As an undergraduate at the University of Notre Dame in
Indiana, Daryl Glick didn’t really know what he wanted to do
with his life. He was an idealist though, thanks to his
Catholic upbringing in Michigan, and believed he could make a
difference in the world.
“I felt like God wanted me to do something with my life and I
thought it might involve a vocation, but I was very tentative
about what specific kind of vocation it might take,” Glick
said.
While he was trying to discern God’s call, Glick attended
activities organized by Opus Dei, an organization of the
Church that encourages lay people to seek holiness in their
day-to-day activities.
Through Opus Dei, Glick began to think about the ways in
which he could spread the word of God and make the world a
better place simply by living out his faith in every aspect
of his life.
“The ideal of Opus Dei is that you have dedicated men and
women who, through their interaction with others in the
workplace – ordinary human pursuits – will promote an
awareness of the calling to holiness through their
friendships, work relationships, family life, involvement in
society and their efforts at leadership,” Glick said. “That
was a big discovery for me to recognize that my studies and
my future career could be the substance of a vocation of
serving God.”
While Glick felt strongly that he was making the right choice
in joining Opus Dei, his family was a little wary of the
organization, which they weren’t familiar with, but has come
under suspicion many times since its inception in 1928.
Opponents have criticized the group, calling it secretive,
extremely right-wing and overly strict on its members.
Glick believes the criticisms of Opus Dei are false and that
the group is a “fully proved and established part of the
Church.” He didn’t let his family’s misgivings stop him from
joining.
“My family said, ‘don’t do anything you can’t get out of,’
but I never had any doubts,” Glick said. “It’s been a great
vocation.”
Glick joined Opus Dei as a celibate lay member 45 years ago.
He continued school, eventually earning his doctorate in
philosophy from Notre Dame. From there, he taught philosophy
for five years at the college before being invited to work
for the Opus Dei national office in New York in 1972. Ever
since, he’s been working full time for the organization,
doing administrative and pastoral work in New York, Chicago,
Pittsburgh, New Jersey and Washington, D.C.
During this time, Glick met St. Josemaria Escriva, the
founder of Opus Dei who was canonized by Pope John Paul II in
2002.
“Can you imagine what it’s like being with a saint? It’s like
being with Christ,” Glick said. “It was like getting an
energy charge, touching a live wire almost, leaving a feeling
like you could do anything.”
Three years ago, Glick came to Virginia to become director of
the Reston Study Center, a men-only Opus Dei center in the
Arlington Diocese. At the center, he spends his time offering
spiritual direction, coaching and encouragement to men
looking to deepen their spirituality and bring their faith
into all parts of their lives.
“Our focus is on sanctifying the ordinary life, bringing God
into the events of everyday and trying to deepen our prayer
lives and draw others closer to Christ,” Glick said.
To do this, Glick and his coworkers meet with Opus Dei
members regularly – usually weekly – to get acquainted and
suggest readings and classes for them. They also plan
seminars, retreats and conferences to strengthen their
members’ spiritual practices.
“Someone said once, Opus Dei is like a spiritual Weight
Watchers,” Glick said. “You can be in the program and you can
more or less do it on your own, but eventually you poop out
and you have to come back and be re-energized and recommitted
and checked against your resolutions so they can get you
going again.”
The goal of all the classes and seminars is for members to
begin taking their faith more seriously.
“We want them to realize God is a player in their life,”
Glick said. “He’s not just kind of out in the distance
somewhere and you’ve gotta make sure you give Him His due
every now and then on Sundays. That’s not the Catholic life
really. The Lord should be in all aspects of your day – keep
Him present while you’re working or relaxing, entertaining or
socializing.”
For Glick, the most rewarding aspect of his job is his work
with college and high school students. Reston Study Center
has members from several colleges, including George Mason
University, University of Virginia and William and Mary. The
center also works with students from The Heights, an Opus Dei
boys’ school in Potomac, Md.
“We try to organize activities for them to keep them
nurturing their faith life and their prayer life and we
challenge them so they don’t get too comfortable in the
Faith,” Glick said. “I really enjoy that – sticking it to
these college students – asking, ‘What are you doing? What
are you reading? How are you deepening your faith?'”
To people looking to deepen their own spirituality, Glick
suggested that they hold themselves to a higher standard of
Catholicism.
“The good enough Catholic concept doesn’t cut it anymore,” he
said. “That’s not God’s plan for us just to get along with
the minimum.”
To do this, Glick said that people should start by engaging
in a minimum of 10 minutes of free-flowing mental prayer a
day, using a guide if needed.
“Get up close and personal and be real,” he said. “Oftentimes
our worship and our prayer life is sort of a façade –
official and formulaic – where we’re going through the
motions, but our minds are somewhere else. We need to be real
and let our guard down and put it all out there. If people do
that and stick with it, it will change their life.”
