Hauntings of the Midwest

June 25th, 2021 the Strawberry Moon. On December 25th we all know we celebrate the great feast of Christmas, 6 months prior to that on June 25th a group of alumni with me Brother Ed gathered in front of Benet Hall to reminisce, to recall memories from the past, and also memories to make present among ourselves. With the help of Miss Mary Pat, who graduated in the 80s helped me organize for the first time a gathering that would be a awesome experience, and an experience that we hope that will continue. One of the things I found fascinating was that we had people from the 70s 80s 90s and way into the 200s, reminiscing about things that had happened to them, and it is interesting, to hear the stories, that keep surfacing. Stories that continue to hold tradition and mystery at the same time. Stories such as babies crying, doors slamming, voices in the gymnasium, roller skating sounds in the silence of the night in the old gym. It gave me a great deal of personal pride to hear some of the a

Benedictine University Might Be Haunted?   October 16, 2019   Dielle Ochotorena Perspectives Editor Benedictine Hall circa 1901. Photo Credit: Benedictine University Archives We definitely have a lot of school ‘spirit’ here at Benedictine University. So much so we’re considered  one of the most haunted universities  in the United States. We have plenty of ghosts and no darling, I’m not talking about ghosting people. I mean real actual ghosts, spirits, apparitions, shadows, demons, Casper; whatever you want to call them; they’re all over campus, and who knows, they might be in your dorm room right now, or chilling next to you as you read this article. All the ghost stories come from the 130-year-old history of Benedictine University and its neighbors Benet Academy and St. Procopius Abbey across the street. So, let me give you some backstory. History matters and this is how these stories come about. In 1887, St. Procopius College was founded by Benedictine monks from the St. Procopius Pa

In a few months we will be celebrating Halloween! And because of that, my thoughts and my own spirit leads me back to a special place in my life. Benet Academy, once upon a time, Saint Procopius Academy once upon a time St. Joseph Bohemian Orphanage. Just a quick history: St Joseph Bohemian orphanage was closed because in 1948 the Diocese of Joliet was formed, and that would make St. Joseph orphanage, and Guardian Angel home another orphanage in Joliet that made up two in the same diocese. So the bishop decided that they would drop St. Joseph Bohemian Orphanage and send the children either to Guardian Angel in Joliet, or Angel Guardian in Chicago or St. Hedwigs in Chicago in order to open the Saint Procopius Academy on the campus of St. Joseph Orphanage. Which later became Benet Academy when Sacred Heart Academy merged with Saint Procopius Academy in 1968.  Just one other note Saint Procopius Academy was located at that time on the college of Saint Procopius campus which later became I

With the summer solstice that will begin this evening it is a perfect time and a Segway into what I'd like to talk to you about. A little over 4 months from now we will be celebrating Halloween 🎃. An awesome time of storytelling and evenings around the campfires having hot cider, donuts, s'mores and just being with friends who enjoy the feast of 🎃 Halloween! A friend of mine from Quincy Illinois where I lived for about 13 years, maybe 13 is the magical number. In any case the two of us are going to be sponsoring an evening of telling ghost stories, things that go bump in the night before and on Halloween night at the awesome Starved Rock Lodge in Utica Illinois. So please stay tuned. Happy haunts, The author🎃

It's about 8:00 p.m. and I am sitting in a chair inside one of the local cemeteries here in Joliet. The cemetery is of Slavic descent, that is lots of interesting names to read and to try and pronounce. It's a warm evening lots of thunder clouds in the sky, but no really threat of rain it's just a slightly humid day with the wind blowing, and a perfect evening to just relax. So here I sit, quietly and all of a sudden out of nowhere there appeared in the east side of the cemetery a person standing and staring to the South. He wasn't looking at a stone because everybody faces the South basically in that section of the cemetery. He is still standing, and staring maybe he is somewhat in a state of deep prayer and thought, or some kind of prayerful state of mind. Now we know that this weekend is father's day, and lots of people come out to the cemeteries to put flowers on the graves and to wash the gravestones and to spend some time in quiet praye

The title, what to do on a night like this comes from a time not too long ago when I was in my room and sitting there and reading, and all of a sudden strange sound came from the attic. I wasn't sure what this sound was, so it intrigued me, it frightened me, but yet it enticed me to go into my closet and open the door and look up into the Attic to see what this might be. As I opened the door the sound was getting louder, but then all of a sudden the sound left the attic area and was in the bedroom area now. So I walked back into my bedroom and I could hear strange sounds coming from the wall, and those strange sounds were very interesting because it was almost as if something was scratching and trying to get out. Well all it took was that short period of time I was in my room when I heard that sound I needed to evacuate as quickly as possible. I am not sure even to this day what that sound was, but I am here now in the house, by myself, and this house breathes on its own the memori