The Conyers Story: A Story of Faith, Blessings and Evangelization
The Conyers Story is infinitely old and infinitely new—united with so many of its kind. It is a never-ending story of a loving God in merciful pursuit of his pilgrim people. Explore the story of Conyers and fully comprehend the essence of Our Lord’s tremendous love for us, and the love of the most powerful evangelist of all time, Our Loving Mother.
Chapter 1: Apparitions and Evangelization
Apparitions as a Sign of Love
Apparitions have always been an integral part of the Jewish-Christian tradition. In an apparition just before Jesus ascended into Heaven, He gave the Church its mission to evangelize the world, saying, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.” [Mark 16:15]
The Church’s most predominant evangelist throughout the centuries has been the Blessed Virgin Mary. The purpose of Her countless apparitions is clear: to bring souls to Her Son. Our Loving Mother’s apparitions continue to echo Her words at the marriage feast of Cana, “Do whatever He tells you.” [John 2:5]
Over time, visions of the Blessed Virgin Mary have occurred in many places, such as Mexico City, Mexico, Lourdes, Fatima and Medjugorje—all part of Our Lady’s continuous evangelization efforts to bring people to Her Son.
A New Evangelization
Through his worldwide travels and voluminous writings, Pope John Paul II has worked as a tireless evangelist. Throughout his pontificate, he has proclaimed the urgency of a new, missionary evangelization, calling all believers in Christ to a new Evangelization—new in ardor, methods and expression, particularly in America.
In his 1990 encyclical on evangelization, Redemptoris Missio, the Pope wrote: “It is the Spirit who impels us to proclaim the great works of God,” and “missionary activity renews the Church, revitalizes faith and Christian identity, and offers fresh enthusiasm and new incentive.”
Chapter 2: Humble Beginnings
In 1987, on a pilgrimage to Medjugorje, Yugoslavia, an ordinary woman heard Our Lord calling her to become a prophet. Since 1983, she had been having mystical experiences.
The woman was led to a house in Conyers, Georgia where she was directed by Our Lord to build an altar of stones with a wooden cross on the small hill behind her house. Our Lord told her that he had made the ground holy.
On October 13, 1990, the Blessed Virgin Mary expanded her missionary efforts by appearing to the woman in Conyers. Her monthly apparitions were again an act of evangelization—to bring more souls to her Son. In Her appearances, the Blessed Mother called her spiritual children to act as witnesses for Her Son—to evangelize.
Beside the visionary’s home was a well—which she said the Lord had blessed. Many pilgrims have drawn the well water and experienced associated healings.
Chapter 3: OLMC is Born
In 1991, in response to requests from Our Lord and the Blessed Virgin Mary to build a church to honor the Mother of God under the title of Our Loving Mother, a pilgrim couple, Bob and Bernice Hughes, purchased the 30-acre surrounding “Farm” as an act of faith in the Conyers messages. In mid-August, they made the Farm available to the visionary and pilgrims to assemble and pray.
In September of 1991, the Catholic Archbishop of Atlanta issued his first public statement on the Conyers apparitions. In his statement, he cautioned against any financial gain on the part of the visionary or her associates, warning that this would severely discredit the apparitions. Thus, the non-profit Our Loving Mother’s Children, Inc. was born.
On September 13, 1991, with several hundred pilgrims present, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared for the first time on the Farm. Her monthly apparitions on the 13th continued until May 1994. The Hughes family later donated the main property at the Farm and other purchased nearby properties to OLMC and the Catholic Church.
That same month, with funding from the Hughes family, OLMC published its first book of Conyers messages. Two months later, the organization was formally incorporated as a non-profit religious educational organization.
Chapter 4: Word Spreads, Pilgrims Come
With the publication of OLMC’s first book, and the organization of regular prayer services on the 13th at the Farm, the number of pilgrims grew from a few thousand at the beginning of 1992 to an estimated 25,000 by the end of the year.
Subsequent books based on the messages were published, along with The Conyers Journal—a monthly publication summarizing messages from Our Lord and the Blessed Virgin Mary. Pilgrims, both physically present and abroad, were connected to Conyers—and the messages in the newsletter were openly shared online.
In May 1994, the Blessed Virgin Mary began appearing less frequently—once a year on October 13. The crowds of pilgrims present at each apparition increased substantially, making OLMC’s efforts to care for pilgrims more and more extensive. On May 13, 1994, the Blessed Virgin’s last monthly visit, approximately 80,000 to 100,000 pilgrims gathered together. It was then that Our Lady requested that the pilgrims begin living the messages at Conyers—and that abundant graces would continue to flow to pilgrims that visited the apparition site.
Bob and Bernie Hughes and OLMC acquired additional land surrounding the apparition site, which served to meet the needs of pilgrims for parking and gathering. In addition to serving the pilgrims, the purchases protected the site from opportunistic commercial development.
In line with the increasing number of pilgrims, infrastructure requirements increased. And OLMC responded to these specifications, starting a fund for the purposes of meeting County requests.
Pilgrims from all over the world gathered, sometimes in torrential downpours and blizzards. Through some of the most difficult weather conditions came beautiful stories of faithfulness and sacrifice.
Many pilgrims were blessed over the years in various ways including extraordinary photographs, rosaries changing to a golden color and miracles of healing and conversion.
