A Marian shrine in Aragon, Spain, owned by Opus Dei.Image: iStockphoto
An investigative reporter makes serious allegations in a book about the Roman Catholic organization. Now he talks about a meeting with the Pope to which he unexpectedly invited him.
April 8, 2026, 5:27 p.mApril 8, 2026, 5:27 p.m
Gareth Gore has researched Opus Dei for years. The British journalist makes serious allegations against the Roman Catholic organization. In the spring of 2026, Gore was unexpectedly contacted by the Vatican. He was to receive a private audience with Pope Leo to personally present his book and his research on Opus Dei to him.
As Gore said in an interview in The Guardian told us, the meeting lasted significantly longer than planned and the Vatican documented the encounter publicly with two cameras – at the Pope’s personal request.
Gore interpreted this public meeting as a conscious signal from the Pope to Opus Dei: The organization should know about it – as a sign that the highest church authority is taking the allegations against it seriously.
This is what the matter is about:
This is Opus Dei
Opus Dei (Latin for “Work of God”) is a Roman Catholic organization founded in Spain in 1928 by Josemaría Escrivá. It arose from his vision that God calls believers to holiness in everyday life. Originally reserved for men, the association was opened to women in 1930.
The philosophy of Opus Dei is based on the fact that holiness is not only found in church offices or monasteries, but can be achieved through everyday activities, work and family life. Work is seen as a means of serving God, and faith is lived through practical actions, ethical behavior, and service to others.
The Spanish priest Josemaría Escrivá in an undated photo.Image: KEYSTONE
The official goal of the organization is to help people connect faith and everyday life, to promote Christian values in all areas of life and to achieve holiness through work and charity.
The controversies
Despite its religious purpose, Opus Dei is always the subject of controversy. Critics accuse the organizationrepresenting some very conservative positions within the Catholic Church and exerting a strong influence on politics, business and education. Opus Dei is also accused of a lack of transparency, particularly when dealing with internal structures and decision-making processes.
Gareth Gore took up these and other points of criticism in his book “Opus”, published in 2024. In it he summarizes extensive research, according to which Opus Dei is said to be at the center of a system that is involved in child abuse, human trafficking and exploitation and that keeps its members under control with enormous psychological pressure.
Among other things Federal prosecutors are investigating in Argentina against leading members of Opus Dei. They accuse them of having organized the exploitation and human trafficking of women and girls. Opus Dei in Argentina then set up its own “processing and clarification” office where those affected can submit their complaints. As early as 2024, the organization also stated that allegations that girls had been persuaded to join with promises of education were “false and misleading”.
According to Gore, everyday life is precisely determined by Escivá’s writings, contacts and decisions are partially controlled. Long fasting, self-castigation or treating psychological problems with “medication cocktails” are also common.
How is Opus Dei organized?
The organization has approximately 95,000 members, including just over 2,000 priests and other clergy.
The organization distinguishes between three different member groups: Numerarians, Associates and Supernumerarians.
- Numerarian are celibate women and men who usually live in Opus Dei institutions and have to complete a two-year philosophy course and a four-year theology course, as is customary at pontifical universities. They can be clerics or laypeople, so they can also pursue civil professions. When you join, the inheritance is transferred to Opus Dei in your will; any wages, apart from pocket money, also go directly to Opus Dei.
- Numerariae Auxiliares or so-called assistant numerators are female numerators who are exempt from the regulations regarding the studies to be completed. Your services within the organization are limited to purely household tasks such as cleaning and cooking.
- Associated are exclusively lay people who do not live in Opus Dei institutions, but are nevertheless celibate and have the same obligations as Numerarians. They usually have no academic training.
- Supernumeraries live in their own households and are not celibate, so they can have families. To become a Numerarian or Associate, one must first become a Supernumerarian.
Another special feature is the institutional position within the church: Opus Dei is a so-called personal prelature, i.e. an association of clergy that reports directly to the Pope and not to the local bishops. This special position made it possible for Opus Dei to operate largely autonomously.
However, thanks to an adjustment by Pope Francis in 2022, personal prelatures can no longer be active in a diocese without the consent of the local bishop. Opus Dei is the only personal prelature of the Catholic Church and was elevated to it in 1982 by Pope John Paul II.
Role of the Vatican
Pope John Paul II canonized the founder of Opus Dei.Image: keystone
Gareth Gore also criticized the special position of Opus Dei within the Catholic Church: Since the organization reports directly to the Pope, it was able to operate largely independently of local church control mechanisms for a long time. As a result, allegations of abuse were not always investigated through the usual church structures.
Gore also sees the Vatican as having shared responsibility for the development of the organization. Opus Dei became particularly influential under John Paul II. He describes the organization as a close ally of conservative forces within the church, which was specifically used to take action against progressive movements.
Gore also criticizes the canonization of founder Josemaría Escrivá in 2002. This gave Opus Dei a kind of “Vatican seal” that gave the organization legitimacy, even though there were already numerous allegations of abuse, manipulation and political influence at the time.
The canonization of Escrivá was already in contemporary reports heavily criticized. Among other things, due to the close contacts of Opus Dei and Josemariá Escrivá with the fascist government of Francisco Franco in Spain. From 1957 there were several Opus Dei members as ministers in Franco’s governments involved.
Influence on elites
Gore also accuses Opus Dei of deliberately recruiting influential people. The organization is aimed particularly at elites from politics, justice, business and the media. According to critics, the aim is to expand social and political influence. Gore also criticizes the political role of Opus Dei. He describes connections to conservative networks, especially in the USA, where individual members or supporters are said to influence political developments. Opus Dei itself refuses to act politically as an organization.
Another point concerns the international dimension of the allegations. According to Gore, after the investigations in Argentina became known, other affected people also came forward in other countries such as Ireland, Mexico, France and Spain. Critics see this as evidence of structural problems within the organization.
Finally, the role of founder Josemaría Escrivá plays a central role. His writings lay down detailed rules for everyday life, work, prayer, self-discipline and obedience. Gore emphasizes that many of the organization’s controversial practices stem directly from this. As long as these teachings are considered divinely inspired, a fundamental reform of Opus Dei will be very difficult to implement.
That’s what Opus Dei says
Opus Dei denies the most serious allegations and emphasizes that the organization is committed to protecting minors and respecting the law. She describes many of the statements contained in Gore’s book as errors, distortions or unfounded accusations.
The official one Opus Dei website has also published a detailed response to research and claims, in which she explains the context of many of her critic’s statements.