Timeline
When did the temple start?
Catherine founded a combination church and women’s shelter which she called the Manger in the early 1920s.
When did the temple close?
Early 1940's.
What was Mother Catherine's other misson?
to take care of women so that they could keep their children.
How many husbands has Mother Catherine had?
Mother Catherine had exactly three husbands in her life, all three abusive.
What was the seating rule in the Temple of the innocent blood?
If you were a governor, you sit in the back. If you were a saint, you sit in the front.
What was Mother Catherine's mission?
To create a safe space for everyone in need; no matter their age, gender, or race.
What instrument did she play?
Catherine herself played the trombone.
Why is there so little about her?
Mother Rita took charge of the church after a legal battle because Mother Catherine’s will was found to be invalid, There are only a few pictures of her, not that many documents, the very church she created was destroyed after she died, and some of the stories about her say that once she created her Bethlehem in the Lower Ninth Ward, she never left.
Why and how did the temple end?
Mother Catherine told her followers she needed to return to Kentucky to fight a spirit, but passed away soon after arriving.
How did the temple start?
She was denied by a white doctor to heal her paralytic stoke, which she got from getting kicked by her third abusive husband. She healed herself, and after figuring out how, she began using her healing powers for others once she recovered.
Who is Mother Catherine Seals?
A spiritual healer. The Louisiana Weekly called Mother Catherine Seals “the founder of the second largest cult in America,” (as quoted in Guillory 2017, 60)
Who did Mother Catherine adopt?
One of the children of the temple, Sort Mayheir, a bi-racial girl with a Puerto Rican mother and African American father.
Who are her two sisters?
she is listed as having two sisters, Lena and Jennie.
WHo did Alex learn of Mother Catherine Seals from?