I personally met one of the biggest
Catholic sect leaders in the world. Bordering only 15 minutes drive east of
my city.
***Magnificat Meal Movement. Helidon.
*1. Number of people: 20 Residence (I saw 12 and about 5 were in
Brisbane.) Approx 20 visitors. 2. Number of chairs: 2 rooms.
One can hold 20 and other 30. 3. Type of person: non-
traditional Catholics. 4. Socio-Economic Status: Probably low.
(Labourer) 5. Amount of kids: Quite a few children were there.
6. Ages of people: 5yo-70yo. 7. 35% are men. (Saw Debra's
brother aged 30's and car park friend male in 30's; 30yo male,
70yo in priests praise garments.) 8. Weekly offering published:
-. 9. Lateness of people getting to church: -.
***10. Any other
interesting information: How I met Debra Marie Burslem (married name was Debra Marie Geileskey, maiden name Burslem, went back to her original name). There is
no publicly listed phone number but they do have phones. This
group is known throughout the world. In the 2000 Carnival of
Flowers this group had an entry with banners of all the
countries they were in. Known for perhaps resisting the Holy
Roman Catholic Church to maintain their identity, it was
denounced in 1996 by the regions Bishop William Morris as well
as publicly by practically every Catholic church between
Toowoomba to the Sunshine Coast I have personally been to. They always plead
for members of the group to return to the Catholic church. The founder Debra Burslem has been on
"The Midday Show" with Ray Martin, numerous large newspaper
articles have been written. Particularly in regards to land
being sold by her then but now divorced husband who is a Real
Estate Agent. The Magnificat Meal Movement name refers to "The
Lord's Supper" or Communion or the Eucharist. The church do not
seem to accuse the group of being totally unbiblical from a
strict bible base. Journalists generally do not accuse the
group of human rights violations. The attraction to the members
seem to be one where they feel God's presence there, where they
can live in a community with a combined vision that's a change
from restrictive formalised worship.
*** I personally ended up meeting with the founder Debra Burslem.
I travelled to Helidon and asked locals where the group might be
located. I drove up a dead end street, parking in a grassed area
that could fit 20 cars going past another grass area that could
fit 35 cars. I walked up the hill to the residential area. I
passed a group of banana trees that had a sign "Go bananas for
Jesus." I passed by trees with little Virgin Mary signs of
writings on them. I passed by an area which was obviously an
outdoor meditation area. To the right of the path was a small
residence of some 1 - 2 small flats. Ten metres down the other
side of the hill to my right was a larger building, perhaps 1-3
living places. Out of 3 buildings the third main building was
much bigger which sits on the hill, over looking the old stone
Catholic church. It's 2 stories high and is like a large house.
I waited for anyone to come out. A 13yo girl asked what I wanted
but left when I said I wanted to go to a mass. No one came out so
I wondered down the path of the "Stations of the Cross." Each
station had something different like a large wooden cross with a
Virgin Mary sign and perhaps a small seated area. As I made my
way down the path a man in a priestly looking blue shirt
approached me and asked if he could help me. I explained how I
was looking for a mass to go to. He ushered me around the rest
of the stations. He explained how it was private property. I was
lead to the car park area while he conversed 10 metres away
between the tall bar grill door of the main house. I felt like
they wanted me to leave but I knew they didn't want me to feel
intimidated by that as they were just being protective due to
other people taking advantage of them. I waited a really long
time, some 7 minutes. He then said "Let's walk this way, to this
station. Would you like a cup of tea?" So soon we were on the
large verandah itself. The house was full of people happily
busying themselves and going to and fro. I was bought a cup of
tea as we chatted. He came from a labouring background of many
jobs. He said how he had just returned from overseas living by
faith. I presume he meant he was promoting their cause in several
countries without definite plans. After awhile Debra Burslem
came out herself on the verandah with bleach blonde hair with
black roots and make up and a morning dress. I was not introduced.
