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Last updated May 23, 2010 |
| Backstrom's Blog re: The Love Holy Trinity Blessed Mission Just the facts, ma'am, just the facts... |
(5/23/10) Heavy Hearts
It is with great sadness I share that our friend, Sara Flynn, passed away
Saturday, May 22. Sara was only 30 years old. She leaves behind her loving
husband, Tim, and precious six month-old daughter. I ask for your prayers
for Tim and his family. Visitation is Tuesday, May 25 from 3 - 8 p.m. at
Egelhof, Siegert & Casper Westview Funeral Home in Dubuque. The funeral
is Wednesday, 11 a.m., at St. Columbkille’s Church.
Tim and Sara always put their faith into action. It is what we all must do. I
hope to do a fundraiser for Tim (in Dubuque) down the road to help with
medical costs. He doesn’t know this nor does he need to right now. I’ll
discuss with him in a couple of weeks. At that point, I will ask each and every
one of us to put our faith into action and help this family.
If anyone has ideas for this fundraiser, please contact me. I am more than
willing to spearhead an event but since I live in Davenport, I’ll need
assistance.
Remember: God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything
you did or didn’t do.
With a very heavy heart,
Donna
madonnajb@mchsi.com
(5/4/10) Potpourri ~ TH Letter and Photos from "The X-Factor"
My letter to the editor appeared in the Dubuque Telegraph-Herald Saturday,
May 1. It's shown below.
“Before you were conceived I wanted you. Before you were born I loved you.
Before you were here an hour I would die for you. This is the miracle of
love.” ~Maureen Hawkins
This is for the Moms who have been denied access to their children due to
The Love Holy Trinity Blessed Mission, a cult founded by Agnes Kyo
McDonald and followed by some in the Dubuque area. It has been five long
years since we’ve been able to see or talk to my niece and several other
families are in the same boat.
Familial alienation is not of God; this group’s secrecy should be a huge red
flag. They keep meetings and retreats a secret and haven’t updated their
Web site for years.
Calling their HQ in Chicago a communication center is a true misnomer.
Family members leave messages that are not returned, even though LHTBM’
s answering machine states in part that “If you'd like to leave a message
please do so after the tone and someone will get back to you as soon as
possible.” No, they don’t “get back to you.” I return my phone messages –
you?
My primary concern remains: LHTBM is contrary to the core Christian belief
that we are saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus. Salvation is not
about how many rosaries we do or do not say, nor is it about any other ritual.
~~~~~
Below are recent photos taken by "The X-Factor" in Illinois. My thanks go out
to him. I anticipate having more in the near future.
(Click on photos to enlarge.)
(4/18/10) Happy 30th Birthday to Juanita
“God’s blessings. You have reached The Love Holy Trinity Blessed Mission.
If you'd like to leave a message please do so after the tone and someone
will get back to you as soon as possible. May god bless you.”
This is the message you receive when you call the cult's "communication
center." Sure, someone will get right back to you. NOT. I just called and left a
message for Juanita because today (Sunday, April 18) is her 30th birthday.
This marks the fifth birthday her family has been denied access to her. I
should clarify that family members in the cult can and do, of course, see her.
However, the majority of us – as well as her friends – are not allowed to see
her or talk to her. I'm acutely aware this is her choice but again, her choices
are manipulated. WAY manipulated. This is basic Cult 101 and there is
nothing different with this cult than with other cults.
My message to her is that I love her and hope she thinks of her Mom and
Dad today, as they're the ones who brought her into this wonderful world.
Contrary to the cult's teaching and preaching, earthly families DO matter -
they ARE important. It's unconscionable that Joanne and Jim can't talk to
their daughter. Always, always, there's this nonsense from Marilyn Vogt that
"if Joanne would have a change of heart." WTF? Those freaks don't know
what's in Joanne's heart nor does she need to prove anything to them.
NADA.
What is my greatest issue with this cult, aside from the lack of
communication issue? It is that it’s contrary to the core Christian belief that
we are saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus and that scares me for
my niece and anyone else who has been led astray. Amen.
Peace.
Donna
madonnajb@mchsi.com
(4/4/10) Happy Easter
I wish everyone a blessed Easter. Please say a prayer for all families that
are broken because of this cult (The Love Holy Trinity Blessed Mission).
This is the fifth Easter without our Juanita and I know it is just as long for
several other families. It is for them as much as my niece that I do this.
Following is something a friend sent me. I don’t know who wrote it but it
oozes humility. True humility. It’s most appropriate today.
When I say that 'I am a Christian', I am not shouting that 'I am clean living.’
I'm whispering 'I was lost, but now I'm found and forgiven.'
When I say 'I am a Christian' I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide.
When I say 'I am a Christian' I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak and need His strength to carry on.
When I say 'I am a Christian' I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed and need God to clean my mess.
When I say 'I am a Christian' I'm not claiming to be perfect.
My flaws are far too visible, but God believes I am worth it.
When I say 'I am a Christian' I still feel the sting of pain.
I have my share of heartaches, so I call upon His name.
When I say 'I am a Christian' I'm not holier than thou,
I'm just a simple sinner who received God's good grace, somehow!
Peace.
Donna
madonnajb@mchsi.com
(3/18/10) Cowardice, continued…
Hmmmm… The Catholic Church is still having problems with the sex abuse
scandal. When will it end? WILL it end? The Church has continued to hide
wrongdoing and not be forthcoming with such things. Brazil… Ireland…
Germany… In my opinion, the same is true of the Church re: this cult. These
members should have been excommunicated long ago but due to the
cowardice of the Church, they have not. There are priests still involved and
the Bishop of Dubuque knows it but does nothing. But that’s the way of the
Church, isn’t it? They turn their backs on things or sweep them under the
rug – then they don’t exist…how very sick of them. How very cowardly of
them. I cannot imagine being a part of the Catholic Church knowing the
deceit it perpetrates. Am I a believer? Oh, my, yes! But I pray to God, the
one true God, not some priest, not some pope, and certainly not Kyo baby. I
am saved by the life and death of Christ Jesus, period.
