Several days later, I would look at the picture of my little dead cousin on that dark pillow and would start to cry all over again. It was a long time before I was able to look at the picture and smile with a sense of peace, knowing that she, Elizabeth Lavender Owen, and her mother, were now forever together.
Today, I keep both my aunt and my little cousin’s picture by my bed and I light a candle to both their memories on their birthdays. On Christmas, I decorate a tree and place their pictures within the branches of the tree. Aside from the other decorations, to me, they are the ornaments that matter the most.”
Holy Cross Abbey
Since the printing of this book, the abbey has been sold.
The following text was reproduced here from the abbey’s visitor brochure:
“Welcome to Holy Cross Abbey. The Monks (Priests and Brothers) wish to welcome you to the Holy Cross Abbey. As this is our home, we have living areas for the monks that are cloistered (private) and not available for public viewing. These areas include the second floor and above and many rooms on the first floor, some of which are offices. The simple Latin word PAX (peace) is the Benedictine motto. The fundamental purpose of Benedictine monastic life is to seek God, ut in omnibus glorificetur Deus: “That in all things God may be glorified.” We are of the ORDER OF ST. BENEDICT (O.S.B.), also known as Benedictines. The areas that are open for viewing include our chapel, parlor, gift shop and museum. Please proceed down the hall to our Chapel that is to the left at the south end of the Monastery. You will find us in Chapel six times a day for either mass or prayer. The public is always welcome to join us at these times. In the chapel, please do not enter the altar area. Silence is observed within the monastery at all times.
In the Chapel you will notice the large wood crucifix that is suspended from the ceiling, it was carved in Oberam-mergau, Germany and given as a gift to the abbey in 1961. The carved stature near the corner depicts Jesus as the Sacred Heart. Another stature, Our Lady of Montserrat, is mounted on the balcony just over the main entrance to the chapel. On the columns of the chapel stand the statues of the 12 Apostles. The stained glass window was donated by the Simon P. Smith family. The Blessed Sacrament altar and the main altar are the work of monks of this abbey.
The South Parlor of the Abbey has genuine, Victorian furniture that came to the Abbey following the closing of the Stratmore Hotel in Cañon City. The parlor is also used for wake services upon the death of a monk here at the Abbey.
The first Benedictine Priests came from St. Vincent’s Archabbey in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, to Colorado in 1886, and settled in Breckenridge for two years. They moved to Boulder, then to Pueblo, and finally established themselves in Cañon City in 1924. In 1925, the community of monks became an abbey. The Abbey also developed a winery on the east end of the property.
Abbey — A monastery or convent governed by an Abbot or Abbess; also the community of monks or nuns numbering at least twelve in a canonically erected monastery or convent. Generally refers to the entire group of buildings, but sometimes only to the church building.
Monastery — The place of residence of a group of monks; the building wherein monks live and carry on their religious life.
Monk — A name given to a member of a community of men living apart from the world under the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience and according to some rule of religious order. In particular, it became associated with those following the Benedictine Rule.
Priest — One upon whom the sacrament of Holy Orders has been conferred and who is thereby a minster of divine worship; one upon whom the power of offering sacrifice, of blessing, of giving absolution, and of preaching has been conferred. The power to consecrate, thus to offer the Sacrifice of the Mass; the priest- hood has the power to administer sacraments, forgive sins, and to bless.
Brothers — Members of a male religious community who have not taken priestly Holy Orders or who do not aspire to Holy Orders, but live a religious community life and devote themselves to various works of a religious nature.
At of the writing of this story, the Holy Cross Abbey is sadly being put up for sale. Due to the overwhelming costs of its up- keep and lack of new initiates to the Benedictine Order, the Abbey officials have finally made the painful decision to close it. As I met with and interviewed the Abbey’s last remaining priest, Fr. William Thompson, I was impressed with this gentle and spiritual man’s pleasant personality and candid manner. It was obvious to me that he was saddened to leave the abbey, but that he was nonetheless realistic in his out- look. The following is my short interview with Fr. Thompson.
Father William Thompson’s Story
Our interview took place in the basement of the abbey during the time that the last items of furniture were being packed all around us being prepared for moving. A atmosphere of melancholy hung heavy in the room with the knowledge that these were the last days of the abbey’s once busy life. A few months after the interview was conducted, the abbey was in fact sold.
— Antonio
“I was born in northern Colorado in a small town near Greely named Eaton. I arrived and soon began my schooling at the abbey in 1931. I started the 8th grade and attended school for seven years, with a couple of years spent in college. After college, I decided to enter the religious life as a novitiate in the fall of 1938. In 1939 I took my vows. In 1944 I took my final vows and was ordained a priest.
I am not aware of any ghosts at the abbey, but it is an old building with a lot of history. The building itself looks very old and stately. Many things are stored here in the abbey’s basement some hold much special significance to Native American Indians. Who can say what these items have that is attached, spiritually, to them? I’m sure there are some people who can say they have experienced a ghost or two on the grounds, but I have not experienced anything.
I’ve been at the abbey for a total of 73 years. That’s a long time. After the abbey is sold I’ll be relocating to Kansas.
My attitude regarding the sale of the abbey is simply put this way: as things are born they ultimately will die. Some things are resurrected, and some are not. That is all.”
Fr. William Thompson, O.S.B.
Paolo Paschal’s Story
I met with Paolo at the local senior center. Our interview lasted approximately two hours, but in this time, I was given a personal story of fear and faith. Paolo was very descriptive when mentioning periods of time in his life, and although these were helpful towards understanding who Paolo the man is today, I was most interested in his personal story of ghosts. Paolo was very aware of this, but as he stated, “I want you to know about my story growing up as a boy too!”
Having told his boyhood story, he began to describe his personal experiences with the paranormal. Our interview continued as I personally drove him to his house, along the way stopping at a grocery store where he had me pick up a phoned-in prescription order. Although I knew Paolo was using me as his personal taxi, to do a few “other” unrelated tasks, I