Mary's Visits To Conyers, Georgia

It's over. At least in Conyers, Georgia. In mid-October of 1998, tens of thousands of people gathered at Nancy Fowler's farm to hear the last of the Virgin Mary's yearly messages. Since Fowler first announced that dead Mary appeared to her, the farm had been a magnet, drawing the more credulous - or superstitious - of the Catholic faithful. Folks came to that special place seeking miracles/healings, or to make vows to the Virgin, or to fulfill them, or just to be present where their earth goddess visited. Some said that they felt closer to God when they were there.

According to Fowler, Mary had appeared to her as light on the wall of a special apparition room every October 13th since 1994. Nancy Fowler, who apparently was the only person permitted to see the apparition, would write down the ghostly vivitor's oracles, which she then relayed to the assembled multitude.

It was a really big deal. Folks visited the farm throughout the year, but on the week of October 13th huge crowds assembled to get the "word" straight from the horse's mouth, as it were. While milling around the farm as they waited for the moment of revelation, pilgrims were provided many opportunities to leave offerings in wooden boxes scattered about the property. They could buy videos and other religious goodies on the grounds. All proceeds went to the non-profit organization that owned the farm. In the fiscal year that ended in June, 1997, the non-profit reported an income of over $350,000. I have no idea what became of that money. I wonder if anyone else does?

Catholic Mary seems really to like the United States. In the decade of the 1990s alone, she reportedly was seen in more than 30 locations in this country. I think my favorite apparition of the decade occurred in Progreso, Texas, where she was said to have appeared as a stain on the floor of an auto parts store. Now, that is hard to top.

When Nancy Fowler announced her first visit from earth goddess Mary, back in 1990, the Catholic Archbishop of Atlanta instructed Catholics not to be drawn in. That man moved on and his successor, though more tolerant, reminded those in his charge that the RCC did not consider the Conyers visitations to be authentic. In a typical example of the Catholic Church saying one thing and doing another, on October 13th of 1997, fully two dozen Catholic priests were on station before the Conyers farmhouse hearing confessions while the crowd droned the words of the Rosary. Finally, Fowler appeared to pass along the earth goddess's message.

On the morning of the big day, two dozen priests sat in lawn chairs hearing confession while the crowd recited the rosary. Closest to the porch where Fowler would appear were the pilgrims in wheelchairs and those seriously ill.

After two hours, Fowler emerged from the "apparition room," her eyes bloodshot and weary. "Please, little children," she began in her piping voice, reciting Mary's words as if telling a bedtime story. As men slumped to their knees and a young man pressed forward to touch her feet, she described the Virgin's "ever so gentle smile" and her tears as she warned that "a war greater than man has ever known" would come if all did not repent. She delivered a message against abortion and told of prophetic visions: that a ship would sink; that somewhere, beneath a building, the ground would crack. And then it was over, and the dusty pilgrims packed up their beach umbrellas and jugs of holy water for the long journey home. -- Miriam Horn, U.S.News & World Report,, (C) October 27, 1997

According to Fowler, who as usual had held her meeting with the Marian phantom in private, the message received in 1998 would be the last. Reading from her notes, Fowler stated "The future holds no concern to those who truly seek God and truly love Him and remain in His favor." Then, she reported that Mary had said that she wouldn't be permitted to visit with Fowler again in the way she had since 1990. Hmmmm. I wonder what effect that had on the videotape business.

When I read of these Marian apparitions, whether sanctioned by Rome or not, I am reminded of the story in Luke 16.

There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that [would come] from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. - Luke 16:19-31, KJV

Can there be a lesson in these verses for today? Why do some members of the Roman Catholic cult not see the clear message here? ". . .Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead."

Like Lazarus of this account, Mary the woman blessed to bear Incarnate God in her womb, is dead. Though known by many names down through the centuries, the Mary revered by Roman Catholics never really existed. Is Almighty God so double-minded that though His Son teach one thing, He does another? Or has He forgotten what Jesus taught? I think not. Rather, I do believe that Rome has so conditioned the Catholic laity to praying to and for the dead that many have come to discount our Savior's own words and the lesson they convey. Once again, I remind those who are held captive by Rome's threats of eternal damnation that God's truth is found in holy Scripture – not the self-serving utterances of the Magisterium.