Monday 21 September 2015

Christina Gallagher – See for Yourself – NOT a Cult

Anybody who wants, why not go to the House of Prayer in Achill and see for themselves that it is anything but a cult.  It is a prayerful place where many many healings – over 700 healings – have been testified to, a number of them medically approved.   I went to investigate for myself on hearing about this ‘so-called’ cult but I went in and left freely and no one stopped me infact I found it quite peaceful and welcoming.  I could continue saying the prayers or I could leave and sure that is not a cult. 


Friday 4 September 2015

FALSE claims ABOUT Christina Gallagher Achill Messages

It is SHOCKING TO READ about this misleading and uninformed attack on the very messages given to Christina Gallagher by Our Blessed Lady and Jesus - Shocking!!!  Read the article on the official website about Christina Gallagher and her mission.   This deception must be revealed for what it is !  

Monday 9 December 2013

Priest of Integrity - Biography of Fr McGinnity


It is with pleasure that I feature here the biography of Fr McGinnity, the story of a priest who has had the courage to risk all for the sake of the truth.  This very detailed account of his life of integrity is published by the people on www.gerardmcginnity.info - read it here below

Dr Gerard McGinnity

Biography


Fr Gerard McGinnity, the former Dean of St Patrick's College Maynooth, was born on April 5th 1947, in Derrynoose, Co Armagh. (1)

He was ordained for the Archdiocese of Armagh in 1972. He was appointed Junior Dean of St. Patrick's College, Maynooth, Ireland's national seminary, in 1973 and Senior Dean in 1978 at the age of 32, decades younger than previous holders of the post.

He acted as secretary to the Episcopal Commission for Seminary Training while in this post.

During the same period he also edited the Liturgical Calendar for Ireland.

Fr McGinnity holds a Doctorate in Patristic Theology 
(2) having completed his doctoral thesis on the writings of St Ambrose in 1981. (3)


Fr Gerard McGinnity - The Author


During his time as Senior Dean of St Patrick's College, Dr McGinnity was well known for conducting retreats for diocesan clergy and religious, he contributed to RTE and UTV religious broadcasts, was being talked about as a future bishop (4) and had published a number of books, including "Christmen - the Experience of Priesthood Today", which was a best seller in 1985. (3)

Fr Tom Lane of The Universe, wrote of Christmen "What is different and attractive about this book is the frequent use of such sources as secular and religious poetry, film etc." Lane describes Christmen as an "extended word of encouragement to those who want to be good priests".

Fr Martin Tierney, writing in The Furrow referred to Christmen as "a practical and pastoral guide to fruitfully living the priesthood in this busy world." and in recommending it describes Dr McGinnity's first book as a work of "spiritual refreshment and practical wisdom".

Fr Oswin Magrath, in The Southern Cross referred to Christmen as having "a refreshing renewal and contemporary character".

Cardinal Tomas O'Fiaich contributed the forward to Christmen. and to McGinnity's next book 'Celebrating with Mary' published in 1987. Of the later he writes, "Fr McGinnity's book is timely in so far as it coincides with the expressed aims of the Holy Father. While maintaining the richness of the Church's teaching on Mary, Fr McGinnity has a particular feel for the wealth contained in traditional Irish literature and spirituality."


Fr McGinnity raises concerns at Maynooth College


It was in June 2002 that Fr McGinnity sprang to national prominence in Ireland when The Irish Timesrevealed that, in his own words, he had in 1984 as senior dean in St Patrick's College Maynooth, been "demoted and humiliated" after taking up senior seminarians' concerns about the behaviour of the then college vice-president Monsignor Michael Ledwith in relation to junior seminarians - "including concerns of a sexual nature". (5) 

In synopsis, Canon Patrick Marron PP, in a letter to The Irish Catholic said, "Fr Gerard McGinnity conveyed the concerns of some seminarians in Maynooth College about the conduct of a Ferns priest to the Irish bishops in April 1984, and it was transmitted to the Board of Visitors to Maynooth. According to the Ferns Inquiry 
(10) 'they were inadequately investigated and appear to have been wholly misunderstood. "It goes on to say that it was 'entirely understandable that Fr McGinnity should feel victimised'. Bishop Eamonn Walsh in the report acknowledges that 'some priests had wrongly remained silent' Not so Fr McGinnity. The Episcopal conference has acknowledged Fr McGinnity's hurt and has apologised to him for it." Canon Marron comments further "I have known Fr McGinnity for many years and admired him as a priest. Since his demonstrating a sense of responsibility and a willingness to expose the wrongs being perpetrated on others he has admittedly had a fall in his high standing and been avoided in some gatherings where he was previously in demand and made welcome. At this time of new beginnings, in his case too, justice should not only be done, but seen to be done." (8) 

