THIRTY YEARS IN HELL by ex-priest Bernard Fresenborg

Chapter II

Some of the Abominations of Catholicism Carried On in the Name of Our Blessed Saviour.

What I will now relate is not hear-say nor something that I have read about, but it is something that I know about, and which I witnessed.

It is a well-known fact that Catholicism endeavors to impress her subjects with the miraculousness of latter day miracles, as she will hold up the bones of some supposed Catholic Saint, and declare to her benighted followers that if they worship these relies they will work wonders and cure the ailment of any affliction they may be possessed of.

For instance, they will take the bone of some Catholic Saint (?) and admonish the followers of Catholicism to touch this bone, or to kiss it, and declare to them that by so doing they will become entirely cured of any malady that may rack their person with misery.

Of course, this was given out by the dignitaries of the Catholic Church in order to blind theirIn fact, Catholicism will resort to all kinds of nonsensical practices in order to completely keep their subjects in darkest ignorance, which will enable the officials to "hoodwink" their followers and make them believe anything the officials see fit to teach them.

I will now relate what I saw in Munster, Germany. The news spread all through Germany that the "Mother Superior" of the house of Saint Clement was living upon "Holy Communion" only.

Now that, the reader may understand what "Holy Communion" is, I will here state that it is a thin wafer, used for sacramental purposes, which would not weigh more than the one-hundredth part of an ounce, and this is what they claimed the Mother Superior of the house of Saint Clement was existing upon, she only taking one of these wafers every twenty-four hours.

Of course, this was given out by the dignitaries of the Catholic Church in order to blind their followers, and I desire to state right here that I also believed that this was the fact until it was demonstrated thoroughly that it was an infamous lie and that the instigators were infamous impostors. However, pilgrimages started from all directions to see this "Mother Superior," and when they could not see her, they fought for the opportunity of praying in her chapel. Some stayed for weeks and weeks to see her. Applications for intercessions of all kinds of misery were sent to her, as these simple ""dupes" of Catholicism 'actually believed that this impostor-had the power to heal any ailment that might afflict them.

 

There were thousands of fanatics who visited Munster and hung their crutches on the chapel walls and declared they were cured of their, ailment. The blind claimed to see by her intercessions. lt was claimed that all, possessed o every kind and description of ailments, could be cured if the one who was afflicted only had faith in this Mother Superior's wonderful power?

"The finger of God is in the land!" was the cry, and tens of thousands of Catholics from all over the country gathered in Munster.

There was a certain man by the name of Friedhoff who doubted the proclaimed powers of this Mother Superior and boldly declared his doubt, and the Catholic world was indignant over the audacity of such a doubt. It was learned that the Mother Superior would allow but one sister of the institution to come to her room, and also her Father Confessor. By the way, it might be pertinent to say that the Mother Superior was an extremely handsome young lady; in fact, very young for the position she occupied.

The guard that was placed over the Mother Superior was given instructions by the Mayor of Munster to watch her closely and see that she lived entirely upon "Holy Communion." The Protestant world took an active part in this matter and gave close attention to the guard that was over this "Mother Superior," as they were determined to learn from whence originated this bold deception, as they were thoroughly convinced that it was nothing more nor less than a deception.

The confessor of the "Mother Superior" was changed and the sister who waited upon her was changed, and in a very short time the "Mother Superior" asked for food; thus it began to dawn upon the public at large that they had been grossly deceived, and they began to learn that all of these miraculous cures (?) were brought about and promulgated by the leaders of Catholicism. Numerous physicians were taken into confidence and an examination was made of the "Mother Superior," and it was learned that she was pregnant, and it was proven that the child belonged to the priest in charge of the convent, who, by the way, was the one this "Mother Superior" confessed her sins to.

This "Mother Superior" sat in her room and gave her orders to at least two hundred sisters who were inmates of this institution.

The Catholic world advertised this "fake" so thoroughly that every house in and about Munster was filled to overflowing with pilgrims who came there on the strength of this well-advertised fake."

Munster was the Mecca. Every train arriving brought in hundreds and added great multitudes to the already great crowd. Some claimed that the. sight of the chapel, or even the sight of the hospital, healed them. Even the newspapers began to report the wonderful miracles (?) that were-performed by this "Mother Superior."

