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Ten Most Haunted Catholic Sites in America:

Well, it’s Halloween season: a time when folks dress up in all manner of costumes while enjoying candy, parties, scary movies and ghost stories. The ghost stories in particular arouse the interest and wonder of many a lively imagination at this time of year. All over the world, stories of hauntings, spirits and monsters, including some supposed hauntings of Catholic locations, frighten and delight believers everywhere, especially during the Halloween season. Some stories are scary and mysterious. Others, not so much.

In the spirit of Halloween, and in no apparent order, here are our ten favorite rumors of Catholic hauntings in the U.S.

1. OUR LADY QUEEN OF PEACE CEMETERY- ROYAL PALM BEACH, FL

The ghosts of those buried there supposedly haunt this Catholic cemetery. One account says, “Strange fogs have been reported, described as looking like individual strands of something moving within the fog. Appearing and disappearing. The mist seems to form in to something, very dense. You could see it moving all different directions. Noticeable temperature change, uneasy feelings, and feelings of felt like someone was right behind you. Then it feels like whatever it this is trying to grab your arm.”

Or, to be more accurate, realistic and grammatically correct, “I was in a cemetery one night and it was foggy. The End.”

2. ST. MARY’S CATHOLIC CHURCH -  NASHVILLE, TN

 There are three ghosts rumored to haunt this church and its grounds. One story holds that a priest died during construction of the church. Another story claims that, during the cινιℓ ωαr, a Catholic priest serving as a chaplain for the Confederate Army was shot and died in the church. There is another rumor that the ghost is the spirit of Bishop Richard Pius Miles, the first bishop of the Diocese of Nashville, who died in 1860. He was buried in the church basement and supposedly still haunts his old stomping grounds.

3. MISSION SAN BUENAVENTURA - VENTURA, CA

Father Junipero Serra founded this mission church in 1792, and it still operates as a parish church to this day. A ghostly monk supposedly haunts the church and the grounds, and apparently only appears to Catholics. This doesn’t seem to be a very effective evangelization technique, but perhaps the ghost is one of those shy folks who only like talking to like-minded friends and just can’t bear interacting with other, less savory sorts. If this haunting is true then that means introversion doesn’t end when we die, so I suppose there will be awkward conversations in Heaven too. Le sigh.    

4. SEDAMSVILLE RECTORY- CINCINNATI, OH

Over the course of its 130-year history this rectory has seen its share of deaths—mostly normal ones, but with a few oddities thrown in. Apparently in recent years several visitors to the house have seen and heard strange things including dark shadows, mist, footsteps, voices, doors opening and closing, and often times a figure of a man dressed in a dark clergy robe. It could be ghosts…

Or it could just be normal things that happen in houses. Just last night I woke up to find that it was dark in my room. Is my house haunted, or was the sun just on the other side of the earth? We’ll never know.

And today at work, I heard footsteps, and doors opening and closing, and I saw a strange man in priestly garb wandering the office. Was it a ghost or was it just Fr. Steve? Actually, Fr. Steve is pretty strange, and unnaturally silent and glide-y when he walks. He could be a ghost. Hmmmm, interesting.

I’m a little nervous now.

But not really.

5. OLD URSALINE CONVENT - NEW ORLEANS, LA

The Ursalines have been in Louisiana since the early 1700s and have inhabited a series of buildings up to the present day while working with schools, charities and orphanages.

Apparently, in the 1720s, the French government sent young ladies to their settlements in America as prospective wives for the settlers there. The mademoiselles arrived with their belongings in chests or “casquettes” (Casquettes … caskets … coffins … haha, get it?!) and took up residence with the Ursaline nuns until they could find husbands. According to legend, they weren’t carrying the usual possessions one would find in the luggage of a group of young girls at the time: dresses, books, shoes, money, iPods, hair ribbons, brushes, etc. No, they were carrying vampires.

Yup. Vampires. In their luggage. Good thing this was in the 1700s because there’s no way the TSA would let vampires get through security anymore.  They’re so strict about what you can bring on planes these days: no liquids in containers greater than 3 oz., no sharp objects, no aerosol cans and no un-dead monsters.

Anyway, the legend suggests that the girls were permanently locked in the 3rd floor attic of the Old Convent with their blood sucking carry-ons. To this day, the superstitious locals believe that the vampires sneak out of the convent to feed at night, although how they sneak out of a building they were locked in is beyond me.

