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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

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CHURCH CUSTOM

CERTAIN PRIESTS OF THE KANSAS CITY-SAINT JOSEPH DIOCESE UPHOLD
THE FOLLOWING TRADITION: IF A PARENT BRINGS AN INFANT TO
COMMUNION, BEFORE THE PRIEST GIVES THE HOST TO THE PARENT, HE
MAKES THE SIGN OF THE CROSS WITH IT OVER THE CHILD, BLESSING IT.

Where learned: MISSOURI ; SAINT JOSEPH

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Church
BELIEF -- Church
BELIEF -- Prayer
BELIEF -- Sign Geometric figure Cross and its various modifications
SPEECH -- Gesture

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IF AT COMMUNION YOU TOUCH THE HOST, YOUR HAND WILL FALL OFF.

Submitter comment: I THINK "COMMUNION IN THE HAND" DISPROVES THIS.

Where learned: MISSOURI ; SAINT JOSEPH

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Church
BELIEF -- Body part Senses
BELIEF -- Church
SPEECH -- Gesture

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IF AT COMMUNION YOU BITE THE HOST, BLOOD WILL COME OUT OF YOUR
MOUTH AND NOSE AND YOU WILL DIE.

Submitter comment: ENTIRELY FALSE--I TRIED IT THE NEXT DAY.

Where learned: MISSOURI ; SAINT JOSEPH

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Church
BELIEF -- Body part Senses
BELIEF -- Church
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial
BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness

Date learned: CA09001965

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THREE WISHES

WHEN YOU GO INTO A NEW CHURCH (CATHOLIC)
THAT YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN IN
BEFORE, YOU ARE ALLOWED TO MAKE THREE
WISHES

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): MYTH

Subject headings: 686 Thirds / Thrice / Three / Triple
BELIEF -- Church
BELIEF -- Number Emptiness, nothingness, zero

Date learned: 02-02-1970

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BELIEF

MAKE A VISIT IN A CHURCH YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN IN BEFORE AND
WHILE YOU ARE THERE, MAKE A WISH. IT WILL COME TRUE.

Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; TOLD AT

Subject headings: 686 Properties attributed to specific numbers or numerals individually.
BELIEF -- Church

Date learned: 02-01-1970

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CUSTOM-BELIEF

CATHOLICS BELIEVE THAT IF YOU GO TO CHURCH NINE FIRST FRIDAYS IN A
ROW THEN THERE
WILL BE A PRIEST WITH YOU WHEN YOU DIE.

Data entry tech comment: THERE IS ONE SIMILAR ITEM IN THIS SECTION OF THE ARCHIVE

Where learned: UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; NORTH QUAD ; TOLD AT

Keyword(s): RELIGION

Subject headings: 686 Properties attributed to specific numbers or numerals individually.
686 Ninths / Nine
BELIEF -- Church
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial
BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour

Date learned: 03-03-1971

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HOLY COMMUNION

YOU SHOULD NEVER GO TO HOLY COMMUNION IF YOU FEEL SICK OR IF
YOU THINK YOU COULD BE SICK.
SHE REMEMBERS ONE OF HER STUDENTS RECEIVING
COMMUNION AT MASS, THEN LEAVING CHURCH BECAUSE HE WAS GOING TO VOMIT.
SHE FOLLOWED HIM OUT TO THE BATHROOM AND FOUND HIM VOMITING UP THE
HOST. INSTANTLY THERE APPEARED THOUSANDS OF TINY MAGGOTS WHO ATE
UP THE VOMIT AND THEN ALL DISAPPEARED. SHE EXPLAINED THAT THEY HAD
BEEN SENT THERE MIRACULOUSLY SO THAT THE HOST WOULD NOT BE DEFILED BY
HAVING BEEN ON THE FLOOR.

Submitter comment:

THE "SHE" REFERS TO MY FIFTH GRADE TEACHER.

