Haunted roads are appealing because they remind me of my adolescence, driving around aimlessly with friends waiting for something to happen. The lure of a haunted road has stuck with me into adulthood, and I've been to a few different haunted roads recently: Route 44, Albino Road, and Ghost Road. But just recently I went to what is supposed to be the most haunted road in Massachusetts: Dudley Road in Billerica.
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| St. Thecla's Retreat Center, run by the Sisters of St. Paul, is on Dudley Road |
Creepy stuff! There are also other legends about ghost nuns. One claims that a nun was hit by a car late one night while walking home to the convent. She was killed instantly when the impact knocked her into a tree, but her ghost still haunts Dudley Road. Some say she can be seen lurking under the tree her body was thrown against, while others say that she wanders the road at night asking for directions back to the convent. She is, quite literally, a lost soul.
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| Is this house sinking into the earth? |
Not all the ghosts are nuns. A man dressed like a farm-worker is also said to haunt the road at night. He stands by the side of the road just under the trees, his face perpetually hidden in shadow. Don't stop if you see him. Just keep driving.
When Tony and I drove down Dudley Road I was surprised how nice it was. There are a lot of large well-maintained homes and quite a few horse farms, but I guess even upscale neighborhoods have ghosts. Parts of the road seemed new but other parts were older. The older parts were narrow and quite twisty with Colonial era homes and bordered by lichen-encrusted stone walls. I can easily see how creepy legends could get attached to this street. We only visited during the day - I imagine it is much spookier at night.
The stories about Dudley Road seem to be at least several decades old. Commenters on this post claim they heard the stories at least thirty years ago, and others say they were told the story by their parents. A few commenters even say the stories are true and that they have seen some of the ghosts.
I am not a debunker; people may very well see strange things on this road. However, I don't think the story about the hanged nuns is corroborated by any historical records. The last people executed for witchcraft in Massachusetts were hanged in Salem in 1692, so it's very, very unlikely that anyone was killed in the early nineteenth century for Devil worship. And the house that is supposedly sinking into the ground looks a lot like a storage building to me. It also has big "No trespassing" signs posted on it so please stay away.
So if the nun legend isn't true why do people see ghost nuns? I don't know for sure, but I do think New England has it's own psychic landscape which is influenced by history, the people living on it, and the land itself. New England has it's own folkloric personality. Some people might find old houses, stone walls and dense woods charming, but other might experience them as creepy, particularly at night. A commenter on that post claimed that his teenage son went to Dudley Road with some friends on a lark, but things didn't go quite as planned. He returned home terrified and in tears. Was it all in the boy's head, or did he encounter something that only manifests to people who have the right mindset?
Please let me know your thoughts in the comments. I would love to hear from some people who have seen strange things on Dudley Road.
76 comments:
It looks very pretty by day, but I’m not sure I’d want to be on that road late at night. No lighting, for a start! I think you’re right about the psychic landscape. New England has been settled by Europeans for a very long time and I have no doubt they also got a lot of scary stories from the Native Americans when they arrived. Much of this also sounds like urban(rural?) legends like those of phantom hitchhikers, it’s always something someone told you they heard from someone else!
Interesting article, but very difficult to read the light print. Can you darken it to make reading easier? Thanks!
I would have loved to read this article but the font is so tiny I don't know how anyone could.
Thank you for writing this article. I found it very interesting. I have no complaints about the font nor the colors. :D
I have gone this road 3 times. No sightings. Wierd feelings tho
Hi Dylan! Thanks for sharing your personal experience. Did you go during the daytime or at night? Just curious.
Sorry unknown commenter! I accidentally deleted your comment. Ugh. Sorry about that! Pease repost if you are able.
OMG as soon as I saw "Nuns" and Dudley road I knew you were talking about Billerica. Growing up in a Massachusetts small town I knew of many stories. But it wasn't until my boyfriend(Billerica native) took me there one night. Now my friends and I were like you . We had to check it out . But without a doubt #DudleyRoadBillerica will make your hair stand up.
