El minuto heroico: Yo también dejé el Opus Dei

I was also recruited as a young teenager to Opus Dei, and spent 12 years in the organization. This documentary series is absolutely accurate, so accurate that it could have been about my own life. I remember having to study chemistry on the bus commuting to and from the university. I also remember not having cash to buy something to eat during the day. I remember having to clean the men's houses and thinking to myself- why wouldn't they be able to do this themselves? Watching the documentary has re-opened my eyes to the extent of the psychological abuses. Thank you for shining a light on the realities of Opus Dei.

If part of the house is on fire, do you call the fire department or say that the rest of the house is not burning? ->For those who think that you need to see the rest of the OD's activities, mainly these are supernumeraries (including my parents) who raise their children on 'perfect OD material' that destroys their spiritual life. It's not their fault, they're being manipulated too much, which is a scary situation.

It's important to read the official statement of the OD on the documentary before reading the 1/10 comments. You will see then that every negative comment brings nothing new, it is a copy of this statement, which further emphasizes how strong manipulation, thought control and lack of permission for any criticism of the organization are. Most likely, these people did not even see the documentary, because it is discouraged them (behavior control).

It is necessary to make it clear that this group is destructive.

The only people hating on this film are in or involved with Opus Dei. They have their bias. Meanwhile, people who escaped Opus Dei know all too well how true these stories are. Let the public beware: Opus Dei is a dangerous high demand religion that has destroyed the lives of thousands of ex members with little to no oversight by the Catholic Church. They want your children to make a vocational commitment as early as 14.5 years old and they LIE when they try to tell you people cannot join until they are adults. They are using half truths and your ignorance of their statutes and canon law to make you try to believe them. If you value your life and the lives of your loved ones you will Stay Away from Opus Dei.

My daughter was a numerary member of Opus Dei for many years. During those years, we lost her as a family. It was like having a ghost. She stopped being cheerful, going to the countryside, riding horses, or participating in family gatherings. She didn't even want to attend her high school graduation party. Now I realize that she had been "abducted," and it wasn't so easy for her to see that she was being slowly manipulated within a strange, Spanish, shadowy group. Later, I tried to understand her, but it always felt like dealing with someone who was no longer my daughter: she was a stranger, who only occasionally shared new and strange things that had nothing to do with our family or traditions. I remember clearly telling her that one of the most notable aspects of Opus Dei was its opposition to "upward social mobility," because of its obsession with keeping maids as maids for life.

I was moved and frightened by the first two episodes of the series. The photography, framing, and camera work are excellent. The pacing and introduction of the people are also well done. I'm a visual artist, and I appreciate these details.

Also, what they show is too real. What the victims talk about (it's hard for me to call my daughter a victim too) is clearly a pattern that repeated itself in my daughter and in all the others who lived with her. Thank you for productions like this. I remember my daughter taking me to an Opus Dei center where she lived to watch a documentary about Opus Dei that reminded me of the propaganda productions of the Third Reich. The things one does for their children! But today, the documentary genre redeems itself with this production.

The testimonies portrayed in The Heroic Minute are 100% accurate. As a survivor of Opus Dei abuses myself and knowing some of the other survivors featured in the series, I can personally testify to the truth of their experiences. The series courageously shines a light on the hidden abuses and coercive control within Opus Dei, a truth that has remained buried for far too long.

It's disheartening, though predictable, to see the Opus Dei marketing machine mobilizing early with negative reviews. It is highly likely that many of these reviewers haven't even seen the program but are simply following orders from Opus Dei directors to undermine the series and its brave producers.

The truth must come out. Church authorities must act now to prevent Opus Dei from targeting minors for exploitation and spiritual abuse. This kind of harm cannot be allowed to continue in silence.

Well done to all involved in The Heroic Minute for their immense bravery in sharing their stories and standing up to such a powerful institution. Your courage will inspire countless others.