If you have any other information that you’re willing to share with us about the charismatic renewal, covenant communities, or Sword of the Spirit, please email leavelaughlovepod@gmail.com or send us a DM on Instagram.
We are indebted to John Flaherty for his decades of work collecting, organizing, and making original documents publicly accessible through Scribd. Here is just a sampling of the important files documenting the history of Sword of the Spirit, including the sources for many of the original documents quoted or referenced in this episode:
Sneaking the Sword of the Spirit into the Catholic Church: https://www.scribd.com/document/20484406/Sneaking-the-Sword-of-the-Spirit-Into-the-Catholic-Church
Death Oath of The Sword of The Spirit: https://www.scribd.com/document/56950055/Death-Oath-of-the-Sword-of-the-Spirit
Sword of the Spirit at Franciscan University: https://www.scribd.com/document/19166829/Sword-of-the-Spirit-at-Franciscan-University
The Complete Training Course of The Sword of The Spirit 1982: https://www.scribd.com/document/99711118/The-Complete-Training-Course-of-the-Sword-of-the-Spirit-1982
Other Sources:
Morrier Lawsuit: https://www.scribd.com/document/604108628/Morier-Lawsuit-Redacted
From page 18 of the lawsuit: “In late 2011, Plaintiff became pregnant as a result of Morrier’s abuse. Morrier’s response was that ‘There is no way God would punish him like that,’ that ‘A pregnancy would ruin his life,’ and that Plaintiff needed to ‘take care of it.’ Contrary to her religious beliefs at the time, but under Morrier’s complete control, Plaintiff felt compelled to follow his advice and thereafter underwent an abortion in Philadelphia one week before Christmas of 2011. When Plaintiff informed Morrier that she had the abortion, Morrier blamed it on a fictional demon named ‘Fr. Robert,’ and would have Plaintiff tell the participants in subsequent deliverance sessions that ‘Fr. Robert’ got her pregnant but that she had ‘miscarried’ the fetus (instead of aborting it)”.
Washington Post’s multi-part exposé on Mother of God in Gaithersburg, MD: https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/local/longterm/library/mog/mogmain.htm
Christopher West’s Mother’s Statement on Mother of God: https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/local/longterm/library/mog/members/west.htm
No Longer Strangers by Regina Doman and the Rev. Gregory Plow, TOR, a short book on the history of household life at Franciscan University: https://troubonline.com/tor-friar-franciscan-alumna-team-up-for-book-on-household-life/
FIRE (Faith, Intercession, Repentance, Evangelism): https://www.renewalministries.net/ralph-martin-recalls-fr-scanlans-support/
The Malines Documents: https://www.nsc-chariscenter.org/malines-documents/
Current website of the Community of God’s Love which continues to operate in Steubenville, OH: https://coglove.org/
True House: An Oral History: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rqfdxkn2sBg
This was released after we recorded this episode, but trust that we will be watching and deep diving in the coming months.