Please visit the following link to see confirmed history of the property at 77 Dudley Rd (the current Retreat House property):
http://www.bedfordmahistory.org/newsletters/September%202009.pdf
Wow when I was 16-17 I went with 4 other friends crammed in a car to look for the nun tree...we definitely saw the farmer; I didn't even know that he was an urban legend until reading this.
Notice how there is a foundation where the house meets the ground...I do not feel that this house is sinking, just looks that way because the house does look like it was squashed. I would like to see more proof of it being sunken.
Took girls for a ride there every weekend nights when I was a teenager. Way before they fixed the roads there. Used to be a narrow and bumpy dirt road. Creepy as heck but never saw anything. All the girls were scared sh*tless though.
I used to do Landscaping there inside and outside of that place. I find it very creepy.
This place is no joke, be careful lot of pure evil spirts are thier. I use to go their almost every day at night when I was 25 , seen a bunch of creepy stuff, caught evp, ghost in cam, even had friends change into something different. I went back about a year ok same creepy feeling but a bunch of new houses were built and the dirt rd is now paved and all the houses have lights pointing to the road wish is kinda odd. But believe me this place is no joke ,
I went down that road when i was a tewn with an ex gf and we would smell gasoline and hear screams at night theres a story that someone got doused with gas and set on fire weve seen it and smelled it at night time thats not the real story everyone sees diffrent and smells diffrent stuff there!!!
My friends & I have gone to Dudley Road back in 1994-1996. None of those beautiful houses where there. Just a long narrow dark road with a white blg and water well at the very end. We have gotten out of the cars, walked and chased back to them by god knows what. It was scary & entertaining at our age. We seen all of the haunting ghost.
We drove down the street and our car literally died right outside of the house. My sister jumped out of the car lifted the hood and the car started again. It was enough to scare the shit out of me.
I live on this road. I've lived on this road for years. There's no ghosts. The nuns are extremely nice and polite. The only thing you'll find is a bunch of idiot f**king kids looking for a creepy story. If you want to be scared, you're better off watching a scary movie. And yes, I'll call the cops on you.
Wow you’re such a loser�� “I’ll call the cops on you” for what? Walking down the road? You’re so lame and clearly have nothing better to do with your time.
Unfortunately there have been cars full of idiot kids who have decided it would be a good idea to pull onto our property, drive around our farm, and even enter our barn with the horses. Passively driving down the road is one thing. But if you're acting suspicious or driving like an idiot, you better believe the cops are coming.
I have no experience on hauntings but I was a manager at Kmart in billerica before it closed. The Daughters of St. Paul (current nuns living on Dudley rd.) Would tell me all the the of people going to their home just to destroy it, this broke my heart! Ghost stories or not, please teach your children to respect the nunnery and not destroy it!!
Same! Always questioned whether it was sheer coincidence that my car died there....as soon as we entered the dirt road part right in front of the walking trail into the woods. I've had many encounters on Dudley Rd. some of which I have no doubt were paranormal.
I worked at the bee farm house for two days replacing the windows very nice place nothing very spooky. I've known about this road scince I was young and while in high school a few people and I decided to go on a blunt cruise down the road I made the driver stop and I got out. I had the blunt and I told my friends to come with me if they wanted to continue smoking. And I started my little walk. Everyone was too scared to follow so I ended up smoking on my own. I dont know if I was just really stoned and paranoid but I couldn't shake this creepy feeling that someone was watching me and following me. I went back to the car and gave my friends the roach. It's a fun little folklore to take a girl on a ride and try to impress her by shutting off your lights and walking into the woods for a minute.
I live on this road the.only hauntings are the.morons driving around and trespassing on private property
They do not. I still chase people off from across from my house
Had a great time as a kid riding up this road with friends. Creepy but never saw anything. Grew up one town over.
