The Pope's Armada: Unlocking the Secrets of Mysterious and Powerful New Sects in the Church

Rating:
Summary: Not easy to get through, but most interesting reading
Review: "The Pope's Armada" was written by Gordon Urquhart about several right-wing sects in the Roman Catholic Church, including one, Focolare, that he had been in for some time during his youth. There is also a study of Communione e Liberazione (CL) and Neocatechumenate (NC). It aims to discuss the support that John Paul II has given these groups because of their theological conservatism and the opposition others in the Church have to them because of their interference with ecclesiastical affairs.

The book is very effective in explaining how "During the reign of John Paul II, Catholic Rome has been invaded by wave upon wave of groups and movements of all sizes and shades..." in order to illustrate the impacts of these groups on the Catholic Church. Their fanaticism and willingness to follow Catholic doctrine in key political and theological arenas made John Paul II see them as more than useful. This led him to confer special status on these movements and to see them as a definitive model for laity in the Church. Thus, the Pope selected of many members of these groups - vastly out of proportion to their numbers - for the 1987 Synod On The Laity.

Urquhart is exceedingly effective in showing the characteristics of these movements that make them cults, especially in terms of the way in which their founders are adored and the way in which they are seen as being the whole of Catholicism by members.

Urquhart also manages to go into dense detail about how these groups have been opposed by parish priests and bishops because of their desire to appeal straight to the Pope. This is because they want to use any form of authority only to justify their own causes - indeed bishops can be recruits for these groups. In the case of NC, they want total domination of parishes. This part is hard to read, but has some effect in explaining the depth of this divide.

Urquhart is much clearer about explaining how these groups are able to use the media to develop their views through journals like CL's "30 Giorni" (30 Days). He later does aim to show how they move news easily amongst members, and how they have been able to expand a great deal (except for CL, which has focused heavily on Italy).

Urquhart also explains fairly easily their hierarchical structures and how the lives of members "are controlled down to the last detail" (as he experienced). He also looks at the rather unclear way in which the movements justify the neo-ultramontanism which has been revived under John Paul II, and believes that these organisations will provide the popes of the future.

The later part of the book is focused on the sects' political involvement, which is what endeared them to John Paul. The sects, naturally, tend to allow members to vote only for politicians who support their own doctrine, despite the fact that they do claim to allow political freedom to their members. Like Opus Dei, these sects are very wealthy and in the case of Neocatechumenate, actively encourage accumulation. Focolare, by contrast, does not allow private property, but this has lead it to become extremely wealthy due to vast donations of members, the bulk of which goes towards expansion.

Urquhart is extremely clear that these Catholic sects are extremely dangerous and that even now there is no way they can be stopped due to the fact that changes in policy are very unlikely - indeed I would go so far as to say that intensification of John Paul II's policies is certain to continue through the next series of Popes. There is little doubt that these movements have a rosy future and it is not likely that many will be easily informed of the danger in them, especially given the Pope's power and his support - though Urquhart does admit he would like to see it.

On the whole, an essential read to see where the Catholic Church is heading.

It would be better if the book were broken down into a much larger number of chapters or if each sect (CL, Focolare, NC) was treated separately from the others so that one could study and compare them. As it is, I find the book absorbing but unstructured. Written in a stop-start fashion and without any structure, this will take a great deal of time to absorb..

Rating:
Summary: Urquhart. . . . .Master of illusion
Review: .....And/Or deciption (at least regarding the focolare)

A great effort was done by urqhart to write the book, and that is true.

A lot of information was revealed regarding the "inner structure of the focolare" which is good but a greater effort was done to twest the look and interaction of this structure, . . .
I see no problem in having an inner structure of any thing every thing successful should have an inner structure, from the shop of my old man to the Vatican itself, whats the catch ?!?, but the way Gordon selects his words and the way he speaks about the focolare, is one of the most deceptive ways I have ever seen, "The truth is in our pocket?"; "solutions will be found when the movement is dominant or is recognized.. . ." and some other stuff is totally bluf and has nothing to do with the truth, especially that the movement is recognized in the United Nations and is involved in a lot of human activities that are not totally under its umbrella. If the word deciptive is harsh then I will use the word illusion, because if the movement was like he says then how on earth it was able to reach to non-christians and people who even do not believe in GOD, (please don't tell me that all of them are BRAIN WASHABLE).

The biggest deciption of this book is the use of the word "recruting", this word by itself is so much deciptive and wrong, actaully it gives a totally baized and wrong impression to the reader from the begining.

One thing the urquhart wrote and it took my attention, was the fact that the close he came to the movement (when he first met the movement), the far he finds himself from his family and friends, (if they are not RECRUTABLE then he forgets about them), I find this to be a stronge indication on how weak the auther was and that he was searching for a tab-on-the-back sort of thing and not for a real commitment.

As on of the reviewers wrote I think that the auther was weak and could not take the right decision, he should have left the movement from the begining, and it would not have been wrong, but he was never brave enough to do it.

