Jim Byrne letter to Fr. Ed O’Connor
In this handwritten letter to Fr. Ed O’Connor a month after he was forced to leave True House, Jim Byrne described himself as being guilty of committing wicked acts for his own sexual gratification and of having homosexual urges, but that he was praying for them to go away.
Jim Byrne’s vision for the charismatic renewal
In this 1971 edition of the Pastoral Newsletter, Jim Byrne laid out his vision for the charismatic renewal
Fr. Ken McGuire’s dissertation on True House
This multiyear study captured the life and activity of the True House community as anthropologist Ken McGuire lived with the group, surveyed them and even attained a leadership position in the community.
Sale of True House property to Kevin Ranaghan
When Jim Byrne left the community in August of 1973, the seat of True House’s operations was in the house at 1003 St. Vincent St. in South Bend. The house was later sold to the leader of People of Praise
National Service Committee – 1
The original minutes of the NSC’s first meeting show that Byrne was the founder and chairman of the organization
National Service Committee – 2
These minutes from the NSC show that Bert Ghezzi was the man from the committee who investigated the situation at True House in 1973
National Service Committee – 3
These minutes of the National Service Committee detail how the group planned to make an initial payment of $5,000 for his silence after he was forced out of True House
National Service Committee – 4
These minutes of the National Service Committee detail how the group planned to make a second payment of $5,000 for his continued silence after he was forced out of True House
AD Correspondence
View a copy of the 1975 Notre Dame newsletter in which Professor Bill Storey was interviewed about the abuses in True House and the larger charismatic renewal
Storey letters to Bishop Pursley
View a collection of letters that Professor Bill Storey wrote to local Bishop Pursley in 1975 on the subject of True House
Storey letter on significance of True House
Even though the importance of the role True House played in the founding and spread of the charismatic renewal has been intentionally diminished since the 1970s by leaders like Kevin Ranaghan and Steve Clark, this letter from Professor Bill Storey demonstrates True House’s actual significance.
Bishop Pursley writes to thank Storey for interview
In this 1975 letter from the Fort Wayne diocese, Bishop Pursley wrote to thank Bill Storey for speaking out in AD Correspondence and explains that his complaints were forwarded to every bishop in the United States
True House witness testimony
Professor Bill Storey collected witness statements from True House members and forwarded them on Bishop Pursley
Fr. Ed challenges Kevin Ranaghan
Fr. Ed O’Connor points out that he never misled the bishop about True House and that the National Service Committee and Ranaghan in particular should have informed the bishop about True House abuses when it learned of them in 1973.
National Catholic Reporter Investigation – First Part
This article explores Bill Storey’s allegations against True House leaders and the implications for the wider charismatic renewal
National Catholic Reporter Investigation – Second Part
This article explores the specifics of what went wrong at True House with details about the coercive exorcism known as “breakthrough ministry”
National Catholic Reporter Investigation – Third Part
This articles explores the Word of God Community in Ann Arbor, MI where leaders Steve Clark and Ralph Martin first implemented many of the practices of the charismatic renewal
National Catholic Reporter Investigation – Fourth Part
This article explores the authoritarian nature of leadership in the charismatic renewal and the big business that it controls
National Catholic Reporter Investigation – Fifth Part
This article explores what recorded teachings reveal about charismatics’ practices in regard to roles of men and women, faith healing and prophecy
National Catholic Reporter Investigation – Sixth Part
This analysis of the investigation into the charismatic renewal has a source that compares leaders to Hitler and Mussolini
National Catholic Reporter Investigation – Ranaghan’s Response
People of Praise leader Kevin Ranaghan followed a standard methodology for responding to criticism of the charismatic renewal: Ignore the facts of the accusation and attack the messenger
True House’s version of its history and practices
The document was originally prepared as a submission to Fort Wayne/South Bend Bishop Pursley to explain True House’s origin and practices
Coverup 1
In this 1975 letter to Bishop Pursley, Kevin Ranaghan fails to disclose the sexual abuse of young men at True House, the coercive exorcisms and the danger that Jim Byrne poses to people in covenant communities while deflecting about the importance of the upcoming international conference in Rome
Coverup 2
In this 1975 letter to Bishop Pursley, Steve Clark fails to disclose the sexual abuse of young men at True House, the coercive exorcisms and the danger that Jim Byrne poses to people in covenant communities while claiming it was an isolated incident
Coverup 3
In this 1975 letter to Bishop Pursley, Kilian McDonnell fails to disclose the sexual abuse of young men at True House, the coercive exorcisms and the danger that Jim Byrne poses to people in covenant communities while falsely speculating that the abuses don’t extend beyond South Bend
Coverup 4
In its official statement on the True House scandal and Bill Storey’s revelation thereof, the National Service Committee publishes a statement so full of provable falsehoods that it’s difficult to determine if there is any truth in its substance
Coverup 5
In this 1973 letter to True House members that was written two weeks after Jim Byrne was forced to leave, coordinators Joel Kibler and Peter Edwards falsely claim that Byrne is taking a vacation due to exhaustion instead of explaining that Byrne had been abusing members sexually and through coercive exorcisms
Coverup 6
In this 1975 letter to Steve Clark, Bishop Pursley admits to not reading the National Catholic Reporter investigation into True House and says he has no desire to “pursue the past”
Press coverage – New York Times
In this article detailing the abusive exorcisms conducted by Jim Byrne at True House, Bishop Pursley endorses the idea of a national investigation two months after he said no investigation would conducted by his diocese
Press coverage – Cincinnati Enquirer
The Archbishop of Cincinnati claims that any investigation of True House’s abusive exorcisms is the responsibility or Fort Wayne/South Bend Bishop Pursley
Press coverage – Newsweek
This 1975 article came out just a month after the AD Correspondence article, and in it Bishop Pursley says there will be no investigation of True House from the diocese
Press coverage – Assemblies of God
The Full Gospel Businessmen’s “Voice” publication gave Jim Byrne space to explain the gentle revolution that was taking place at Notre Dame
True House’s ‘impression management’
This academic study of the charismatic renewal entitled “The Catholic Charismatics” by Bord and Faulkner details the methodology that True House leaders employed to make people think positively about them and limit negative impressions
Maria Difato conversion story
True House member Maria Difato, who would eventually become Jim Byrne’s wife, details her conversion story
National Service Committee – 5
These 1971 minutes show that Jim Byrne and True House were responsible for hosting and conducting the annual international charismatic conference at Notre Dame
National Service Committee – 6
This 1970 letter shows that Jim Byrne was the original chairman of the National Service Committee
Steve Clark Notes on True House Coverup
Clark makes it clear that he feels “controversy destroys love” and that any criticism will destroy the charismatic communities. He says problems and illegal behavior should be handled through the headship structure to avoid controversy
Jim Byrne’s time in Florida
After he was forced out of True House in August of 1973 and paid off by the National Service Committee, Jim Byrne still couldn’t stay away from covenant communities. He because involved in the Spirit of God Community in Clearwater, FL which paid for his housing and tuition while he attended law school.
Press coverage – The Observer
When the public faith-healings and exorcisms of the charismatic renewal first appeared on Notre Dame’s campus, the student newspaper devoted the entire front page to covering the practices
Scandal was long-lived
People of Praise leader Kevin Ranaghan’s acquisition of the large True House property at 1003 St. Vincent Street in South Bend for virtually nothing continued to be a scandal as future NSC chairman Bill Beatty pointed out in this 1991 letter