When I was a teenager (~2002), my friends and I drove down Dudley in a few cars including mine. We didn't see anything, but it was dark and terrifying. The next day, I got in an accident that totaled the car due to a tire blowout. Likely it was from driving down the then entirely unpaved road, but it seemed extra eerie given where I'd just been with the car.
Your a dick
I grew up just down the street from here and new about these legends as a kid (I’m 32 now) I’ve been down that road a few times and even walked it one night. It’s definitely wicked creepy at night. I have a few creepy stories from the couple times I’ve been there. Definitely recommend checking it out! Watch out for the police tho. The locals are tired of kids going down there and WILL call the cops on you!
I grew up on the next street over and these stories were being told at least 40 tears ago when I was a kid.
As teenagers in the 80's my friends and I drove down there at night. I was scared out of my mind but nothing happened, we didn't see a damn thing.
I was one of Andrea's friends lol. I grew up a few streets over. We used to go all the time to see if we could see any ghosts... never saw one.
I'm with you in live here on this road as well and I swear the trespassers are a pain in the ass. I tried to call the cops they said at least they were not stealing street signs
Went there tonight with 2 of my friends, (me and my friend that was sitting in the front seat right next to me can feel spirits energy and so can I) and saw him standing under the trees on the right side of the road about 15 ft in front of us. I kept driving and made sure I didn’t slow down and I acted as if I didn’t see anything to make sure my friends remained calm. He disappeared about 3 seconds after I saw him and when I passed where he was standing I could still feel his energy. Not too friendly. When we hit the smooth pavement of the road I told my friend upfront what I saw and she asked me where I saw him and I explained where and she then told me how she felt something in that location and saw a figure for a few seconds. Creepy. My friend in back who was also looking out the front windshield didn’t see or feel anything.
Ya exactly. I'm a cop caller so stay away from my horses", I go down that road alot. Apparently you do have nothing to do with your life then bother cops on a bogus call.
You're retarded then. It's a road that anyone is able to drive on. People shouldnt be getting out of their car.
Cuz they like to bother cops and say "teens are driving on my street and I'm scared for my life!"
I grew up a town away and went to high school in Billerica. So as a teen, a few friends and I went. It was winter, snow and ice, all over, and it was night time. My car got stuck in the road, in the snow, so I see a guy coming out, dressed as a farmer, but he carried a shotgun and I was scared shit. The guy yelled and shot his gun, and i yelled back "I'm just stuck in the snow i need some kitty litter",lol. He did help me, so maybe he just lived there, but damn I was scared of getting shot that night. It is definitely creepy, theres a noose hanging from one of the trees as well. You can see that during the day. I've been down the road alot in the past to meet my guy and I think it's still creepy during the day.
In the 80's I worked at a farm on this road as an artist's assistant for years... I've also house sat & baby sat for a few people on this road as well. Funny, but i never heard any of these stories before! Yes the road is narrow & bumpy in spots, and yes it's not well lit, but that's about it. I've been there in the day as well as the night & never really felt anything off. I used to wave to the Sisters as they worked on their property & it always upset me when I saw damage done. I have seen & heard "spirits" many times in my life, but none here. If you do go for a drive there to check it out, please be respectful to the people who live there.
I lived a town over in Tewksbury circa 1999. The stories were very much alive then and some people still talk about them now. A lot of us would visit there, but i dont recall anyone destroying property. Usually it would be midnight and a group of us would be messed up and think it was a good idea to go there for kicks. There were times nothing happened, but it still felt foreboding. I remember I climbed a tree, because that's just something I would do and jumped out of it after hearing an unholy shriek, not like an animal, others I was with heard it too and we got out of there as fast as possible. One time I had a feeling of dread and wouldn't leave the car, even pleading with my friends not to go and nothing happened. Not sure if it was the lure of it all, but at night, the place was spooky. It's a shame people couldn't be more respectful like we were, but the few always ruin it for the many.
