Baptism confers on every christian the God-given right to pray. No christian has to ‘seek permission’ to pray in a private house with others. No authority can remove or interfere with this obligation. Anyone in authority in the Church who attempts to stop such prayer is acting unlawfully.

Each baptised person becoming part of the Mystical Body of Christ, is thereby commissioned to share in the priestly, prophetic and kingly roles of Christ. Sharing in the priestly role of Christ for a layperson means uniting with Christ in offering ‘prayer, work and suffering’ to God. A person’s baptism actually obliges one to carry out this prescription. It becomes a priveleged duty – to pray constantly. No christian, therefore, has to ‘seek permission’ to pray nor can any bishop interfere with people’s God-given right to join with others in prayer.

It is necessary to point out that the Church’s faithful have a right to pray together. Jesus conveyed this when He made the promise, “Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matt. 18:19-20). Understandably, then, our sacrament of baptism solemnly commissions and anoints each of us to a life of prayer with the words,

“ …As Christ was anointed priest, prophet and king so may you live always as a member of His Body sharing everlasting life…”

Indeed, the canon law of the Catholic Church clearly states that when a gathering of prayer is not a liturgy or para-liturgy such as might take place in a church (can. 1224) or semi-public (i.e. ‘as normam iuris’ ). So, if a bishop spreads the word that “permission for a House of Prayer is not granted”, when , in fact, the granting of permission does not pertain, the bishop is acting unlawfully: He is also conveying the impression that the faithful are acting improperly. This is defamatory.

It is shameful that bishops in hiding who have not the courage to come forward and personally confront Mrs. Christina Gallagher, have the audacity to malign her worldwide with lies and deception. Sometimes by innuendo and sometimes with blatant falsities they try to destroy her reputation. On account of the truth she bears, Mrs. Gallagher has been the innocent victim of envy and malicious gossip for almost twenty years.

Can the Church, founded on the death and resurrection of Christ, and meant to display compassion even to the greatest sinners, not even treat justly some one-powerfully upheld in her mission by everything the Church requires for supernatural authenticity – an abundance of scientifically attested healings, countless documented conversions, gifts of knowledge and the fulfillment of prophecy concerning the world events (viz. Rwanda, Chechnya, Twin Towers, tsunamis, weatherchanges, etc)? Rather, her calumniators try to undermine God’s proven work through her, prevent the protection offered throught this work and bring about a world-wide denial of the gifts and fruits God is giving.

Rev. Dr. Gerard McGinnity