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had to insurc that thc top-echelon
cabinet ministers would be solidly be–
hind the new king.
Spaín's only legal política! party, the
falange, were
1101
in agreement with
Franco on this politically explosive
issue of
'/'estoring Spain's mo1Mrchy.
Many in the falange party openly
expressed opposition.
So, it becarne clear to Franco that if
he was to be able to carry out his will,
he wonld have to bypass his old Falange
party comrades.
The Fascist-like nationalistic Falange
party had held undisputed political
preeminencc since they sided with
Franco during the 1936·39 Spanish
Civil War.
Franco had relied heavily on them
then and had, until quite recently, let
their members
fill
the most important
posts in
his
government. In actual fact,
Franco has relied on
three props
to
keep him
f
rom falling f rom power:
(1)
the
F,tltmge
party,
(2)
the
Ch~~rch,
and (3) the
Arm)'.
Now, all three are
reportedly dividcd intecnally.
Fraoco's Cabinet Reshuffle
But how best could General Franco
do this without provokiog powerfu1
hostile forces within Spain?
The solution proved relatively simple.
The groundwork for his masterful
switch of power had been laid by a
little-known, powerful, comparatively
small, highly competent organization
known as
Opm
Dei.
On October 29,
1969
Franco quietly
sacked 13 of his top cabinet ministers
(belonging mostly to the Falange
party). He replaced them with members
or sympathizers of the fast-growing, up–
and-coming
Opm Dei. OpiiS Dei
was
solidly behind Franco in his design to
restare Juan Carlos to the throne.
f ranco's decision to sack so many of
his top ministers and replace them
with members or sympathizers of
Op11s
Dei
provokcd a storm of protest and
sorne rioting from the staunch foJJowers
of
the Falange. And it opened the eyes
of the world to the fast-growing power
of
Op11s
Dei.
The
PLAIN TRUTH
Opus Dei-
Brilliant Technocrats
Just what is this organization? When
was it founded, and by whom? What
are its aims?
OpNs
Dei
was founded by Señor
José Maria Escriva ( now 67) in Madrid,
Spain, in 1928. He originally established
the movement under the name
Gmpo
Opm-
"work group."
Señor Escriva now lives in Rome,
from where he directs the activities of
Wide WO<Id Photo
PRINCE JUAN
CARlOS-Sioted
to become General Fronco's suc–
cesor os Heod of Stote.
Opm Dei.
Today the real guiding
Jight of the movement in
Spain
is Señor
López Rodo.
The total world membership is not
large - reportedly about
50,000
to
60,000-
with only about half of this
number living in Spain. But
it
has
branches in many parts of thc world-
March, 1970
in 68 countries. Its power and influence
is rapidly growing.
In
1928
Señor Escriva wrote the
manual (or handbook) which Opus
Deists follow.
It
is a collection of
999
aphorisms or maxims. The book is en–
titled
Camino
(meaning "The Way") .
This handbook is studiously read and
followed by its members.
What are its members like?
First, it is not possible just to join
Opw
Dei.
You must be invited to
join. The majority of people would
never begin to qualify. The organization
draws its members from among the
ranks of talented or highly placed mem–
bers of society.
Its
aim
is not simply more numbers.
It is interested in
t¡llality
of mcmbers
- not quaotity.
Its leaders rcalize that
50,000
fully
dedicated, intelligent, a!ert, loyal, self–
sacrificing, hand-picked individuals can
do far
more
than many
times
that num–
ber of rather lukewarm camp followers.
The Goals
The purpose of
OpttJ
Dei
is to
make Catholicism more effective in the
modero secular wocld, and to allow the
church greater involvement in secular
affairs.
The organization is composed of both
laymen and clergymen - though less
than
2%
reportedly are from the clergy.
There are two different orders
in the society: first-degrcc members
(Numerarios) and second-degree mem–
bers (Supernumerarios).
N11merarios
take the vows of
celibacy
and
poverty. S11pemmnerarios
marry but
are expected to contribute heavily to the
cause.
Señor Escriva believes that a Iayman
can attaín sanctity just as easily as a
clergyman. He emphasizes that mem–
bers of
O
p111
Dei
should try to practice
their religion in their prívate, personal
and
bmi11ess
affairs- as well as while
at Mass or while taking part in Church
functions.
Members of
Op11s
Dei
stoutly deny
that they are a secret organization. Aod
they insist it is not their intention to take
part in political matters.
But circumstances may have altered