LETTER: Opus Dei's place in the divine plan

From Ms Alison Birkett

Sir: As I read Paul Vallely's article "What in the name of God is going on here?" (22 May) about the Catholic organisation Opus Dei, a passage of scripture came to my mind.

In the Acts of the Apostles, we read that when some of the apostles were taken prisoner and tried, a pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, held in honour by all the people, warned the Sanhedrin about condemning them. His argument was as follows: "If this plan or this undertaking is of men, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be opposing God" (Acts V, 38).

Yours faithfully,

ALISON BIRKETT

London, SW3

23 May