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Biard0542
Member
| Joined: | Tue Nov 21st, 2006 |
| Location: | St. Michael, Minnesota USA |
| Posts: | 8 |
| First Name: | Biard | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | The Way International, Fundamentalist, Evangelical, Presbyterian, Catholic |
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Posted: Tue Nov 21st, 2006 04:33 pm |
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I would like to reach out to any "Way believers" who are searching for help with questions or support. I grew up in this sect of Christianity and I found myself searching for truth. I started church shopping and this lead me to question upon question, especially Church history and the Eucharist.
Take care all and God Bless!
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SBC2RCC
Member
| Joined: | Mon Oct 9th, 2006 |
| Location: | York, South Carolina USA |
| Posts: | 119 |
| First Name: | Monte | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | was Southern Baptist Minister, now Roman Catholic |
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Posted: Tue Nov 21st, 2006 07:36 pm |
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Dear Biard,
Good question and offer of assistance/fellwoship. While I was not ever involved with the Way International, I studied about it along with many other groups when I was a Southern Baptist pastor. A nurse who worked with me at a hospital a number of years ago was regularly lsitening to the tapes during her meal break and reading a lot of material as part of her involvement. Never was able to break through completely in discussing it with her. Still, maybe I sowed a seed.
Now I am very grateful to be in full communion as a member of the Roman Catholic Church, thanks be to God.
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In Christ,
Monte W
(Formerly on CHN Forum as "Pilgrim Paul"
Minima Maxima Sunt
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CajunRick
Network Helper
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
| Posts: | 4981 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
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Posted: Tue Nov 21st, 2006 08:20 pm |
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Biard0542 wrote: I would like to reach out to any "Way believers" who are searching for help with questions or support. I grew up in this sect of Christianity and I found myself searching for truth. I started church shopping and this lead me to question upon question, especially Church history and the Eucharist.
Take care all and God Bless!
Welcome to CHN. I'm not familar at all with this group. Can you tell us a little about them, and let us know where you are on your faith journey?
____________________
Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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Biard0542
Member
| Joined: | Tue Nov 21st, 2006 |
| Location: | St. Michael, Minnesota USA |
| Posts: | 8 |
| First Name: | Biard | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | The Way International, Fundamentalist, Evangelical, Presbyterian, Catholic |
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Posted: Wed Nov 22nd, 2006 09:33 am |
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It could be difficult to have a conversation with a hard core member of this group. They are very dogmatic and in a sense, brain washed. There is no "fellowshiping with unbelievers" etc. In the late 1980s the organization was plagued with sex scandles and problems. The organization split, and, thanks be to God, my family left. I would describe this group as a Fundamentalist group who adopted the ancient heresy of Aryanism/Nestorianism. They deny the Trinity and are very into the gifts of the Holy Spirit. They do love Jesus as they are taught to know him and they do love the bible as they are taught to understand it.
Anyway, sinse the split I know that there are a lot of members who were lost without a home. Perhaps there are still others out there who gave up on God.
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Biard0542
Member
| Joined: | Tue Nov 21st, 2006 |
| Location: | St. Michael, Minnesota USA |
| Posts: | 8 |
| First Name: | Biard | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | The Way International, Fundamentalist, Evangelical, Presbyterian, Catholic |
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Posted: Wed Nov 22nd, 2006 11:04 am |
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Rick
The short version:
I was one who ignored God for some time after leaving The Way. When I got married I decided to join my wife’s church—Presbyterian. At the time I didn’t know or care what the Presbyterian Church taught or believed. It was a little weird sitting in a church with wooden pews that had stained glass windows.
Our first child came into our lives and I decided that we needed to find a church and raise our children as Christians. But this meant we needed to start living as Christians as well. I had never lost the desire to know and love God, I simply ignored my heavenly Father for a period in my life.
I started church shopping. Because I was raised in a “non-denominational” setting, I decided to openly investigate the various denominations in Christianity to see what I was getting into. Because of my past, I was a skeptic towards church authorities.