I grew up near this road, several things about it have changed in more recent years it’s more manicured looking, all of the houses are now occupied, and if memory serves it’s all paved now. Growing up I heard a lot of stories about Dudley Road, And its connection to various stories about nuns. Some of them were darker than the ones you have told, but we were kids with fairly dark imaginations and ideas about how the world works. We used to pile into my car, And drive down occasionally shortly after midnight. I was the oldest among my group of friends. We didn’t ever see any ghosts with several strange things did happen. Once while we were driving down the narrowerpart of Dudley Road Sometime around 1 AM, a tricycle rolled out from the side of the road into the middle. No one in site.
I used to live in nearby Wilmington and I used to go out there once in a while with my teenage friends. One night my friends Uncle Mel dared us to walk the road at night all the way through. He was waiting at the other end. We were almost done and we heard footsteps behind us. We all took off running...something was chasing us. As we ran past uncle Mel screaming something hit him hard in the chest and knocked him to the ground. He was a big guy.
There was a piece of rope hanging from one of the trees overhanging the road. One of us climbed up there to get it. It has been there a long tome, the tree was growing around it. He had to cut it to take it. One of the girls with us had it in her room for years.
Another night I was driving through and my headlights shut off and I lost my radio reception at the same time. I do believe there is some spirits out there.
What I heard when I was a teenager was there was a insane asylums at one end of the road and someone escaped from there and hung three of the nuns from a tree overhanging the road.
The road has been paved and a bunch of houses are on it now, but before it was an overgrown shitty dirt road, we used to drive down it often because it was creepy. One day we were driving down the road and we saw a nun in a blue and white outfit walking down the road (there are no sidewalks or anything) so when we turned around I wanted my friend to stop so I could ask her about what happened there, we couldn't see her, then out of nowhere just like in a horror movie, she steps out from the overgrown bushes and in front of our car, we had to slam on the brakes and she never even looked at us, she just kept walking in front of us and down a path out of our sight. We left with our blood pumping because it startled us, later we came back and went down the path she walked, it just led to an open field with nothing as far as you could see. It was so bizarre and we can't quite explain what happened to us that day.
The road has been paved and a bunch of houses are on it now, but before it was an overgrown shitty dirt road, we used to drive down it often because it was creepy. One day we were driving down the road and we saw a nun in a blue and white outfit walking down the road (there are no sidewalks or anything) so when we turned around I wanted my friend to stop so I could ask her about what happened there, we couldn't see her, then out of nowhere just like in a horror movie, she steps out from the overgrown bushes and in front of our car, we had to slam on the brakes and she never even looked at us, she just kept walking in front of us and down a path out of our sight. We left with our blood pumping because it startled us, later we came back and went down the path she walked, it just led to an open field with nothing as far as you could see. It was so bizarre and we can't quite explain what happened to us that day. (sorry for the duplicate post, i wasn't signed in on my last one)
I have walked down there 3 times now with my friends at night. Kind of sketchy but i never really saw anything. I knew there were ghost stories about the road but I actually looked it up after i went. Didnt see anything except one time the bushes started shaking on the opposite side of the road from nun building. I think it was just squirrels though.
Went there tonight ya the building does look like just a storage barn road is creepy though plan on going alot more my jobs on 13 mins away and my shifts always over around 3 am but the area is very nice
I deliver to a horse farm on Dudley road every week and I will say that the old nun building is creepy but I have never seen anything! I do all my deliveries during the day though...
The legend is total BS. Spend some time with Google and you can find the truth. The nuns have only been there since the 70s at the earliest. Before that it was a seminary built in the 30s or 40s. Just a bunch of ignorant anti-Catholic hate mongering.
There was never any asylum on Dudley road.
