"A Strange Ghost Story."

Reported ghost story at the St. Vincent Archabbey in the mid-19th century.

It is said that there are no specific ghost stories directly attributed to St. Vincent Archabbey, but this article published by the Holmes County Republican on March 15, 1860, tells a different story.

The Abbey’s History

In 1846, St. Vincent Archabbey in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was founded by Boniface Wimmer, a monk from St. Michael Abbey in Metten, Bavaria. The abbey was established to serve the spiritual needs of German immigrants in the United States. The community grew, and the abbey became a center of monastic, educational, and missionary activities.

Spiritualism and the 19th Century

The 19th century was a time of rapid technological advancements, and spiritualism was a popular phenomenon. Many people believed that ghosts and spirits could be communicated with after death. This era saw the rise of mediums, séances, and ghost hunting.

The following story is an example of the paranormal excitement of the 19th century.

A remarkable story is current in Pittsburgh, and other parts of Western Pennsylvania. It possesses the elements of the wildest romance, but is religiously believed by very many persons. We give it as it was told to us, without, of course, endorsing the occurrences as actual facts. About two weeks ago, in the village of Latrobe, in Western Pennsylvania, a solemn mass was performed in the Roman Catholic Church, for the repose of the soul of a deceased priest. A number of worshippers were in the Church at the time. Just as the officiating priest was about to perform the most solemn part of the rites his purpose was checked by an astonishing appearance. The form of the deceased priest himself appeared in front of the alter with hand uplifted in a warning manner. The officiating clergyman stepped back, when the ghostly priest, or priestly ghost addressed his brother in flesh and the congregation. He said they were taking unnecessary trouble to get him out of Purgatory. The Priest might save his prayers and the penitents their pennies. They could not get him out of Purgatory, because he never was in it. Furthermore, there was no-chance for him to get there as there never was such a place as Purgatory. It was all a mistake. He should feel much obliged if they could get him out of the spot where he was, but that was impossible. There ware but two places of future existence, one of perpetual bliss and the other of perpetual punishments. Only two priests ever went to Heaven—and he was not one of them. He therefore warned them that their masses for the repose of his or any other defunct person’s soul were useless.

With that monition this remarkable ghost disappeared, and the scared congregation dispersed.

We believe in the soundness of the ghost’s doctrines in relation to Purgatory, whatever we may think of his “fouling his own nest” with regard to the position of priests in the other world. On what foundation the story rests is more than we can tell, but there must have been some event to give rise to such an extraordinary report.

After the above had appeared in the Pittsburg papers, the dispatch of that city appeared containing the following letter from the Abbot of the Benedictine monastery of St. Vincent’s near Latrobe, which gives a corrected and “authentic” version of the affair. The story is even more extraordinary than the first rumor:

EDITORS DISPATCH—Dear Sirs: A friend of mine handed me a copy of the Dispatch, drawing my attention to a “Queer Story,” telling that recently, while “Mass” was being celebrated in Latrobe, the Spirit of some Priest or Satan appeared and communicated the information to the Assembly, that it was all a misapprehension about “Purgutory,” no such place of intermediate state of probation existing, and worse than all, that but two Priests had yet found their way to Heaven.

The truth is, that at St. Vinccin’s Abby, near Latrobe, a Novice saw from the 18th Sept. to the 19th Nov., 1859, every day, from eleven to twelve o’clock, A.M., or from twelve to two o’clock in the night, the apparition of a Benedictine Monk in his full festival dress. After all, he asked him, in the presence of another member of the order, what he wanted. The spirit then answered that he had been suffering seventy-seven years already, because he had not said seven Masses of obligation; that he had appeared to save other Benedictiones, at different times, and had not been heared; and that he would have to appear after eleven years again, if he would not help him. He wanted them seven “Masses” said for him; besides this the Novice should, for seven days, observe the strictest silence and retreat, and more, he should say for thirty-three days, each day three times, the “Fiftieth Psalm,” barefooted and his arms stretched out.

This was done from the 21st Nov. till the 25th Dec., when the last Mass was celebrated, and the Ghost disappeared.—During this time he had appeared several times again, exhorted the Novice most impressively to pray for the Souls in Purgatory, since they suffer very hard, and consequently are very thankful to those who concur to their redemption; and, sad enough, said that of the five Priests who had already died at the Abby, no one was yet in Heaven, but suffering in Purgatory.

This is in substance the facts that gave origin to your strange report; we give it as much credit as it deserves; but this report is correct.

B. WIMER, Aboot.

ST. VINCINT’S ABBEY, 26th Feb., 1860.¹

1. Holmes County Republican, “A Strange Ghost Story,” Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. Of Congress, March 15, 1860, https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84028820/1860-03-15/ed-1/seq-1/.