I ended up at a Baptist church and I felt more comfortable here than I did at my Presbyterian church. The Baptist organization was closer to “The Way” model I thought. I moved to a different city and had to leave my Baptist church. I ended up at a Lutheran church of all places and I really enjoyed it. After all, I was into Jesus and fellowshipping with other Christians, but I thought Lutherans were leaning a little too Catholic.
A good friend of mine asked me one day if I had ever heard of “The Eucharist.” I had not. Saint John chapter 6, plus Communion was never taught to me. I was blown away by what Catholic’s were taught regarding this. I started an intense 2 year study of church history, the reformation, the sacraments, the early church fathers, a Pope here a Saint there, and all that comes with Catholicism. I consumed Apologetics books like crazy (on both sides—Protestant and Catholic). Scott Hahn, Jeff Cavins, EWTN , Relevant Radio, Father Corapi, and the list goes on and on. I remember one late night watching EWTN and this guy came on and started preaching like a Southern Baptist—in your face truth. I thought “who is this guy with a Roman collar?” It was Father Corapi. I was hooked. Man can he preach! I looked him up on the internet and I could not believe he was coming live to my city. It was as if God gave me a gift to nudge me onward.
Most importantly, the teachings of the Catholic Church are—BIBLICAL! I had so many prejudices and misconceptions and falsities to forge through. I reached the point were I had felt left out. I desired the two things the Israelites squabbled over in the Old Testament—Authority and Food. I found both in the Catholic Church. I am in awe at every Mass to this day!
I reached a point were I needed the Eucharist; I needed ALL of the Sacraments; I needed the deposit of faith and fullness of truth. I had to come home to the Catholic Church (I say come home because as it turns out—when I was an infant, my mother had me Baptized Catholic! I cried when I received my Baptismal papers—I never knew).
I reached a point in my journey where I was actually evangelizing other Catholics. A few don’t know or don’t live their faith well enough in my humble opinion. I was attending Mass, but not receiving our Lord’s body and blood. It drove me crazy—especially watching a few other Christians take Holy Communion in such a cavalier way. I often wondered why the Confessional lines were so small, but the Communion lines so large.
I was going to skip RCIA and get right to it but I had one problem—my wife. I wont go into her journey here but I will say one simple thanks and praise to our most beautiful, loving, and example to all of Christianity—Mary.
I decided to wait for Confirmation and complete RCIA because my wife agreed to at least “look into things.” I was willing to give her the time she needed to absorb everything. RCIA was great! I am so thankful I didn’t skip it and my wife joined me this last Easter (2006) for our first Confession, Confirmation, and Communion. I should say, we were even blown away that to Catholics, marriage is more than a social contract, it’s a beautiful Sacrament. So we were re-married into the Church prior to Easter.
Now being open to life and God’s plan rather than our own, we have our third child due in January.
That is the short version of my journey home.
Take care, God bless, and keep up the good fight.
Aaron
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CajunRick
Network Helper
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
| Posts: | 4981 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
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Posted: Wed Nov 22nd, 2006 11:19 am |
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Biard0542 wrote: The short version:
Thank you. I have never known anyone who regretted going through the full RCIA program, even though many try to bypass it. And yes, there are many great Catholic preachers, with Bishop Fulton Sheen being one of the best of my lifetime. His series, Life Is Worth Living, was a prime time television staple during my childhood.
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Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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Darlene
Member
| Joined: | Mon Oct 9th, 2006 |
| Location: | Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania USA |
| Posts: | 877 |
| First Name: | Darlene | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Christian, trusting His love and forgiveness |
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Posted: Wed Nov 22nd, 2006 12:22 pm |
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Biard0542 wrote: I would like to reach out to any "Way believers" who are searching for help with questions or support. I grew up in this sect of Christianity and I found myself searching for truth. I started church shopping and this lead me to question upon question, especially Church history and the Eucharist.
Take care all and God Bless!