Speaking of cowardice, I know of no one more cowardly than Kyo. She was
afraid to show up at the Belvidere hearings and in fact, was afraid to show
up at many other events. Sure, Dick Vogt said the reason was she was
being persecuted but we know better. That’s a cop-out; that’s another way of
saying she doesn’t have the guts to be seen and take a stand. That’s why
the cult’s retreats are hidden, etc. (well, they think they are). Anyone proud
of his or her faith simply could not be privy to attending a retreat or meeting
in a “secret” location. Indeed, this cult is all about that. I could go on and
one, but that’s for my book. Very simply, if you can’t put what you’ve done or
where you’ve gone on the front page of a paper, you shouldn’t be doing it or
going there.
That my sister and brother-in-law have stolen my niece from her family – and
also destroyed other families along the way – is simply unconscionable.
They, too, are cowards. Marilyn Vogt was not raised that way, but sadly, it is
how she lives today. See below how Marilyn calls my work number to see if I
will be out of the office. C'mon. Cowardice. Pure and utter cowardice!!!
My primary concern remains: LHTBM is contrary to the core Christian belief
that we are saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus. Salvation is not
about how many rosaries we do or do not say, nor is it about the ritual of
saying certain prayers 12 times daily.
Kyo: My message for you and your cultic followers remains the same: this is
far from over.
I promise to do a better job of updating this page and thank all of you for
your e-mails.
Donna
madonnajb@mchsi.com
(2/16/10) “Patience has its limits. Take it too far, and it’s cowardice.”
Amen! When I saw this quote today, I immediately thought of the Catholic
Church. I believe the bishop et al are waiting patiently for the cult members
to leave the cult and rejoin the Catholic Church. Nonsense. It’s not going to
happen. Their allegiance is to Kyo, not God, and certainly not the Catholic
Church. But the bishop has taken the easy way out; it’s much simpler to
proclaim a need for patience that it is to act on cult members’ defiance.
These cult members should be excommunicated for ignoring the bishop’s
warning. Instead, they’re given positions of authority – imagine that! It’s
sheer and utter cowardice on the bishop’s part. Action from him is long
overdue. But then, if we look at the history of the Catholic Church, well…
Totally different subject: I was thinking of one of my favorite songs today:
Indiana Wants Me. Hmmmmmm…Kyo? Jan? Dick? Anybody?
madonnajb@mchsi.com or madonnajb@gmail.com
(1/9/10) Huh?
In mid-December on a Friday night, Marilyn Vogt left a two-minute voice
message on my work phone. I know she has checked my voice messages in
the past to see when I’d be out of the office, etc. But this time, she left a
message, probably inadvertently. Dick Vogt was with her, and they were
chatting on and on, probably not realizing they were being recorded.
Now here’s my question: Why does she call my work phone to hear my
messages? I know. So do you. Only someone extremely paranoid would be
so concerned with – and worried about - my actions. Very interesting,
indeed…
I think a road trip is in my future.
Donna
madonnajb@gmail.com
(12/25/09) Merry Christmas
Separation of loved ones always is difficult but especially so at the holidays.
This is the fifth Christmas my sister and brother-in-law have been denied
access to their daughter who is part of The Love Holy Trinity Blessed
Mission, a cult founded by Agnes Kyo McDonald. So many families – many
from the Dubuque area – have been separated because of LHTBM. My
heart goes out to all of them: the parents who cannot talk to their children;
the adult children whose parents in LHTBM won’t talk to them. There are
many – in fact, the majority has ties to the Dubuque area.
I continue to receive e-mails from other families that have been affected by
this cult. It is by no means a Spielman/Vogt family problem; it’s much more
widespread than that. There’s a tremendous disconnect between what this
group says and what this group does. The higher ups are some of the most
selfish, self-centered and self-focused people I've ever met. Familial
alienation and secrecy are a pattern with this group as true with all high-
demand groups. A simple prayer group? I think not. That's pure,
unadulterated BS. Shame on anyone who believes that nonsense!
My primary concern remains: LHTBM is contrary to the core Christian belief
that we are saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus. Salvation is not
about how many rosaries we do or do not say, nor is it about the ritual of
saying certain prayers 12 times daily.
My holiday wish is that each affected family will one day become whole again.
Kyo - you selfish, selfish woman: this is far from over.
Donna
madonnajb@gmail.com (note the new e-mail address)
(11/29/09) Happy Thanksgiving…
I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. I know I was with my
children so it was awesome, as always. Please remember in your thoughts
and prayers those families who have been torn apart because of LHTBM.
This was Joanne and Jim’s fifth Thanksgiving without Juanita; words fail me
as a parent how that would impact my life. Not to see or speak to your child
for almost five years….well, it’s unconscionable. Many other families were
not whole this holiday, either, because of this cult. I have faith one day
families will be reunited. Until then, Kyo: you know.
Donna
madonnajb@mchsi.com
(11/10/09) Happy Birthday
Today is Marilyn Vogt’s birthday. I share fond memories of our lives together
and hope we can have a relationship again one day. She had a heart of
gold and was a very special sister. So Happy Birthday, Marilyn... I love you
and always will.
Madonna
(11/01/09) Too bad, so sad, I’m glad…
Major news this week out of France: “Church of Scientology hits rough
patch: On Monday, a French court convicted the Church of Scientology on
fraud charges stemming from complaints by two women. The judge in the
case levied massive fines as punishment, fueling a long-running battle
between Scientology and France, which considers the group a "sect" rather
than a religion.” Read the full story here: http://news.yahoo.
com/s/ynews/ynews_ts956.