A statement given by Fr McGinnity in relation to this was printed in full in The Irish Times on 27th July 2001
(6) . In it Fr McGinnity describes the events of 1984; of being approached by the senior seminarians with their concerns regarding Mgr Ledwith; of passing on these concerns to Church authorities; and of his subsequent abrupt dismissal from his position by Cardinal Tomas O'Fiaich acting on behalf of the Trustees (17 bishops) of the College. (7) 

The six senior seminarians who approached Fr McGinnity had done so after their concerns had already been dismissed by the bishops. They had previously arranged separate meetings with the then Catholic Primate, Cardinal Tomas O Fiaich; Cardinal Cahal Daly, then Bishop of Down and Connor; Bishop Colm O'Reilly of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise; Archbishop Joseph Cassidy, then Bishop of Clonfert; Bishop Brendan Comiskey, who became Bishop of Ferns in 1984; Bishop Eamon Casey of Galway; Bishop Edward Daly of Derry; and the since deceased Bishop James Lennon, an auxiliary bishop in Armagh and Bishop John Ahern of Cloyne. 
(9) 

In a letter to The Irish Times in June 2002, Cardinal Daly and three of the bishops disputed the claims that they were approached by senior seminarians with complaints about the behaviour of Mgr Ledwith towards their junior colleagues. Cardinal Daly, the retired archbishop of Tuam, Dr Joseph Cassidy, the retired bishop of Derry Dr Edward Daly and the Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise, Dr Colm O'Reilly, said the complaints were about the former president's "extravagant" lifestyle. However, uncovering the scandal , Patsy McGarry, religious correspondent for The Irish Times stated "Members of the group of six have repeated to The Irish Times that they made it explicit to the bishops precisely what they were talking about. There was no confusion in the matter. Fr McGinnity confirmed the students' approach". (9)

During the subsequent state inquiry (known as the Ferns Inquiry) which reported in 2005, Bishop Eamonn Casey who had interviewed Fr McGinnity on behalf of the bishops in 1984 regarding the concerns he had passed on from the students, confirmed to Judge Frank Murphy and the Inquiry team that they certainly contained a sexual dimension. Bishop Casey admitted to the Inquiry that it was precisely because Fr McGinnity reported such remarks from the students about the vice-president that the decision was taken "that he could not continue as Senior Dean." (10)(26) 

Fr McGinnity risks all for truth 


After alerting the authorities, Fr McGinnity was persuaded by his bishop to take a sabbatical year and was told later he would not be returning to Maynooth. He was pressured into resigning his position and was posted as curate to a rural parish in Armagh diocese before being appointed dean of discipline at a boarding school, where he remained for 10 years.

The six seminarians had also been concerned about their own future as priests as, having reported their anxiety already to their own individual bishops, there had been no action. They sought Fr McGinnity's protection, as well as his help, in alerting the bishops to their concerns about Mgr Ledwith. (11) When Fr McGinnity was being forced into a sabbatical year, attempts were in fact being made to stop the seminarians from proceeding to the diaconate, a step towards full priestly ordination. "This effort was successfully resisted by Fr McGinnity before his departure." (12) 

In an attempt to deflect from the seriousness of the concerns reported about Mgr
 Ledwith, sources attempted to discredit Fr McGinnity while on sabbatical implying that "his health broke down". The Irish Times reported a senior Church figure had repeated to them that Fr McGinnity had a "nervous breakdown". Hearing this for the first time in July 2002, Fr McGinnity was "shocked at the question, but far more shocked to hear that this particular rumour had been maliciously circulating about him for 18 years." (13) At the request of The Irish Times, he secured a letter from his longstanding personal physician formally refuting these claims. According to his doctors, throughout his lifetime "there has been absolutely no record of 'psychological or mental problems' where Father McGinnity is concerned." (13) 

For almost 10 years following these events, the Catholic Church remained silent about the fact that at the head of the national centre for training priests in Ireland was a man , Mgr Ledwith ,"repeatedly accused of sexually harassing young men there".(7) Furthermore, in 1985 Ledwith was promoted and became president of Maynooth, a position he held for 10 years. Then in 1994, Ledwith stood down following allegations that he had sexually harassed junior seminarians. (14) Following his departure in 1995 an allegation of sexual abuse against a minor was made against Ledwith. There was a subsequent allegation in 2000. Both allegations were strenuously denied by Mgr Ledwith, He subsequently made two settlements following allegations of abuse.

