Ex-Members

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Most people who joined the TLRC or CMRI have abandoned the group. The group seems to have gone from a following of 5000 in the early 1980s down to 2000 in the late 80s. There were defections happening shortly after its founding, but the rate of defections likely were highest from 1984 to 1989. Exact figures seem hard to come by, and who knows how accurate records are. These are just some of the notable former members I’ve come across:

  • A group of 15 nuns left the CMRI in 2007 and joined the Diocese of Spokane. (go to main page) and (link to their new group).
  • A group of 35 families left (100 of 700 members, so 14% of the entire parish) with Bishop Musey in 1985 after a heated meeting with the entire Mt. St. Michaels group.
  • The Klotz family was shunned in the early 1970s. Sr. Mary Francisca (Klotz) died of a heart attack suddenly on January 28, 2010 in Florida (she was only 61), and her mother Dorothy Klotz claimed they worked her to death. The Klotz family were in the paper in the early 1970s speaking against the group, and it's likely this publicity that caused them to be shunned.
  • The Case family was also shunned in the early 1970s under similar circumstances as the Klotz family.
  • Mike Kerfoot, his wife, and another family left the group in the 1970s. Mike was the brother of Fr. Louis Kerfoot, who also left the CMRI. Mike & Louis's parents remained in the group, and are buried at Mt. St. Michael.
  • Half the members of the TLRC religious orders left after June 1984.
  • Libby Sala, Bill Seale, and John Doering left the TLRC and were quoted in a newspaper article.
  • The McKenzie family left the TLRC (Greg & Zoell)
  • John Tamplin and his daughter left the group only months after joining in 1975. He sued the group, but lost his case. The group had a restraining order against him due to his protesting of the group at Mt. St. Michaels
  • Bernie Radecki and Francie Urban Radecki returned to the mainstream Catholic Church around 2005.
  • Sherri Ann Schettler (Urann) aka Sister Mary Redempta, was a nun who left the group. She’d joined around 1975, and went on to leave the CMRI around 2000. Her brother Patrick also left the group, and was later married.
  • Cheryl and Jeff Pichette and daughter Alyssa Marie Pichette left the group around 2007, joining the mainstream Catholic Church.
  • George Wagner & Jacinta Wagner (Strain-Urban) returned to the mainstream Catholic Church.
  • Sister Solange left the Mt. St. Michael convent due to alleged abuse she received in the Villa Maria boarding school around 1979.