Preaching Virtue, Practicing Vice: When Faith Leaders Gamble with Devotion

Irish media have reported that Christina Gallagher, founder of the controversial House of Prayer on Achill Island, has been gambling “hand over fist” with followers’ money in a Dublin casino.

A four-month investigation by Sunday World alleges that Gallagher is often seen with “wads of notes” and places thousands of euros of bets in a night. 

When confronted by a reporter, Gallagher claimed: “I don’t come very often, once or twice.” Patrons questioned as part of the paper’s investigation suggest she has been coming for years, and gambling large amounts regularly.

Gallagher founded the House of Prayer on Achill Island in County Mayo in 1993, and has accepted millions of euros in contributions, claiming she regularly receives messages from the Virgin Mary and Jesus. 

The House of Prayer had its tax exemption revoked as part of the Irish Revenue Commission’s crackdown on organizations purporting to pursue charitable aims in 2005. In 2008, it emerged that Gallagher lived in a €4 million house in Malahide, County Dublin, despite having no visible income.

Gallagher’s House of Prayer claims to have achieved “miracle cures”, such as having a baby pronounced dead in the uterus come back to life, and another claiming she was cured of pancreatic cancer. 

The Sunday World also reports that several elderly people who followed the House of Prayer would not take the Covid-19 vaccine because of messages Gallagher purported to have received from Jesus.

Positions of Power Fund Gambling Habits

Although the House of Prayer has no official status within the Catholic church, there have been several other examples of using religious donations to fund gambling habits.

Last month in Thailand, Phra Thamma Wachiranuwat (lay name: Yaem Intrangkrungkao), a long-serving head monk of Wat Rai Khing was publicly disrobed over gambling and embezzlement allegations.

The former abbot admitted to embezzling 300 million baht (approximately $9 million) in temple funds, which was believed to have been used to place bets on online gambling sites. 

Hypocrisy in Preaching a Common Theme

A common trend with the use of funds contributed to organizations either directly or indirectly affiliated with religion is hypocrisy in preaching.

A Maryland pastor was charged earlier this year with stealing approximately $135,000 from his church, with funds allegedly being used on sports betting, as well as food deliveries.

The Christian Post reported that the accused pastor, Gregory Champ, preached about a passage of the bible and condemned preachers who are proclaiming the Gospel “for monetary gain, for some kind of gain for ourselves.” 

He said in his sermon: “They’ll come, and they’ll preach to you, and even though some of what they say is truth, they’re doing it out of the wrong heart.” 

He continued: “They’re not doing it sincerely because they care about your soul. They’re doing it because the more people they get on their side, the more money they make.”