Direction For Our Times - Controversy

Controversy

From September 2005 to April 2007, a discussion arose concerning the alleged locutionist ‘Anne’ a lay apostle. What initiated the discussion was a thread started on a Catholic Internet forum named “The Catholic Community Forum.” A forum member going by the name “MDS” posted on September 17, 2005 an E-mail exchange that he had with a representative of the Direction for Our Times (DFOT) apostolate. ‘MDS’ had some questions about the apostolate in order to ensure that it was following proper canonical regulations.

Among other issues, such as a question on the imprimatur granted to Kathryn's books, the notable problem that MDS had with the DFOT representative was an unwillingness to name Anne’s Bishop. MDS wanted to write the Bishop and ask for a statement as to where Anne and her apostolate canonically stood in his Diocese. MDS, to his understanding, received a less than satisfactory reply and so he then took the E-mail exchange to the Catholic Community Forum for their thoughts.

In February 2007, Kathryn's spiritual director, Fr. Darragh Connolly, issued a private statement (later published) in response to an E-mail sent to Kathryn's Bishop. Fr. Connolly remarked regarding the discussion on the Catholic Community Forum, "I am afraid...that the DFOT representative who responded to these very early queries lacked the authority to do so. His response was incorrect....In answer to your question with regard to the alleged statement that Our Lady wished Bishop O’Reilly’s name to be withheld, this is simply not true. Our Lady never made a statement like that."

The matter of Kathryn's Bishop was settled but other questions still lingered such as the matter of the imprimatur (see below).

Prior to the above response by Fr. Connolly, the above-mentioned thread caught the attention of Mr. Richard Salbato of Unity Publishing who then posted the text of the E-mail conversation on his site. At that time, ‘Anne’ was becoming a name in Catholic circles and MDS’ E-mail exchange created some negative reactions that caused people to start asking questions. These questions eventually led to an avalanche of information that began with a series of articles by Mr. Salbato concerning the anonymity of ‘Anne.’ Mr. Salbato publicly exposed Anne’s real identity as Kathryn Ann Clarke, an abused women counselor. Photo evidence has been supplied.

This exposé has caused ink to be spilled both in defense of Anne as well as Unity Publishing.

Dr. Mark I. Miravalle—Professor of Mariology at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio—wrote a three-page response to Mr. Salbato's claims. This response was not published by DFOT for undisclosed reasons but is available from DFOT offices upon request.

After the initial media stir, Mr. Salbato produced E-mail correspondence of an intimate conversation between Anne/Kathryn and her future DFOT C.E.O. The correspondence affirmed statements made by Kathryn under her non de plume "Anne" in her DFOT books ("The Volumes") concerning her vulgarity. This and other materials in the correspondence made Kathryn look very poor in the face of her claims to be receiving heavenly messages. Kathryn—as "Anne"—commented on these claims through Catholic writer Deal Hudson in June 2008, characterizing the arguments against her as her "not being holy enough."

To date, the correspondence was the last major revelatory piece by Unity Publishing on Anne/Kathryn Ann Clarke but the information continued to affect "Anne" and her DFOT apostolate.

The question regarding the imprimatur given to Anne's Volumes by Bishop Escaler concerns the legality of the imprimatur. The Bishop was retired when he granted the imprimatur, which calls into question its legality under Catholic law.

In August, 2011, Sr. Briege McKenna and Fr. Kevin Scallon publicly withdrew their support for Direction For Our Times. Two months later, Focus TV retracted its endorsement of Direction For Our Times. As of February 2012, Bishop O'Reilly's commission has not yet reported.