Hello There Biard,
I remember The Way Ministry quite well. In many ways, they are very similar to the cult I was in, "The Forever Family/The Church of Bible Understanding." (we changed our name) When I first became a Christian, I met a Way Believer on a college campus. He invited me to a Bible study, and went along. While at the Bible study, the Holy Spirit explicitly warned me not to pray with these converts. I felt intensely uncomfortable at that meeting. Afterward, almost everyone in the room lit up a cigarette and started smoking. Then I found out that they had a course, with an $80.00 fee, which taught one how to speak in tongues. That was it. I was out of there!
However, I kept bumping into these folks all over the place. And all the ones that I met were sexually permiscuous. Another obvious sign to flee!
Darlene
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The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. II Corinthians 13:14
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Biard0542
Member
| Joined: | Tue Nov 21st, 2006 |
| Location: | St. Michael, Minnesota USA |
| Posts: | 8 |
| First Name: | Biard | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | The Way International, Fundamentalist, Evangelical, Presbyterian, Catholic |
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Posted: Sat Nov 25th, 2006 11:54 pm |
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The class you are referring to is called "Power for Abundant Living." The Founder was Dr. Victor Paul Wierwille. It was a 12 week indoctrination course and at the end, you are taught how to speak in tongues. I was taught about Interpretation of tongues too. They have "Advanced" classes and other outreach programs too. There was a serious rank structure inside the Way. There was much corruption also (imagine that). Google Victor’s name and you’ll see a lot of stuff on the cult.
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Darlene
Member
| Joined: | Mon Oct 9th, 2006 |
| Location: | Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania USA |
| Posts: | 877 |
| First Name: | Darlene | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Christian, trusting His love and forgiveness |
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Posted: Sun Nov 26th, 2006 09:31 pm |
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Biard0542 wrote: The class you are referring to is called "Power for Abundant Living." The Founder was Dr. Victor Paul Wierwille. It was a 12 week indoctrination course and at the end, you are taught how to speak in tongues. I was taught about Interpretation of tongues too. They have "Advanced" classes and other outreach programs too. There was a serious rank structure inside the Way. There was much corruption also (imagine that). Google Victor’s name and you’ll see a lot of stuff on the cult.
Biard,
Did you ever hear of The Church of Bible Understanding? That is the group/cult I was first involved with. They also can be accessed under cults. They have a multi-million dollar antique business called "Ye Olde Things," which also can be accessed on-line. They trump their mission in Haiti to try and convince the general public that they're legitimate, but I and others who have left know better.
Is Wierville still alive? I and others used to call him "Dr. Wierwolf." Guess you can figure out why.
Darlene
____________________
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. II Corinthians 13:14
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Biard0542
Member
| Joined: | Tue Nov 21st, 2006 |
| Location: | St. Michael, Minnesota USA |
| Posts: | 8 |
| First Name: | Biard | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | The Way International, Fundamentalist, Evangelical, Presbyterian, Catholic |
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Posted: Tue Dec 12th, 2006 01:00 am |
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Darlene
I have not heard of that "church." VP died some time ago. When he died, the new leader, Craig Martindale, took over and exploited the organization. It was bad news all the way around. Hundreds of thousands of people were affected.
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Biard0542
Member
| Joined: | Tue Nov 21st, 2006 |
| Location: | St. Michael, Minnesota USA |
| Posts: | 8 |
| First Name: | Biard | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | The Way International, Fundamentalist, Evangelical, Presbyterian, Catholic |
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Posted: Mon May 7th, 2007 11:32 pm |
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| What a great quote!
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Talithacumi
Member
| Joined: | Sat Sep 30th, 2006 |
| Location: | Eastern Ohio, USA |
| Posts: | 248 |
| First Name: | Cheri | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Cradle Catholic - Latin Rite |
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Posted: Tue May 8th, 2007 02:09 am |
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A few years back I had a very good older lady friend (she was more like an adopted godmother to me - she's gone now... she died the same week our dear Pope John Paul II did). Anyway... we became fast friends because of our shared Catholic faith. She would confide in me that she was very concerned about her oldest daughter who was a member of the Way International. My frend was always reading articles and books on this cult and discussing it with me. She was always praying to Mary that her daughter would leave the cult. She was in it for probably twenty years or so.