Also the author speaks alot about a "Hidden Agenda" for the movement, and through his book he touched on this subject alot without hitting it directly and most of what he wrote regarding this "Hidden Agenda" was his own anticipations regarding how the movement thinks that the world will be when it "Over Takes" the world, or something like that, he never spoke explicity about those "Hidden Agenda", he never speaks about what was his rule in applying those "Hidden Agenda" (if they realy exists). So 10 years with the movement and still he has no solid proof or solid material about this "Hidden Agenda" means either DECEPTION or (more likely) ILLUSION.

I won't say "do not buy this book" no Buy it and read it, but also get another book, which is "Work of a woman" or "Adventure of the Unity" read them and compare them to the paragraphs that urquhart has qouted from them in his book.

Or much better, wherever you are, there should be a focolare center near to you, go there, visit them. Tell you what, take the book of urqhart with you, in case you are afraid to be BRAINWASHED.

Rating:
Summary: Worthwhile but read critically
Review: Hello=

I read this book for the most part.

The author was sensitive because he was weak
and brain washable in the first place.

His description of the fact that the Focolare
is organized is only testament that the Focolare
is part of an organized religion, the Catholic faith and
not a loosely knit cult.

Although I feel all Catholic literature should be
spoken and written in Jesus' original tongue, HEBREW,
I feel the author allowed himself to be bested by
a system.

One can be bested and ego-damaged in any structure,
whether corporate, sport, social, etc...

If the Focolare is a cult,then MacDonald's is a concentration
camp.

Troy

Rating:
Summary: Interesting perspective
Review: I find it rather amusing that the author portrays these movements as "right-wing". In fact, in some important ways they are quite radical. Focolare's focus is unity, but what does that mean? Unity in the one true Church of Jesus Christ? Unity in Christ Himself? No! Unity in a nebulous humanistic sense. The Catholic Church has always been focussed on the salvation of souls through conversion to Jesus Christ and the Church He founded. The Focolare seems almost to positively discourage conversion to the Catholic Church. There's a lot of pious talk, but where's the missionary spirit of a St. Francis Xavier or of a St. Paul for that matter? Don't get me wrong, I think these people are sincere and the Catholics among them seem to believe in the major dogmas of the Church, except perhaps for the one that says "outside the Church, no salvation".

As far as the cult thesis goes, I think there is probably some truth in it, but I also think the author exaggerates. They do seem to run their members ragged with activities and I definitely think there is a "cult-of-the-leader" tendency, although as the priest in another review pointed out, one would probably say that about the early Franciscans or Jesuits or Dominicans.

The thing that disturbs me about them is not their fundamentalism but their radical break with the traditional teachings of the Church in the areas of evangelization and ecclesiology.

Rating:
Summary: Important reading for Catholics and others
Review: Now I ought to say that, if you're an anticatholic you will find 'ammunition' in this book. That is to be regretted. Because the author raises the distinct possibility that Roman Catholicism as we know it may soon cease to exist, and THAT ought to be a concern for everyone. Everyone, that is, opposed to a 'fundamentalist' sect of Christianity. A fundamentalist Catholicism is in fact what is being promulgated by the Focolinari, the Neocatechumenate, and other appendages of the 'Pope's Armada'. The author suggests, but unfortunately, cannot prove, that John Paul II WANTS to promote these sects as a counterweight to the rising power of fundamentalist protestantism. One readily sees the danger, because the resources of the Catholic Church dwarf those of any Protestant fundamentalist sect. In contradistinction to the first reviewer, I think the Focolinari, as oftentimes said, are a kind of 'Moonies', and so, for the most part, ignorable, if not exactly harmless, as long as you can muster reserves of self-determination so as not to be subverted into their cult. The neocatechumenate, however, come off a great deal more sinister, almost violent, certainly they seek to compel obedience in any diocese which they 'infect'. And secretive. I think these guys are worht keeping an eye on.

Rating:
Summary: shades of opus dei!
Review: Originally, I purchased this book because I thought that it covered one among the several right-wing Catholic movements in which I harbor a specific interest, Opus Dei. My interest derives from the fact that I had been a former numerary for six years, an experience that in retrospect was personally harmful.

However, I was disappointed to find that while the book contains substantive passages on Opus Dei, most of the critical content dwells on Focolare, Communione e Liberazione, and Neocatechumenate.

Imagine my surprise later on to find on closer reading that much of what is said about the three movements applies just as well to Opus Dei. The family resemblance among the movements is striking as well as considerable. What the author, Gordon Urquhart, narrates about Focolare, the movement in which he was a member and then a leader for nine years, fits my own construction of what is problematic, questionable, and even abusive in Opus Dei rather well.

For example, the passages below apply very well to Opus Dei.

On the uncritical implementation of Bl. Josemaria Escriva's vision for the organization:

Charism (Greek, "gift") is a New Testament term for a gift of the Holy Spirit bestowed on the individual for the good of the community....

