23 July 1997
By Tom Shiel
The Church Commission investigating claimed apparitions by housewife Christina Gallagher and "miraculous happenings" at her House of Prayer on Achill Island will take longer than expected to do its work and has now been joined by a prominent Catholic theologian to help interpret the mass of evidence.
This was revealed yesterday (Tuesday) by the Archbishop of Tuam, Dr. Michael Neary who emphasised there was no deadline on the final Commission Report as he was "more concerned about truth rather than speed".
Speaking to the Connaught Telegraph from Lourdes, Dr. Neary explained that the the three persons on the Commission are now being assisted by a theologian whose role will be to assist as regards interpretation and the theology and teaching which emanates from there.
It had been expected that the Church investigation would be completed this month and the findings forwarded to the Archbishop. But Dr. Neary made it clear yesterday: "The material is coming in on an ongoing basis. There is no indication yet as to when the Commission will reach the end of its analysis".
Asked whether there would be an official announcement or disclosure of the Commission's findings, Dr. Neary said: "We will see what the Commission comes up with. I would not want to pre-empt the findings in any way".
Christina Gallagher's House of Prayer, which was set up on Achill Island four years ago, is now well established with coachloads of pilgrims arriving every day during the summer to pray and mediate there.
Ms Gallagher claims to have the wounds of Christ on her feet and to have been given a divine insight into the future of Ireland and mankind. As well , there have been many reported healings , many of which will be investigated by the Church Commission set up by Archbishop Neary.
CHURCH REPORT UNLIKELY TO CAST MUCH LIGHT ON ACHILL "MIRACLES"
Devoted supporters speak of the cosy little chapel in Achill House of Prayer as an outpost of Heaven, a place where their supplications are sure to be answered and miracles sometimes happen. Critics are sceptical of the reported miraculous happenings claiming that supernatural phenomena such as visions and stigmata are "dangerous nonsense" to be studiously avoided by serious minded Catholics.
An eccleciastical Commission will report soon on Christina Gallagher's claims to be a stigmata (bearer of the wounds of Christ) but it is unlikely to cast much light on whether miracles have actually happened. Collecting medical evidence would be a daunting, perhaps inconclusive, exercise.
STRENGTH
As controversy continues on the House of Prayer, which was opened on July 16th 1993 by the then Archbishop of Tuam, Dr. Joseph Cassidy, the centre itself goes from strength to strength. It's short-term future, at least, is assured, whatever the published findings of the Commission.
Every summer day, a stream of coaches from all over Ireland funnel into Achill Sound and make their way to the impressively restored former Mercy Convent where ample parking space is available.
The small chapel, with a painting of the Blessed Virgin weeping tears of blood, is the focal point for pilgrims. They especially want to see and meet Christine Gallagher from Knockmore who says her life was changed forever in 1985 on seeing a vision of a living, suffering Christ, in agony on the Cross.
Christina was visiting the Grotto at Cairns, County Sligo when the apparition occurred. She said afterwards: "I didn't go expecting to see anything. I thought if Our Lady was appearing there, she might give me the peace I longed for".
On another occasion at Cairns, Mrs. Gallagher says she had a vision of Christ crucified and, nearly three years later, in January 1988, while visiting a relative in Dublin, she experienced her first Marian apparition.
It was only after she became acquainted with Fr. Bernard McGinnity, a teacher at St. Patrick's College, Armagh, that Christina had the visions interpreted for her. Fr. McGinnity is now Christina's spiritual director and travels every weekend to Achill to celebrate Masses which are described by one Massgoer as "spine-tingling" in their intensity.
CHASTISEMENT
The Devil is mentioned frequently during Fr. McGinnity's Masses; there is talk of world chastisement and there are many prayers for wayward priests that they return to the paths the Lord set out for them.
According to Christina's biography, her feet bled from the cruicifixion nails on March 11th 1995. She also has displayed bleeding cuts on her forehead said to be made by a crown of thorns. Such claims have, perhaps understandably, attracted the attention of the media. The coverage has been negative, sometimes prurient, occasionally positive.
For instance, a writer in the Irish Times of July 4 last commented: "What strikes a discordant note in this particular case, however, is the ring of the cash till. After Christina Gallagher's afternoon appearance, there were five assistants working behind the counter selling House of Prayer merchandise".
The News of the World of April 13 last, meanwhile, took a different tack: "A housewife whose feet miraculously bleed like Christ's seems set to become Ireland's first living Saint".
Christina Gallagher finds the tone of both reports objectionable . She strongly rejects suggestions that the House of Prayer is a commercial goldmine and says talks of her being a Saint is rubbish.
She told the Connaught Telegraph: "I have no healing powers. I pray with somebody and if they are healed then the credit and the glory is to God".