Since the young women were trapped in the convent along with the monsters, I hope that the vampires were at least gentlemen enough to romance the young ladies with sparkly romps through the forest while calling them “spider monkey,” which is now considered cute and romantic and not at all weird or lame, apparently.

6. ANCILLA COLLEGE AND CONVENT - DONALDSON, IN

Apparently students at this Midwestern Catholic liberal arts college have seen Catholic nuns and sisters wandering in the tunnels beneath the school grounds only to walk through a wall or disappear into thin air.

This seemed really creepy until I realized that these are college students. At night. In the tunnels beneath their schools. We all know college students like to indulge in some unsavory things, especially in out of the way places like an underground tunnel. Something tells me that most of these kids probably weren’t exactly in a clear-headed state when they had these “visions,” so maybe we can all relax and not take it seriously anymore, just like some college students do with pretty much everything.

7. MOST HOLY TRINITY CHURCH - BROOKLYN, NY

There are a few possible origins of the hauntings that supposedly plague this old parish. One claims that the current church building, built from 1882-1885, stands over an old cemetery where some bodies are still buried. Supposedly the ghosts of the folks under the church haunt the building and mysteriously turn lights on and off, open and close doors, and walk back and forth.

Or it could just be living people doing those things since those activities, believe it or not, are not limited to ghosts. The living can also open doors and turn on lights. At least they could last time I checked. Or maybe Iam a ghost and don’t even know it, like Bruce Willis in the Sixth Sense, which is why I can also turn on lights and open doors that aren’t too heavy.

Another source of the ghost legend is that one of the first pastors of the church, Monsignor Michael May, passed away in his bedroom and continues to haunt the church grounds. Apparently visitors hear mysterious steps at all hours of the night, and dogs have been known to stare, as if in a trance, at the stairs and dining room of the rectory. So it must be a ghost, right? Maybe.

I’m not sure if “dogs staring at things” is proper evidence for a haunting though. My dog once stared at my fireplace for over an hour because he thought there was a bird in it. He runs as fast as he can after a tennis ball when we play fetch even when I am only pretending to throw it. Sherlock Holmes, he is not.

He also looks at me while I eat in the dining room like I am the Sistine Chapel ceiling and he is a blind art critic who has miraculously regained his vision. I don’t think he’s looking at ghosts though. I think he’s just looking for food handouts. So yeah, we might need to wait for better evidence than dogs looking at a room before we call in the ghost hunters.

Maybe cats looking at a room would do it. They probably have a connection with the world beyond. Just look at the way they slink around like they’re sooooo smart and secretive. Yeah, if a cat is ever staring at a room it’s definitely haunted. Or something.

8. ST. RITA’S CHURCH - CHICAGO, IL

On All Souls Day in the early 1960’s St. Rita’s parish had a ghostly visitation. More than a dozen parishioners had gathered there to pray when, sometime in the early evening, the organ began to play by itself. Suddenly, six robed monks appeared, three wearing black and three wearing white. The parishioners attempted to flee, but they found the doors of the church were locked. The phantom monks moved towards the parishioners while the organ continued its dirge. Finally, the vision faded as a disembodied voice whispered, “Pray for us.” So next time you see a ghost it probably just wants to ask you a favor, not kill you. So ignore your instincts and don’t run away or anything.

9. ST. TURIBIUS CHURCH - CHICAGO, IL

During the 1950’s and 1960’s a priest named Fr. Joe Lechert was the pastor at St. Turibius’. When he was reassigned to another parish by the archdiocese, as is customary, he died, supposedly of a broken heart. Parishioners since then have seen the ghostly figure of a man wearing a priest’s biretta just like the one Fr. Lechert wore, often accompanied by whiffs of cigarette smoke. It’s unclear whether this is a real apparition or not, but “Smoking Ghost” would be a great name for a rock band. So there’s that.

10. RESURRECTION CEMETERY - CHICAGO, IL

Once upon a time in the early 1930s, a young woman went dancing with her boyfriend. They got into an argument; she left the car and began walking up Archer Road, got hit by a car and died. Since then, passersby have reported seeing a blonde woman in a ‘30s party dress hitchhiking. Those who have picked her up say that she was quiet, formal, and her skin is cool to the touch. Once Resurrection Mary, as she is now known, reaches her destination—Resurrection Cemetery—she runs towards the gates, only to vanish into thin air.

There are a lot of lessons to be learned from this story. Here are a few important ones.

1) Fellas, when you’re on a date, drive the girl home. Don’t let her get out of the car to hitchhike down a lonely highway. It’s not a good move, no matter your moron friends say. You’ll never get a second date that way, and she might turn into a ghost to haunt you the rest of your days, which you totally deserve.