A sect? Really? Imagine that! That’s one of my biggest beefs with all
religious-based cults: they claim to be a “religion” so they can become a
nonprofit organization and not pay taxes like the rest of us do. These cults
are not religious groups – not in any way, shape or form! They should be
made to pay taxes like the rest of us.
Perhaps the most intriguing part of this story follows: “He also chastised
Davis' recent public denial of Scientology's mandate of "disconnecting,"
which allegedly requires members to cut ties with disapproving friends and
family members. In the letter, Haggis said that his wife went so far as to
disown her parents, despite his protestations.” What? A cult requiring
members to cut ties with disapproving friends and family
members..? Imagine that! Indeed, as I have said from the beginning, that’s
the very first red flag people should see. If a group – any group – causes
familial alienation, it’s not a group you want to join.
Look at LHTBM and how many families have been destroyed because of this
cult! How many people in this cult have cut ties with their parents and/or their
children – any family member? You know the answer. We all know the
answer. And that makes this entire situation untenable. So to Kyo, to all
the culties, I say: this is far from over.
Donna
madonnajb@mchsi.com
(9/03/09) Today’s Dubuque Telegraph-Herald…
My letter to the editor appeared in today’s TH. See http://www.thonline.
com/article.cfm?o=1&id=255430 to read it. If you can’t get it, e-mail me and
I’ll e-mail the letter. Also, below is the full letter but of course, it had to be cut
down to 250 words.
Most Rev. Jerome Hanus, O.S.B., archbishop of Dubuque, issued a
statement Sept. 14, 2005, re: The Love Holy Trinity Blessed Mission. In it,
the Bishop stated that “… no undertaking is to claim the name Catholic
without the consent of ecclesiastical authority in the local church (cf. Canon
216).” Yet LHTBM still claims – on their radio program and elsewhere – to be
Catholic. The Bishop also stated concern about “a lack of balance in the
group's spirituality, the authoritarian approach of the leader, secretiveness,
characteristics of a cult, harmful impact on families, and the questionable
quality of the understanding of the Scripture” and that the group “continues
to be very guarded and secretive about itself. “ True to this day – all very
true… So why, then, are some members of LHTBM allowed to hold positions
of authority within the Catholic Church? If the Bishop does “not consider it
qualified to offer acceptable Catholic programs or activities in the
Archdiocese of Dubuque” then why are some LHTBM members allowed to
teach CCD, be Eucharist ministers, etc.?
“All Catholic faithful are cautioned against participation in and association
with this group. Clergy and others in Church leadership are not to support or
endorse LHTBM.” Catholics are cautioned against participating and
associating with this group yet the group consists of members, and some
members are in positions of authority in several Dubuque Catholic
churches!!! There also are priests still involved with this cult; the Bishop
knows this, but…
When I – and others – have asked the archdiocese about this, the response
is that this group is cult-like but they must be cautious with individual
members. Again, I have no problem with these cult members attending Mass.
But I have VERY SERIOUS issues with them being in a position of authority.
This clearly is sending a mixed message to everyone. It gives the cult
members an element of legitimacy (“What can be wrong with our group if the
Catholic Church allows us to maintain positions of authority and remain on
the altar?”). It sends other parish members a very mixed message; what they
see is not consistent with the Church’s statement about LHTBM. It tells me
the Archdiocese of Dubuque doesn’t have the guts to deal with this.
The Bishop needs to show some courage and stop being so wishy-washy. I
assure you if the fear is a schism, that’s already a done deal. The Church
needs to be realistic and deal with this situation. Some cult members preach
that these are “bad” bishops (Hanus, George, et al) and therefore do not
represent the true pre-Vatican II Catholic Church. Are you getting the
picture here? They have no intention of giving up their little cult and its
leaders. LHTBM won’t go away by magic nor will members turn their backs
on it. At a minimum, they need to be removed from positions of authority.
Action by the Bishop is long overdue.
Donna
madonnajb@mchsi.com
(9/01/09) It is what it is…
I’m sure most people have read about the missing girl who was found 18
years after being kidnapped by a sex offender. There’s no question the two
perverts became family to the young girl. She was raped and eventually
gave birth to two daughters of her own. But at some point, this way of life
was all she knew. It had become her reality. The same is true in the
Elizabeth Smart case. Indeed, she could have run away but by the time she
*could* have done that, she was deeply bonded with her kidnappers. The
“unknown” at that point was her real family.
I’m equally certain many of you noticed the similarities between that story
and some of our stories. Before the culties freak out, I’m not inferring Juanita
and others were kidnapped. (Ah, no, the cult made certain everyone was of
age, even though some still were young girls.) They were indeed
brainwashed, however, into thinking they didn’t need their God-given
families and that other cult members are their true families. I saw a very
recent photo of Juanita and she looks well. Now, Dick Vogt has said many
times these “girls could leave anytime.” But they’ve been so brainwashed
into thinking their real families are evil, worthless and unimportant, why
WOULD they leave?! Some will leave one day when that pre-cult personality
buried deep within questions one too many things in his or her life. Until
then, the bonding has taken place and Kyo has them under her power. But I
know one who is all powerful and He is God. Kyo is no match for Him and
those working for Him.
Donna
madonnajb@mchsi.com
(7/25/09) One down, many more to go…
From http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/07/24/arkansas.evangelist.trial/index.
html:
Evangelist Tony Alamo of Tony Alamo Ministries was found guilty of 10
federal counts Friday. A jury in Arkansas convicted him of taking minors
across state lines for sex. Alamo, whose real name is Bernie Hoffman, had
denied all wrongdoing. In a phone interview last year with CNN, he called the
accusations a hoax. "They're just trying to make our church look evil ... by
saying I'm a pornographer. Saying that I rape little children. ... I love children.
I don't abuse them. Never have. Never will." Asked why authorities were
searching the property, Alamo compared himself to Christ. "Why were they
after Jesus," he asked. "It's the same reason. Jesus is living within me."
