Separation of Church and State: U.S. Constitutional Policy in Conflict

Unformatted Document Text: Separation of Church and State: Constitutional Policy in Conflict 29

The Opus Dei formula for success is not based upon the quantity of its converts, but the quality of its converts, e.g. “they must primarily be influential [college students and others] from very elite backgrounds” (Cocozelli 2006). Some of Opus Dei converts include CNBC economic pundit Lawrence Kudlow, Senator Sam Brownback, former Senator Santorum of Pennsylvania, Supreme Court Justices Alioto, Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia; and Justice Scalia’s son is an Opus Dei priest. Further supporters of Opus Die are Chief Justice John Roberts, attorney Mary Ann Glendon, Mary Ellen Bork, wife of Judge Bork; also the former U.S. Solicitor General Ted Olson who argued for the Bush side in Bush v. Gore 31 in 2000 before the Supreme Court, receiving a 5-4 vote, thereby giving the 25 electoral votes from Florida and the Presidency to George W. Bush. In addition, Tom Monaghan [Domino’s Pizza boss at http://www.usdreams.com/Monaghan7677.html ], and Robert Novak well known conservative Chicago journalist often seen on Meet the Press, are cooperators, including conservative Catholics like Tim Russert of NBC news, Chris Matthews of NBC news and MSNBC, just to name a few of the important government, economic, and media personalities tied to or supporters of Opus Dei (Cocozzelli 2006; http://www.mond.at/opus.dei/ ; http://supreme.justia.com/scripts/search ). Further, a number of Opus Dei cooperators are also connected to the Neo-conservative think-tank Project for the New American Century, and the Institute on Religion and Democracy (Cocozzelli 2006-2007). Opus Dei seeks out the elite and wealthy for leadership, with the goal of infusing the U.S. [and the world] with a pre-Vatican II morality. Opus Dei elite and supporters are Republican and staunch supporters of President George W. Bush. The Society did not find much support, however, from either Pope John XXIII nor from Paul VI, but has found enormous support and stature under Pope John Paul II and the present Pope Benedict XVI. 31 531 U.S. 98 (2000)



Authors: Oberbauer, Angela.

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