The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

FATHER BAKER'S MIRACLE

THIS IS A TRUE STORY ABOUT FATHER BAKER'S MIRACLE. FATHER BAKER HAD A
LITTLE CHURCH IN BUFFALO NEW YORK. HE WANTED TO BUILD A NEW CHURCH,
BUT THERE WAS NO MONEY. ONE DAY AFTER CELEBRATING MASS HE TOLD THE
ALTAR BOYS TO FOLLOW THEM. STILL DRESSED IN THE GARB OF THE CHURCH
FATHER BAKER POINTED TO A PLACE IN AN EMPTY FIELD AND SAID "DRILL
HERE FOR OIL," BUT EVERYONE KNEW THERE WAS NO OIL IN THE AREA. ON HIS
INSISTANCE THEY DRILLED, FOUND OIL LESS THAN FIFTY FEET DOWN,
AND THUS FINANCED THE CHURCH.

Submitter comment: THE INFORMANT WAS A MEMBER OF FATHER BAKER'S PARISH WHERE THE STORY
IS TOLD.

Where learned: LOCATION NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR

James Callow Keyword(s): PRIEST AS OIL WITCH ; WATER WITCH: OIL WITCH

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