Church steps up war with cult

Courier Mail (Australia), May 19, 2000
By Amanda Gearing

MEMBERS of the Magnificat Meal Movement religious group had excommunicated themselves from the Catholic Church and could not receive communion, Toowoomba Bishop William Morris says.

"Any attendance by Magnificat Meal members at Mass can only be understood as a protest against the Church and not as a genuine desire to pray with the Church," Bishop Morris said in a letter to parishioners.

"In those circumstances, they could not possibly expect to receive communion."

The Queensland centre of MMM is at Helidon, between Brisbane and Toowoomba, and is led by Debra Geileskey.

Two Toowoomba-based Sisters of Mercy who are active members of the Magnificat Meal Movement are under pressure to withdraw from the cult. The sisters, twins aged 83 with more than 60 years' in the Sisters of Mercy, have refused to comment on their predicament.

But since the Bishop's letter was issued, both have continued to attend MMM activities in their habits.

Bishop Morris's stand against the cult has been backed by all Queensland's bishops, including Archbishop John Bathersby.

They have asked all Catholics to withdraw from the Movement and its teaching.

In a joint statement, the bishops said they would welcome all who had aligned themselves with the Movement back into full communion with the Church.