Gianna Talone
Encyclopedia
Gianna Talone Sullivan is a clinical pharmacist
by profession, but is best known as the author of a series of books called I am your Jesus of Mercy
that report visions of Jesus and Mary
.
She was born in Phoenix, Arizona
to Italian American
parents and as a child had a brief show business career in the 1970s, appearing in an episode of The Flying Nun
television series, before attending the Arizona State University
. She later obtained her Doctor of Pharmacy
degree from the University of Southern California
and started a career in corporate pharmacy
.
In September 1988 she began reporting religious visions and messages that resulted in a multi-volume book series.
she visited Međugorje. As of December 1987 the group began a Thursday night prayer session for the Holy Rosary
and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy
. In July 1988, the pastor of St. Maria Goretti parish, Father Jack Spaulding, reported that the group was receiving messages from the Virgin Mary through one of the young adults. In December 1988 Father Spaulding reported that Jesus
had started to speak through him as he delivered the homily
portion of the mass. Father Spaulding reported the matter to Bishop Thomas O'Brien of Phoenix who started a formal investigation.
As of September 1988, the young adult, who was later identified as Talone, also reported messages from Jesus
and in August 1989 Father Spaulding stated that the messages needed to be made public, in print. The reported messages from Jesus continued until November 1995. In these messages she reported that Jesus provided her with lessons about His love and mercy and preached humility. As of 2007, she still reports messages from the Virgin Mary.
taught her the difference between envy and jealousy, in that jealousy is pure hatred and that envy is the path that leads to jealousy. She also wrote that by focusing on Jesus one can be filled with love and that is how envy can be destroyed.
The message she wrote on December 13, 1989 has a similar tone and teaches faithfulness. It states that fidelity is the strongest bond between mankind and the Holy Trinity through faithfulness. It teaches that only through dedicated faith in God the Father
can one be deemed righteous.
The notions of self-abandonment to God and trust in Jesus repeat throughout the messages. For instance, on August 19, 1992 she wrote a message that she attributed to Jesus: "I am truly guiding you if you trust that I am. This is self-abandonment to the Providence of God." The phrase "I am" appears frequently in the messages and is part of the title of the book series.
She also reported messages from Saint Mary, e.g. on December 30, 1989 she wrote that the Blessed Virgin invited everyone to follow Jesus by praying with their hearts. The message also emphasized the power of human prayers when they are united with the prayers of Saint Mary. The message of July 3 1997 attributed to the Virgin Mary is not a pure lesson, but also directs everyone to pray for the Catholic Church and the Pope
for they are in need of prayer.
Her later messages that continue into 2007 are attributed to Our Lady of Emmitsburg and at times have the form of prophecies. The prophecies do not declare an end to the world, but warn of turbulent times ahead and refer to four stages of Trials and Tribulations, Eucharistic Reign, Illumination and Purification.
met with Talone and issued a statement that they found no basis to support her messages as having an extraordinary source. The statement from the archdiocese condemns the alleged apparitions as not of a supernatural origin. The officials directed that the prayer service with the messages at St. Joseph's Church in Emmitsburg, Maryland
be discontinued.
The Holy See
has let the matter rest at the local level of the archdiocese in Baltimore, Maryland and has not commented on her messages. On October 8th, 2008, The Archbishop of the Diocese of Baltimore has issued a statement condemning the messages and revelations as not authentic and has cautioned Talone from continuing the distribution of the messages as gravely harmful to the spiritual life of the faithful. [4]
On Oct 10, 2008, the Archbishop of Baltimore issued a letter that was insert in the church bulletin of every Catholic Church in Maryland. The letter from Archbishop O’Brien warns Gianna Sullivan is not to disseminate in any way, by her own person or by any other person, by electronic means or any other means, on any church property or in any public or private place any messages. He then warns others not to disseminate her messages because it is harmful to the church and he hopes that this will stop the confusion of the faithful.
. The 6th volume includes messages attributed to the Virgin Mary and ends with a message on January 7, 1999. The messages were originally published by the Riehle Foundation, and were later published by Queenship Publishing. They are distributed worldwide.
and started a "Cult Watch" program to monitor her and her followers. They also accused her of plagiarism
.
