Spook Sightings Of Yester Year - No.13 - Dead Priest's Return

DEAD PRIEST'S RETURN

(From The Wahington Post, January 10th, 1906)

Irish Rector's Story Of Apparition in a Monastery.

OTHERS SAW AND KNEW HIM

Ghostly Visitant Recognized by Several of the Monks, One of Whom Was Reminded by the Dead that He Had Not Carried Out a Promise Made in the Flesh - Two More Apparitions

Dublin, Jan. 2. - Ghostly visitations of the dead are regarded as possible everyday occurrences by the Rev. Father Hubert, rector of the Passionist Monastery, of Ardoyne, Belfast, whose latest ghost story has created a sensation in the Irish industrial city.

Father Hubert says that soon after taking up residence as rector of the Ardoyne Monastery, one night after he had retired to rest he heard a knock at his bedroom door. A similar knock was heard by another Passionist father, who occupied the next bedroom. Both opened their doors, and both saw the figure of a Passionist father parading the corridor and finally disappearing. The knocking was repeated on other occasions, and at last Father Hubert accosted the apparition in the prescence of other Passionust fathers. The apparition spoke and said that the rector had not fulfilled a promise made to him when in the flesh to pray for him a certain number of times on a certain occasions.

Father Hubert, relating the incident in the course of a sermon, told his astonished congregation that he did make such a promise to a Passionist father, since deceased, and that the apparition was recognized by himself and two others of the fathers as that of the dead priest. He had forgotten to carry out the promise, but after this extraordinary reminder from the other world he had the prayers said for the repose of the soul of the priest, and that the ghost had not appeared again in the monastery, to the great peace, comfort, and happiness of the community there.

Recognized by Others

Great sensation was caused by this sermon, and preaching again later the reverend gentleman said that he had ascertained that the story had been noised about in the city, and that it was regarded by some persons as of such a startling and sensational character that it would have been better left untold, more especially as gossip was busy and idle tongues were at work as to the personality of the deceased Passionist,

Father Hubert proceeded to inform his hearers that it was not for the purpose of telling ghost stories that he had decided to continue his discourse on the subject, but rather to arouse and awaken his congregation to the actuality of purgatory, where, according to the doctrine of the Catholic Church, some souls suffer for a time before they go to heaven, but can be released by means of prayer.

The reason he did not mention the name of the deceased was that the feelings of his friends might be hurt, but three out of the five Passionist Fathers now stationed in Ardoyne, who had seen the apparition, recognized him, and knew him personally when he was in the flesh. The fact that a holy priest should have to suffer purgatorial punishment - one whom many of their own congregation of Ardoyne knew - should cause the people to have a greater thought and regard for their own deceased friends and relatives, who might also be in need of their intercession and prayers.

So far from the apparition being "startling" or "sensational," it was not the first, second, or even third visitant from the other world that had been seen in the monastery at Ardoyne. "in fact," said the rector, "there is not a religious order such as the Passionists community that has not records of numbers of instances where ghosts or apparitions have appeared under somewhat similar circumstances.

Two More Apparitions

"The reason that more apparitions of the departed do not appear to their friends is on account of the fear and dread and nervosuness of the living." He had made a careful study of the subject, and in no instance was there a record of these apparitions wishing to do any harm or injury. On the contrary, they invariably appeared to seek aid or sympathy. "The spirits," continued the clergyman, "frequently wish to be familiar with us, but we will not let them."

Father Hubert caused a thrill to pass through the vast congregation when he solemnly declared, "I myself have seen, met, and interviewed at least two apparitions at other times, and these were not the ghosts of clergymen." He tehn narrated the story of the "apparition" of a monk which appeared in a Benendictine monastery in North America, the authenticity of which was vouched for under the seal of the abbot of the monastery. Another ghost had for its scene a house connected with a Passionist monastery in England.

In conclusion, the preacher said that large numbers of persons had called upon him and asked for prayers to be offered for departed friends. He wished it to be distinctly understood that in referring to the apparition he did so with the object of explaining and expounding the doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church on purgatory, and of impressing the congregation with its reality. His references were not in any way to be associated with the methods of spiritualism of the present day, which was condemned by the Catholic Church.