A Look Inside Opus Dei

Opus Dei is a Latin phrase that translates literally as "the work of God." It's also the name of a Catholic organization that was founded in Spain almost 80 years ago and now claims some 84,000 members worldwide. In recent years Opus Dei has gained prominence, especially after writer Dan Brown featured it in his best-selling novel "The Da Vinci Code."

The group has long attracted controversy, through its views on women to its recruiting methods, to some of its practices, such as self-flagellation. In his new book "Opus Dei," John Allen, Vatican correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter, investigates all aspects of this once secretive organization.