In 2002 the 17 Catholic bishops, trustees of St Patrick's College, Maynooth confirmed that its former president, Mgr Michael Ledwith, was subject to allegations of sexual abuse.(15 ) and Ledwith was laicised (16)by the Church in September 2005. (17) 




Fr McGinnity and the McCullough Report 


An investigation was initiated by the Irish bishops into the handling of allegations that Ledwith sexually harassed seminarians. At the time Fr McGinnity expressed "serious and profound reservations" about The McCullough Inquiry, adding, "...an inquiry which is not independent but conducted under the auspices of that body undergoing inquiry is wrong in principle, it seems to me." On 16th June 2002 the Bishops, trustees of the college, published their findings in The McCullough Report which criticised the investigation that they themselves had made in 1984 at the time Fr McGinnity reported the seminarians' complaints. (14)

Fr McGinnity and The Ferns Inquiry 


The concerns raised by Fr McGinnity were fully validated in the report of The Ferns Inquiry, which was commissioned by the Irish Government in 2003, headed by retired Supreme Court Judge Frank Murphy and with which Fr McGinnity did cooperate. The aims of the inquiry were to identify what allegations had been made against Ferns clergy before April 10 2002 and to assess the response to them by church authorities and gardai. (14)

Judge Frank Murphy's findings were published in The Ferns Report in October 2005. The report acknowledged Fr McGinnity's feelings of being victimised as a result of expressing the concerns of seminarians. In relation to Fr McGinnity he stated:
  • "By any standard the concerns as communicated by the seminarians and expressed by Fr McGinnity were inadequately investigated. They also appear to have been wholly misunderstood. He made no specific allegations of particular abuse and accordingly the demand to produce a victim was unrealistic. As Fr McGinnity was invited to take a sabbatical on the same date that Bishop Casey reported the results of his "investigation" to his fellow Bishops on the Board of Visitors of Maynooth, the Inquiry views as entirely understandable Fr McGinnity feeling that he was victimized as a result of the concerns of the seminarians which he expressed. Punitive actions of that nature could only deter bone fide complaints to Church authorities which should be valued as providing information for the control of those having access to young people."(10)



Fr McGinnity - widely recognised as a priest of integrity 


In June 2005, Fr Gerard McGinnity was recognised as one of the few who had the courage to stand up for the victims and for what is right, "by reporting complaints of sexual harassment of students by a senior theologian. He behaved with courage and integrity and in doing so he became a victim himself through his dismissal". The Dundalk Democrat in praising the courage of Fr McGinnity reported how "He was forced out of his position- a job that he loved and by his own admission was crushed with his reputation and respectability shattered." (18)

The Irish Times reported on 17th June 2005, "On foot of the report by Denis McCullough the Catholic primate Archbishop Sean Brady and the other trustee bishops at the college yesterday apologised to Fr McGinnity, a former senior dean at the college and to a group of former seminarians." (12)

Fr McGinnity was totally vindicated and although he received an apology from Archbishop Sean Brady in 2005 for this treatment, no hint of possible reparation for the wrong done to him has been expressed. (18)

Speaking to Margaret Roddy of The Argus newspaper, Fr McGinnity said that his sudden, mysterious and undeserved removal from a very prestigious position had resulted in him losing friends and also his good name.

Recalling the week of the events leading to his removal from the position of Senior Dean of the College he said, "I was acting conscientiously and honourably at the time, as I thought I was making the Bishops aware of the concerns of what students had appraised me. For trying to make the Bishops aware of the situation I was ousted from my position and that has been a cause of severe suffering and enormous humiliation."