I am gratified every time a cult leader is taken down. Each has the same
lingo: “They’re trying to make us look evil, blah, blah, blah.” In reality, cults
do this to themselves because they *are* evil and we all must strive to take
them down as best we can. Your role might be prayer or something more
active, but we each do have a role. Have you also noticed culties always
compare themselves to the persecution Jesus suffered or the persecution
legitimate organizations encountered? Oh, yeah. Heavens, Dick Vogt
compared his cult’s work – LHTBM – to Mother Teresa’s work. Seriously?
C’mon Dick. Work with me here. Kyo is nothing but a kept woman. A very
wealthy kept woman… She couldn’t be more different from Mother Teresa.
There. I said it. I wrote it. I know it. So does everyone else reading this page
sans the cult members. Oh, and they DO read this page.
I’ll keep fighting the fight, as always. My message to Kyo is the same as
always: This is far from over.
Donna
madonnajb@mchsi.com
(05/27/09) Insanity Defined
Two of my sisters (Joanne and Ginger) went to Chicago with me yesterday. I
learned some time ago that my niece (Juanita – Joanne’s daughter) was
working as an RN at Swedish Covenant Hospital in Chicago, so we decided
to take a road trip. Joanne wanted just a glimpse of her daughter whom she
hasn’t seen in over four years. We wanted a glimpse of our niece. That was
it. We were going to try to see her – not talk to her or bother her at work –
and leave.
We arrived at the hospital around 11:50 a.m. Tuesday, May 26. We walked
inside the hospital and there was a guy at a podium who asked, “May I help
you ladies?” We asked where the bathroom was and he pointed us to it. I
thought it was odd he would ask if he could help since it’s a hospital and
people freely come and go all the time. Anyway, when we left the bathroom,
there was a sea of black (uniforms) outside the door. A guard asked “Do you
have business in the hospital today?” I responded we wanted to see my
niece on 3 North (the truth, of course). He asked if we had an appointment
and I said, “Well, no.” He said we could stay only if we had an appointment
or were a patient. He asked us to leave the premises. “I need you to leave
now.” We were shocked at the length this cult would go to just to keep us
from Juanita. When we got outside (escorted by several guards!), I asked
“May I ask why we can’t stay?” He responded, “There are restrictions on you
three. You’re not allowed here.” Imagine our surprise and shock when we
heard that! We were stunned. We walked to the end of the building to review
what had just occurred. Unbelievable. Just unbelievable. We regrouped in
the car and decided we were ready for lunch so opted to eat at the hospital
cafeteria as we were right there. We drove around to the main building
parking lot and walked into the main building. There was a young black man
who saw us and we watched as he did something with his cell phone and
then picked up the receiver of a phone on the counter nearby. We pretty
much knew he was watching us so we chose to sit down in the lobby area
just down the hallway, in order to mitigate the embarrassment. Sure enough,
after a couple of minutes, a guard approached us and asked what we were
doing in the hospital. I responded we were going to have lunch (again, the
truth, a novel concept to the culties). He then started his spiel that “You
three were told 10-15 minutes ago to leave the campus.” I responded that
we were told to leave the Anderson Pavilion (where Juanita works). He said
we were not allowed on the entire campus. We got up and walked toward the
main entrance. Clearly we were not there to do anything illegal, immoral or
amoral. As we walked, the security guard walked and talked behind us,
spewing some nonsense like “This is the second time we’ve asked you to
leave. There won’t be a third time. We’ll lock you up.” One of my sisters
heard him say something about trespassing, also. C’mon! Another of my
sisters heard the guy radio that he made it “clearer and they seem to
understand now.”
What does this say about the cult? They’re afraid of three middle-aged
women? Seriously? C’mon!!! Joanne wanted a glimpse of her daughter and
Ginger and I wanted a glimpse of our niece. Period. That was it. Yet they
(culties) are so fearful of us they resorted to this? Talk about paranoia!!!
Clearly they intentionally misled authorities at the hospital but that’s another
story and that will be dealt with in the near future. In the words of Abraham
Lincoln, “Truth is generally the best vindication against slander.” Amen.
That the cult would go to this extreme to keep Juanita from being near us
says WAY more about the cult than it does about us. To the average person
in the real world, it’s clear they’re (culties) paranoid and live fearfully. There
is no freedom or peace in that life. But it is indicative of cults and how cult
members live. What are they hiding? What do they fear? Why the secrecy? I
know and most of this Web site’s readers know. Joanne, Ginger and I are
law-abiding citizens and merely wanted a glimpse of our family member. To
be denied that is unconscionable. To be treated like we would cause trouble
or harm our loved one is insane, cold and calculated. My sisters and I were
physically sick at the way we were treated by the security guards. None of
the three of us slept well and we remain upset and disturbed at the lengths
the cult went to just to keep us from seeing our loved one. That, too, will be
dealt with in the near future.
Kyo: This is far from over.
Donna
madonnajb@mchsi.com
(04/21/09) My kind of town, Chicago is…
Saturday was my niece’s birthday. It was a bittersweet day as I took another
road trip to Chicago. My, my. It appears the cult members have sandblasted
Kyo’s mansion (yes, this is the woman who filed bankruptcy in 1993) and
that part actually looks quite nice. (Time out: Is that house and property not
of this world? Oh, yeah, baby. But I digress.) My goodness – the
trees/greenery! How pitiful. How absolutely pitiful. Clearly they’re trying to
build a fortress where Kyo and Lenny and their culties can live without being
seen by the outside world. As you can see in the below photos, the trees are
planted several deep and the yard looks horrible. One can only imagine
what goes on behind those closed doors.
(Click on pictures to enlarge.)
Please remember all families that have been devastated as a result of this
cult and keep them in your prayers. Also remember God has empowered us
to change things – that’s amazing and we must continue to act against this
cult. I know I will.
