Are Opus Dei members monks?
No. Opus Dei members seek to live their Christian faith in the middle of secular society, not by withdrawing from the world like those called to the monastic life. The Da Vinci Code gets Opus Dei’s nature exactly backwards. Numerary and associate members of Opus Dei – a minority – choose a vocation of celibacy in order to be free to organize and carry out Opus Dei’s programs and activities. Like all members of Opus Dei, however, they have regular secular work and continue to be laypersons. They do not take vows, wear robes, sleep on straw mats, spend all their time in prayer and corporal mortification, or in any other way live like Silas in The Da Vinci Code. Q. Do Opus Dei members practice “corporal mortification”? Yes. Like other Catholics, members try to incorporate an element of sacrifice into their lives. In accord with its emphasis on finding God in everyday activities, Opus Dei encourages small sacrifices like carrying out one’s duties conscientiously, putting others’ needs befo
