Dear Reader.
Hello. Thank you for stopping by. This blog is dedicated to warning all people, especially Catholics who hold great store in the reported apparitions of the Virgin Mary that have been taking place in Medjugorje since 1981, about the dangerous cult calling itself 'Caritas of Birmingham' and its leader Terry Colafrancesco.
Terry Colafrancesco calls himself "A Friend of Medjugorje" and has published a number of books and other literature under this name. These books in no way express the teachings of the Catholic Church and are merely Colafrancesco's own views on the role of women in marriage, where society is going, and The End Times. However, the marketing and hype behind his books would imply to the casual reader that Colafrancesco is somehow prophetic and that he is offering an important book for all Christians.
The following is a link to some articles exposing Caritas of Birmingham and Terry Colafrancesco:
http://www.medjugorje.ws/en/articles/caritas-of-birmingham/
For those of you who wish, the following are links to Colfrancesco's own sites. I offer these NOT because I endorse them in any way whatsoever but rather to illustrate that on the surface this organisation appears completely benign and is merely another Medjugorje site that a devout Catholic could mistake for being completely harmless:
http://www.mej.com This merely redirects to the link below
http://www.medjugorje.com This link is NOT the official Medjugorje website.
http://www.terrycolafrancesco.com
http://www.caritasofbirmingham.com This is the groups official website
Some trustworthy Medjugorje sites:
http://www.medjugorje.hr/ - This would appear to be the official, multi-lingual Medjugorje website.
http://www.medjugorje.ws
http://www.medjugorje.org
http://www.medjugorje.net
Other Links:
http://www.rickross.com/groups/caritas.html
If you are a Catholic, please think again before becoming involved with this organisation or donating to it.
If you know someone who is getting involved with this group, please gently direct them to the above links and warn them that this is a fringe organisation whom many people consider to be a dangerous cult.
On What Grounds Do I Consider Caritas of Birmingham to be a Cult?
Basically on the following grounds:
1) Most of the priests and visionaries in Mejugorje are urging pilgrims to stay away from this organisation. It has no official links with the Roman Catholic Church.
2) I trust the impartial, international bodies who monitor the various cults world-wide. If these organisations consider Caritas of Birmingham to be a cult, and Terry Colafrancesco to be the cult leader, then I listen to them.
3) I trust the testimonies of ex-members who have lived in Caritas of Birmingham and have since left it. They allege that the organisation is purely concerned with making money and it's member's (genuine, well meaning, devout Catholics) have been duped and brainwashed by Terry Colafranceso who controls all aspects of their lives.
4) I trust the judgement of well known Catholics i.e: Mother Angelica (founder of EWTN - Eternal Word Television Network) who despite being located close to the Caritas of Birmingham's headquarters, has ALWAYS discouraged Catholics from going there. This is also the official view of EWTN itself.,
5) From my own experience where people are concerend, power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Any person who sets themselves up as an ultimate authority over the lives of other people is a danger. You need only look at people like David Koresh and Jim Jones to see where that leads. Terry Colafrancesco claims that there is no priest in the world who can understand the mission that he alone has been given.
6) Like many cults, Caritas of Birmingham is parasitical. It feeds off something good and wholsome (like peoples genuine desire for faith and holiness) in order to serve its own ends. In other words, it makes its followers victims by working them hard, teaching them hard, and telling them that disobedience is evil.
God Bless you, and please do not allow anyone to steal away the faith which God our Father has given us.
