Opus Dei: 'helping people to take on board the call to holiness'

The Opus Dei movement has a shadowy reputation, but
Luke Coppen found its
human face in the form of Mgr Nicholas Morrish, the Regional Vicar for Britain
OPUS DE1: MO words that strike alternate chords of awe and fear in the hearts of Catholics. Awe, because this organisation's members are models of piety, exemplars of lay spirituality and upright pillars of religiosity. Fear. because of their reputed influence in the Vatican, their powerful hold over members and their mysterious and allegedly secretive nature.
It is precisely this reputation for secrecy that made it such a surprise when Opus Del's new Regional Vicar of Great Britain agreed to give an interview to The Catholic Herald. Hardly the behaviour of a secret organisation, you might think. Either Opus Dei isn't as secretive as legend supposes. or it is just very bad at being a secret organisation.
Whatever the truth, there is no denying The Work has a powerful mystique. Like the SAS, they have a reputation for ruthless efficiency. They are the Vatican's shocktroops, whom the Pope hopes will carry out the mission of the new evangelisation across the face of the world.
Given Opus Dei's intimidating reputation, it was with a touch of dread that I went to meet Mgr Nicholas Morrish. Opus's new British chief. First impressions seemed to confirm my fears. Fr