Opus Dei abuse allegations featured in new documentary

Journalist Mònica Terribas has released a new three-part documentary series on HBO Max titled ‘El buen espíritu: detrás de la puerta del Opus Dei’. Following her previous work, ‘El minuto heroico’, which focused on women, this new series examines allegations of labor, psychological, and spiritual abuse involving 14 men who were former members, numeraries, or priests of the religious institution.

The subjects of the documentary come from 11 different countries across Europe, Latin America, and the United States. Terribas notes that many of these men felt like both victims and perpetrators, having held positions of authority such as center directors, local council members, or secretaries, which involved managing finances and controlling the contributions of others.

The documentary explores the profound psychological impact on these individuals, including accounts of loss of autonomy and, in some cases, suicidal ideation.