Archdiocese of Dubuque Warns Catholics of "Cult-like" Group

KCRG-TV9 News/September 15, 2005
By Katie Wiedemann

The Archdiocese of Dubuque is sending out a warning tonight. It's about a group known as the "Love Holy Trinity Blessed Mission." This all comes after a 19 year old Eastern Iowa girl made a split decision to devote her life to the group.

19-year old Ashley Fahey was ready to begin her college career at Loras College.but she never made it. The day before she was scheduled to move into the dorms, she suddenly moved to Chicago to become a sister of the Love Holy Trinity Blessed Mission. Now some of Ashley's family members are left in shock.

Ashley's stepmother, Tamee Fahey, says throwing away 18-thousand dollars in scholarship money is not something her step-daughter Ashley would do on her own. Tamee said, "I think she was chorused into doing it that way, through the Holy Trinity. I don't believe that she should have taken that route or that they should be able to, to basically to sweep up your child and take them away."

Father James Barta says the members of love holy trinity blessed mission are Catholics seeking a more intense faith. However, they are being led down the wrong path. Barta said, "It is not to be considered an approved Catholic group. Our people should not become involved in it."

As for Ashley's involvement, Barta says this is not the way Catholics should become members of religious orders. Barta said, "It has always been the concern of the church that people can come freely. She probably would say they can leave freely if she wanted, I don't know."

Today the Archdiocese of Dubuque spoke out, saying the group is not a recognized extension of the Catholic Church, that it is an intense religious group based in Chicago with some followers throughout Eastern Iowa. The Archdiocese warned that the Catholic leaders who head up this group are not trained to teach scripture. Father Barta says people all over Eastern Iowa are joining this group, but he says it's hard to pinpoint exactly how many Iowans are involved.