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From the archives:

FROM THE MAIL: PRIEST RECOUNTS HEARING THAT JFK WENT TO MASS AND CONFESSION

In response to the article [see article], this AM on whether President Kennedy went to Mass & Confession, I have this report to make:

My name is Louis Murphy, S.T.  I am a priest of a religious congregation, the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity, an American Congregation.  I was in the city of Chicago giving vocation talks in the Catholic schools on November 22, the day that President Kennedy was shot.  One of the Sisters on the faculty had received a call in the AM from her brother, a priest, serving in the city of Fort Worth. President Kennedy attended his Mass and before the beginning of Mass came to the sacristy and asked the priest to hear his confession. The priest, very proud to have done what he did for the President, called his sister, the nun at the school where I was giving talks that day, and related the events above.  She told us the story during a break.  It was only afterwards that the announcement came over the PA system that the president had been shot and then, later, that he had died.

Because of the timing of the call and the sister telling the story BEFORE the shooting, I knew that it had to be true and I never have forgotten the story.  The name of the school escapes me after forty years, as does the name of the Sister.  There is no doubt in my mind that my personal experience at that time confirms that the story is true.  Perhaps the sister, if she reads your story, will contact you.  I have told the story several times since it occurred to illustrate that Kennedy was spiritually prepared when the assassin shot him.

Louis E. Murphy, S.T.
University Park, Maryland

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Hi Michael,

Just read your item on President Kennedy. While at an altar society meeting at St. Patrick Cathedral in Fort Worth a few years ago, the subject came up. One of the ladies remembered this.

She is Gerry Ballinger and her husband was a very respected physician in Fort Worth. About 1968, he started the Texas Right to Life group to try to combat legalized abortion.  They were good friends of Monsignor Vincent Wolf of Holy Family Church, who confided in her about hearing the president's confession.

I just called her to confirm the story:  Msgr. Vincent Wolfe was pastor of Holy Family Church and a member of the president's welcoming committee.  Msgr. Wolfe was a very likeable priest, and he and the president hit it off.

The president spent the night  before he was killed in Dallas, at the Texas Hotel in Fort Worth. During the night, he had Msgr. Vincent Wolfe come to the Texas Hotel, to hear his confession. 

Msgr. Wolfe was also present at the breakfast the following morning. He presented the President with a spiritual bouquet from the children of Holy Family School, promising prayers for him. Msgr Wolfe said that the President had the spiritual bouquet in his right coat pocket when he was shot. Msgr Wolfe was in a nursing home at the time this came up among the altar society group, and he has since died.

Supposedly, Padre Pio's statement that President Kennedy was in heaven was based on the promises of the First Fridays which John Kennedy observed as a child due to his mother's devotion. That in spite of his alleged public sins, he received the Sacrament of Confession shortly before his death, and apparently reaped the benefits of the Nine First Firdays Devotion. 

I hope this helps to piece the puzzle together.

Elizabeth Victory

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Michael,

I wasn't sure if I told you this story about Jackie Kennedy at the Grotto in
Emmitsburg but I thought I'd send it anyway:

I got to know Monsignor Hugh Phillips, the original founder, really well
when he was still the chaplain at The Grotto (The National Shrine of Our
Lady of Lourdes) in Emmitsburg, Maryland.  He told me he saw and spoke to
Mrs. Kennedy quite often at the Grotto and she would always pray at the
Fatima Shrine.   I asked him "Mrs. Kennedy?" because I wasn't sure if I was
hearing him right.  And Monsignor Phillips said "Yes -- you know. the
President's wife, Jackie.  She would come here when she, the President and
the family were at Camp David -- just down the road from here."  But,
Monsignor Phillips said, there was always this man following her around.
Monsignor Phillips went up to the man one day and said, "Why are you always
bothering this lady? (meaning Jackie Kennedy)."  All the man did was open
his jacket and flash his badge -- he was a Secret Service agent!

Also, there used to be a drugstore right in the center of Emmitsburg called
Krause's. They had a soda fountain there and sold ice cream and popsicles.
The daughter of the original owner of Krause's told me one day Caroline and
her brother, John, came in with a Secret Service agent and bought a
popsicle. She and John split the popsicle in half and John was a little
upset because Caroline's half had more of the popsicle!  They went outside
and sat on the top step of Krause's drugstore.  Mr. Krause, the owner,
wanted to take their picture but the Secret Service agent wouldn't let him!

Just a couple more little stories of one of my favorite places, Emmitsburg!!

God bless,

Roberta Ann Marziani, Willow Grove, Pennsylvania

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