House of Prayer buys €100k worth of books written by its founder
THE company behind the controversial religious centre the House of Prayer bought 5,000 copies of a book by its founder, Christina Gallagher, at a cost of €100,000 last year.
Ms Gallagher claims to be a visionary who receives messages from Our Lady of Lourdes as well as Jesus Christ.
She also claims she had cured everything from cancer to MS. She wrote a book in the Nineties which she said helped pay for a large house she bought in Mayo several years ago.
The book, The Cross Uncovered, was purchased last year in its thousands directly from the self-proclaimed visionary, who is named in the Achill Island firm’s latest accounts as a member of the company.
The transaction took place during a year in which donations to the House of Prayer fell dramatically from €378,745 to €162,480, and the company reported an annual loss of €118,267.
A note on the related-party transaction contained in the accounts refers to ‘the importance of the book to the followers of the House of Prayer’ and explains that ‘it was the directors’ opinion that it was important that sufficient copies were acquired’. The Cross Uncovered is described on Ms Gallagher’s website as containing ‘the reality and full facts of her life’s endurance’.
The unofficial Catholic group has been the subject of controversy since it was established by Ms Gallagher, 64.
In 1996, a commission of inquiry into the House of Prayer was set up by Archbishop Michael Neary, which concluded that there was no evidence that supernatural phenomena had occurred. Prior to this investigation, his predecessor Dr Joseph Cassidy had given his full backing to the House of Prayer and officially opened the retreat centre in Achill. The centre has operated without the approval or involvement of the Church since 1998.
In 2008, Archbishop Neary said that the House of Prayer ‘does not enjoy the confidence of the diocesan authorities’.
The retreat had its charitable status removed by the Revenue Commissioners in 2006. It also refunded €250,000 to aggrieved donors following a Garda investigation in 2008 after it emerged Ms Gallagher, had a number of luxurious properties in Ireland and the UK.
However, several followers claim to have been cured by her and refuse to accept that she has no miraculous powers.
Ms Gallagher also claims she has the markings of the stigmata. A series of media investigations have focused on the personal wealth of the group’s founder, who accumulated an extensive property portfolio that has included homes in Malahide, Ballina, Newport and Knockmore, as well as properties in England and the US.
On her website, she has hit back at those who have questioned her motives.
It says: ‘Those who have criticised Christina Gallagher and the messages she delivers from Jesus and Mary over the last 30 years, as being “doom and gloom” and “scaremongering”, can now clearly see them being fulfilled.
‘Worldwide news reports today are full of the very same “doom and gloom” she spoke of – in the effects of severe weather, earthquakes, multiple hurricanes, flooding, fire, threat of nuclear war, famine, murder, bloodshed, the list goes on.
‘Unless you choose to remain in total blindness it is plain to see that these are the catastrophes humanity has been warned about through Christina Gallagher if the world did not turn away from sin and return to God.’ Ms Gallagher’s website now lists the locations of five Houses of Prayer in Mexico and the US. It claims that the Virgin Mary told Ms Gallagher that she wanted her to teach people how to pray and added: ‘I desire this not only in Ireland, but also throughout the world.’
The retreat is owned and operated by Our Lady Queen of Peace House of Prayer (Achill) Limited, which had tangible assets valued at €1.36million at the end of last year. Its cash balance was reduced from €230,062 to €46,777 during the 12-month period, while an annual loss of €118,267 in 2016 saw its accumulated profits fall to €1.51million.
Donations were more than halved to €162,480 last year but income generated through the sale of religious objects almost doubled from €80,825 to €159,920 compared to the previous year. In 2014, Fr Gerard McGinnity – a priest with strong links to the House of Prayer – said Ms Gallagher had suffered a heart attack which he claimed had been caused by stress. Ms Gallagher posts her ‘messages from Jesus Christ’ on her website regularly. In her latest post dated September 22, she claims Jesus said: ‘My people, I want you to see the might of my hand. How you still find fault with My messenger and fail to respond to my call. Your hearts are closed to Me. Many of you, my people, respond only to try and find fault with My words and through your closed hearts and sinful ways, you draw My Hand upon your world even more swiftly.’ The House of Prayer was contacted by the Irish Daily Mail yesterday but no one was available to comment.
Subject of controversy ‘See the might of my hand’