The Opus Dei Connection…
In order to understand the Church Militant/Opus Dei connection, one needs to have at least a rudimentary understanding of the OD network. So let’s take a look at their background.
The story actually begins, not with Jose Maria Escriva, OD’s founder, but with another Spanish priest, Fr. Francois Vallet, a young Jesuit who developed an abbreviated version of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. Most people don’t have the leisure to do the entire 30 days. Fr. Vallet’s vision was to develop a five day retreat based on the Exercises. (As someone who’s been making a five-day Ignatian retreat annually for almost 20 years, I consider myself a beneficiary of this holy priest’s activities.)
