National Shrine of
Our Lady of the Prairies
Powers Lake, North Dakota

Réquiem ætérnam dona eis,
Dómine: et lux perpétua lúceat eis.

In the years that followed the tragic and suspect death of the founder, Father Fredrick Nelson, years of abuse took place at the Shrine.   Once holy, and filled with the grace of Our Lady, for no reason other than personal gain, systematic and well planned abuse of funds, assets, benefactors and volunteer labor was to follow.   What was once a viable stronghold for the traditional Roman Catholic Faith, family and values, has become a banshee of empty buildings and silence.

No one wants to hear of the tragedy.  No one wants to admit the abuse.  No one wants the truth told.  They simply hope that, the "Lovely Lady, Dressed in Blue," will fade into the wheat fields, blown into the wind, never to re-emerge again.

They spent so much time, effort and money to cover-up one of the most heinous crimes in the history of the Dakota's.  They covered their tracks by despoiling the reputation of those with good intent.  They buried their sinful secrets in hidden archives, shallow graves, corporate, government and ecclesiastical vaults.  They: the devil incarnate, are all those abusers, all those who not only participated in the crimes, but those who covered the crimes with silence.  They, who for personal financial gain, raped the Shrine of Our Lady of the Prairies.  They seized without mercy, the heart out of those who sacrificed all, so that the Shrine could become a safe-haven for the traditional Catholic Faith.

The Monks and Nuns of the Abbey (the last Religious Order at the Shrine) were falsely accused, when in truth, they were simply the messenger.  The Federal Forensic Fraud Audit (attached) tells the truth !  It was not Fr. Abbot Ryan St. Anne that destroyed the Shrine, it was Rev. Fr. William Allen and his cohorts, including certain members of the Board of Directors (including, but not limited to Mr. John Peters and Jerry Durrick).  The Fraud Audit speaks for itself.  It speaks volumes.  It cries out for justice - a justice that was heard only in corrupt ears.  It was Fr. Abbot Ryan St. Anne who commissioned the Fraud Audit !  Why would he steal from the Shrine then commission Local, State and Federal Officials to investigate ?  That makes no sense at all !  He commissioned the investigation because he had nothing to hide.  After the audit was made public,  the Board of Directors destroyed the Shrine.  Why ?  Because they had been named in a formal Investigative Document as irresponsible caretakers and guilty of not fulfilling their fiduciary responsibilities.  They destroyed the Shrine to protect themselves.  They destroyed the Shrine to conceal their crimes.  They destroyed the Shrine !

What was the punishment for these crimes ?  Fr. William Scott Allen was rewarded with a cushy job in the Chancery Office ... including all benefits ... even after his sex abuse scandal was made public and settlement with the victim paid off by Shrine funds.  John Peters (who was supposed to be Fr. Nelson's friend !?!?!?!) and Jerry Durrick ?  They were left to sell-off the remaining assets of the Shrine, put more money in their personal pockets and bury the remainder of the Shrine.  After 50 years of labor, dedicated service, sacrifice, and literally millions of dollars ... the Shrine of Our Lady of the Prairies is reduced to nothing more than a hidden memory.

Millions of cash dollars are gone and not accounted for.  Millions of dollars of real estate, liturgical art, sacred vessels and statuary are gone  and not accounted for.  Fifty years of our Lovely Lady, Dressed in Blue ... gone ! 
 

                                                                                                Requiéscant in pace ...