Opus Dei called 'complete opposite' of 'The Da Vinci Code' portrayal

Published: 2006-03-22

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The impression of Opus Dei conveyed in Dan Brown's novel, "The Da Vinci Code," is "the complete opposite of what Opus Dei is about," said Brian Finnerty, U.S. spokesman for the international Catholic organization. The book portrays Opus Dei as a secretive cult within the church plotting to take over the church and willing to kill those who stand in its way. One of the main characters in the book is a murderous albino Opus Dei monk named Silas. In fact Opus Dei, headed by a bishop, is a personal prelature -- part of the hierarchical structure of the church -- and it has no monks. With the vast public attention given to the book over the past three years, and now with the movie coming out in May, Opus Dei is using the occasion "to get the word out about who we really are," Finnerty told Catholic News Service in a phone interview. He said one of the things the organization has done is provide a brief description of the real Opus Dei for a new Web site funded by the Catholic Communication Campaign, www.jesusdecoded.com.

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