...What does "charism" mean in the context of the movements? It is used to safeguard the supremacy of the founders as the fount of all doctrine and authority within their organizations. It preserves the "purity" of the message that can only be passed on in the manner the movement deems correct and by the people it authorizes....

...The "charism" allows the founders to proclaim authoritatively on every subject, not just on matters of soul, and their ideas have the same binding force on members as their spiritual teachings. This omniscient dimension of the charism reinforces the fortress mentality of the movements, isolating them from the rest of society in the belief that they have all the answers to every conceivable subject (pp. 34-35).

On the harmful constraints placed upon the members:

...It is essential to distinguish between the influence the Catholic Church exerts over the common faithful--allowing them a great deal of freedom--and the thought reform practiced by these movements (p. 54).

On the precedence given to the propagation of the organization over and above the spiritual welfare of the individual:

...The greatest danger, however, is that the institution becomes totally identified with God. Focolare and the other movements believe they have God in their pockets. God lives within their community; He is theirs to conjure up at will. It is from this conviction that all the other abuses stem: the belief in the omniscience of the movement, the glorification of the institution, and the destruction of the individual, the identification of the movement with the Church, the rigid application of its precepts, the assurance that any methods, including deception, which propagate the movement are licit. If the movement or community reveals God, possesses God, or in some way is God, everything is permissible (p. 65).

There are, of course, differences between Opus Dei and the other three movements, such as the Focolare's critical regard for priests described on page 139. In contrast, in Opus Dei the regard is reverential, not deprecatory.

It is a tribute to the tightly closed and inaccessible character of Opus Dei that Urquhart is able to furnish only glimpses of an organization that in its negative aspects all too closely resembles the other three movements.

For all those who wish to view this family of lay ecclesial movements from a critical perspective, Urquhart is recommended reading. He is highly intelligent, articulate, full of insight, provocative, with a talent for strong argument. However, his opinion of the movements as irredeemable suffers from what I believe to be an extreme and perhaps fatal pessimism. He writes:

A distinguished Catholic journalist in the UK asked me if I would like to see the movements reformed. "No," I replied; "I would like to see them disbanded" (p. 456).

The author's palpably intense cynicism suggests that even organized religion itself may be beyond redemption.

Rating:
Summary: sad to say, but this book is a joke
Review: When I ordered the book I was very excited. I wanted to know what he had to say about these movements. I was born and lived in Italy and, in a way or another, I came in contact with all three movements. I now live in USA where I minister as a Roman Catholic Priest. At first, I was surprised that he said nothing about Opus Dei; I realize that it doesn't fit under the category of movement (although the word Armada would apply in this situation).

The author is very verbose in his description. It is interesting to notice how many "negative" adjectives he has used. There is a lot of anger in these pages. I would say that he had a thesis (the Movements are sects) and a hidden Agenda ("Focolare hurt me and I want to hurt Focolare").

The major flaw of this book, I believe, is found in the editing. It's badly put together. True, the author is not a scholar but a journalist; still, I would expect some logic in defending a thesis.

There is no description of what a sect is; nothing is given to the reader upon which, and against which, he or she (the reader) may evaluate the author's thesis. Sources (mostly organizations that studied religious cults) are mentioned sporadically and only when his point needs to be supported. This is call "prooftexting." It is usually avoided by scholars because it invalidates the strength of their argument. Mostly, the rule is "if you proof text, your argument doesn't stand on its on."

Because blinded by his Hidden Agenda, the author seems to ignore that Movements like Focolare belong to a tradition that he bigger, larger and deeper than he seems to see. The problem the author has is his lack of evaluating the spiritual points within the boundaries of the Catholic Tradition. Had he done so, he would have been surprised at the parallels between these movements and others that the Church has seen in years/century pasts. Nothing is said about the spirituality of the Movement but only about the "bad things" they do. All these "bad" things are given to the reader freely and without order, almost as a stream of consciousness. (It is very natural for people who have been hurt to cope with themselves in this way).

Everything that he says - in the way he says it - could be applied to anything else in the Catholic Church. The author could write another book about the Franciscans, Jesuits and Dominicans by using the same text (well, most of it anyway) and just substitute the words. This casual way of treat the subject of the work impoverishes the whole thesis.

Posting a review here doesn't allow me to go into details but it really makes me sad when people transform their arguments into "talk shows." This is another book that has been written to make money (like "a few good men," which is, in my opinion, even worst). I do not doubt the experience the author had, and I do not wish to minimize them; I also know very well the problems that NC has caused in many parishes (I would not allow them in my parish!) just as I have seen that some focolarini can indeed put themselves in danger to become too lost in the Chiara-cult. All this, however does not discredit the spiritualities of the Movements.
The book will not help anyone who really wants to know the shadows of these realities (as I wanted to). On the other hand, it is great for "talk-show" mentalities - very popular here in the US.