Opus dei

[Eliowy]

We could not talk to the male members because it could lead to gossip! They had a separate dining room (there were 5!! in the Center) and we had to serve them in pairs (only guests,priests, and administrative staff got servers). They had separate entrances and we had to stay out of their way if we saw them. The no contact was supposedly practical. We had no time and when we did have a moments break we were often supposed to be in the chapel for benediction,Rosary, or group time. I did call them once on the landline but it was in front of everyone so it was awkward. i did get to send a letter every week i don't think they were censored. My mom tried to send care packages every month or so and a letter every other week. the letters were open when i got them because they had to be addressed to the center not to me. the no email or instant phone call was hard (I love my family). I suppose if i was hurt they would contact them right away but otherwise it would not help my 'spiritual growth' and be a 'distraction'. My dad called once to tell them about the tornado warnings and it was the highlight of my week that my dad had called :( sad i know.

edited for spelling :)

[Eliowy]

You would have to be religious. It's part of the deal. I mean what atheist would want to work knowing they would have to attend Mass,Benediction, Rosary, Mornings of Recollection, and group time? It was considered a non question. If you were catholic, a girl, and willing to work, you had a job.( Shrug). They only advertise the programs through word of mouth and opus dei events so i highly doubt an atheist would know there was even an opening.

[ceg045]

I went to an Opus Dei youth group-y meeting in high school. It was with a friend of mine who was (still is) a very conservative Catholic. It was pretty low-level stuff--I think we watched Lord of the Rings because of the C.S. Lewis' Christian background, and we went to Benediction at some point. Granted, even then I knew I was an agnostic, and religious ceremony makes me feel awkward, so it was still kind of weird, but nothing too juicy or insane. Then again...it was a youth group.

Had I known it was an Opus Dei thing, I probably would have begged off (this was around the time of The Da Vinci Code exploding onto the scene), but I only found out about it in the car on the way there. I just thought I was going to watch Lord of the Rings and be defrauded by Viggo Mortenson.

[Kelya]

I worked as a hired maid. They have a summer work program where they have high school students come and learn how to be "housekeepers" preparation for being a wife and mother i suppose. The first summer i only worked for 1 month (test period if they liked you, you could stay longer) And was sent home. Last summer i worked three months as a live in maid at the retreat center in MA. It was hard. The day started at 5am with Mass at 6am. Breakfast at 7:30am and an endless set of chores from then until 8pm or whenever we finished in the kitchen. I did read that book. i think that while some of it may be true not all of it applies to everyone in the group. I was paid a fare wage (the only reason i even signed up was because it'd be a full time job) and although i could not contact my parents and had no internet i managed ok with my cell phone (They didn't know) I guess my thoughts were the people at the center were sincere. Not hypocrites. I know them when i see them (we have allot at our church) So the honest efforts they did to please God was not annoying. The food was the best part of the deal. Delicious mexican/spanish food! Tres Leche cake made by margarita was the best! The rooms were small. Three other girls were there when i was there. There were about 5 other Numeraries that lived there. We could not talk to them or the priests (could not even be in the same room) And about 15 assistant numeraries. Any other info you'd like to know? :D

Where's the retreat center in MA?!

You said you were paid a fare wage? How much? The actual minimum wage of 8.00/hr for Massachusetts? Were you paid by check or cash or bank deposit? Did you fill out a W-4 and everything? Were you paid for all hours worked or was it more of a set stipend? How did you hide your cell phone? Do you have any guilt over that? What did you wear on a daily basis? Did you have weekends or time off?

[Eliowy]

Lets see...The retreat center is in Pembroke you can Google it easy. I made $800 a month when all was said and done the second time for $2,400 total. honestly at the time it seemed like a million bucks. It was way more than i would have made at a normal job back home and they fed and housed me too. I don't know about the W4 thing. I know we didn't get workmans comp or whatever because i had to sign something to that effect.(Burns etc were common in the kitchen and laundry i got lucky because none of mine left scars.) We were paid via a paycheck mailed back to our parents. My Dad usually sorts out my tax stuff (I'm 18) i'll have to ask him what it was. I did feel guilty about the cell phone. My parents wanted me to have it just in case though. my mom had me put it in my suitcase at the bottom. I only used it about three times to call and tell them i was surviving fine (with the fan on in my room in a whisper). Bringing clothes was kindda pointless because we wore uniforms most of the day(5am-8pm). They were light blue button up dress thingy. Not very good looking. The assistant numeraries wore a dark blue version of the same thing. For serving we had a black skirt. white top, vest and tie outfit. We did not have weekends off. People were at the center everyday of the week so three meals needed to be served and dishes washed every day (plus cleaning etc). Thursday and Sunday afternoons though (from 12-5) we got off to go to the beach or sleep or whatever.

[uber frau]

Just some very quick calculations-$800 bucks a month is about $200 bucks a week (give or take). I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and presume you were working five days a week and half an hour meal break a day (so you're working 12 hour days-7.30-8) and it works out to $4 an hour. Even with meals included, that's well below minimum wage. Maybe not as bad as SeaOrg, but I'm left scratching my head as to why an organisation as well off as the Catholic Church gets away with paying it's employees so poorly.

[Eliowy]

While i have to agree (We had 20min meal breaks though). I guess my reason at the time and now for being ok with it is that it is so much more than what i would have made at home in NY as a field worker (my previous job). I think it goes under the radar because the Opus Dei centers while associated with the Church are not non profit or whatever and are not the Church itself. I had friends that worked for a parish and did get paid minimum wage so i think it depends.