"Going from a prominent position was a very public humiliation which seemed to undermine my credibility. I was only doing what I saw as part of my job and if I had failed to act, to me it would have been a dereliction of my duty and it would have rendered the students more at risk," he said. Although gratified that the Church had apologised to him he still awaits restitution. "A little apology", he said, "can't undo the enormity of the damage. Even though they have apologised at this late stage, they cannot bring back those twenty years of my life, the twenty most vital and dynamic years of anyone's life." (19)

Fr McGinnity was reported to be overwhelmed by the extent of public support and comments of sympathy following his interview on RTE's The Pat Kenny Show in October 2005.(20) However he received no written apology from the Church and the damage to his reputation and position remained.(21)

In March 2006 the parishioners of Knockbridge, Co Louth, in solidarity with their parish priest, Fr McGinnity, delivered a petition to Cardinal Sean Brady, Primate of All-Ireland. In it, over a thousand people are critical of the injustice done to Fr McGinnity. In stating how appalled they were, they complained that "a man who acts with such integrity should not have had to endure such punishment for trying to protect young people. How can the Church claim to put the protection of children first when it fails to redress the damage done to someone who acted on that principle?"(21)

Fr McGinnity was interviewed on RTE in August 2006 as part of RTE Radio One's 'Whistleblowers' series in which broadcaster Alan Torney interviews prominent whistleblowers, those who take exceptional risks to highlight wrong-doing.(4) Following the interview Fr Martin Tierney writes in The Irish Catholic of his incredulity at the appalling experience of Fr McGinnity, at the hands of Church leadership. "Here is a man", he says, "who was greviously wronged, and no restitution was made for a reputation left in tatters at the hands of certain bishops. They apparently preferred the 'status quo' to the exposure of possible evil." Fr Tierney commented that "no bishop was made accountable for the injustice visited upon Fr McGinnity." (5)

Dr McGinnity has never been offered redress by the Irish Bishops despite an acknowledgement in both The McCullough Report and The Ferns Report that the inadequacy of the "investigation" led to the destruction of a promising career.




Fr McGinnity - Spiritual Director of Christina Gallagher 


Fr McGinnity, has been described as a veteran expert of contemporary Marian manifestations in Francis Mutsuo Fukushima's book Akita: Mother of God as Co Redemptrix - Modern Miracle of the Holy Eucharist.(2) Footnote 1. Over the years a number of people claiming to have had supernatural experiences, have approached Fr McGinnity for guidance. Of these Fr McGinnity states that he had "felt obliged to investigate them and the experiences they reported but then, on discovering them not to be authentic to guide them to deeper genuine prayer and send them on their way."(22)

Having such expertise, it is no surprise that Fr McGinnity was approached for spiritual direction by a housewife from Co Mayo, Christina Gallagher who claimed to have had such an experience.

He received a written account from a religious sister who was helping Christina. He read and studied the contents before speaking to Christina by telephone. Quoted in her autobiography, he said, "The content of the message was fine, without any theological or spiritual flaw."

Some time later, after meeting Christina Fr McGinnity asked her to pray for a family member who was seriously ill with no hope of recovery. Christina promised to pray and later, after praying, remarked that "God would be greatly glorified in this". Fr McGinnity stated that "a complete and instantaneous healing occurred which was entirely inexplicable to the medical consultants."

On 16th July 1993, Archbishop Joseph Cassidy, then archbishop of Tuam, opened and dedicated Our Lady Queen of Peace House of Prayer in Achill, Co Mayo for the work that Christina had been called by Heaven to fulfill. Fr McGinnity, among other priests, concelebrated the Mass of Dedication.

Ten years on in 2003, writing in The Irish Times, he relates that although approached by a number of people over the years, it was only in the case of Christina Gallagher that he found the church's criteria on apparitions (as set out in norms from the Congregation for the Doctrine of The Faith and in the spirit of The Ratzinger Report) to be fulfilled. (23)

In The Irish Times, Fr McGinnity describes the many first hand proofs he has received and witnessed which uphold Christina Gallagher's experiences and how it is because of the immense pastoral and spiritual fruitfulness of her work that he felt obliged to stand by her. "Otherwise I would be merely a hypocrite, for in my heart I know this can only be a work of God. Apparitions have been accepted often by the Church, after appropriate examination. It is, I believe, our obligation to come with an open heart to such a phenomenon as this. To rule it out a priori without investigation would, of course, be both unscientific and unfair". (23)

Fr McGinnity has been Christina Gallagher's spiritual director for over 20 years. About this he comments "I can only testify that in all my dealings with Mrs Gallagher, I have been extraordinarily impressed ... at the charisms she has received, as well as the example of her life and attitude ... her common sense, good humour and sincerity".