There's no evil spirits there. Its a friendly place
what Mike thibodeau Said was the version I remembered,So in 89 a couple of my buddies & I drove down on 10/30 right after midnight & in that area of the convent I remember the radio going bizerk. The car stalled a couple of times and wouldn't start then finally started back up we got out of there. Really creepy, my other friend in the passenger seat said in the past a different car they were in stalled in that same area of the road, And a horse and buggy out of nowhere went right through there vehicle then disappeared into thin air! Then they were able to start there car and continue.If I remember correctly the road started in Chelmsford & continued through to billerica about a twenty minute drive, I think any teenager growing up in The area probably had gone down this road at least once at night especially after hearing the stories & around Halloween.
I saw the farmer as well. Me and 3 of my friends drove down it. My friend decided it be “fun” to back in and shut the car off. I looked over and saw a HUGE man crouched over! Couldn’t see his face but can kinda see an outline. He was wearing a trench coat and farm hat. (He looked like that guy from Jeepers Creepers). He looked at us and stood up and started walking towards the car. My friend saw it as well and tried to start the car and it wouldn’t start!! When he was about arms length from us the car started and we bolted out there. The next day there was a handprint in the back of the car! That place is a energy vortex and will drain the battery from your car! Place is no joke!
Around 2006 me and 3 friends drove down Dudley Road. I didn’t believe in the paranormal at the time. My friend jokingly backed the car up and shut the lights off. I looked over and saw a HUGE man! He was crouched over wearing a trench coat and farmers hat. Couldn’t see his face but could see the outline of it. He stood up and started walking towards the car. I yelled at my friends to let’s go, the driver saw it and tried to turn the car on and it wouldn’t start. He got about arms length of the car and it started and we bolted out of there. The next day there was a hand print in the back of the car. I’ll never forget that experience. They need to have a real paranormal investigator come check it out!
I understand and feel the same way about thrill seekers with no respect for people and property, but what about actual paranormal investigators, who use scientific research and devices to prove or disprove paranormal activity? I'm 43 and would love the chance to do a real investigation there. Not everyone who goes there is a "punk".
You could make a handle scratches, or they could be available when you buy a laptop. So, before you buy, turn off your computer screen and turn it in the light direction; you will easily detect these scratches, even if they have been 'processed.'
My friends and I explored there back in the late ‘90s. I just published a book about our haunted experiences!
Details at https://dudleyroad.com
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I used to come over from Wilmington with friends back in the mid 90’s when it was just a bumpy dirt road with maybe a couple of street lights, very few houses, fields of overgrown farmland, an old cemetery and a nunnery. From what I can remember of the Convent which looked unused at the time, the cement statue of Mary out on the front lawn had her hands cut off! We toured behind the building where there were some courtyards set back and a large defaced Jesus statue with signs of Satanic worship! Feathers, animal bones and stones placed into a pentagram! We left immediately back to our car and it wouldn’t start! From one of the homes near the building, a guy came out and helped us jump start the car, he was helpful but somewhat annoyed and wasn’t impressed by our discovery at all and politely asked that we don’t continue to thrill seek on Dudley Road! We thanked him and offered him coffee money which he respectfully declined and went back to his house. We started driving down the bumpy road past the “sunken house” (I believe it was just a farm outbuilding too) but since looks to be rebuilt with a taller foundation and in much better condition then it was 25 years ago, anyway the lights in the car kept dimming but we could see that someone hung a noose from one of the trees along the road along with smiley faces and hanging stick people spray painted on some also. Eager to get home before the battery dies we pull onto Concord road and the lights were no longer dimming and had full illumination. I don’t believe the witch hunt stories at all and unfortunately we didn’t see the farmer but it’s well known if you’re worshiping the devil and having evil rituals it will disturb the land. I don’t doubt the farmer story because back in the 1800’s New England farms were gruesome, workers killed by machinery can leave a stain on the land that can be conjured up by such activity! It can’t be a coincidence that cars have trouble starting on the road! I drove over in the mid 2000’s with a new group of friends, pumped up telling my story to find a paved road, plenty of lighting, trimmed fields and new homes being built, it was kind of a bummer but still had a semi uncomfortable feeling during the ride. I drove past Dudley Road today, 4/4/23 on the backroads heading to Waltham from Lowell to an appointment with my son and told him this story and the folklore. To make you slaphappy locals comfortable, I didn’t drive down the road LOL
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I’ve gone there three times. Once during the day. And twice at night, which by the way is a nice street. Nothing happened. It it’s actually a nice area. I went to a community college in Bedford near Dudley Rd. I actually just read an article about a haunted town in Connecticut which was found by a man named Gideon Dudley in the 1700s . Lol connection? Maybe not
I actually lived on this road and I have to say nothing happened in the many many years my grandfather owned his home. I went there as a child growing up and then lived with him for many years after high school. Many find memories on this road none bad or haunted.
