Mercy Ministries close in Australia, Hillsong backpedals

Mercy Ministries has finally closed in Australia.

Last year Australia media attention on this fundamentalist organizations abuse when courageous clients stepped forward, got one of the two ‘homes’ for women closed on the east coast of Australia. Now the other Australia MM facility has been closed.

Targeting girls and women aged 16 to 28, Mercy Ministries claimed – on its website and in promotional material distributed in Gloria Jeans cafes around the country – that its programs included support from ”psychologists, general practitioners, dietitians, social workers, [and] career counsellors”.

Instead, the program prevented the residents gaining access to psychiatric care, choosing to focus on prayer, Christian counselling and exorcisms to ”expel demons” from the young women, many of whom had serious psychiatric conditions such as bipolar disorder, anxiety and anorexia.

A Herald investigation last year revealed the women who entered the program were required to sign over their Centrelink benefits and were virtually cut off from the outside world, except for a weekly trip to the local Hillsong Church for worship.

At the time, Mercy Ministries’ then chief executive, Peter Irvine, was quick to dismiss their claims, implying that the victims of the group’s unorthodox and dangerous treatments were not telling the truth.

Since then Mr Irvine has sent an apology to the women featured in the Herald’s articles. ”I would like to apologise for the statements that I made to the press in March 2008. I did not accurately reflect the situation and I regret my comments,” he wrote.

News of the closure was greeted with relief by its former victims, who cautioned that the group was still operating in New Zealand, the US and Britain.

The Canadian Mercy Ministries property is still under renovation, and I sincerely hope this authoritarian, extra biblical ministry never gets to open the doors. The glitzy celebrity advertising, the glowing testimonials have not hidden the sordid treatment regime this organization  peddles.  Young women facing social problems and mental illness deserve better than what Mercy Ministries has to offer.

Interestingly Hillsong revised it’s press release today, Sean has been one blogger following MM closely and caught it. John is another.

The parting of the ways with Hillsong and the US based group does not appear as amiable as press releases would lead readers to believe.

previous Mercy Ministry posts
Mercy Ministries
Mercy Ministry Survivors

Update: The first press release sent out by Hillsong which was revised later in the day. It appears  The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission investigation started last year was not closed off after all.

Hillsong Church has cut ties with Mercy Ministries around the world following an ACCC investigation into Mercy Ministries Inc.

The Church supported the US founded Ministry through donations, and over the years a number of Hillsong staff served on the Ministry’s board.

Pastor Houston said the current investigation has left him with no choice but to end Hillsong’s association with the organisation.

…Pastor Houston informed thousands of Hillsong attendees at a leadership meeting on Tuesday that the church has severed any affiliation with Mercy Ministries internationally, and would not be associated with any attempt by Mercy Ministries USA, to recommence within Australia, under that or any other name.
Pastor Houston said he would encourage those who have been involved with Mercy Ministries Inc. in Australia, to take responsibility, by co-operating with ongoing investigations.