, I suppose, because it seems that very few people (including Catholics) practice acts of mortification these days.
The Rev. Michael Geisler, spiritual director of Opus Dei in St. Louis, has written two articles this summer attempting to explain the theological purpose behind corporal mortification.
...
"Self-denial helps a person overcome both psychological and physical weakness, gives him energy, helps him grow in virtue and ultimately leads to salvation," wrote Geisler in a defense of corporal mortification in the July/August issue of Crisis magazine. "It conquers the insidious demons of softness, pessimism and lukewarm faith that dominate the lives of so many today."
It's nice to see articles explaining Opus Dei in a fairly positive light - especially in the Post.

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