Chapter 5: Messages of Love and Mercy
One such pilgrim was Catalina Rivas, who was moved by what she experienced at Conyers, and began to progress on a conversion journey back to God and the Church. During her experience on Holy Hill at Conyers, Catalina experienced the stigmata, the wounds of Christ.
Over time, Our Lord revealed that Catalina had a beautiful role to play in His plan for Conyers. Some time before Catalina’s arrival, the visionary had requested a sister that would share in her experiences with Jesus and Our Loving Mother. In the year 1993, Our Lord revealed that the visionary’s request had been granted, and a sister was among her. This sister in faith was Catalina.
The visionary and Catalina formed a spiritual sisterhood, and the visionary played a significant role in Catalina’s journey back to Christ. But Catalina’s journey of faith had only begun. In 1993, she began receiving messages from the Blessed Mother and Jesus. Her stigmata became visible, and she began evangelizing for Our Lord and Our Loving Mother. Note – This story is shared in the video, “A Plea to Humanity” available from loveandmercy.org.
In October 1995, the visionary said that Jesus told her that she was to withdraw from the public into solitary prayer and that he had created many other witnesses. Three such witnesses were Dr. Castañón, Catalina Rivas, and Ron Tesoriero.
Catalina, in particular, received a large number of messages immediately following the appearance of her stigmata. Her messages were later published with the Imprimatur of the Archbishop of Cochabamba, Bolivia.
In March of 1998, the Archbishop of Cochabamba issued a Lenten Pastoral Letter entitled “The New Evangelization.” In this formal Church Document, the Archbishop announced the formation of the Apostolate of the New Evangelization and its program, “The Crusade of Love and Mercy.” OLMC was to later use his model for its Crusade of Love and Mercy, drawing upon the Conyers messages, which were profoundly summarized in these two words.
Chapter 6: The Final Apparition
On the night of October 12, 1998, thousands of pilgrims were situated on Holy Hill, praying and waiting for the Blessed Virgin Mary’s final appearance.
At noon on October 13, 1998, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to the visionary for the last time in the presence of 100,000+ pilgrims. Thousands more joined to pray the rosary through satellite, officially beginning the Worldwide Rosary for Peace. Today, the Rosary for Peace continues on each 13th at the Farm at 12 noon as we continue this tradition since 1992.
In Her message Our Loving Mother said that She wants us to imitate Jesus and said it is pleasing to God when we honor Her. She wanted us to pray for the Holy Souls in purgatory and they in turn will pray for us. She wants us to be ready for Heaven and not store up treasures of the world.
She wants us to pray the Rosary for peace and strength against the evils of this age and to make consecrations to the Sacred Heart of Her Son and to Her Immaculate Heart. She said that on this day God presents to the world the title Our Loving Mother. She went on to say that if we honor Her under this title, many graces will fall from Heaven upon us. Her parting words were for us to be Holy Witnesses and walk by faith.
Our Loving Mother also left the world with two special messages—one for Her priests and the other for Her religious daughters. She said they were receiving special graces so as to be renewed and be able to fulfill the Will of God.
At the end of the apparitions it was learned that the visionary had seen countless souls appearing behind Our Loving Mother, one after another, all dressed in gray. Our Loving Mother said many souls were going to be released from purgatory because of the presentation of Her title to the world by God.
The Blessed Virgin Mary made it known that Conyers would remain her Home and a fountain of grace for all who faithfully visit the site.
Chapter 7: OLMC Presses Onward
OLMC carried forward its mission of caring for and supporting the pilgrims of Conyers, maintaining the apparition site, publishing and disseminating the messages of Jesus and Mary.
In 1998 and 1999, OLMC renovated and repaired the buildings at the farm. The old garage was transformed into a new Welcome Center for pilgrims. The old Information Center was transformed into a meeting facility for planned religious retreats, seminars and workshops on the New Evangelization and the Crusade of Love and Mercy—putting the messages of Conyers into action.
Catalina continued to receive powerful messages of Love and Mercy from Our Lord and Our Loving Mother. Together, with OLMC, Catalina set out on a mission to bring these profound messages to the world. The complete book collection of Catalina’s messages can be found at Love and Mercy Publications’ website, www.LoveAndMercy.org.This website is the publishing arm of OLMC.
Over time, the visionary withdrew farther from her public ministry, and in 2012, after a long battle with cancer, was united with Our Lord.
Chapter 8: Conyers Continues Today
Today, the Farm and OLMC serve pilgrims from all over the world, providing a place to experience peace, love and healing. The 100+ acre site is filled with quiet places to pray and enter into a deeper relationship with Christ.
The blessed ground on which so many miraculous events occurred continues to transform and touch the lives of visiting pilgrims today.
Catalina presently volunteers her time in support of the Apostolate of the New Evangelization that was commissioned by her Archbishop in 1999. Her support includes giving talks worldwide, leading people to conversion, and encouraging them to commit themselves totally to God and support the Holy Father’s call to the New Evangelization.
Through Catalina, Love and Mercy Publications and OLMC, the Conyers Messages continue to give life to our world. There is still much to be done, and we are unceasingly amazed at how Our Lord’s plan for Conyers continues to unfold in beautiful and mysterious ways.
OLMC presently has translated and published 17 books of the messages and teachings from Jesus and Mary through Catalina. To read, print or order these books, go to: www.LoveAndMercy.org
Learn more about Conyers today.