Kyo: this is far from over.
Donna
madonnajb@mchsi.com
It is with great sadness I share that our friend, Sara Flynn, passed away
Saturday, May 22. Sara was only 30 years old. She leaves behind her loving
husband, Tim, and precious six month-old daughter. I ask for your prayers
for Tim and his family. Visitation is Tuesday, May 25 from 3 - 8 p.m. at
Egelhof, Siegert & Casper Westview Funeral Home in Dubuque. The funeral
is Wednesday, 11 a.m., at St. Columbkille’s Church.
Tim and Sara always put their faith into action. It is what we all must do. I
hope to do a fundraiser for Tim (in Dubuque) down the road to help with
medical costs. He doesn’t know this nor does he need to right now. I’ll
discuss with him in a couple of weeks. At that point, I will ask each and every
one of us to put our faith into action and help this family.
If anyone has ideas for this fundraiser, please contact me. I am more than
willing to spearhead an event but since I live in Davenport, I’ll need
assistance.
Remember: God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything
you did or didn’t do.
With a very heavy heart,
Donna
madonnajb@mchsi.com
(5/4/10) Potpourri ~ TH Letter and Photos from "The X-Factor"
My letter to the editor appeared in the Dubuque Telegraph-Herald Saturday,
May 1. It's shown below.
“Before you were conceived I wanted you. Before you were born I loved you.
Before you were here an hour I would die for you. This is the miracle of
love.” ~Maureen Hawkins
This is for the Moms who have been denied access to their children due to
The Love Holy Trinity Blessed Mission, a cult founded by Agnes Kyo
McDonald and followed by some in the Dubuque area. It has been five long
years since we’ve been able to see or talk to my niece and several other
families are in the same boat.
Familial alienation is not of God; this group’s secrecy should be a huge red
flag. They keep meetings and retreats a secret and haven’t updated their
Web site for years.
Calling their HQ in Chicago a communication center is a true misnomer.
Family members leave messages that are not returned, even though LHTBM’
s answering machine states in part that “If you'd like to leave a message
please do so after the tone and someone will get back to you as soon as
possible.” No, they don’t “get back to you.” I return my phone messages –
you?
My primary concern remains: LHTBM is contrary to the core Christian belief
that we are saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus. Salvation is not
about how many rosaries we do or do not say, nor is it about any other ritual.
~~~~~
Below are recent photos taken by "The X-Factor" in Illinois. My thanks go out
to him. I anticipate having more in the near future.
(Click on photos to enlarge.)
(4/18/10) Happy 30th Birthday to Juanita
“God’s blessings. You have reached The Love Holy Trinity Blessed Mission.
If you'd like to leave a message please do so after the tone and someone
will get back to you as soon as possible. May god bless you.”
This is the message you receive when you call the cult's "communication
center." Sure, someone will get right back to you. NOT. I just called and left a
message for Juanita because today (Sunday, April 18) is her 30th birthday.
This marks the fifth birthday her family has been denied access to her. I
should clarify that family members in the cult can and do, of course, see her.
However, the majority of us – as well as her friends – are not allowed to see
her or talk to her. I'm acutely aware this is her choice but again, her choices
are manipulated. WAY manipulated. This is basic Cult 101 and there is
nothing different with this cult than with other cults.
My message to her is that I love her and hope she thinks of her Mom and
Dad today, as they're the ones who brought her into this wonderful world.
Contrary to the cult's teaching and preaching, earthly families DO matter -
they ARE important. It's unconscionable that Joanne and Jim can't talk to
their daughter. Always, always, there's this nonsense from Marilyn Vogt that
"if Joanne would have a change of heart." WTF? Those freaks don't know
what's in Joanne's heart nor does she need to prove anything to them.
NADA.
What is my greatest issue with this cult, aside from the lack of
communication issue? It is that it’s contrary to the core Christian belief that
we are saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus and that scares me for
my niece and anyone else who has been led astray. Amen.
Peace.
Donna
madonnajb@mchsi.com
(4/4/10) Happy Easter
I wish everyone a blessed Easter. Please say a prayer for all families that
are broken because of this cult (The Love Holy Trinity Blessed Mission).
This is the fifth Easter without our Juanita and I know it is just as long for
several other families. It is for them as much as my niece that I do this.
Following is something a friend sent me. I don’t know who wrote it but it
oozes humility. True humility. It’s most appropriate today.
When I say that 'I am a Christian', I am not shouting that 'I am clean living.’
I'm whispering 'I was lost, but now I'm found and forgiven.'
When I say 'I am a Christian' I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide.
When I say 'I am a Christian' I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak and need His strength to carry on.
When I say 'I am a Christian' I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed and need God to clean my mess.
When I say 'I am a Christian' I'm not claiming to be perfect.
My flaws are far too visible, but God believes I am worth it.
When I say 'I am a Christian' I still feel the sting of pain.
I have my share of heartaches, so I call upon His name.
When I say 'I am a Christian' I'm not holier than thou,
I'm just a simple sinner who received God's good grace, somehow!
Peace.
Donna
madonnajb@mchsi.com
(3/18/10) Cowardice, continued…
Hmmmm… The Catholic Church is still having problems with the sex abuse
scandal. When will it end? WILL it end? The Church has continued to hide
wrongdoing and not be forthcoming with such things. Brazil… Ireland…
Germany… In my opinion, the same is true of the Church re: this cult. These
members should have been excommunicated long ago but due to the
cowardice of the Church, they have not. There are priests still involved and
the Bishop of Dubuque knows it but does nothing. But that’s the way of the
Church, isn’t it? They turn their backs on things or sweep them under the
rug – then they don’t exist…how very sick of them. How very cowardly of
them. I cannot imagine being a part of the Catholic Church knowing the
deceit it perpetrates. Am I a believer? Oh, my, yes! But I pray to God, the
one true God, not some priest, not some pope, and certainly not Kyo baby. I
am saved by the life and death of Christ Jesus, period.
