Religion: Opus Dei

In the wake of Dictator Francisco Franco's government "crisis" and Cabinet shuffle (TIME, March 11), the café wits in Spain last week were passing around a punning version of the old Latin saw, Finis coronat opus (The end crowns the work). Crisis coronat Opus, they said, and the Opus they meant was Opus Dei—a little-known organization of Roman Catholic priests and laymen which, it was rumored, had nine or ten members in Franco's new 18-man Cabinet.

This was an exaggeration. Though Opus Dei members do not advertise their membership, they may not conceal it,...