Upon the Roman Hill, Caesar announced ?Veni, vidi, vici.?. This interpreted means ? I came, I saw, I conquered.? Today, we have many such announcements from victors. The one such speaking would be unutterable if it were coming from a secret society known as the ?Opus Dei?.

This organization also is known as the ?Holy Mafia? for its ?allegedly secretive practices, aggressive recruiting tactics, and its ability to seemingly "...exert undue influence on the Vatican

Opus Dei or ?the work of God?, today is an organization that was started in 1902 by a priest named Josemaria Escriva Babastros, Spain. Quoting this priest we find such statements as ?Blessed be pain. Loved be pain. Sanctified be pain. . . Glorified be pain!" (The Way, 208) or ?What has been lost through the flesh, the flesh should pay back: be generous in your penance?. (The Forge 207). It is within the framework I believe of good intentions this started with Josemaria. The organization started mainly as a way for lay people to do the ?work of God? within the Catholic church. Today, however, this small organization remembers its pivotal thrust into power by Pope John Paul II. For it was this Pope who helped it to receive more attention and influence within the Vatican. For in 1982, the Pope made Opus Dei a personal prelature status within the church. This means an organization with structure, money, means, and a motive has no one to answer to, except the Pope, once every five years. Plenty of time to hide what you are doing. For those wanting information, there are no financial statements, no membership lists, a concealment of the number of actual members, keeping quiet about names of members, and members also are not to tell anyone they belong to Opus Dei. Affiliate organizations even keep their close connections to Opus Dei a secret.

The nature of this organization was brought to the forefront by Dan Brown of the DaVinci code fame. Although, this work has also been debated around the world as to its authenticity, it did bring Opus Dei to the front. Another book, however also notes this organization. The Popes Holy Mafia by Robert Hutchison in 1961 targets the secretive nature as did Dan Brown. The book by Robert Hutchison says it is a ? mighty network of priesthood, businessman, bankers, engineers and many other professions working together to create a worldwide intelligence and business apparatus which can influence any sphere of religion, politics or business.? The book coincides with Dan Browns in that it shows a dark sinister agency with the ?work of God? attached to it. It is another ? another inquisition army which declared itself as being chosen by God himself to rule the world.?

Moreover, the agency can be seen on various web sites portraying the front ad-hoc view. Revealing the compassion driven, society caring, and sympathetic nature of this true work of God. The truth, though, is somewhere in the murky depths of this world of men and power. It is expected the organization has 85,000 members, even though no one really knows for sure. It is also know to have billions of dollars worth of money, property, and influence. Among its supporters, seen in the U.S.A. are some of the country's best- known conservatives. They are pegged as Opus Dei sympathizers or friends: Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas, Robert Bork, Republican senators Rick Santorum and Sam Brownback, form Information Awareness Office director John M. Poindexter and TV pundits Lawrence Kudlow and Robert Novak.

This secretive movement has had members removed from its center. Many times these are people that want out. This was true of Sharon Clausen. She was first approached in 1981, while a freshman at Boston College. The term Opus Dei, ?work of God? has a romantic pull to it. On the surface organizations like this use friendliness and deceptive means to lure the unaware into it. As Sharon says ?Yeah, looking back, I was probably a little gullible, a little earnest, looking for direction. Opus Dei offered me a room at Bayridge, their lavish single- sex residence designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany, on leafy Commonwealth Avenue. Rent was reasonable, religious supervision free.? She decided to try it. From these innocent beginnings the trap had been laid. As is such for many secret organizations. They bring you in with such ease. Then over time coax you to join. After while they lay the foundations for your becoming one of them. This includes solid indoctrination, oversight, rigid discipline, removing you from friends and family, and isolating you. Then they add the threat of harm, ridicule, failure, and being an apostate from God.

This attitude is revealed in the secret constitution of 1950, Number 103, Section 1: which states ? "A member who, after taking the Fidelity, illegitimately separates himself from the Center to which he pertains with the intention to remove himself from obedience is said to be an apostate from the Institute. This malicious intention may be lawfully presumed if the member does not demonstrate his will to the Director, within one month, of returning or surrendering himself." This statement simply put, means they can do anything under Gods law to get the offender back to God. Remember the inquisition by the Roman Catholic Church. It was charged with the eradication of heresy within the church. By means of torture and death many Christians died at their hands. All of this was done in the name of God.

Why would such devotees leave the ?work of God?? The common thread that is apparent is the secret nature and oversight attached to it. No one really knows today what goes on with members in these organizations. These are traveling dioceses? with their own government and not one person to answer too, except those within their immediate organization. Another part of the puzzle is the macabre nature of handling the disciples. From those who have left the organization and live to tell about it comes the following. They have to wear a barbed thigh chain called a cilice for two hours a day. If you forgot you had it on, it would draw blood when you sat down. Sleeping on floors, sleeping without pillows, discipline which meant being whipped with a long macrame rope. Along with all this came cold showers and sleeping on bed boards. You cannot see your family, no outside friendships (except to woo in others), no photo's except that of the founder Josemaria Escriva. If you wanted to leave, you simply were headed for damnation and although all this is totally unbiblical, followers were again considered an apostate.

In cavda venenvm is Latin for ?in the tail is the poison?. In other words, watch out for what you don't see. Even if the head doesn't bite, it doesn't mean it won't hurt you somehow. There are many such organizations like this one. Is this one a legit god-fearing organization? Is it a secret power of the Pope created for the ?one world religion? and ?new world order?? The many characteristics that people say it has when they get out of it, suggest it is a serpent with poison in the tail. It doesn't bite with its mouth. Watch out for its back part, that which is hidden behind the head. This is the place where you can get bitten. In the dark shadows where reality is what men want them to be. In Latin you can say ?Homines libenter quod volunt credunt? or ? Men believe what they want to?. (Terentius) Those ruling this ?Opus Dei? or ?work of God? see themselves as creating a world for the Catholic idea of one world religion. This they intend to do, no matter who gets hurt. After all, what is pain?

In conclusion, I want you to think about this statement. ?Why do the Angels speak in Latin?? From the early confines of the Catholic hierarchy, all was done in Latin. It took a layman to print the first bible in a language that all people and laymen could read. From these beginnings we have been able to put what men say against the bible, the Word of God. Here is where evil is seen in the light of the Word of the Lord. We see what men say is truth with the Bible which is Truth. From this comparison we see the True light. When a person confronts such secret organizations, know this. They seek power, influence, and the rise of the propaganda they belong too. The New World Order is here now. It has not reached its level of prominence it is destined for. When it does, there shall stand the ?man of perdition? and all those secret organizations like ?Opus Dei? who made it possible. For this Man of Sin, The Antichrist will reveal himself to be God in the temple of God. Thus, a one world order, a one world religion, and a God on earth who will rule and reign. Even if he isn't God, many will think he is. Thus, ?Homines libenter quod volunt credunt? or ? Men believe what they want to?.

Bibliography available