Speaking of cowardice, I know of no one more cowardly than Kyo. She was
afraid to show up at the Belvidere hearings and in fact, was afraid to show
up at many other events. Sure, Dick Vogt said the reason was she was
being persecuted but we know better. That’s a cop-out; that’s another way of
saying she doesn’t have the guts to be seen and take a stand. That’s why
the cult’s retreats are hidden, etc. (well, they think they are). Anyone proud
of his or her faith simply could not be privy to attending a retreat or meeting
in a “secret” location. Indeed, this cult is all about that. I could go on and
one, but that’s for my book. Very simply, if you can’t put what you’ve done or
where you’ve gone on the front page of a paper, you shouldn’t be doing it or
going there.
That my sister and brother-in-law have stolen my niece from her family – and
also destroyed other families along the way – is simply unconscionable.
They, too, are cowards. Marilyn Vogt was not raised that way, but sadly, it is
how she lives today. See below how Marilyn calls my work number to see if I
will be out of the office. C'mon. Cowardice. Pure and utter cowardice!!!
My primary concern remains: LHTBM is contrary to the core Christian belief
that we are saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus. Salvation is not
about how many rosaries we do or do not say, nor is it about the ritual of
saying certain prayers 12 times daily.
Kyo: My message for you and your cultic followers remains the same: this is
far from over.
I promise to do a better job of updating this page and thank all of you for
your e-mails.
Donna
madonnajb@mchsi.com
(2/16/10) “Patience has its limits. Take it too far, and it’s cowardice.”
Amen! When I saw this quote today, I immediately thought of the Catholic
Church. I believe the bishop et al are waiting patiently for the cult members
to leave the cult and rejoin the Catholic Church. Nonsense. It’s not going to
happen. Their allegiance is to Kyo, not God, and certainly not the Catholic
Church. But the bishop has taken the easy way out; it’s much simpler to
proclaim a need for patience that it is to act on cult members’ defiance.
These cult members should be excommunicated for ignoring the bishop’s
warning. Instead, they’re given positions of authority – imagine that! It’s
sheer and utter cowardice on the bishop’s part. Action from him is long
overdue. But then, if we look at the history of the Catholic Church, well…
Totally different subject: I was thinking of one of my favorite songs today:
Indiana Wants Me. Hmmmmmm…Kyo? Jan? Dick? Anybody?
madonnajb@mchsi.com or madonnajb@gmail.com
(1/9/10) Huh?
In mid-December on a Friday night, Marilyn Vogt left a two-minute voice
message on my work phone. I know she has checked my voice messages in
the past to see when I’d be out of the office, etc. But this time, she left a
message, probably inadvertently. Dick Vogt was with her, and they were
chatting on and on, probably not realizing they were being recorded.
Now here’s my question: Why does she call my work phone to hear my
messages? I know. So do you. Only someone extremely paranoid would be
so concerned with – and worried about - my actions. Very interesting,
indeed…
I think a road trip is in my future.
Donna
madonnajb@gmail.com
(12/25/09) Merry Christmas
Separation of loved ones always is difficult but especially so at the holidays.
This is the fifth Christmas my sister and brother-in-law have been denied
access to their daughter who is part of The Love Holy Trinity Blessed
Mission, a cult founded by Agnes Kyo McDonald. So many families – many
from the Dubuque area – have been separated because of LHTBM. My
heart goes out to all of them: the parents who cannot talk to their children;
the adult children whose parents in LHTBM won’t talk to them. There are
many – in fact, the majority has ties to the Dubuque area.
I continue to receive e-mails from other families that have been affected by
this cult. It is by no means a Spielman/Vogt family problem; it’s much more
widespread than that. There’s a tremendous disconnect between what this
group says and what this group does. The higher ups are some of the most
selfish, self-centered and self-focused people I've ever met. Familial
alienation and secrecy are a pattern with this group as true with all high-
demand groups. A simple prayer group? I think not. That's pure,
unadulterated BS. Shame on anyone who believes that nonsense!
My primary concern remains: LHTBM is contrary to the core Christian belief
that we are saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus. Salvation is not
about how many rosaries we do or do not say, nor is it about the ritual of
saying certain prayers 12 times daily.
My holiday wish is that each affected family will one day become whole again.
Kyo - you selfish, selfish woman: this is far from over.
Donna
madonnajb@gmail.com (note the new e-mail address)
(11/29/09) Happy Thanksgiving…
I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. I know I was with my
children so it was awesome, as always. Please remember in your thoughts
and prayers those families who have been torn apart because of LHTBM.
This was Joanne and Jim’s fifth Thanksgiving without Juanita; words fail me
as a parent how that would impact my life. Not to see or speak to your child
for almost five years….well, it’s unconscionable. Many other families were
not whole this holiday, either, because of this cult. I have faith one day
families will be reunited. Until then, Kyo: you know.
Donna
madonnajb@mchsi.com
(11/10/09) Happy Birthday
Today is Marilyn Vogt’s birthday. I share fond memories of our lives together
and hope we can have a relationship again one day. She had a heart of
gold and was a very special sister. So Happy Birthday, Marilyn... I love you
and always will.
Madonna
(11/01/09) Too bad, so sad, I’m glad…
Major news this week out of France: “Church of Scientology hits rough
patch: On Monday, a French court convicted the Church of Scientology on
fraud charges stemming from complaints by two women. The judge in the
case levied massive fines as punishment, fueling a long-running battle
between Scientology and France, which considers the group a "sect" rather
than a religion.” Read the full story here: http://news.yahoo.
com/s/ynews/ynews_ts956.
A sect? Really? Imagine that! That’s one of my biggest beefs with all
religious-based cults: they claim to be a “religion” so they can become a
nonprofit organization and not pay taxes like the rest of us do. These cults
are not religious groups – not in any way, shape or form! They should be
made to pay taxes like the rest of us.
