And finally we conclude the series on vocation and Opus Dei...
Q. I'm told marrying members give a regular contribution to The Work: is it true that the non-marrying members of Opus Dei give their entire salary to The Work?
A. Yes. In the same way a married man gives his whole salary to his family, numeraries and associates also give their entire salaries to Opus Dei.
Q. All of it!?
A. Does a husband give a percentage to his family and keep the rest?
Q. Ummm... Nope. Not really...
A. Same case with The Work.
Q. But what if he needs some new clothes or wants to go for a beer with friends or needs a new phone...?
A. Same case. What if the married man needs some new clothes or wants to go for a beer with friends or needs a new phone...? Doesn't he get what money he needs from the family?
Q. Yes. But in Opus Dei do you like need to ask for permission or something?
A. Does the married man ask his wife or family for permission?
Q. Eeee... Not exactly. He at least informs the wife beforehand...
A. Well actually more than inform he consults so that if there's a greater need for the family or for an individual in the family she can remind him and he postpones getting the new car or making that investment. So too with the numeraries and associates: they consult.
Q. What's the youngest you can be before joining Opus Dei?
A. Legally speaking 18. You however get high schoolers between 14 and a half to 18 who in anticipation of joining legally when they turn 18 already begin living as members of Opus Dei while with their families.
Q. You mentioned supernumeraries, associates and numeraries; who are these "cooperators" I've read about?
A. Cooperators are not members of Opus Dei. They do not have a call or vocation from God to live the spirit of Opus Dei; God has not asked them to become saints and make it to heaven following the "lifestyle" or "manner" of Opus Dei. For this reason, cooperators need not be Catholic or even Christians or even believers. There are atheist, Jewish, Muslim, Anglican, Evangelical and Catholic cooperators of all ages and languages and locales. This was one detail St. Josemaria was very keen on.
Whatever the case, because of some interaction they have had with The Work, they admire what she does an how she does it and would like to help.
Cooperators of Opus Dei help in 3 ways: praying for her, her members and their apostolate; making financial contributions to one of her projects e.g. the on-going fundraising for Saxum Conference Centre; and lastly helping in kind e.g. to run an activity for kids in one of the clubs, assisting in keeping professional accounts for a university students residence, designing posters for a study centre etc. Prayer, contributions, assistance: the three ways cooperators help the Work.
In return, the Work and her members pray for all of these benefactors daily and make available to them all the means of formation - both collective and personal - that her own members enjoy.
Pray very much for The Work, her bishop and all her members that we may never get tired!
7thDecember 2015