She smiled courteously and said "How do you do?" She said to
the others "Bring me a cup of tea will you?" As her and the man
and myself had tea on the verandah of this peaceful, tranquil
setting. Debra said "Yes, whenever I go to the stations, (my)
people always talk to me but that's all right." People
constantly spilled in and out of the house with Debra firmly
and sensitively ordering them to do certain tasks. An older man
in a priestly robe chatted. A young girl had too much dirt on
her dress for worship coming up. A younger girl wanted to give
Debra $20 for something "And mummy said the rest would be coming
later." Debra replied "That's perfectly all right dear." Debra
spoke to me of unusual things which I never hear people talk
about. I said I sometimes went to the church (only 4 times) at
Cambell and Curzon Sts." She said "Oh, that's Trevor O'Keefes
church." I said "It's Tony O'Keefe." She said "That's right,
I
tend not to go there much these days as I get recognised too
much." She said "Tim, didn't it put you off coming here since
you heard so much about us?" I said "Well, I hadn't heard you'd
done anything so very bad." I said I also occasionally went to
Rangeville Uniting. She said Yes, Col Warren. He knows what it's
like too somewhat, to be out on the edge like us. He's good,
with the work he does. The worship there, what do you like about
it?" I threw my hands in the air. I later realised that she
prides herself on worship and was comparing the 2 churches. She
persistently asked me the same question 3 times. Eventually I
said "I guess I like the fact that it's not like Pentecostal
churches in that if you look funny or just on a whim they can
isolate and kick you out, there's security. And I like the
familiar songs." She nodded. She then began to tell me of her
exploits "I was tying up some business in Melbourne for the day,
and had booked a ticket out at 7pm but I had finished by midday
so I simply bought another ticket." Also, I didn't see any very
expensive cars in the drive way. Only 4 small older cars. However,
she made 4 similar references to money to let me know money
was not at least a big problem. She then bought a tray of eggs
to the man and said "Could you make a breakfast for me? He makes
the most wonderful dishes." Debra sat alone with me on the
verandah for 20 minutes. A lady came and Debra said "How many
attended the early morning meeting in the medium sized room
while I was sleeping in?" They said "Oh, it was quite full, yes,
no it was." She replied "We will have to go in the larger room
for this mornings service." She also had said "We never let prophecy
get above worship, this is very important to us, in fact we never let anything
get in the way of worship." (Later that week I had came across a Catholic
lady from St Thomas Moores, opposite Centenary High School who said "The
MMM used to come into our church occasionally with all brightly coloured robes
on. We would never kick them out.") She took me into her religious shop
and she gave me a $23 2 CD set called "Songs for Worship" by Integrity
Music with well known songs like "Lord, I lift your name on high."
Around me I saw many brightly priestly looking garments for sale. I was ushered
out of the shop and she said to a man "Tim's going to leave now, could
you show him out then?" I left. I didn't go back.
11. Time there AND date of visit: 8.30am-10.30am. 11/11/01.
12. Length of service: -. 13. This and other service times: They
hold daily masses but feel worship is a continual act.
***14. Preacher: Debra Burslem. 15. Feeling of building: Warm,
spiritual, peaceful, fun atmosphere but strict as to what each
person needed to do. 16. Estimate style of belief: In the
gardens are 12 stations of the cross. For example, there is a
picture of the Virgin Mary with a painted sign under a tree with
a wooden cross. 17. Dress code so as not to stand out: Men wore
priestly looking garments. Others wore normal clothes. I was
taken to a room off the verandah and presented with a $23
Integrity CD "Shout to the Lord" as a gift. This 25ft x 15ft
room had some 50 garments. Debra said "They are worship
garments." Other stuff in the room included things for sale of
which there was an average amount of stock compared to a normal
Christian bookshop. 18. How to get there: Travel some 15 kms
towards Helidon, turn left before the road by passes to Gatton.
Go to right of park, before the Criterion Hotel there's a
bridge, turn left. Pass the Catholic church. Their property
adjoins the Catholic churches property. There is a sign which
says "Private Property Keep out." Debra said "This is private
property and we invite our friends to come here, once we had a
priest come here who wanted to "talk" to me so we told him that
it wasn't possible, besides I was in a meeting. People can ask
for an invitation."