While the word “cult” has the general meaning of any particular form of worship involving rituals and a specific theology, in recent times it has taken on an additional and largely sinister meaning; i.e., of “a religion or sect considered to be false, unorthodox, or extremist, with members often living outside of conventional society under the direction of a charismatic leader.” (Dictionary.com). Such groups can be found both as autonomous entities and religions or as communities/groups/organizatons within a larger established religion, such as Catholicism.
In the case of cults within a larger established religion, one may not necessarily find evidence of obvious “heterodoxy”, although the group will likely overemphasize one or more doctrines at the expense of others, but one will always find evidence of “heteropraxis”. This heteropraxis usually includes an extreme value being placed on obedience and loyalty to a leader who views himself as having received a special vocation directly from God for some special mission of great importance. Given fallen human nature, such leaders tend to become increasingly grandiose and make increasingly totalitarian demands on the lives and consciences of their adherents, sometimes with tragic consequences, such as at Jonestown.
In The Mystery of Things, this phenomenon, and its potential effects on individuals, is explored in the guise of SANA, the fictional “Student Apostolate of North America” described by the novel’s protagonist, James Ireton, as “a more-Catholic-than-the-Pope faction of devotees whose steel plated leader, Peter Krato, served up new daily dogmas with the communal breakfast sausage.”
Along non-fictional lines (although occasionally referencing the novel) Debra Murphy has also published (on her blog and CatholicExchange.com) a series of articles on the nature of Catholic cults in connection with the recent scandal involving the founder of the Legionaries of Christ and Regnum Christi. At the time of this writing, those groups are being investigated by the Vatican after it was revealed (after years of complaints by ex-members that had gone largely ignored) that Fr. Maciel, the founder, had father illegitimate children at the same time that he and his leaders were encouraging the LC/RC members to view him as a living saint.
For an in-depth discussion of the phenonmenon of cult-like activities within the Church, see Debra Murphy’s series:
Part 1: Introduction
Part 2: Forum on Catholic Exchange
Part 3: People–and Cultures–of the Lie
Part 4: Transparency
Part 5: Public Face vs. Private Face
Part 6: Relevant Articles
Part 7: Conscience in Canon Law and the New Movements
Part 8: False Conscience and its Bitter Fruits
Part 9: More Relevant Links
Part 10: Q & A with canon lawyer Pete Vere
Part 11: False Conscience and True Obedience