Well, a couple of years before my friend died, her daughter and son-in-law (they had met and married in the cult) did manage to get out of the cult and come home. By this time I had somewhat lost touch with my old friend. We still kept in touch, but we had both changed. I had moved on to a different job and things had changed in both our lives. During that time her health had deteriorated; she'd received a new heart, but had problems with it and was in and out of hospitals until the day she died. I don't know much about what became of her daughter, just tidbits here and there. I'm not even sure if she completely "left" the cult. The last I heard she hadn't gone back to it, but she hadn't come back to the Catholic Church, either (she had grown up Catholic). She was just in some kind of religious limbo, I suppose.
I do know that when she first came back, she was having a difficult time getting a job and getting settled. I remember my old friend telling me that members of the cult were discouraged from visiting with family members, at least not without chaperones (family might try to talk them into leaving the cult), they were given all kinds of tasks and jobs within the cult as much as possible so that they had as little contact as possible with people on the outside. I think they had some kind of pecking order, though. Once you reached a certain level of trust among the leaders you could spend time on the "outside" to evangelize.
It's very fuzzy to me now... all the stuff she told me. But I do remember that it wasn't good. And just from knowing a little bit about how her daughter was when she came home, no, I doubt if it was good for one's personal growth. It may have been partly her personality, but both she and her husband were rather - how can I put this nicely? - conniving. I'm guessing it may have something to do with the way they had to push themselves towards the top while in the cult. All I know is that the impressions that I've had of this cult is that it can be dangerous to a person's well-being - and it's not easy to leave.
JMJ
- Cheri
____________________
“We do not want a Church that will move with the world; we want a Church that will move the world.”
- G.K. Chesterton
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DeaconJoseph
Member
| Joined: | Thu May 24th, 2007 |
| Location: | New York USA |
| Posts: | 3 |
| First Name: | Deacon | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Catholic, Pentacostal, The Way, Orthodox, Catholic |
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Posted: Fri May 25th, 2007 11:02 am |
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Biard0542 wrote: Darlene
I have not heard of that "church." VP died some time ago. When he died, the new leader, Craig Martindale, took over and exploited the organization. It was bad news all the way around. Hundreds of thousands of people were affected.
Dear Biard:
Greetings to you in the name of Our God and Savior, Jesus Christ. I too was involved with the Way International, I was a graduate and Minister in the Way Corps, along with my wife. MY profile is available on this forum with my homepage. God Delievered me from this cultic Charismatic false Christian Orgainization. Eventually I became a Greek Orthodox and was Ordained a Deacon. Since then I converted to the Fullness of faith and Communion in the Catholic Church. Now I serve as an Ordained Deacon in the Diocese of Buffalo, NY.
If we can do anything for you, please let me know.
God Bless you.
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May Almighty God Bless you, make his face to Shine Upon you and Give you peace, in the Name of Christ the Lord.
Your servant in Christ,Deacon Joseph
http://hometown.aol.com/dcnjoeap/myhomepage/index.html
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CajunRick
Network Helper
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
| Posts: | 4981 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
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Posted: Fri May 25th, 2007 12:32 pm |
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DeaconJoseph wrote: Biard0542 wrote: I have not heard of that "church." VP died some time ago. When he died, the new leader, Craig Martindale, took over and exploited the organization. It was bad news all the way around. Hundreds of thousands of people were affected.
I was a graduate and Minister in the Way Corps, along with my wife. MY profile is available on this forum with my homepage. God Delievered me from this cultic Charismatic false Christian Orgainization. Eventually I became a Greek Orthodox and was Ordained a Deacon. Since then I converted to the Fullness of faith and Communion in the Catholic Church. Now I serve as an Ordained Deacon in the Diocese of Buffalo, NY.
