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Will Pope Leo call for Opus Dei to reform? Why some want change inside the Catholic organization

Pope Leo XIV leaves after celebrating a Mass for the Jubilee of the Holy See in the St.Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Monday, June 9, 2025. (Andrew Medichini/AP)
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Pope Leo XIV leaves after celebrating a Mass for the Jubilee of the Holy See in the St.Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Monday, June 9, 2025. (Andrew Medichini/AP)

You may have heard about Opus Dei: the theologically conservative, secretive religious organization. It was made famous in “The Da Vinci Code,” the novel by Dan Brown that became a hit movie.

That was fiction, but real-life critics liken the group to a cult, accusing it of abuse, financial wrongdoing and human trafficking. Now, people wonder if Pope Leo will reform the group.

Here & Now‘s Scott Tong speaks with Gareth Gore, a financial journalist who wrote the book “Opus: The Cult of Dark Money, Human Trafficking, and Right-Wing Conspiracy inside the Catholic Church.”

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Copyright 2025 WBUR

Here & Now Newsroom
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