Can’t tell you the year but it was over 10 years ago. A bunch of us drove to Dudley rd we were in 2 cars at night. We stop at the tree where the nuns were supposedly hung and a few of got out and mess with the tree. Hanging on it walking around it etc. while we all where out of the cars both of the cars shut off at the same time and light flashed simultaneously. We all got the chills and it was and undescribable
Moments. I was a skeptic up till that day and haven’t been back since.
We went back in the early 90s and my “brave” “high” friend thought it would be wise to piss on the sinking house well this long bearded hill person looking fella came running out with a flashlight and my other intelligent friends locked the doors to the van so the brave tinkler couldnt get in it was both the funniest and scariest night of that timeframe
I Grew Up Near Dudley road, Ironically, I found this page, because we are making a small documentary on the connections between Dudley Road, The Megalithic Sites that I have found that may corroborate some of the stories, Dudley road, led our investigation to Salem, where we interviewed witches, mediums, ghost hunters, and townspeople. One main theme they all seemed to have was us going to Bridgewater, and THE Bridgewater triangle. I would love to meet up, I host a large podcast Called Total Disclosure Where i interview guests, About UFOs, The paranormal, and all related Phenomena. Were working on this short film, coing out next September and I would love to connect with you, and maybe get you on camera, as you have been to Dudley road, and know the various legends. I grew up not 5 minutes from there, so i can help you fill in some gaps, and i can show you some WILD STUFF, that may PROVE they were practicing some type of witchcraft, and it WAS NOT IN THE SUNKEN HOUSE. They would Walk into the woods. I would love if you could email me at Ty.TotalDisclosure@gmail.com or call me 617-229-9987
We are Currently in the filming Phase, and would love to get you on camera, as part of the project.
I went to Dudley last night with a bunch of my friends and I saw a headless horse but the stories I heard were different than the one you had told they are also a little inappropriate so that’s why I won’t tell the little details
to the above person- can i interview you for a film? i left a comment above, with my email, we're making a film about dudley road, the bridgewater triangle, and salem. i'd love to hear more about what those on dudley road. email me ty.totaldisclosure@gmail.com (we can keep your identity private)
in making a film that in part talk about riley road, would you guys be willing to go on camera? and tell me this story for the film?
my name is tyler, in the filmmaker, my email is ty.totaldisclosure@gmail.com
would you be willing to tell this story on camera? if your still local? i'm making a movie that in part starts with the legend of dudley road, then connects it to salem, the witch trials and eventually, the bridgewater triangle. email me: ty.totaldisclosure@gmail.com
i'm making a movie, in part about riley road. in connects a larger story, having to do with the salem witch trials, the bridgewater triangle etc. my email address is ty.totaldisclosure@gmail.com
Yeh me two but I went and I saw something in the woods
Im going to be returning to this road tonight aftet 30 years. We have seen the sunken house and been chased by what i can only describe as what you would expect to find if you wandered off the path im the Appalachian mountains or the seen of the hills have eyes. It was definitely a human entity but appeared seriously out of place and time. He chased us with a lantern and a shotgun. Ill be using 2 insta360 cameras mounted to my vehicle.
