With the media focused on the sex abuse scandal, little notice has been given to the Vatican announcement this week naming Opus Dei Archbishop Jose Gomez as the new leader of the largest Catholic archdiocese in the U.S. and one of the largest in the world. Pope Benedict XVI could have waited several years to replace Cardinal Roger Mahony as metropolitan archbishop of Los Angeles (Mahony turns 75 next year, the age all hierarchs are required to offer their resignations. The Vatican, however, has often kept prelates in their position for much longer.) but it would seem the declining popularity of both the Catholic and Republican brands required quicker action.
Termed the "Appointment of the Century," Gomez - ordained into Opus Dei's Priestly Society of the Holy Cross - now provides his organization with ultimate jurisdiction over a tremendouss array of Catholic assets. As a "metropolitan" archbishop, Gomez will not only head the Los Angeles archdiocese, but will also have supervisory reponsibility (called "suffragan") over five smaller dioceses as well, together comprising 20 counties in which 77% of the population of California resides. Catholics are about a third of California's population - higher than the national average of 22%. When Catholics joined with Mormons and other religious conservatives, the coalition was enough to pass Proposition 8 banning gay-marriage. California also has the largest number of electoral votes (55) - more than the states of New York (31) and Illinois (21) combined.
The threat, however, is greater than just demographics.
The raison d'etre for the Relgious Right was to marshal Americans into voting for the Republican Party. Some of the advantages of having clergy do the work of political operatives are tax deductible donations, tax exempt income including investments, religious non-profits are not required to file any financial disclosure forms nor are they required to disclose the amount of gifts nor the names of contributors including foreign donors who are barred from contributing to candidates and political parties.
Even before the U.S sex abuse scandal made headlines eight years ago, bishops had found ways to shelter money from lawsuits in separately incorporated foundations and trusts eligible for the same tax benefits as religious organizations as long as a bishop states the entity furthers the ministry of the Church. So the opportunities for Opus Dei to hide their finances are limitless.
Opus Dei is a worldwide organization which, since its founding in 1928 by a Spanish priest, has worked alone or in tandem with other rightwing groups bent on establishing oligarchies of the rich and powerful. Located in 60 countries, Opus Dei lost influence in its native Spain and Europe but has moved on to the third world including Africa, Asia and especially the Latin America.
Opus Dei is already established in the U.S. with an office on Washington D.C.'s K Street, a massive office/dormitory building close to the United Nations in New York, and numerous schools and research facilities. Opus Dei now has additional access to the largest group of Catholic facilities in the U.S. Los Angeles is said to have the largest population of Mexicans outside of Mexico with financial ties south of the border established since the first Spaniards set foot in what is now the American West. Republican administrations from the post-World War II era forward have installed and bankrolled Latin American dictators and oligarchs, so perhaps uber-wealthy Latin Americans are ready to return the favor.
(Betty Clermont is author of The Neo-Catholics: Implementing Christian Nationalism in America)
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