He adds that "were I not in a position to vouch for so much of this work, I could hardly have imagined the degree of unfair criticism, rash judgement and twisted stories circulated about Mrs Gallagher and so readily believed by those who have never met her." (23)

In 2009, the pilgrims, "disgusted by the sustained tabloid attack on Christina Gallagher, Fr McGinnity, the House of Prayer Achill and the people who go there" published a website. Voice of Our Lady's Pilgrims (24) to expose how this gratuitous attack, driven relentlessly by a few individuals who have never met Christina Gallagher, is based on lies, distortion and misrepresentation of facts. They further published the book "Our Lady touches Ireland and the world" to make known the abundance of graces received by so many at Our Lady's House of Prayer in Achill - reports they claim are "neglected by unbalanced media articles". (25) 

In March 2009, following a lengthy Garda investigation into the activities of The House of Prayer, Achill, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in Ireland "decided there should be no prosecution against the House of Prayer on Achill Island, Co Mayo." (26) 

Attempting to discredit the House of Prayer, Christina Gallagher and her spiritual director Fr Gerard McGinnity, certain parts of the media have continued to refer to the experiences of Christina Gallagher as having no Church approval. However, as the official ecclesiastical investigation has yet to be initiated and as a definitive and canonical judgement has not been made, the Archbishop of Tuam's overriding comment about Christina Gallagher and the House of Prayer Achill is that "the question as far as competent ecclesiastical authority is concerned, remains open and unproven" (26) 

Fr McGinnity continues to be Christina Gallagher's spiritual director.


Publications by Dr Gerard McGinnity


  • "Christmen: Experience of Priesthood Today" (June 1985) ISBN 0-906127-94-7


  • "Celebration With Mary: Reflections for Personal Prayer and Parish Devotions" (June 1987) ISBN 0-86217-289-6


  • "Open Door for Christ"(June 1987) ISBN 0-86217-277-2


  • "Out of the Ecstasy & Onto the Cross - Biography of Christina Gallagher"(1996) Our Lady Queen of Peace Publications, Ltd
FOOTNOTES
1. Fukushima was vice president of the International Federation of Catholic Journalists until 1992 when he won the World Press Institute Fellowship to study US politics.


SOURCES

(1) Patsy McGarry "Letter from priest's doctors say there has been 'no record of psychological or mental problems'The Irish Times - July 27 2002
(2) Francis Mutsuo Fukushima "Akita: Mother of God as CoRedemptrix Modern Miracles of Holy Eucharist" Queenship Publishing 1994
(3) Patsy McGarry "Seminarians dismissed by bishops took case to dean" The Irish Times - 5 June 2002
(4) Alan Touny "Whistleblowers" RTE Radio One 24 August 2006
(5) Fr Martin Tierney "The McGinnity AffairThe Irish Catholic 7 September 2006
(6) Patsy McGarry "Priest who agreed to speak out about Ledwith - McGinnity's statement in full", The Irish Times, 27 July 2002
(7) Patsy McGarry "Church silence that hid 'kernel of evil' at MaynoothThe Irish Times May 7th 2002
(8) Canon Patrick Marron "Justice for Fr McGinnityThe Irish Catholic - 30 June 2002
(9) Patsy McGarry "Seminarians dismissed by bishops took case to deanThe Irish Times 5th June 2002
(10) Judge Frank Murphy "The Fern's ReportThe Irish Times October 2005
(11) Patsy McGarry "Maynooth priest 'humiliated' for raising concerns of seminariansThe Irish Times 5 June 2002
(12) Patsy McGarry "Bishops sorry for failure to investiage complaints of abuseThe Irish Times 17 June 2005
(13) Patsy McGarry "Letter from priest's doctor say there has been 'no record of psychological or mental problems"The Irish Times 27 July 2002
(14) Kieron Wood, "Priest Fired in Ledwith Affair gets Church apology" - 19 June 2005
(15) Patsy McGarry "Bishops say Ledwith faced abuse claimsThe Irish Times June 1st 2002
(16) Patsy McGarry "Ledwith Laicised, church confirmsThe Irish Times 27 October
(17) Patsy McGarry, "Priest gratified by the extend of public supportThe Irish Times 27 October 2005
(18) Dundalk Democrat "Well done to Brave Fr McGinnityThe Dundalk Democrat 29 June 2005
(19) Margaret Roddy "Knockbridge parish priest is vindicated by reportThe Argus 24 June 2005
(20) Patsy McGarry, "Priest gratified by the extend of public supportThe Irish Times 27 October 2005
(21) Gene Yore "Over 1,000 sign priest petition - Parish united in supportThe Dundalk Democrat 8 March 2006
(22) R Vincent "Please come back to Me and My Son" 1992
(23) Fr Gerard McGinnity "Reading the secrets of others' hearts ; Father Gerard McGinnity relates his experienceThe Irish Times 21 July 2003
(24) Our Lady's Pilgrims "www.voiceofourladyspilgrims.com" October 2009
(25) Our Lady's Pilgrims "Our Lady Touches Ireland and the world" October 2009
(26) Tom Shield and Patsy McGarry "No prosecution against prayer houseThe Irish Times 19 March 2009
(27) Patsy Mc Garry "Casey confirmed complaints against LedwithThe Irish Times 29 July 2002

