A Lady began giving messages for the people of Ireland in January 1988 through Christina Gallagher, a housewife and mother. The entity confirmed that she is the same Queen of Peace who is appearing at Medjugorje. Christina has claimed visions of heaven, hell, the Trinity, angels, Padre Pio, Saint Joseph, Saint Catherine of Siena, and other saints. She has also described frightening encounters with Satan and reported that she was shown a vision of the Antichrist. Her messages are said to be the fulfillment of those given at Fatima.

The entity told Christina, who is unable to read or write, to read and re-read the messages of Medjugorje. Although she no longer lives with her husband, she now resides in a mansion located thirty miles from the House of Prayer that she founded to accommodate the 15,000 pilgrims that have converged on the bleak, wind-swept island of Achill every year since 1988. The pilgrims bring with them an estimated $850,000 annually.

The site offers a mark called the “Seal of the Living God,” which the Queen of Peace said was necessary to withstand the temptations of the Antichrist, who was soon to appear. This “seal” is required for salvation and could only be received at the House of Prayer on Achill Island. The offer expired in the year 2000, but was soon replaced by the “Gift of Solace and Eternal Life.” Mrs. Gallagher reported that those who received the “Seal” will not endure suffering under the Antichrist, while those who receive the “Gift of Solace,” although they will endure much, are guaranteed eternal salvation.

The Queen of Peace requested that a new medal be distributed for conversion and protection. It is called the “Matrix medal,” because the Lady proclaimed that she is “the Matrix, the Mediatrix of all graces,” implying that all graces come through the entity appearing to Christina. One must also say an Act of Consecration stating that the medal is a “sign of surrender” to her care. The medal supposedly offers special protection from the promised chastisements that will not be available to other Christians.

Mrs. Gallagher described the conferral of the “Seal” in 1999. It was not the Sign of the Cross, as she had expected, but a red circle of light that appeared on the foreheads of those present. For occultists, the circle denotes spiritual forces from Lucifer. It is used in the All-Seeing Eye, an important symbol within freemasonry and Rosicrucian traditions, and is one of the most important of all units in magic symbolism. To earth-centered religions throughout history as well as for many contemporary pagans, it represents the feminine spirit or force, or a spiritualized Mother Earth. Light is the code name for Lucifer and red is an important color in occult rituals.

The messages claim that the truth is being denied in the Catholic Church, but is being upheld only in the House of Prayer on Achill Island, which will be protected during all the promised tribulations, disasters and wars. The calamities and disasters were to have been accomplished by the year 2000. The messages attack the Catholic Church and the clergy and threaten those who reject the messages with eternal damnation. Followers are instructed to build refuge centers around the world and wear the matrix medal constantly.

On December 16, 1997, Most Reverend Michael Neary, Archbishop of Tuam, issued the following statement: “While recognizing the difficulty involved in treating of such matters, I find myself obliged to state that no evidence has been presented which might prove beyond a reasonable doubt the occurrence of supernatural phenomena of whatever kind in this situation.” Although he found no evidence of the supernatural, Archbishop Neary allowed the House of Prayer to remain open, asking that a private association be established to deal with the disposition of funds. He also suspended confessions and sermons at the House starting in January 1998. Rather than concede to the archbishop’s request that a private association control the funds, Mrs. Gallagher closed down the House of Prayer.

The archbishop then issued a statement explaining that, “at no time have I ever instructed Mrs. Gallagher, either verbally or in writing, to take this step. On the contrary, I have repeatedly stated… that it was not my intention to close the House of Prayer.” The archbishop added that his predecessor, when he opened the House of Prayer in 1993, repeatedly stated that it was intended to be a place of quiet adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, the recitation of the rosary, and a place of retreat for priests. Instead, it immediately began to attract large crowds of visitors weekly.

A newspaper article dated July 8, 1998, written by Padraig Burns, announced that there was anger in Achill as the House of Prayer closed, directed toward the Archbishop of Tuam and the Catholic Church because of the financial losses it would mean for Achill Island. As a consequence, the House of Prayer was reopened only a short time later.

It was reported by Tom Shiel of the Irish Independent on May 18, 2006, that six thousand pilgrims gathered on the island at the House of Prayer expecting to witness an apparition of the Virgin Mary. They were disappointed, although they were warned that many calamities were on their way to purify the world of sin and evil. The crowd was assured that there would be great signs at the House of Prayer, and that the great sign would last for three days and nights for all to see. Father McGinnity, Mrs. Gallagher’s spiritual advisor, has spent a great deal of time in Medjugorje since 1984. He believes that the messages are not only compatible with those of Medjugorje, but also with those from Vassula Ryden and Theresa Lopez. 

On February 29, 2008, Most Reverend Michael Neary issued a new statement regarding the work of Mrs. Christina Gallagher at the House of Prayer as follows:

“The Tuam Diocesan Office has recently received a considerable number of media enquiries regarding this matter. In 1996 I established a diocesan commission of enquiry to investigate certain claims regarding and emanating from this work. In 1997, acting on foot of a report from the commission, I issued a lengthy public statement to the effect, in essence, that no evidence of supernatural phenomena had been observed but that the persons involved gave every evidence of good faith. Arising from that, I proposed a basic canonical structure that would gradually integrate the work of the House into the life of Achill Parish and the Archdiocese. While this was then attempted by the Archdiocese, I became increasingly perturbed by an apparent absence of enthusiasm on the parts of Mrs. Gallagher and her associates. The relationship deteriorated to the extent that Mrs. Gallagher, in July, 1998, closed the ‘House of Prayer’ at Achill, expressing to the media at the time a sense of having been harshly treated by the Archdiocese. In order to clarify the issue for the faithful I issued another statement, regretting the development and expressing grave misgivings as to the wisdom with which Mrs. Gallagher had been advised and had acted in the matter.

“Diocesan efforts to integrate this work ended in July 1998 when it was closed by Mrs. Gallagher. Celebration of the sacraments and reservation of the Blessed Sacrament at the ‘House of Prayer’ are not permitted. Any work carried on since then has been entirely of a private nature and has no Church approval whatever. Neither, for reasons given above, does such work enjoy the confidence of the Diocesan authorities. Nothing has been brought to my attention to indicate that I should change from this position in the future. Over the years since then, the Tuam Diocesan Office has clearly and consistently replied to enquiries in respect of this work, which Mrs. Gallagher recommenced.

“I respect the faith and devotion of many people who have been impressed by this work in the past, some of whom have expressed their sadness at my stance. Finally, I wish to remind all Church members that they should not hesitate to enquire, as a matter of course, at local diocesan offices regarding the standing of any work describing itself as Catholic, should they be in doubt.

“In summary the ‘House of Prayer’ has no Church approval and the work does not enjoy the confidence of the diocesan authorities.”

+ Michael Neary
Archbishop of Tuam
29th of February, 2009

For more information please visit The Queen of Peace - Christina Gallagher.