The Commonweal Podcast

Ep. 141 - Follow the Money


Listen Later

The invitation-only Catholic prelature known as Opus Dei, founded in Spain in 1927 by the recently canonized priest Josemaría Escrivá, currently counts just around 3,000 members in the United States. Yet its influence, especially among rightwing Catholics who occupy significant posts in Washington, is vast. 


On this episode, editor Dominic Preziosi speaks with financial journalist Gareth Gore, author of the new book Opus: The Cult of Dark Money, Human Trafficking, and Right-Wing Conspiracy inside the Catholic Church


Relying on bank records and the testimony of whistleblowers, Gore demystifies the secretive world of Opus Dei, showing how it has recruited powerful individuals and harmed vulnerable ones in its quest for political sway.


For further reading: 

  • Daniele Palmer on Opus Dei’s ‘ordinary secularity’
  • George Scialabba reviews Opus for The Baffler
  • ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store

    The Commonweal PodcastBy Commonweal Magazine

    • 4.6
    • 4.6
    • 4.6
    • 4.6
    • 4.6

    4.6

    124 ratings


    More shows like The Commonweal Podcast

    View all
    Fresh Air by NPR

    Fresh Air

    38,430 Listeners

    The New Yorker Radio Hour by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker

    The New Yorker Radio Hour

    6,881 Listeners

    The Book Review by The New York Times

    The Book Review

    3,917 Listeners

    On the Media by WNYC Studios

    On the Media

    9,238 Listeners

    The Brian Lehrer Show by WNYC

    The Brian Lehrer Show

    1,576 Listeners

    The Gray Area with Sean Illing by Vox

    The Gray Area with Sean Illing

    10,747 Listeners

    The Daily by The New York Times

    The Daily

    113,121 Listeners

    Jesuitical by America Media

    Jesuitical

    1,014 Listeners

    Radio Atlantic by The Atlantic

    Radio Atlantic

    2,380 Listeners

    Inside The Vatican by America Media

    Inside The Vatican

    404 Listeners

    Know Your Enemy by Matthew Sitman

    Know Your Enemy

    2,082 Listeners

    The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

    The Ezra Klein Show

    16,525 Listeners

    Hark! The stories behind our favorite Christmas carols by America Media

    Hark! The stories behind our favorite Christmas carols

    309 Listeners

    The Opinions by The New York Times Opinion

    The Opinions

    632 Listeners

    The Spiritual Life with Fr. James Martin, S.J. by America Media

    The Spiritual Life with Fr. James Martin, S.J.

    1,149 Listeners