'Visionary' predicts 50,000 at Knock

A MAN who describes himself as “a visionary of our Blessed Mother” has predicted that as many as 50,000 people will gather in the basilica at Knock this afternoon in the hope of witnessing a visitation from the Virgin Mary.

Speaking to The Irish Timesyesterday, Dublin man Joe Coleman said the apparition would be visible "to people who come with an open heart".

Earlier this month an estimated 5,000 gathered at Knock Shrine for a similar gathering.

Mr Coleman has claimed he had been asked by the Virgin Mary to recite the Rosary in the company of a priest and expressed disappointment that the Catholic Church had yet to make one available. He also said the hierarchy had only agreed to open the church doors after pressure had been applied by the faithful.

“The church has been mocking me for the past week, it does not understand how Our Lady can come to a man from Ballyfermot,” he said. “They won’t laugh at me tomorrow.”

But Pat Lavelle, a spokesman for Knock Shrine, said there had never been any plans to lock the church doors. “There is nothing scheduled in the basilica for tomorrow. It is open but there is nothing else going on,” he said. “We were never going to lock the church.” He said that additional security had been drafted to ensure the gathering was safely managed.

Earlier this week, the Archbishop of Tuam, Dr Michael Neary, issued a statement clarifying the church’s view of Mr Coleman’s predictions. “It is not healthy, does not give glory to God and . . . is not good witness to the faith to be looking for extraordinary phenomena,” he said.

Some 5,000 people gathered at the shrine on October 11th hoping to see an apparition of Our Lady, which had also been forecast by Mr Coleman.