Deacon Joseph, welcome to the Coming Home Network and the Catholic faith. We're happy to have you with us and look forward to your active participation.
BTW (to everyone else) Deacon Joseph was a recent guest (4/30/07) on The Journey Home.
Deacon Joseph, we are blessed to have you with us. Welcome home.
____________________
Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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DeaconJoseph
Member
| Joined: | Thu May 24th, 2007 |
| Location: | New York USA |
| Posts: | 3 |
| First Name: | Deacon | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Catholic, Pentacostal, The Way, Orthodox, Catholic |
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Posted: Tue Jun 19th, 2007 05:46 am |
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Dear Bro.Rick<
Thanks so much for your kind words.
Love and blessing in Christ,
Deacon Joseph
____________________
May Almighty God Bless you, make his face to Shine Upon you and Give you peace, in the Name of Christ the Lord.
Your servant in Christ,Deacon Joseph
http://hometown.aol.com/dcnjoeap/myhomepage/index.html
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DeaconJoseph
Member
| Joined: | Thu May 24th, 2007 |
| Location: | New York USA |
| Posts: | 3 |
| First Name: | Deacon | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Catholic, Pentacostal, The Way, Orthodox, Catholic |
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Posted: Tue Jun 19th, 2007 05:59 am |
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Dear Aaron:
As a former member of the 11th Way Corps, I am so blessed that you have found your way to the Catholic Church. I we can do anything for you,please let me know.
Love in Christ,
Deacon Joe Pasquella
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May Almighty God Bless you, make his face to Shine Upon you and Give you peace, in the Name of Christ the Lord.
Your servant in Christ,Deacon Joseph
http://hometown.aol.com/dcnjoeap/myhomepage/index.html
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Biard0542
Member
| Joined: | Tue Nov 21st, 2006 |
| Location: | St. Michael, Minnesota USA |
| Posts: | 8 |
| First Name: | Biard | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | The Way International, Fundamentalist, Evangelical, Presbyterian, Catholic |
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Posted: Thu Oct 18th, 2007 01:05 pm |
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| What a great journey you've been on Deacon Joe! Did you leave The Way after VP died?
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dpillie
Member
| Joined: | Wed Nov 22nd, 2006 |
| Location: | Fort Wayne, Indiana USA |
| Posts: | 7 |
| First Name: | | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Roman Catholic |
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Posted: Thu Oct 18th, 2007 04:26 pm |
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I live near a former The Way facility. They took possession of what was formerly known as Kneipp Springs in Rome City, Indiana, a facility that was run by a Catholic religious order, and made it one of their primary seminaries.
The great tragedy of this was that they destroyed much of the statuary and symbols of the Catholic Church that was on the premesis. Fortunately, they did not destroy the beautiful stained glass that was in the chapel - they just boarded it up. It also eliminated an opportunity to preserve and explore the sight of reported Marian apparations by a nun that used to live there. Her visions, where Mary took the name Our Lady of the Americas, have been under investigation by the Vatican. Miracles have been reported to have taken place there and the chronicles of her visions and the predictions that Our Lady gave her are very stirring. It gained some notiriety after 9/11 as one of her predictions seemed to relate to that.
I encourage you to learn more about this special place. If you're ever in northeastern Indiana, take the time to swing by. The property is now owned by a faithful Catholic who has had difficulty keeping the property going (property taxes have increased significantly). I'll try to post links to other resources when I get home tonight.
YBIC,
Derek
____________________
YBiC,
Derek Alexander Ambrose Pillie
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Biard0542
Member
| Joined: | Tue Nov 21st, 2006 |
| Location: | St. Michael, Minnesota USA |
| Posts: | 8 |
| First Name: | Biard | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | The Way International, Fundamentalist, Evangelical, Presbyterian, Catholic |
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Posted: Wed Nov 7th, 2007 12:04 am |
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| Wow, the 11th Way Corp.--You were really involved; i was in W.O.W.; Thanks for the reply and I'm happy you made it home too.
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