Perhaps the most intriguing part of this story follows: “He also chastised
Davis' recent public denial of Scientology's mandate of "disconnecting,"
which allegedly requires members to cut ties with disapproving friends and
family members. In the letter, Haggis said that his wife went so far as to
disown her parents, despite his protestations.” What? A cult requiring
members to cut ties with disapproving friends and family
members..? Imagine that! Indeed, as I have said from the beginning, that’s
the very first red flag people should see. If a group – any group – causes
familial alienation, it’s not a group you want to join.
Look at LHTBM and how many families have been destroyed because of this
cult! How many people in this cult have cut ties with their parents and/or their
children – any family member? You know the answer. We all know the
answer. And that makes this entire situation untenable. So to Kyo, to all
the culties, I say: this is far from over.
Donna
madonnajb@mchsi.com
(9/03/09) Today’s Dubuque Telegraph-Herald…
My letter to the editor appeared in today’s TH. See http://www.thonline.
com/article.cfm?o=1&id=255430 to read it. If you can’t get it, e-mail me and
I’ll e-mail the letter. Also, below is the full letter but of course, it had to be cut
down to 250 words.
Most Rev. Jerome Hanus, O.S.B., archbishop of Dubuque, issued a
statement Sept. 14, 2005, re: The Love Holy Trinity Blessed Mission. In it,
the Bishop stated that “… no undertaking is to claim the name Catholic
without the consent of ecclesiastical authority in the local church (cf. Canon
216).” Yet LHTBM still claims – on their radio program and elsewhere – to be
Catholic. The Bishop also stated concern about “a lack of balance in the
group's spirituality, the authoritarian approach of the leader, secretiveness,
characteristics of a cult, harmful impact on families, and the questionable
quality of the understanding of the Scripture” and that the group “continues
to be very guarded and secretive about itself. “ True to this day – all very
true… So why, then, are some members of LHTBM allowed to hold positions
of authority within the Catholic Church? If the Bishop does “not consider it
qualified to offer acceptable Catholic programs or activities in the
Archdiocese of Dubuque” then why are some LHTBM members allowed to
teach CCD, be Eucharist ministers, etc.?
“All Catholic faithful are cautioned against participation in and association
with this group. Clergy and others in Church leadership are not to support or
endorse LHTBM.” Catholics are cautioned against participating and
associating with this group yet the group consists of members, and some
members are in positions of authority in several Dubuque Catholic
churches!!! There also are priests still involved with this cult; the Bishop
knows this, but…
When I – and others – have asked the archdiocese about this, the response
is that this group is cult-like but they must be cautious with individual
members. Again, I have no problem with these cult members attending Mass.
But I have VERY SERIOUS issues with them being in a position of authority.
This clearly is sending a mixed message to everyone. It gives the cult
members an element of legitimacy (“What can be wrong with our group if the
Catholic Church allows us to maintain positions of authority and remain on
the altar?”). It sends other parish members a very mixed message; what they
see is not consistent with the Church’s statement about LHTBM. It tells me
the Archdiocese of Dubuque doesn’t have the guts to deal with this.
The Bishop needs to show some courage and stop being so wishy-washy. I
assure you if the fear is a schism, that’s already a done deal. The Church
needs to be realistic and deal with this situation. Some cult members preach
that these are “bad” bishops (Hanus, George, et al) and therefore do not
represent the true pre-Vatican II Catholic Church. Are you getting the
picture here? They have no intention of giving up their little cult and its
leaders. LHTBM won’t go away by magic nor will members turn their backs
on it. At a minimum, they need to be removed from positions of authority.
Action by the Bishop is long overdue.
Donna
madonnajb@mchsi.com
(9/01/09) It is what it is…
I’m sure most people have read about the missing girl who was found 18
years after being kidnapped by a sex offender. There’s no question the two
perverts became family to the young girl. She was raped and eventually
gave birth to two daughters of her own. But at some point, this way of life
was all she knew. It had become her reality. The same is true in the
Elizabeth Smart case. Indeed, she could have run away but by the time she
*could* have done that, she was deeply bonded with her kidnappers. The
“unknown” at that point was her real family.
I’m equally certain many of you noticed the similarities between that story
and some of our stories. Before the culties freak out, I’m not inferring Juanita
and others were kidnapped. (Ah, no, the cult made certain everyone was of
age, even though some still were young girls.) They were indeed
brainwashed, however, into thinking they didn’t need their God-given
families and that other cult members are their true families. I saw a very
recent photo of Juanita and she looks well. Now, Dick Vogt has said many
times these “girls could leave anytime.” But they’ve been so brainwashed
into thinking their real families are evil, worthless and unimportant, why
WOULD they leave?! Some will leave one day when that pre-cult personality
buried deep within questions one too many things in his or her life. Until
then, the bonding has taken place and Kyo has them under her power. But I
know one who is all powerful and He is God. Kyo is no match for Him and
those working for Him.
Donna
madonnajb@mchsi.com
(7/25/09) One down, many more to go…
From http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/07/24/arkansas.evangelist.trial/index.
html:
Evangelist Tony Alamo of Tony Alamo Ministries was found guilty of 10
federal counts Friday. A jury in Arkansas convicted him of taking minors
across state lines for sex. Alamo, whose real name is Bernie Hoffman, had
denied all wrongdoing. In a phone interview last year with CNN, he called the
accusations a hoax. "They're just trying to make our church look evil ... by
saying I'm a pornographer. Saying that I rape little children. ... I love children.
I don't abuse them. Never have. Never will." Asked why authorities were
searching the property, Alamo compared himself to Christ. "Why were they
after Jesus," he asked. "It's the same reason. Jesus is living within me."
