Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1860-03-15
A s,ranse Ghost story.

A remarkable story is current In Pitts
burgh, and other parts of Western Penn
sylvania. 1t possesses the elements OF
the widest romance, but is religously be-
lieved by very many persons. We give
1t as 1t was told to US, without, of course,
endors ing the occurrences as actual facts.
About two weeks ago, in the village of
Latrobe, in Western Pennsylvania, SOL
emn mass was performed in the Roman
Catholic Church, for the repose of the soul
of deceased priest. A number of wor-
shippers were in the Church at the time.
Just as the officiating priest was about to
perform the most solemn part Of the rites
his purpose was checked by an astonishing
appearance. The form of the deceased
priest himself appeared in front of the altar
with band uplifted in warning manner.
The officiating clergyman stepped back,
when the ghostly priest, or priestly ghost
addressed his brother in flesh and the con-
gregatiop. He said they were taking un-
necessary trouble to get him out of Purga-
tory. The Priest might save his prayers
and the penitents their pennies. They
could not get him out of Purgatory, be-
cause be never was in it. Furthermore,
there was no-chance for him to get thera
as there never was such place as Purga-
tory. 1t was all mistake. He should
feel much obliged if they could get him
out of the spot where he was, but that
was impossible. There ware but two
,,lao., ,,f y,,,uro ovistopou ono of y,orpof.
ual bliss and the other of perpetual pun
lshment. Only tUo priests sver vent to
Heaven-and he was not one of them.
He therefore warned them that their masses
for the repose of his or any other defunct per-
son'ssoul were useless.
With that monition this remarkable
ghost disappeared, and the scared eongre-
CATION dispersed.
We believe in the soundness of the
ghosts doctrines in relation to Purgatory,
whatever we may think of his "fouling his
own nest" with regard to the position Of
priests in the other world. On what founda-
ton the story rests is more than We can
tell, but there must have been some event
to give rise to such an extraordinary report.
After the above had appeared in the
Pittsburg papers, the dispatch Of thai city
appeared containing the following letter
from the Abbot of the Benedictine monas-
terry of St. Vincent's near Latrobe, which
gives a corrected and ''aulhentie" version of
the affair. Tue story is even more extraor-
dinary than the first rumor:
EDITORS DIsPATcH-Dear S;rs: A
friend of mine handed me copy of the
Dispoteh, drawing my attention to
Queer Story" telling that recently, while
"Mass" was being celebrated in Latrobe,
the Spirit of some Priest or Satan ap-
peared and communicated the information
to the assembly, that it was all misap-
prehension about "Purgutory," no such
place of intermediate state of probation
existing, and worse than all, that but
two Priests had yet found their way to
Heaven.
The truth is, that at st. Vinccin's Alb
by, near Latrobe, Novice saw from the
18th Sept. to the 10th Nov, 1859, every
day, from eleven to twelve o'clock, A. n, OF
from twelve to two o'clock in the night,
the apparition of Benedictine Monk in
his full festival dress. After all, be ask
ed him, in the presence of another MEM
Der of the order, what he wanted. The
spirit then answered that be had been
suffering seventy-seven years already,
because he bad not said seven Mas
ses of obligation; that he had appeared to
save other Benedictiones, at different times,
and bad not been heared; and that he
would have to appear after eleven years
again, if he would not help him. He
wanted then seAen "Masses" said for him;
besides this the Novice should, for seven
days, observe the strictest silence and re-
treat, and more, he should say for thirty
three davs, each day three times, the
"Fif.ieth Psalm" barefooted and his arms
stretched out.
This was doue from the 2lst Nov. till
the 25th Dec, when the last Mass was
celebrated, and the Ghost disappeared
During this time he had appeared several
times again, exhorted the Novice most inn
pressively to pray for the Souls IN PGrga-
tory, since they suffer very hard, and con-
sequenily are very thankful to those who
concur to their redemption; and. sad
enough. said that of the five Priests who
had already died at the Abbey, no one
was yet in Heaven, but suffering in Psr-
gafory.
This is in substance the facts that gave
origin to your strange report; We give 1t
as much credit as it deserves; but this re-
port is correct. B. WIMER. Abbot.
ST. VINcINris ABBEY, Goth Feb, 1860.