Pharmacist
Pharmacists are allied health professionals who practice in pharmacy, the field of health sciences focusing on safe and effective medication use...
by profession, but is best known as the author of a series of books called I am your Jesus of Mercy
I Am Your Jesus of Mercy
I am Your Jesus of Mercy is the title of a series of books written by Gianna Talone. Currently there are 6 volumes in the series. The books are based on messages that Talone attributes to Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary. The visions of Jesus and Mary that lead to the books were reported between...
that report visions of Jesus and Mary
Visions of Jesus and Mary
Since the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ on Calvary until today, a number of people have claimed to have had visions of Christ and personal conversations with him. Some people make similar claims regarding the Blessed Virgin Mary. Discussions about the authenticity of these visions have often invited...
.
She was born in Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
to Italian American
Italian American
An Italian American , is an American of Italian ancestry. The designation may also refer to someone possessing Italian and American dual citizenship...
parents and as a child had a brief show business career in the 1970s, appearing in an episode of The Flying Nun
The Flying Nun
The Flying Nun is an American sitcom produced by Screen Gems for ABC based on the 1965 book The Fifteenth Pelican, by Tere Rios, which starred Sally Field as Sister Bertrille...
television series, before attending the Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
. She later obtained her Doctor of Pharmacy
Doctor of Pharmacy
A Doctor of Pharmacy is a professional doctorate degree in pharmacy. In some countries, it is a first professional degree, and a prerequisite for licensing to exercise the profession of pharmacist.-Kenya :...
degree from the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
and started a career in corporate pharmacy
Pharmacy
Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs...
.
In September 1988 she began reporting religious visions and messages that resulted in a multi-volume book series.
The prayer group
In October 1987, along with a group of parishioners from St. Maria Goretti parish in Scottsdale, ArizonaScottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale is a city in the eastern part of Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, adjacent to Phoenix. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2010 the population of the city was 217,385...
she visited Međugorje. As of December 1987 the group began a Thursday night prayer session for the Holy Rosary
Rosary
The rosary or "garland of roses" is a traditional Catholic devotion. The term denotes the prayer beads used to count the series of prayers that make up the rosary...
and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy
Chaplet of Divine Mercy
The Chaplet of the Divine Mercy is a Roman Catholic devotion based on the visions of Jesus reported by Saint Mary Faustina Kowalska , known as "the Apostle of Mercy." She was a Polish sister of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy and canonized as a Catholic saint in 2000.Faustina...
. In July 1988, the pastor of St. Maria Goretti parish, Father Jack Spaulding, reported that the group was receiving messages from the Virgin Mary through one of the young adults. In December 1988 Father Spaulding reported that Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
had started to speak through him as he delivered the homily
Homily
A homily is a commentary that follows a reading of scripture. In Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, and Eastern Orthodox Churches, a homily is usually given during Mass at the end of the Liturgy of the Word...
portion of the mass. Father Spaulding reported the matter to Bishop Thomas O'Brien of Phoenix who started a formal investigation.
As of September 1988, the young adult, who was later identified as Talone, also reported messages from Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
and in August 1989 Father Spaulding stated that the messages needed to be made public, in print. The reported messages from Jesus continued until November 1995. In these messages she reported that Jesus provided her with lessons about His love and mercy and preached humility. As of 2007, she still reports messages from the Virgin Mary.
The messages
The 250 messages she handwrote between 1988 and 1995 usually have an instructive tone and often refer to her as My child. For instance, on January 26, 1989 she wrote that JesusJesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
taught her the difference between envy and jealousy, in that jealousy is pure hatred and that envy is the path that leads to jealousy. She also wrote that by focusing on Jesus one can be filled with love and that is how envy can be destroyed.
The message she wrote on December 13, 1989 has a similar tone and teaches faithfulness. It states that fidelity is the strongest bond between mankind and the Holy Trinity through faithfulness. It teaches that only through dedicated faith in God the Father
God the Father
God the Father is a gendered title given to God in many monotheistic religions, particularly patriarchal, Abrahamic ones. In Judaism, God is called Father because he is the creator, life-giver, law-giver, and protector...
can one be deemed righteous.
