However, Opus Dei critics criticize Escriva's lightning canonization. They argue that the whole process was plagued by irregularities. Kenneth Woodward, a journalist and an insider, found that the ‘Devil’s advocate’ system was bypassed and witnesses hostile to Opus were not called. Opus claims that eleven critics of Escriva’s canonisation were heard, but Woodward says there was only one. The "consultors" were mainly Italian and members of Opus. This stopped Escriva’s many critical Spanish peers upsetting the procedure. But it also broke the convention that "consultors" should be the fellow countrymen of the proposed saint. Opus argued that Escriva was too "international" to need this. Furthermore, wealthy Opus is alleged to have pressurised "hundreds" of Bishops, especially from the cash-hungry third world, to send favourable reports to Rome’s saintmakers. It is alleged that 1300 Bishops sent in glowing reports. Yet of these only 128 had personally met Escriva. There are also allegations that Opus tightly restricted the Canonisation material, even within the Vatican.
On the other hand, Opus Dei supporters refer to Fr. Rafael Perez, an Augustinian who is said to be one of the best experts on canonization and who was the Judge of Escriva's Madrid Tribunal. He says that the process was fast, because first, Escriva's figure is "of the universal importance;" second, the Postulators "knew what they were doing;" third, in 1983 the procedures were simplified in Vatican II-based reforms, in order to present "models who lived in a world like ours." Fr. Flavio Cappucci, the Opus Dei Postulator also reported that the 6000 postulatory letters sent to the Vatican showed "earnestness" and not "standard formulas." His team submitted 16 volumes on Escriva's life including the published criticisms against Escriva. The Tribunals listened to 92 witnesses, most of whom were non-members, much above the minimum required. Among them were 11 ex-members. Of the 92, 66 were Spaniards who went to the Madrid Tribunal. TheEach tribunalsone was asked 252 questions on the life of Escriva, 10 of which were based on the criticisms raised against him. Together with the lengthy investigative material, the 980 court sessions make this "the longest process to date." Perez also noted that the Tribunal's work is very rigorous and it "listens only to people who are credible" and not to those who "just want to cause harm." He also said that "money can never make a saint," but "genuine interest," which enable even the poorest congregations to forward their cause. Opus Dei supporters say that the other accusations including a slur against the bishops of the Catholic Church are baseless allegations which anyone can think up. After many things were clarified, supporters say, the attacks against the founder's beatification in 1992 have turned into acceptance and support by 2002 during the canonization. (''Documentation Service'' Vol V, 3, March 1992)