2) When you’re driving down a lonesome road with the moon partially cloaked by clouds while mist, owls and bats are all aflutter, and you see a pale, cold girl in outdated clothes who asks for a ride to a cemetery, it’s probably a ghost. It might not be a mean ghost, but it’s likely a spirit of some sort. Or it might just be a strange, living girl. Either way, proceed at your own risk.

3) And wear your seat belt.

There you have it folks. Those are our favorite American haunting s. What do you think? Are they scary?

 

This article was written by Word On Fire Associate Producer, Jack Thornton






Do ghosts really exist?
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Ghosts always seem to fascinate our culture and while many people dismiss their existence, the Catholic Church would say otherwise. Here is my latest installment at Aleteia:

Around this time of year “ghosts” are everywhere. You can find them at school, on the doorsteps of homes and on the shelves of Wal-Mart. Most of the time, instead of looking scary they are cute and cuddly like Casper the Friendly Ghost, or like the kids showing up at your doorstep, wrapped in a sheet and shouting “boo!”  

But what about ghosts? Are they even real? Can Catholics believe in them?

Well, yes, if you’re talking about spirits, then Catholics most certainly can believe in “ghosts.” For many years the Latin word “spiritus” was translated into English as “ghost” and Catholics would intone, “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost,” while crossing themselves at prayer. God is pure “spirit” and so using this definition makes perfect sense.

But what about the scary ghosts purported to haunt houses, or those shown on such TV shows as Ghost Hunters? Is that stuff real?

…

Deceptive demons

On the other hand, while there do exist good angels, there also exists badangels. Here is what the Catechism says:

“Satan or the devil and the other demons are fallen angels who have freely refused to serve God and his plan” (CCC 414)

“[Satan’s actions] may cause grave injuries — of a spiritual nature and, indirectly, even of a physical nature — to each man and to society” (CCC 395).

This appears to fall into the definition of the ghosts that are featured in paranormal reality shows. Reports of such ghosts always revolve around something that scares an individual.It might be a moving object or a haunted house. Sometimes it is a report of a terrifying figure. Often the person who believes they saw a ghost only catches a glimpse of it but the experience is chilling.  

This tactic is certainly reminiscent of what demons want to do to us: they want to scare us. Demons want to trick us into believing that they are powerful and gain our submission. It is an old tactic. The devil wants to lure us away from God and wants us to have a fascination with the demonic.

In the same way that angels can put on a “costume” so as not to frighten us demons can do the same, except their intentions are much different. Demons can appear as “ghost-like” figures in order to intimidate us.

Odds are very likely that if someone sees a ghost or if they are involved with “ghost-hunting,” what they saw is actually a demon.


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Around this time of year “ghosts” are everywhere. You can find them at school, on the doorsteps of homes and on the shelves of Wal-Mart. Most of the time, instead of looking scary they are cute and cuddly like Casper the Friendly Ghost, or like the kids showing up at your doorstep, wrapped in a sheet and shouting “boo!”  

But what about ghosts? Are they even real? Can Catholics believe in them?

Well, yes, if you’re talking about spirits, then Catholics most certainly can believe in “ghosts.” For many years the Latin word “spiritus” was translated into English as “ghost” and Catholics would intone, “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost,” while crossing themselves at prayer. God is pure “spirit” and so using this definition makes perfect sense.

But what about the scary ghosts purported to haunt houses, or those shown on such TV shows as Ghost Hunters? Is that stuff real?

Holy ghosts

To answer that question we must return to the traditional definition of “spirit” and look at the Catechism for guidance. In it we read:

“The existence of the spiritual, non-corporeal beings that Sacred Scripture usually calls ‘angels’ is a truth of faith. The witness of Scripture is as clear as the unanimity of Tradition. As purely spiritual creatures angels have intelligence and will: they are personal and immortal creatures, surpassing in perfection all visible creatures, as the splendor of their glory bears witness” (CCC 328, 330).

Angels, similar to God, are pure “spirit” and do exist. It is a “truth of faith” and we are obligated to believe in them as Catholics.

Whenever an angel appears to someone in the Bible, the person might be afraid at first, but then the angel speaks and urges them not to be afraid. The angel appears to give a specific message of encouragement and to help a particular person draw closer to God. Their purpose is to lead a soul on the path that God has laid out for them in hopes of ultimately reaching eternal life.

Link:  http://aleteia.org/2016/10/27/do-ghosts-really-exist/