The notions of self-abandonment to God and trust in Jesus repeat throughout the messages. For instance, on August 19, 1992 she wrote a message that she attributed to Jesus: "I am truly guiding you if you trust that I am. This is self-abandonment to the Providence of God." The phrase "I am" appears frequently in the messages and is part of the title of the book series.
She also reported messages from Saint Mary, e.g. on December 30, 1989 she wrote that the Blessed Virgin invited everyone to follow Jesus by praying with their hearts. The message also emphasized the power of human prayers when they are united with the prayers of Saint Mary. The message of July 3 1997 attributed to the Virgin Mary is not a pure lesson, but also directs everyone to pray for the Catholic Church and the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
for they are in need of prayer.
Her later messages that continue into 2007 are attributed to Our Lady of Emmitsburg and at times have the form of prophecies. The prophecies do not declare an end to the world, but warn of turbulent times ahead and refer to four stages of Trials and Tribulations, Eucharistic Reign, Illumination and Purification.
The view from the archdiocese
On September 8th 2000, officials from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of BaltimoreRoman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore
The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Baltimore is a particular church of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. The archdiocese comprises the City of Baltimore as well as Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Howard, and Washington Counties in Maryland...
met with Talone and issued a statement that they found no basis to support her messages as having an extraordinary source. The statement from the archdiocese condemns the alleged apparitions as not of a supernatural origin. The officials directed that the prayer service with the messages at St. Joseph's Church in Emmitsburg, Maryland
Emmitsburg, Maryland
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 2,290 people, 811 households, and 553 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,992.9 people per square mile . There were 862 housing units at an average density of 750.2 per square mile...
be discontinued.
The Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
has let the matter rest at the local level of the archdiocese in Baltimore, Maryland and has not commented on her messages. On October 8th, 2008, The Archbishop of the Diocese of Baltimore has issued a statement condemning the messages and revelations as not authentic and has cautioned Talone from continuing the distribution of the messages as gravely harmful to the spiritual life of the faithful. [4]
On Oct 10, 2008, the Archbishop of Baltimore issued a letter that was insert in the church bulletin of every Catholic Church in Maryland. The letter from Archbishop O’Brien warns Gianna Sullivan is not to disseminate in any way, by her own person or by any other person, by electronic means or any other means, on any church property or in any public or private place any messages. He then warns others not to disseminate her messages because it is harmful to the church and he hopes that this will stop the confusion of the faithful.
Publication
From September 1988 to November 1995 she wrote 250 messages, as lessons that she attributed to Jesus. She handwrote these messages and they were gathered and printed as the first five volumes of the books I am your Jesus of MercyI Am Your Jesus of Mercy
I am Your Jesus of Mercy is the title of a series of books written by Gianna Talone. Currently there are 6 volumes in the series. The books are based on messages that Talone attributes to Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary. The visions of Jesus and Mary that lead to the books were reported between...
. The 6th volume includes messages attributed to the Virgin Mary and ends with a message on January 7, 1999. The messages were originally published by the Riehle Foundation, and were later published by Queenship Publishing. They are distributed worldwide.
Backlash at Emmitsburg
In June 2008, a group of Emmitsburg residents started a campaign against Talone, accused her of running a cultCult
The word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices...
and started a "Cult Watch" program to monitor her and her followers. They also accused her of plagiarism
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is defined in dictionaries as the "wrongful appropriation," "close imitation," or "purloining and publication" of another author's "language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions," and the representation of them as one's own original work, but the notion remains problematic with nebulous...
.
Sources
- Gianna Talone: I am your Jesus of Mercy. Several volumes: ISBN 1877678082 ... ISBN 1882972740 ISBN 157918121X
- Gianna Talone at IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2127394
- Catholic Culture Library: http://www.catholicculture.org/library/view.cfm?recnum=3109
- Our Lady of Emmitsburg Cult Watch: http://www.emmitsburg.net/cult_watch/articles.htm
External links
- Our Lady of Emmitsburg Cult Watch http://www.emmitsburg.net/cult_watch/articles.htm
- Center for the Immaculate Heart http://www.centeroftheimmaculateheart.org/index.asp
- Our Lady of Emmitsburg http://www.prourladyofemmitsburg.org
- Queenship Publishing http://www.queenship.org