The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

LITTLE SISTERS OF THE POOR

WHEN THE SACRED HEART HOME FOR THE AGED WAS TO BE RELOCATED TO A NEW
SITE AND BUILDING THREE YEARS AGO IN TOLEDO, OHIO, THE SISTERS WENT
TO LOOK AT THE LAND THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE FOR THE NEW
BUILDING.
THEY FOUND THE LAND OUT IN THE COUNTRY, MADE SOME INQUIRIES AS TO
WHO OWNED THE LAND AND WOULD HE BE WILLING TO SELL AND FOR HOW MUCH
MONEY. THEY FOUND THAT IT WOULD BE NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE TO GET THE
LAND, AT LEAST FROM OTHER PERSONS' OBSERVATIONS. THE DAY BEFORE
THEY WERE TO SEE THE OWNER ABOUT THE LAND, TWO OF THE SISTERS WENT
OUT AND SECRETLY BURIED A STATUE OF ST. JOSEPH ON THE FIELD THAT
THEY WANTED AND THEN THE WHOLE COMMUNITY OF SISTERS LAID SIEGE TO
ST. JOSEPH WITH PRAYERS. WHEN THEY SAW THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY
THE NEXT DAY, HE WAS MOST GENEROUS WITH THEM AND THEY RECEIVED THE
LAND, THOUGH HE WAS NOT EVEN A CATHOLIC.

Submitter comment:

INFORMANT WAS TOLD THIS STORY BY ONE OF THE SISTERS WHO DID THE
BURYING OF THE STATUE.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: OHIO ; TOLEDO ; DETROIT

Date learned: 09-20-1972