Opus Dei: Prominent Members

Opus Dei is a personal prelature of the Catholic Church, an international diocese-like structure whose aim is to foster a wide awareness of the universal call to holiness.

In keeping with the scholarly nature of this encyclopedia, this list focuses on the people whose membership is documented in published works

Publicly confirmed members

A. Government Work. In 1960s Spain, Francisco Franco appointed several members of Opus Dei as ministers. These ministers are generally acknowledged to have introduced to Franco's rule a capitalist, technocratic ideology which contrasted with previous Falangist, Carlist and military influences. (See Berglar 1994 p. 186)

1. Alberto Ullastres - Minister of Trade

2. Laureano Lopez Rodo - Technological Secretary of the State Department

3. Mariano Navarro Rubio - Treasury Department

B. Journalism.

1. Rafael Calvo Serer - editor and founder of Diario Madrid who was hounded into exile for his criticism of Franco, who closed the publication. Calvo, by working underground, helped to bring democracy to Spain. (Messori 1997, p. 30)

2. Antonio Fontan - journalist who advocated free elelctions and trade unions. Persecuted by Franco. After the death of the latter, he returned as President of the Senate in 1977. He helped draft Spain's new democratic constitution. (Messori 1997, p. 30)

3. Robert Novak, conservative American commentarian

C. Work in the Church.

1. Pope John Paul II's press spokesman, Joaquin Navarro-Valls, is perhaps the most famous member of the organization.

2. Reverend Robert P. Bucciarelli was once head of Opus Dei in the USA.

D. Work in the Academe

1. John F. Coverdale, law professor at Seton Hall University.

E. Medicine.

1. Dr. James Egan, child psychiatrist.

Former members.

1. Robert Hanssen, FBI counterintelligence and Soviet mole, was a confirmed member. According to Shannon, The Spy Next Door, page 82, Hanssen confessed his spying activities to Reverend Bucciarelli, but this was kept confidential, as is proper in the confessor/penitent relationship. Opus Dei sent out a letter against Hanssen's activities after his exposure.

Unconfirmed, rumoured members

Some have claimed that Ruth Kelly, United Kingdom Education Secretary, is a member, which she neither confirms nor denies.

In the United States, the Boston Globe reported connections between the Opus Dei priest Father C. John McCloskey III and some conservative Catholic politicians. [1]

Some people say that Louis Freeh, once head of the FBI, is a member. The Opus Dei Information Office has denied this, (and other rumours). (See Catholic League's Opus Dei: Fact and Fiction [1]) "... but we would like to dispel once and for all the rumors that Louis Freeh, Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas, and Mel Gibson are members." Clearly Mel Gibson is unlikely to be a member, he does not support the Pope. (Jesuitically, they say they would like to dispel the rumors; they don't actually say the rumors are false.) Louis's brother John Freeh was a member, but Opus Dei spokesperson say he has left the organization. (Shannon, page 183)

One account says Father Paul Scalia, son of Supreme Court Justice Scalia, is a member.