Thursday 26 September 2013

Christina Gallagher - House of Prayer Achill healing of Kathleen O'Sullivan

I WAS CURED OF CANCER IN ACHILL HOUSE OF PRAYER – Reported in the The Daily Mirror (London, England) August 24, 2002


February 15, 2013
What better proof could there be than this testimony backed up by medical experts? The following article by Elaine Edwards was published in the Daily Mirror in England on August 24th 2002

Kathleen O'Sullivan at the House of Prayer Achill giving witness to her cure from pancreatic cancer
Kathleen O’Sullivan at the House of Prayer Achill giving witness to her cure from pancreatic cancer through the prayers of Christina Gallagher and Fr McGinnity
A WOMAN doctors said was dying of cancer told for the first time yesterday how a visit to the House of Prayer Achill cured her. Kathleen O’Sullivan believed she had only weeks to live when she went to see Christina Gallagher on Achill Island off Co Mayo. She had a tumour on her pancreas and doctors told her she was going to die. But the cancer disappeared after her visit to the island.
And a doctor, Michael Anketell, who has examined Kathleen’s medical records has hailed her recovery a “miracle”. Mother-of-six Kathleen from Listowel, Co Kerry, had wasted away to five stone when she made the trip in June 1997 shortly after she was diagnosed. She said:  “I was extremely ill with only weeks to live but I decided to go with my husband Donal to Achill.”I was so sick it took us three days to make the journey. I had to lie in the back of the car covered in a duvet. I was extremely weak and could hardly walk. Christina Gallagher, who runs the House of Prayer, put out her hands and hugged me, then a priest blessed me. I had never met her before that. I left Achill that day and felt a great sense of peace.”
She said her health improved rapidly after the visit and she knew the cancer was disappearing.
A year later, cancer consultant Dr Anketell rang her because he wanted to bring his mother to Achill. He said he was sceptical about her story, but got permission to access her medical records. He was astonished when he saw the result of a new scan which he said showed no traces of cancer. Dr Anketell is investigating the cases of three other patients who claim they were healed at the House of Prayer.  Kathleen said: “I’m speaking out to give hope to others who are suffering and to highlight the fact that the House of Prayer in Achill is a place of peace and hope.”The Daily Mirror contacted the House of Prayer yesterday to ask Christina Gallagher about the “miracle”. But a spokeswoman said: “Ms Gallagher does not come to the phone. If she did she would be here all day.”More than 5,000 people flocked to the House of Prayer last month for a day of prayer after Gallagher predicted a special vision. They believed they would see an apparition of the Virgin, but instead were given a message that the world was filled with evil and sin. People claiming miracle cures addressed the crowd, with one woman claiming her unborn baby had been pronounced dead but had come back to life after her visit.A statement from Ms Gallagher was read over loudspeakers by a female assistant. The crowd was told: “Many calamities are on the way to  purify  the stench of sin and evil from the world. Storms will affect many in the world. Storms such as the world has not seen. You must be vigilant in prayer. I will be close to each one of you who has responded to my invitation. I will always be close to your hearts. You will have great upheavals in the world. The restlessness in the world will increase each day through the work of the evil one.” [from messages of Our Lady Queen of Peace]Extra Gardai were drafted in to control the flow of visitors’ cars from all over Ireland and abroad.Kathleen, who now enjoys full health, runs a B&B with her husband.

