A bold truth about Opus Dei’s reach and the cost to its alleged victims is about to be aired in Buenos Aires, where the first international gathering of former Opus Dei members who claim they were tricked into domestic servitude as minors will take place. The event, set for Tuesday, aims to spotlight serious allegations that have drawn scrutiny of a powerful, secretive Catholic organization. Reports indicate that Pope Leo XIV privately urged organizers to convene the conference, a detail the Guardian has obtained.
Forty-three Argentine women allege they were lured to Opus Dei-associated schools as children or teenagers with promises of education. Instead, they say they were forced to work up to 12 hours a day—cooking, cleaning, and serving the male members of the group—without pay. They describe a regime of intense control, including censored letters, restricted family visits, and bans on reading material outside children’s books or religious texts. When some finally escaped, they say they left with nothing—no money, no clothes, and no professional qualifications.
Following the women’s testimonies, Argentine federal prosecutors opened an investigation, accusing senior Opus Dei leaders in South America of overseeing exploitation and trafficking of girls, adolescents, and women from 1972 to 2015.
Sebastián Sal, the lawyer representing the 43 claimants, noted that progress has stalled in recent months because two witnesses—who are themselves Opus Dei members—have delayed giving their testimonies.
Although the Holy See has not issued an official response to the complaint, observers believe the matter may be connected to Pope Francis’s 2022 decision to revise Opus Dei’s statutes and curtail some long-standing privileges. The Vatican, under Pope Leo, is currently reviewing updated statutes for Opus Dei.
A source familiar with the case, who requested anonymity to speak freely about the conference, said the pope encouraged organizers to move forward and suggested the pontiff could issue a formal statement after the gathering, which is organized by Ending Clergy Abuse, a global network of survivors and human-rights advocates. A Vatican spokesperson declined to confirm or deny the report.
Argentine investigative journalist Paula Bistagnino, whose work—including the book Te Serviré—helped bring wide attention to alleged trafficking and servitude linked to Opus Dei, argues that as the Vatican evaluates Opus Dei’s statutes, listening to the victims is essential for justice. “It is time for the world to hear them, and for justice to be done,” she said.
Opus Dei says it operates in more than 70 countries and firmly denies the Argentina allegations. A representative emphasized a commitment to eradicating abuses within the Catholic Church and broader society, aligning with the pope’s guidance.
Sal contends that reports of exploitation of “young teenagers and women from very poor, rural families” persist. He added that a Vatican announcement could push the Argentine courts to advance their case.
Claudia Carrero, one of the 43 claimants, will attend the conference. She recounts being taken to an Opus Dei school at 13 in 1979 with promises of hotel-management training, only to find herself repurposed for work instead. She recalls extreme restrictions: needing permission to call her parents, constant mail monitoring, and prohibitions on leaving the facility unaccompanied.
Carrero expressed hope that the conference would yield concrete institutional changes within the Church and noted she has heard similar testimonies from women in Mexico, Italy, Poland, Spain, Ireland, Peru, and Chile—“the same experiences, identical ones,” she said. She urged the Vatican to listen closely and take steps to ensure no one else endures what they did.
Meanwhile, Sal emphasized the women’s fear in sharing their stories, yet stressed their resolve to raise awareness about what happened to them.