By this time the Protestants in Munster were getting very active and denounced this worship in round terms, and set about to have an investigation made, which was bitterly opposed by the Catholics. The hotel keepers and shop keepers of Munster were bitterly opposed to the Protestants' denunciation, as they were, anxious for this "fake" to be advertised as thoroughly as possible, as. it was bringing them in large revenues, as the thousands who were visiting Munster were compelled to have raiment, food and lodging; but the denunciation of this "fake" by the Protestants became so great that the bishop was 'compelled, greatly against the wishes of the citizens of Munster, to investigate, and this investigation brought forth enough to startle the civilized world. However, it is only one of the many, many colossal "fakes" that are promulgated by Catholicism. However, the clamor of the 'Protestant world brought things to a crisis, as the "Mother Superior" was ordered to stay in strict confinement and a watch was placed over her.

This brought matters to a climax and I the "Mother Superior" confessed that one of the inmates of the convent had secretly carried her food during all of this time that she wag claiming to exist on "Holy Communion." Of course, this is only one. of the tens of thousands of such schemes that are practiced by Catholicism all over the world, and the Protestants were not surprised and stated boldly and above board that they knew there was some "scull-duggery" attached to all of this fake miracle business.

This "Mother Superior" fled from Munster, and it was learned that she went to the City Rheine, on the river Ems, and gave birth to a child, and the father of this child was the Catholic priest in charge of this convent, who helped and, was the prime instigator in giving out to the world that the "Mother Superior" was performing miracles, which was a malicious lie made of whole cloth and promulgated in order to securely bind the followers of Catholicism to their Idolatrous belief.
This is not the end of the "Mother Superior," as she afterwards practiced in the open what she had practiced in this Catholic convent at Munster, as she entered a. house of ill fame in the City of Rheine in Germany, and there led a life of shame as a harlot of the world; however, she was only living the same life she had been living when she was sailing under the name of "Mother Superior" in this convent at Munster.
Now, reader, if Catholicism would practice such abominations upon the ignorant dupes of her followers in Munster, Germany, is it not reasonable to suppose that she would practice them to-day wherever she can fasten her hellish belief upon the minds of the people!

Hardly a day passes over our heads but what we, see in some newspaper where Catholicism is brazenly declaring to the intelligent public that miraculous cures are being performed by some "hoodoo saint" of their idolatrous creed.

One would believe that in enlightened America the Roman Church could not wield such an idolatrous influence over her followers, but when you stop to think that the children of Catholic parents are brought up from infancy to believe all of this "hoodooism," it is not strange that they fall into these idolatrous practices.
When America learns that the majority of the convents and monasteries of this country are used for the purpose of shielding and protecting Catholic criminals, and for the purpose of Catholic dignitaries to glut their lust upon the female inmates of these institutions, and will exact and demand laws that will force a rigid examination every thirty or sixty days of these institutions, then the world at large will know and thoroughly understand that these institutions are practically the homes of depravity and licentiousness.

To give the reader more information in regard to what Catholicism resorts to to impress their "dupes" with their idolatry, we want to take up their great magician, "St. Anthony." The Catholic priesthood teaches their followers that St. Anthony's spirit possesses the power' to answer all prayers, in fact, to perform any favor the supplicant may ask.

Now, to illustrate what I mean, is this: Suppose you had lost your pocketbook containing $50.00; the Catholic Church teaches that all you have to do is to pay a few dimes into the priest's pocket and then get down and pray to St. Anthony and you will at once learn where your pocketbook is.

Now, bear in mind that this praying to St. Anthony don't cut any ice unless you pay something, as every prayer must be backed up by money, and the more money paid the quicker action you can get on St. Anthony.

The Catholic Church calls it "St. Anthony's Bread Box," and right by the side of this box they have a large number of small candies, and you are supposed to drop the money into this box to pay for the candles that St. Anthony uses when looking for what is lost, or to light his path on his road to answer your prayer.

These candles cost the priest from one-half cent to one cent each, and the "dupe" will drop in from ten cents to ten dollars to have his prayer answered, so you can see that the Catholic Church is a good thing for the candle makers.

We will now give you a few idiotic prayers that are offered to St. Anthony by the followers of blind Catholicism.
 
"O, Glorious St. Anthony, noble Sunflower of divine conformity, I salute thee in the name of the Queen of Angels and of all the angelic choirs; and I thank Almighty God for the grace bestowed on thee, that like to this Great Queen and the angelic choir's thou wert ever conformed to His holy will. I beseech thee that with this glorious Lady and all the angelic choirs, thou wouldst approach the throne of God, lovingly offer Him this my petition and strengthen it by thine intercession.

