UPDATE: Opus Dei's Pope

Within the past week the Italian website InfoVaticana published an interview with Mariano Fazio, the Vicar General of Opus Dei--which is to say, the #2 guy at Opus Dei. Fazio took the occasion to harshly criticize the members of Opus Dei who have signed the recent Filial Correction. That would include Dr. Gerard J. M. van den Aardweg, although only Ettore Gotti Tedeschi, former president of the Institute of Works for Religion (IOR, the Vatican Bank), was mentioned by name. With regard to the Filial Correction, Fazio set forth this blanket position--one which would condemn any number of saints of the past: 

"Any faithful, bishop, cardinal, lay person has the right to tell the pope what he sees fit for the good of the Church, but it seems to me that he has no right to do so publicly and to scandalize the whole Church with these manifestations of disunity."

Fazio specifically included Gotti Tedeschi--as well as all the other signatories:

"I think he was wrong, too, like the others who signed."

Fazio even put forth the tired argument that Bergoglio hasn't actually changed any doctrine--as if Bergoglio's Cultural Marxist tactics somehow immunize him from criticism for the predictable results. "Feed my lambs," and if the lambs are fed poison, well, they're still being fed, right? No one, according to Fazio, would have a right to criticize the shepherd publicly.

This is, I think, a significant development. Opus Dei has taken an "under the radar" approach to Bergoglio from the very beginning--even allowing an Opus Dei member, Greg Burke, to serve as Bergoglio's spokesman. The Three Monkey approach. But of course, this under the radar approach is insufficient for Modernist revolutionaries in the long run. For Modernist revolutionaries push always comes to shove and the question posed in the old union song becomes theirs: Which side are you on?

It's clear that Bergoglio has been looking to discredit by any means possible the signatories of the Filial Correction. His tools may attempt to make light of the Filial Correction--Greg Burke attempted to mock it based on the number of signatories--

​“You can’t really imagine we would do this [block the Filial Correction website] for a letter with 60 names,” he joked to the Italian newspaper Il Giornale.)

but Modernist revolutionaries take all criticism very seriously indeed. Which is why Fazio was trotted out to savage fellow members of Opus Dei: scandalizing the whole Church! What's next? Will Gotti Tedeschi have a millstone tied round his neck and be tossed into the depths of the sea?

But of course this goes far beyond attacking Gotti Tedeschi. By agreeing to take this step, Opus Dei has given a clear indication of what side they're on: they're on Bergoglio's side. They have revealed themselves as the GOPe of the Church.

Of course, Opus Dei--like so many, many "conservatives" in the Church--set themselves up for this over the decades after Vatican II. Never speaking up while Wojtyla and Ratzinger pursued their Modernist agenda, setting the stage for Bergoglio. But the stupidity of this is still fairly breathtaking. The fact is, Bergoglio--as bad as he's been--has yet to fully rip the mask off. Count on this: given time, his assault on the Apostolic Faith will get worse--MUCH worse. And at this moment in time, with the Filial Correction out there and the Dubia Brothers still not issuing their correction, with the future of the Church looking ever more parlous, Opus Dei jumped on the Bergoglio band wagon? This was a signal not merely to two Opus Dei members--it was a signal to all "conservatives" and to the whole Church. As Fazio would say, a scandal to the whole Church: If Opus Dei is down with Bergoglio, it's all over--right?

What does Fazio and the rest of the Opus Dei brain trust think this will do to the Opus Dei brand? Yes, standing up to Bergoglio might have been very unpleasant, but look at the consequences, which we are starting to see already. We all remember how it was, how Opus Dei built itself up into a power brokering organization. For years they slyly whispered in people's ears: we're your only hope; everyone else has sold out--or are nasty schismatics. We alone have kept the Faith! So far I've only seen one comment on this, on a Spanish language website, but it's a telling comment. The overall tone of the article is quite "moderate," but halfway through the author simply states as fact: 

Por eso el Opus Dei era un bastión de la ortodoxia, una guía firme … y hoy no lo es. Necesitan volver a San Josemaría. [That is why Opus Dei was a stronghold of orthodoxy, a firm guide ... and today it is not. They need to return to St. Josemaría.]

Look, this isn't something they'll ever be able to walk back. They've trashed their brand for well and good. They've played right into Bergoglio's hand. As Bergoglio's right hand, um, guy, and the actual author of most of Amoris Laetitia, has publicly stated:

"There's no turning back. If and when Francis is no longer pope, his legacy will remain strong. For example, the pope is convinced that the things he has already written or said cannot be condemned as an error. Therefore in the future anybody can repeat those things without being sanctioned".

That's what Opus Dei has got on board with. Even supposing a miracle in the short run that could somehow turn around or even just halt the runaway train that Bergoglio is, would anyone go back to trusting an organization that has been an enabler for so many years? And after this? Doubtful. Very doubtful.

UPDATE: Just to be absolutely clear ... What Fazio was accusing Filial Correction signatories of was the serious sin of scandal--and not just any scandal. He was accusing them of scandal against one of the Four Marks of the Church, its Oneness. That's a very serious accusation. In the circumstances it should be considered as 1) a warning to all Opus Dei members to keep their mouths shut and offer no criticisms of Bergoglio, and 2) a warning to those of any stripe who would criticize Bergoglio that they should expect no support from Opus Dei.