I am gratified every time a cult leader is taken down. Each has the same
lingo: “They’re trying to make us look evil, blah, blah, blah.” In reality, cults
do this to themselves because they *are* evil and we all must strive to take
them down as best we can. Your role might be prayer or something more
active, but we each do have a role. Have you also noticed culties always
compare themselves to the persecution Jesus suffered or the persecution
legitimate organizations encountered? Oh, yeah. Heavens, Dick Vogt
compared his cult’s work – LHTBM – to Mother Teresa’s work. Seriously?
C’mon Dick. Work with me here. Kyo is nothing but a kept woman. A very
wealthy kept woman… She couldn’t be more different from Mother Teresa.
There. I said it. I wrote it. I know it. So does everyone else reading this page
sans the cult members. Oh, and they DO read this page.
I’ll keep fighting the fight, as always. My message to Kyo is the same as
always: This is far from over.
Donna
madonnajb@mchsi.com
(05/27/09) Insanity Defined
Two of my sisters (Joanne and Ginger) went to Chicago with me yesterday. I
learned some time ago that my niece (Juanita – Joanne’s daughter) was
working as an RN at Swedish Covenant Hospital in Chicago, so we decided
to take a road trip. Joanne wanted just a glimpse of her daughter whom she
hasn’t seen in over four years. We wanted a glimpse of our niece. That was
it. We were going to try to see her – not talk to her or bother her at work –
and leave.
We arrived at the hospital around 11:50 a.m. Tuesday, May 26. We walked
inside the hospital and there was a guy at a podium who asked, “May I help
you ladies?” We asked where the bathroom was and he pointed us to it. I
thought it was odd he would ask if he could help since it’s a hospital and
people freely come and go all the time. Anyway, when we left the bathroom,
there was a sea of black (uniforms) outside the door. A guard asked “Do you
have business in the hospital today?” I responded we wanted to see my
niece on 3 North (the truth, of course). He asked if we had an appointment
and I said, “Well, no.” He said we could stay only if we had an appointment
or were a patient. He asked us to leave the premises. “I need you to leave
now.” We were shocked at the length this cult would go to just to keep us
from Juanita. When we got outside (escorted by several guards!), I asked
“May I ask why we can’t stay?” He responded, “There are restrictions on you
three. You’re not allowed here.” Imagine our surprise and shock when we
heard that! We were stunned. We walked to the end of the building to review
what had just occurred. Unbelievable. Just unbelievable. We regrouped in
the car and decided we were ready for lunch so opted to eat at the hospital
cafeteria as we were right there. We drove around to the main building
parking lot and walked into the main building. There was a young black man
who saw us and we watched as he did something with his cell phone and
then picked up the receiver of a phone on the counter nearby. We pretty
much knew he was watching us so we chose to sit down in the lobby area
just down the hallway, in order to mitigate the embarrassment. Sure enough,
after a couple of minutes, a guard approached us and asked what we were
doing in the hospital. I responded we were going to have lunch (again, the
truth, a novel concept to the culties). He then started his spiel that “You
three were told 10-15 minutes ago to leave the campus.” I responded that
we were told to leave the Anderson Pavilion (where Juanita works). He said
we were not allowed on the entire campus. We got up and walked toward the
main entrance. Clearly we were not there to do anything illegal, immoral or
amoral. As we walked, the security guard walked and talked behind us,
spewing some nonsense like “This is the second time we’ve asked you to
leave. There won’t be a third time. We’ll lock you up.” One of my sisters
heard him say something about trespassing, also. C’mon! Another of my
sisters heard the guy radio that he made it “clearer and they seem to
understand now.”
What does this say about the cult? They’re afraid of three middle-aged
women? Seriously? C’mon!!! Joanne wanted a glimpse of her daughter and
Ginger and I wanted a glimpse of our niece. Period. That was it. Yet they
(culties) are so fearful of us they resorted to this? Talk about paranoia!!!
Clearly they intentionally misled authorities at the hospital but that’s another
story and that will be dealt with in the near future. In the words of Abraham
Lincoln, “Truth is generally the best vindication against slander.” Amen.
That the cult would go to this extreme to keep Juanita from being near us
says WAY more about the cult than it does about us. To the average person
in the real world, it’s clear they’re (culties) paranoid and live fearfully. There
is no freedom or peace in that life. But it is indicative of cults and how cult
members live. What are they hiding? What do they fear? Why the secrecy? I
know and most of this Web site’s readers know. Joanne, Ginger and I are
law-abiding citizens and merely wanted a glimpse of our family member. To
be denied that is unconscionable. To be treated like we would cause trouble
or harm our loved one is insane, cold and calculated. My sisters and I were
physically sick at the way we were treated by the security guards. None of
the three of us slept well and we remain upset and disturbed at the lengths
the cult went to just to keep us from seeing our loved one. That, too, will be
dealt with in the near future.
Kyo: This is far from over.
Donna
madonnajb@mchsi.com
(04/21/09) My kind of town, Chicago is…
Saturday was my niece’s birthday. It was a bittersweet day as I took another
road trip to Chicago. My, my. It appears the cult members have sandblasted
Kyo’s mansion (yes, this is the woman who filed bankruptcy in 1993) and
that part actually looks quite nice. (Time out: Is that house and property not
of this world? Oh, yeah, baby. But I digress.) My goodness – the
trees/greenery! How pitiful. How absolutely pitiful. Clearly they’re trying to
build a fortress where Kyo and Lenny and their culties can live without being
seen by the outside world. As you can see in the below photos, the trees are
planted several deep and the yard looks horrible. One can only imagine
what goes on behind those closed doors.
(Click on pictures to enlarge.)
Please remember all families that have been devastated as a result of this
cult and keep them in your prayers. Also remember God has empowered us
to change things – that’s amazing and we must continue to act against this
cult. I know I will.
Kyo: this is far from over.
Donna
madonnajb@mchsi.com
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