The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1895-09-07


his food his only occupation seemed to
be pilgrimages TO the top of the hill, I
where he engaged in prayer, During
the score OF years that he lived at the
hill he became. acquainted with some OF
the farmers in the vicinity and to them;
he told his story. II was this:
Born early In the century near Stras-5
burg, he had been educated for the
priesthood carrying on his studies in a,
monastery not far from his home. While
yet novitiate he fell in love with a
young woman who lived near by. His
love became SO strong that he declared
his passion, and finding it. reciprocated,
decided not to put on the priestly robes,
and left the monastery. In disgrace;
with his church and with his family. he
left Strasburg to seek a means Of sup
porting himself and the woman he in
tended to make his wife. He was gone
for two years. When he returned he
sought his batrothed. He found her but
faithless and worse. Crazed by the dis.
! coyery and goaded to a frenzy he killed
the woman and fled. After some years Of
wandering be came to America, and en-
tered monastery at Quebec There, in
looking over some old papers, he found
Il portion Of a diary kept by Jacques Mar
Quette during the summer OF 1873. Init
was given az account Of a voyage with
Louis Joliet. With the diary was a map
of the district through which the explor
crs had passed. Sonbrios attention was
drawn to hill marked upon the map
and upon which was drawn rude repre-
sentation of an altar and cross. The
diary stated that Marquette had landed
at the mouth of small sreek and after a
hard days journey straight west had
come upon the peculiarly shaped hill
Designation on the map. Climbing this
he had erected a rude stone altar and a
cross, and had dedicated the ground TO
his patron saint, Mary.
Feeling drawn toward the spot Son
brio determined to visit. making a copy
of the map and a portion OF the diary he
left the convent and began his long jour
ney- During his trip a sickness over
took him which left him partially para
lized. Not daunted by this he kept on,
and at last reached the hill, where he
found the remains Of the altar erected by
Marquette. Making his home in a cave
near by he made daily ascents to the
summit of the hill, where he, tasted and
prayed. On one occasion he. spent the
entire night i'll prayer When he arose
from his knees in the morning he found
that his paralysis was gone, and that he
was as strong as ever.
For years he had lived this way. Then,
at the outbreak of the civil war, he dis
appeared. Since then nothing definite
has ever been heard of him. though a rl1-
NOR reached his old friends In the town
ship Of Erin that the hermit had re-
snrned his priestly calling and on the
battlefields of the South was offering
prayer and consolati tion to the dying SOL
diers si5 tslS
Until; a few years ago, the rude log
cabin. which he built and in which he
lived was standing. Now it has disap-
peared, though the cross that surnount-
ed is still preserved with a portion of the
one erected by Father Marquette.
It was shortly after the departure of
Sonbrio that the first chapel was erected
upon the-hill In 1861 the Rev. George
Strickland, then the pastor Of St. Boni-
face, assisted by the neighbors, built the
first chapel. Two years later, May "a,
1865, the feast of St. Mary's Help Of the
Christians, the first procession to the hill
was made. Then the residents of the
neighborhood. led by Father Strickland
marched to the chapel which had just
been completed and the first sermon was
preached. After this Father Ferdinand
lar intervals held divine service there. I
BY this time several miraculous cures Of
pilgrims were reported and the number
of visitors to the church began to in
crease greatly. Finding that the chapel|
was much too small to accommodate tile
pilgrims, Father Raes, with the consent
of Archbishop Henni, commenced the
present structure, the corner stone Of
which was laid in 1879, and which was
dedicated in 1882. The place is noW:|
maintained entirely by the contribu-
tions of the pilgrims. On feast days.
priests from the. neighboring parishes
oficiate, while the services are generally
presided over by Vicar General Batz, of |
Milwaukee. j.
The church building is OF brick, with
very little ornamentation and of the !
gothic style. The interior is lignted by1
windows of stained glass. In the chan
eel are one main and two side affairs !
which cost $1,loo, the; money being con-
tributed by the pilgrims. The candel-
abra and many Of the other accessories |
were also gifts. To the right Of the
chancel, suspended from the wall is all
square case with a glass front in which
are spectacles and other relics left by
persons who have been cured of disease /
by prayers offered on the hill. In the
corners and window recesses of the |
church are number of worn rr,1tches
which have been discarded by pilgrims
whose infirmities have been cured.
All in all, whether the cures reputed to
the place are true or not, Holy Hill is a re-
markable spot. As one writer in describ- !
ing it says: s 5s5
.fThe sojourner here is lost to all out
side Influences He is epcircled by the i