Article by ELAINE EDWARDS

Christina Gallagher Achill



Attack on the Spiritual Mission of Christina Gallagher

The following piece is a commentary by Rev Dr Gerard McGinnity PhD


The More Powerful The Work, The Greater The Attack

In regard to the matter of attacks upon spiritual missions, research remarkably shows that the more powerful the work, the greater the attack. Studying the lives of the mystics who lived throughout the centuries of Church history, I have been invariably struck by this fact that the more significant the work given them to accomplish, the more extreme the attack upon it and upon them. Even to refer to some out of such a large number, we find such remarkable resemblances to the gratuitous attacks upon Christina...

In Cathleen Medwick's well-known biography (1999) entitled Teresa of Avila: The Progress of a Soul , we read that when Teresa of Avila was pressing onwith the establishment of the houses of her foundation in Spain, she had left Villanueva after working hard to transform a hermitage into something resembling a convent and with her companions was passing through a small town where they stopped to visit the church. Teresa's fame had gone before her -but not the truth about her, rather a poisonous defamation of her character. The townspeople were incited to hatred: they were outraged that she presumed to enter their church and they were becoming increasingly violent when Antonio (one of the men who was helping her) fended them off, allowing Teresa to reach her coach. Soon after she arrived at Toledo on that journey, she became seriously ill.

When Pope Benedict was canonising Mary McKillop in Rome on October 17, 2010, how many people realised that during her earthly lifetime, as she went about establishing the houses for her mission in Australia, she was actually excommunicated by Bishop Sheil of Adelaide on September 22, 1871? In his biography Blessed Mary MacKillop A Woman Before Her Time, a priest of the diocese of Adelaide, Fr.Modystack wrote in 1982, "It was sad that the sick Bishop had had his mind so poisoned by the malicious tongues of those who were supposed to be loyal, honest people that he should have reacted so unreasonably towards the Sisters" (page 62) (He accused her of disobedience when she could not accept his making himself superior and changing their rule as he chose. She was canonically entitled not to accept this imposition but he wronged her and expelled 43 sisters from his diocese when they chose not to accept the imposition. The following year, on his death-bed the bishop repented and withdrew the excommunication.). In his preface to the biography Archbishop James Gleeson of Adelaide remarks of his predecessors in that era (ie. bishop and priest-advisors), "It is even more difficult for us to understand how they could seemingly be so unjust and outrageous in their judgements and actions towards Mary MacKillop... 

In his book Padre Pio Man of Hope, Renzo Allegri relates in a chapter entitled 'The Second Persecution' (page 218) how his superors wanted Padre Pio to hand over to them control of the money donated at his appeal to build a House for the Relief of Suffering when the Capuchin order was facing financial disaster. When he "refused, new accusations were made against Padre Pio, and new criticisms were invented. In an effort to destroy him, hidden microphones were placed in his confessional, violating the seal" of the sacrament and also "in his cell" (page 219). Allegri himself observes, "Unfortunately, these poor souls, who felt threatened by such a pure and holy man, found a ready audience when they denounced the humble monk as a hypocritical exhibitionist, and denounced the charismatic gifts that evoked so much faith from his followers as deceptive and fraudulent."

Allegri goes on to quote words from Cardinal Siri, "The ones who should have first recognised Jesus Christ are those who sentenced him to be crucified. The same thing happened also to Padre Pio...He was made an outcast, stripped...and made and isolated..."

At least Christina, as she is subjected to the same vituperative treatment, is 'in good company', although she would never dream of considering herself worthy of sharing his rank.

Biographers of John Vianney such as Fr. Francis Trochu in his The Cure D'ARS when describing how he too was unjustly persecuted by way of slander and false accusation, notes how the works used to draw back souls in the greatest danger are sometimes "allowed by God to become victims of the vilest calumnies". He describes how "John Vianney's front door was splashed with dirt and night after night, under his windows stood a miserable creature insulting and reproaching him as if he had been guilty of leading a disorderly life. Apparently, he was to be spared no humiliation, no anguish of mind. Anonymous letters, full of venom were sent to his bishop... Not surprising that towards the end of his life, he one day remarked, 'If on my arrival at Ars I had foreseen all that I was to suffer there, I would have died on the spot!'" 



