The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

A LEGEND OF MORTAL SIN

A BOY COMMITS HIS FIRST MORTAL SIN AND GOES TO HELL. AS THE PRIEST
IS PREPARING TO SAY THE FUNERAL MASS FOR THE BOY, SOME
INVISIBLE FORCE
SNATCHES THE STOLE FROM HIS HAND; AND A VOICE SAYS, "DON'T SAY MASS
FOR ME."

Submitter comment: THREE YEARS AGO, WHILE IN THE CONVENT, I HEARD THE INFORMANT TELL
THIS STORY DURING EVENING RECREATION. SISTER JOHN, A NATIVE OF
NEWFOUNDLAND, HAS BEEN POSTULANT MISTRESS IN THE WAUWATOSA PROVINCE
OF THE CARMEL OF THE DIVINE HEART FOR ALMOST TEN YEARS.

Where learned: SAINT JOSEPH CONVENT

Date learned: 00-00-1962

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THE HAUNTED HOUSE

THERE WAS A HOUSE WHICH SEEMED TO BE HAUNTED. THERE WERE RATTLING
CHAINS, HOWLING, FOOTSTEPS, ETC. FOR THIS REASON NO ONE WOULD LIVE
NEAR THERE. THE COUNTY OFFERED A REWARD OF 1,000 DOLLARS FOR ANYONE
WILLING TO SPEND ONE NIGHT IN THE HOUSE AND SOLVE ITS MYSTERY. A
SEMINARIAN VOLUNTEERED. THAT NIGHT AT ABOUT MIDNIGHT, HE FELT THE
ENTIRE HOUSE SHAKE. CHAINS BEGAN TO RATTLE SOMEWHERE DOWNSTAIRS,
AND A PATHETIC MOANING RESOUNDED THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE HOUSE, THE
SOUNDS CAME CLOSER AND CLOSER UNTIL THEY SEEMED TO BE RIGHT OUTSIDE
OF THE DOOR OF THE ROOM WHERE THE SEMINARIAN WAS WAITING. AS THE
DOOR OPENED, THE MAN CROUCHED BEHIND A TABLE BY THE WALL. A FIGURE
IN HUMAN SHAPE, WHITE AND TRANSPARENT, WALKED INTO THE ROOM. THE
SEMINARIAN ASKED WHO IT WAS, AND THE FIGURE REPLIED THAT HE WAS A
SOUL FROM PURGATORY WHO HAD TO HAUNT THE HOUSE UNTIL HE COULD GET
INTO HEAVEN. THE MAN THEN SAID THAT HE WOULD PRAY FOR THE SOUL, IF
HE WOULD STOP HAUNTING THE HOUSE. THE SOUL AGREED. WHEN THE SEMI-
NARIAN LEFT THE HOUSE THE NEXT MORNING, HE DISCOVERED THAT HIS
HAIR HAD TURNED WHITE FROM FEAR.

Submitter comment: MY INFORMANT CLAIMED THAT SHE HAD HEARD THIS STORY, AS TRUE, FROM
SOMEONE WHO KNEW THE SEMINARIAN.

Where learned: SAINT JOSEPH CONVENT

Date learned: 00-00-1962

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A DIABOLICAL POSSESSION

THERE WAS A GIRL WHO ENTERED A CONVENT SOMEWHERE
IN EUROPE. SHE SEEMED
TO ACT SO STRANGELY THAT THE EXTIRE COMMUNITY WONDERED. ONE
EVENING SHE WALKED UP THE WALL AND SLITHERED ACROSS THE CEILING LIKE
A SNAKE. ON THE FOLLOWING MORNING SHE WAS DISMISSED AND AS SHE LEFT
THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR SHE DECLARED THAT SHE HAD GIVEN HER SOUL TO
THE DEVIL.

Submitter comment: MY INFORMANT CLAIMS TO HAVE OBTAINED THIS INFORMATION FROM
ANOTHER SISTER WHO IN TURN CLAIMED TO HAVE SEEN THE INCIDENT
DESCRIBED ABOVE.

Where learned: SAINT JOSEPH CONVENT

Keyword(s): POSSESSION BY THE DEVIL

Date learned: 00-00-1962

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