How sad! I know nothing about this “visionary” Joe Coleman, but I was very surprised that the shrine allowed him the use of the basilica for a scheduled “apparition” of Our Lady at 3:00, October 31. What ensued when there was no apparition, and what was happening even before 3:00, was disgraceful.
CNA reports:
Despite Archbishop Mike Neary’s recent warning that alleged apparitions at the Shrine of Knock risk “misleading God’s people and undermining the faith,” crowds of people swarmed the shrine on Saturday Oct. 31. Close to 10,000 people from all over Ireland came to the shrine in hopes of seeing an apparition of Mary which was predicted by self-proclaimed visionary Joe Coleman.
Pat Lavelle, manager of the Shrine of Knock, explained how the situation unfolded in a phone interview with CNA on Friday.
“Our basilica was left in a terrible state after. Chairs turned upside-down; food, drinks spilled. The basilica was closed for three days. Every one of the 5,000 chairs in the basilica had to be lifted in order to clean the floor and [be] put back into position.” More can be read here.