In Conclusion

God cannot bring about enormous miracles such as giving back life to a child medically certified dead in the wombhealing cancer of the pancreas, thyroid gland, liver, stomach,bladder, lung,breast, tongue and mouth, leukaemia, rheumatoid arthritis, deep vein thrombosis, brain tumor, brain haemmorage, brain death, heart failure, multiple sclerosis, blindness, chronic asthma and countless other conditions leading to over 700 testimonies, including psychiatric and nevous healings, conversions, vocations to religious life and priesthood drawing such abundant fruitfuless from a tree that is not good! As Jesus says in the Gospel, "A bad tree cannot produce good fruit and a good tree cannot produce bad fruit. By their fruits you shall know them". 

“The McGinnity Affair” by Fr Martin Tierney





Article by Fr Martin Tierney about Fr Gerard McGinnity -
published in The Irish Catholic  on Thursday 7th September 2006
Fr Martin TierneyI listened with incredulity to Fr Gerard McGinnity, former Dean at Maynooth College, speaking on RTE One of his appalling experience at the hands of Church leadership.  The pimitiveness of the abuse of power was painfully exposed.
Here is a man who was grievously wronged, and no restitution was made for a reputation left in tatters at the hands of certain bishops.  They apparently preferred the ‘status quo’  to the exposure of possible evil.  Not only that, but the breach of a serious confidence by the then Papal Nuncio, was inexcusable.  If ever the cliche ‘mind boggling’ could be applied to any event, this one qualified as mind boggling by any standard.  Listen to this Whistleblower series by keying into RTE’s website.
The story in brief runs like this.  In 1984, McGinnity was approached by seminarians who had concerns about the behaviour of the college’s Vice President, Dr Michael Ledwith – these included concerns of a sexual nature.
After bringing these concerns to the attention of bishops, McGinnity was pressured into resigning his post and had to return to his diocese as a curate, while Ledwith was promoted to College President.  False rumours then circulated that McGinnity had suffered a mental breakdown.  This bizarre story would do justice to the CIA at its most devious!
Later Monsignor Ledwith left the country under a cloud, having made a settlement with a youthful accuser, without admission of guilt. He then became a lecturer in a New Age College in America, the very antithesis of what Catholicism is about and was finally laicised.  Unbelievably, he had been touted as possible Archbishop of Dublin.  To the best of my knowledge no bishop was made accountable for the injustice visited upon Fr McGinnity.  The sheer lack of  discernment by a group of men who by their very office are sometimes considered wise, is amazing but not surprising.
My hunch is that some good bishops remained silent when they should have put a stop to their more vociferous colleague, but they lacked the courage.  Who were in the epicentre of events?  Cardinal O’Fiach and Bishop Casey!
Good leaders inspire.  Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, Pope John Paul – inspired others. Every mother or father who seeks to instill good values and moral character in their children inspires.  Every great teacher who wants his or her students to excel inspires.  As human beings we yearn to inspire and be inspired.
Leadership is a relationship of service that inspires growth and makes the world a better place.  Leadership is something you live, model and practice, not something you tell other people to do.  Pope Benedict’s skills as a leader are wonderful.  As Albert Schweister said, “example isn’t the main thing in influencing people – it is the only thing”.  What was so remarkable about people like Gandhi, Pope John Paul, Nelson Mandela, Basil Hume, was that they know why they were here on this earth.  They were in touch with themselves and  God’s plan.
It often puzzles me that when a diocese is vacant we have no campaign of prayer to seek God’s wisdom in the choice of leader.  Instead ‘important people’ play ecclesiastical politics.  A device like Papal Secrecy clouds and obscures a process that is too important to be hidden.  Good leaders know what they stand for, what they are needed to do and how to use their talents to fulfill their calling.  Inspiration isn’t about me – it is about a leaders love for people and his desire to serve them in some way. Inspiration is about love. 
In the McGinnity affair inspiration was sadly absent.  Did the bishops pray before they came to the decision to demote Fr McGinnity? What sort of process of discernment took place before the decision was reached.  Will the minutes of the Episcopal meetings that took place be made public?  If justice is to be done a lot of questions demand answers. 
I have never believed that a ‘head on a plate’ must be delivered before justice is done.  But all leadership is so dependent on those who follow that people need to have confidence in their leaders.  That confidence will take some time to restore after the McGinnity affair.  This is a very sad business that further tarnishes the image of our spiritual leaders.