Left-wing media outlets on Friday accused Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts of having ties to “radical and secretive” Catholic groups.

Parents Published The article said Roberts received “spiritual guidance” from the Catholic Information Center (CIC) and claimed he had ties to the Catholic faith group Opus Dei. It called Opus Dei a “radical and secretive” group because it does not reveal the names of its members, and Massimo Faggioli, a theology professor at Villanova University, told the outlet that Opus Dei is part of the “traditional Catholic” movement in the United States.

Opus Dei seeks to provide guidance and spiritual service to Catholics in their daily lives, with a special focus on the “sanctification of work.” according to On their website. They officially In 1982 it was recognized as a personal Prelature of the Catholic Church by Pope John Paul II. (RELATED: Exclusive: Heritage chairman reveals Trump-Project 2025 ties amid media frenzy)

Roberts spoke at the CIC in September 2023 and called for “radical incrementalism” to advance conservative policy goals, which The Guardian claims is “extreme,” according to the article. The CIC provides spiritual and informational services to Catholics in Washington, DC, including Mass, confession, lectures and other sacraments of the Catholic Church. according to To their website.

“Once again, the radical left is attacking the First Amendment's protections of religious freedom, which are the backbone of our constitutional republic,” a Heritage Institute spokesperson told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “This type of religious bigotry not only undermines our freedoms, it undermines the very principles on which our nation was founded.”

Opus Dei adheres to the teachings of the Catholic Church and is “conservative” only insofar as its activities “fully convey the message of Jesus Christ,” according to its website. Opus Dei primarily provides “support and guidance” to Catholics in their daily lives.

Gareth Gore, author of a forthcoming book on Opus Dei, told the Guardian that he could compare the group to Project 2025, a policy project of the Heritage Foundation, because both are “reactionary to progressive trends in society,” and he accused Opus Dei of “infiltrating Washington's political and legal elite.”

Opus Dei and the CIC did not immediately respond to requests for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.

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