Dudley road* not Riley road- for the. Movie. Anyone in this thread that is willing to talk, I put my email above. I’m making a documentary that involves this road. I grew up next to it. And it connects to a much larger story. Email me Ty.totaldisclosure@gmail.com and if you’re skeptical, search total disclosure on any podcast platform, that’s me. We have a large audience, and are now also expanding into filming this documentary.
I have a picture of faces in a fire on Dudley rd . It’s very much haunted .
nunblog
SUNDAY, JULY 10, 2005
The Ghosts of St. Thecla's
Well, in my earlier post I mentioned strange legends surrounding our place. We had been having so many experiences of prowlers. The most serious was a case of arson in which the small guest house on the property was torched. All that remains is a bit of foundation. Thankfully, no one was staying there at the time. Most of the escapades involve high-schoolers daring each other to run up to touch the front door or egg the windows, kids coming onto the front lawn and knocking over the lovely statue of Our Lady that had literally graced the place since this location was the Maryknoll novitiate (we finally removed the statue to spare it further desecration), and once two of the sisters even caught some young adults who had clambered over a small roof into our courtyard! Turns out they were all motivated by St. Thecla's reputation as...a haunted house. Yep. It is even listed in New England guidebooks to haunted houses. The haunted retreat house. Creepy.
Not that we haven't taken advantage of that when under attack! One sister on retreat "spooked" a group of teens whom she spied tip-toeing to the front door in the middle of the night by quietly opening her window and giving a rough, indeterminate yell. The kids high-tailed it back to their waiting cars. The next morning, their abandoned beer cans (the brew of choice over here is Bud) were the only sign that our privacy had been invaded.
Anyway, as far as we've been able to determine, the legend is that our retreat house is haunted by nuns who were either murdered or committed suicide by hanging from the trees. As a sign of the nefarious doings, the cross in the bell tower was crooked, so maybe one of the suicides was from the bell tower. Just to dispel all that in one fell swoop, none of our sisters has ever died here, and the bell tower dates only to 1979. However, the Italian sisters were accustomed to hang their habits from the trees to dry them in the old days--meaning in the 60's when we first got the property and most of our sisters were Italian missionaries who had grown up on the farms. So there were habits dangling lifelessly from the trees, yes, but nobody in them. And if the cross was crooked (it has been fixed--and gilded), that can be attributed to... the contractor.
Anyway, the legends presume that this monastic-style building is of ancient vintage, but the fact is that when the Italian sisters were there washing their habits in outdoor metal tubs, we didn't even have this building, but used a Colonial-era farmhouse, of which one part still remains on the property. Our retreat "cells" were really the stalls of the large Colonial barn! (Yes, I remember it well.) The old place was torn down the year I made first vows, so even my family remembers it. Shortly before that auspicious event, our novitiate group made our solemn eight-day retreat there. The last day we had a cookout, and I offered a song I had made, to the tune of our "Hymn to St. Thecla" (more about her some other day). Among the verses: We have a re-treat house, in Bill-er-i-i-ca. It's called St. Thecla's. We love it so-o-o-o-o. We've had it for many years. It's about---to---go!" and then the refrain, "Good old St. Thecla's. Bugs and dead trees. We'll be glad -- when you get rid -- of some of these." In other words, any ghosts around the place are the shades of a thousand spiders, and maybe a few ghostly pigeons and chipmunks who got into the plumbing. (I had a special refrain for the plumbing: "Good old St. Thecla's. Broken plumbing. We'll be glad -- when you get new -- facilities.")
Well, now it's time to put away the ghost stories and prepare for the HOLY Ghost in retreat! We just finished a three day workshop on Ignatian discernment of spirits as an extra help for attention to the Lord during the next eight days, beginning tomorrow at 5:00. One more short workshop tomorrow morning and then it's Jesus time. Please keep me in prayer!
POSTED BY SISTER ANNE
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