Is Nashotah House Seminary haunted by a monk in black?

Newspaper articles dating back to 1902 detail various ghost sightings and supernatural experiences at Nashotah House Seminary [Anglican], 2777 MIssion Road.

Most of them recount the history of the "Black Monk," a priest named Daniel Pope who was murdered by his wife in 1852 to accommodate an affair she was having with another man. But his death was ruled a suicide and considered a repugnant sin, so Pope's body was not allowed to buried in the consecrated grounds of the cemetery at Our Lady of Spring Bank Cistercian, where he served.

Nashotah House was nearby, but Pope was not allowed to be buried in hallowed ground there either. His tombstone stands to this day, but is isolated from the other graves.

On her deathbed, the legend goes, Pope's wife confessed to her crime. The priests, horrified at their mistake, exhumed Pope's grave — but found his casket empty.

Now, almost 170 years later, Pope's ghost is said to appear every Halloween and wander the cemetery in search of what should have been his final resting place.

continue at JS

What does the Church teach about ghosts

Fr. John Hardon, SJ in his Modern Catholic Dictionary defines "ghost" as:

... a disembodied spirit. Christianity believes that God may, and sometimes does, permit a departed soul to appear in some visible form to people on earth. Allowing for legend and illusion, there is enough authentic evidence, for example in the lives of the saints, to indicate that such apparitions occur. Their purpose may be to teach or warn, or request some favor of the living” (p. 229).

That is to say it does not always involve a preternatural presence.  

More at  "Holy Ghosts" by Gary Jansen.

Chicago's haunted churches

via Word On Fire

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.

Photo

The Catholic ghost story

Fr. John Hardon, SJ in his Modern Catholic Dictionary defines "ghost" as:

... a disembodied spirit. Christianity believes that God may, and sometimes does, permit a departed soul to appear in some visible form to people on earth. Allowing for legend and illusion, there is enough authentic evidence, for example in the lives of the saints, to indicate that such apparitions occur. Their purpose may be to teach or warn, or request some favor of the living” (p. 229).

Hmmm, if you are interested read this review of "Holy Ghosts" by Gary Jansen.

The Catholic ghost story

Fr. John Hardon, SJ in his Modern Catholic Dictionary defines "ghost" as:

... a disembodied spirit. Christianity believes that God may, and sometimes does, permit a departed soul to appear in some visible form to people on earth. Allowing for legend and illusion, there is enough authentic evidence, for example in the lives of the saints, to indicate that such apparitions occur. Their purpose may be to teach or warn, or request some favor of the living” (p. 229).

Hmmm, if you are interested read this review of "Holy Ghosts" by Gary Jansen.