"OUR FATHER. HAIL, MARY. GLORY." "I salute thee, Blessed Anthony, noble Narcissus-flower of knowledge, in the name of all the patriarchs and prophets; and I thank the good God for bestowing on thee, like to the patriarchs and
prophets, the gift of divine knowledge and of foreseeing future events. I beseech thee that with the patriarchs and prophets thou wouldst approach the throne of God and by your united prayers and merits obtain for me this my petition.

"OUR FATHER. HALL, MARY. GLORY."
"I salute thee, Blessed Anthony, noble Carnation-flower of fervent love, in the name of all the holy apostles and disciples of Christ; and I thank the most merciful Lord for the great grace bestowed on thee, like unto that of the apostles and disciples, when He chose thee to proclaim the holy Gospel and to spread the Christian faith. I beseech thee that with the apostles and disciples thou wouldst approach the throne of God and by your united prayers and merits obtain for me this my petition.

"OUR FATHER. HAIL, MARY. GLORY."
We will give you an instance of this " St. Anthony's" witchcraft business that came under my personal observation. A lady was standing upon a bridge that spans one of the many streams that rushes down from the Adirondack Mountains, gazing at this crystal stream and watching the fishes below, and while standing there she was toying with a beautiful diamond ring that had been given her by her lover. In a careless manner she allowed this ring to slip from her finger, and it fell into the waters below.
With a sudden cry those who were near her were attracted to the spot and she explained to them her misfortune, and it was not long until there was quite a crowd about her, offering their sympathy and also their assistance.

Some volunteered to wade into this stream and search for the ring, which was done, and a number of buckets of mud were carried up out of the stream from the point the lady had stated she had dropped her ring, but the ring could not be found.

At this point one of our Catholic "dupes" appeared and explained to the lady that if she would put her trust in St. Anthony and would pay $500, that St. Anthony would restore to her her ring.

This lady being a Catholic also, of course, was easily persuaded to do this, so they knelt down and prayed to St. Anthony and beseeched him to restore the lost treasure, and it was not long until all of those in the crowd that belonged to the Catholic Church were in sympathy with this distressed lady, and they were also kneeling and supplicating St. Anthony to restore the lost treasure. They prayed for an hour, but still the lost treasure would not appear; then the ringleader of this barbarous belief informed this lady that the ring had been swallowed by a fish. He pretended to be inspired and claimed that he could catch this identical fish with the bait of St. Anthony's bread. Everything was soon prepared and the line was let down into the water, and sure enough a good sized fish was caught upon this St. Anthony's bait, and the crowd went into rapturous delight, as they were quite sure they had the identical fish that had swallowed the ring.
The Protestants in the congregation were determined to see what was inside of the fish, so they followed the one that carried it to a butchershop and the fish was cut open, but naught was found in it but what is usually found in any old fish that never saw or heard tell of a diamond ring.

As soon as the fish was caught a collection was raised by a priest who was in the crowd for the benefit of "St. Anthony's Bread Box." All of the Catholics in the crowd contributed, of course, as they were afraid not to, for Catholics believe that if they do not do what a priest tells them to they are sure to have something awful befall them, and, of course, all of these Catholics believed ill the witchcraft of St. Anthony and believed that he was the actual restorer of all lost things.
Now, this is one of the thousands--yea, tens of thousands of such instances that are forced down the throats of the ignorant, superstitious followers of Catholicism.

Now, what I relate above is true in every conceivable manner, and not one sentence or statement is misrepresented.

This belief in the power of St. Anthony is simply abominable and belongs to the dark ages of heathendom.
I have often wondered when I was acting as priest ill the Catholic Church wily it was that Protestants, when they attended my church, would look on in wonderment and surprise, and I attributed this wonderment to a desire upon the part of Protestantism to make fun and vilify the teachings of the Catholic Church, but I now realize that this bewilderment came from minds which had been elevated far above the cungerings of the Catholic Church, and I am now surprised that the Protestants who visit Catholic churches are not more bewildered and mystified, as the teachings of Protestantism are based upon the inspirations derived from the Word of God, and the teachings Of Catholicism are naught but the rumblings of the dark ages.

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