Data entry tech comment:

Informant and collector are the same person.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS ; 5th grade teacher

James Callow Keyword(s): ANIMAL INSECT LARVA

Subject headings: Favorites
PROSE NARRATIVE -- Religious hero
PROSE NARRATIVE -- Insect
BELIEF -- Church

Date learned: NOT GIVEN (FIFTH GRADE)

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HOLY WATER

WHENEVER YOU DIP YOUR HAND INTO THE HOLY WATER DISH, YOU SHOULD
SHAKE THE EXCESS DROPS OFF BEFORE YOU MAKE THE SIGN OF THE CROSS.
EACH DROP THAT YOU SHAKE OFF QUENCHES THE THIRST OF ONE SOUL IN
PURGATORY. THAT SOUL THEN GOES TO HEAVEN.

Submitter comment:

THIS WAS TOLD TO ME AS A BELIEF.

Data entry tech comment:

Informant and collector are the same person. She learned this in childhood.

Where learned: CHILDHOOD ; MICHIGAN ; GRAND RAPIDS

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Body part Senses Hands, palms, fingernails
BELIEF -- Church

Date learned: 00001956 CHILDHOOD

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CATHOLIC BELIEF

THE CUSTOM OF A WOMAN COVERING HER HEAD IN CHURCH STEMS FROM
THE MEDIEVAL BELIEF THAT EVIL SPIRITS WOULD BE ENTANGLED IN THE
HAIR IF IT WERE NOT COVERED.

Submitter comment:

A belief concerning wearing something on your head.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Devil Demon
BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter
BELIEF -- Body part Senses
BELIEF -- Body part Senses Hair, on head, mustache, widow's peak
BELIEF -- Church

Date learned: 09-24-1969

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IRISH CUSTOM

YOU MUST MAKE A WISH WHEN YOU ENTER A NEW CHURCH BUILDING.

Submitter comment:

THIS IS AN IRISH CUSTOM THAT INFORMANT COLLECTED FROM HER SISTER
WHO IN TURN LEARNED IT AT THE NURSES' LOUNGE AT BEAUMONT
HOSPITAL, DETROIT.

Data entry tech comment:

HOSPITAL IS ACTUALLY IN ROYAL OAK, MICHIGAN.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT

Subject headings: 686 686.1
BELIEF -- Church
BELIEF -- Prayer

Date learned: 09-23-1967

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HOLY WATER

HOLY WATER WILL CURE YOU IF YOU HAVE FAITH IN GOD.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Church
BELIEF -- Remedy
BELIEF -- Method of Curing

Date learned: 03-03-1971

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SLEEPING IN CHURCH

IF YOU FALL ASLEEP IN CHURCH, AN USHER WILL COME AND TICKLE
YOUR NOSE TO WAKE YOU.

Submitter comment:

INFORMANT SAID THIS WAS DONE TO HIM IN HIS YOUNGER DAYS.

Data entry tech comment:

Informant told to collector, his son, during childhood.

Where learned: CHILDHOOD ; OHIO ; CANTON

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Body part Senses Nose
BELIEF -- Church

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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HOLY COMMUNION

WHEN I WAS AROUND EIGHT YEARS OLD, I BELIEVED IF I CHEWED THE HOST,
MY TEETH WOULD ROT.

Data entry tech comment:

Informant and collector are the same person.

Where learned: CHILDHOOD ; MICHIGAN ; FERNDALE

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Religious hero
BELIEF -- Body part Senses Mouth, teeth, lips, tongue
BELIEF -- Church

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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NEW CHURCHES

EVERY TIME YOU VISIT A NEW CHURCH IF YOU MAKE A WISH IT WILL
COME TRUE.

Data entry tech comment:

A SIMILAR IRISH BELIEF CAN BE FOUND IN THIS ARCHIVE

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT

Subject headings: 686 686.1
BELIEF -- Church
BELIEF -- Prayer

Date learned: 03-31-1968

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COHANIM

IN ORTHODOX JUDAISM WHEN THE HIGH PRIEST OFFERS (COHANIM)
A SPECIAL PRAYER, IT IS FORBIDDEN FOR ANY OF THE CONGREGATION TO
LOOK AT HIM, IN PAIN OF BLINDNESS.

