FROM “PROTESTANT ALLIANCE MAGAZINE.”
IT will possibly be remembered by some that in June, 1896, the Protestant Alliance exposed this Holy Oil fraud, and proved same to be water only. We take the following from the Irish (R.) Catholic, 24th February, 1912—quite “up to date”:—”The Shrine of St. Walburga.—To the Editor of the Irish Catholic.—Dear Sir,—As many of your readers are interested in St. Walburga and the miraculous oil-flow, I venture to remind them through your columns, that 25th February is the day of her death, and on this day the wonderful fluid which distils from her relics generally stops until 12th October, the feast of her translation, when the
oil-flow recommences. The nuns of Eichstatt, who watch over her relics with loving care, gladly send small phials of the healing balm to anyone who applies and will send an offering to cover postage, etc. The nuns receive applications for the holy oil from all parts of the world, and innumerable testimonials bear witness to the efficacy of the saint’s intercession. . . . Truly yours in Christ, M. CAROLINE, O.S.B., Prioress. ST. WALBURGA’S MONASTERY, 15th February, 1912.“
In a paragraph in The Catholic Times of 17th April, 1896, the following appeared:—”If ‘An Invalid’ will communicate with Miss Renouf, 46 Roland Gardens, London, S.W., a phial of St. Walburga’s oil, from her tomb at Eichstatt, in Bavaria, will be forwarded. Wonderful cures are continually being wrought by the intercession of the saint: a most striking one took place in the case of a consumptive student of theology, whose life was despaired of. Upon his invoking St. Walburga and applying the oil to his chest the tubercules were drawn to the surface, and he completely recovered, as testified by a holy priest who witnessed the prodigy. It may be added that the so-called oil is a thin, colourless, by no means oleaginous fluid. Applications for larger quantities will probably be kindly attended to by any of the canons of Eichstatt Cathedral.” A friend communicated, as requested by this paragraph, with Miss Renouf, and received the following reply on a postcard on 27th April, 1896, from Miss Renouf:—”Miss Renouf regrets not being at present able to comply with Mr. Cloves’ request, but she is expecting a parcel of little phials from Eichstatt shortly; so if Mr. Cloves will send a stamped envelope in about a week’s time it will be returned to him with the oil enclosed. For accounts of the saint, see Butler’s ‘Lives of the Saints,’ Vol. II. (25th February). It would be simoniacal to make or accept payment for the oil.”
Mr. Cloves subsequently received from Miss Renouf a cardboard box containing three small phials of the oil, the phials similar in size and other respects, each bottle being under seal and covered at top with a small cotton covering, the cardboard box having on the top, in Miss Renouf’s handwriting, the words “St. Walburga’s Oil.” This box and bottles were taken to the Public Analyst, by whom the covering was removed and the seal broken in presence of several students and assistants to the Public Analyst, the seals and coverings of the other bottles being intact as received. The Public Analyst analysed a portion of the contents of the bottle, and gave the following certificate:—”7 Quality Court, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., 9th June, 1896. I have analysed the contents of a small glass bottle, said to be human oil, received this day, and certify it to consist only of water, and containing no trace of oil of any description.
H. R. GREGORY, F.I.C.”