Data entry tech comment:

Informant and collector share same surname.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): SEMITISM

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Body part Senses Eyes, evil eye
BELIEF -- Church

Date learned: 04-00-1968

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BLEEDING HOST

IF YOU BITE THE CONSECRATED HOST, IT WILL BLEED, FOR IT IS CHRIST.

Data entry tech comment:

There are several other cards in archive similar to this.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Flint

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Religious hero
BELIEF -- Church

Date learned: 00-00-1970

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IN FOGLIZZO, PIEMONTE, ITALY NOBODY WILL WALK IN FRONT OF THE
CEMETARY WHEN THE CHURCH BELL IS ABOUT TO RING AT MIDNIGHT.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Sterling Heights

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal
BELIEF -- Church
BELIEF -- Measure of time WeekDayHour

Date learned: 12-00-1977

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RELIGIOUS SUPERSTITION

THE MEXICANS BELIEVE IF THEY DON'T RECEIVE ASHES ON ASH WEDNESDAY
THEY WON'T BE ALIVE ON THE NEXT ASH WEDNESDAY.

Submitter comment: DON LEARNED THIS IN FRESNO, CALIFORNIA AT HIS HOME PARISH. THE
PEOPLE APPARENTLY HAD A STRONG BELIEF IN THIS RELIGIOUS SUPERSTITION.
DESPITE THE SMALL SIZE OF THE PARISH, ASHES WERE DISTRIBUTED FOR
HOURS EACH YEAR.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; CAMPUS

Subject headings: 663 Ash Wednesday
BELIEF -- Church
BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial

Date learned: 00-00-1974

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NEW BORN CHILDREN

A WOMAN SHOULD NOT BE LEFT ALONE FOR 40 DAYS AFTER SHE DELIVERS OR
AN EVIL SPIRIT WILL COME AND STEAL THE CHILD AND EXCHANGE IT WITH ONE
OF HIS OWN. IF THIS HAPPENS THE PARENTS TAKE THE EVIL CHILD TO
THE CHURCH AND PLACE IT ON THE STEPS FOR ONE HALF HOUR AND GO IN
SIDE TO PRAY. WHEN THEY RETURN THEY HAVE THEIR OWN CHILD BACK

Submitter comment: CHANGELING

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Birth
BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter
BELIEF -- Church
BELIEF -- Number P686.1.40

Date learned: 10-00-1977

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FOLK TALE

IT WAS TOLD TO THE ALTAR BOYS AT OUR LADY QUEEN OF APOSTLES
CATHOLIC CHURCH THAT IF THEY WORE THE CHASUBLE USED AT MASS THEY
WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO GET IT OFF. THE NUNS TOLD THE STORY OF ONE
SUCH ALTAR BOY WHO TO THIS DAY WAS STILL WEARING THAT CHASUBLE AND
WAS LOCKED AWAY IN A HOSPITAL SO NOBODY COULD SEE HIM. SOME NUNS SAI
IT WAS A MORTAL SIN WHICH COULD NEVER BE FORGIVEN.

Submitter comment: THE REASON THIS WAS SPREAD WAS BECAUSE THE CHASUBLES IN THOSE
DAYS WERE QUITE EXPENSIVE AND THE PRIESTS AND SISTERS DID NOT
WANT ALTAR BOYS PLAYING WITH THEM AS IF THEY WERE NOT SACRED AT ALL
AND TURNING THEM INTO COSTUMES LIKE THOSE USED ON HALLOWEEN.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HAMTRAMCK

Subject headings: Favorites
PROSE NARRATIVE -- Outlaw Criminal Bandit Pirate
BELIEF -- Church

Date learned: 00-00-1979

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