About the final days of longtime St. Cloud Bishop Joseph Francis Busch. This story covered the spring of 1953. He died in the house he built which is now the Chancery for the Diocese of St. Cloud. Interviews and research are transformed into a charismatic spiritual journey by this author into the teachings of St. Cloud Bishop Busch under the premise he battled the Demon Cove during the final days of his life.
This chapter is in no way intended to bring any disrespect to the life and teachings of Bishop Busch. It is a testament to how he lived his life, and the message for which he was an example.
It is because of Old St. Anne's Pass that the Demon Cove entered this area. He became lost and sidetracked as he attempted to take the soul of Bishop Joseph Francis Busch for all eternity. In the end, he found a stone coffin purgatory.
For the complete story of A Bishop's Soul, please visit the Stearns historical society museum..
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ABOVE: Cove's Cave - This is the hillside below the St. Cloud Children's Home where the powerful Demon Cove lived during this chapter. He slithered through the cracks into a small crevice under the hillside. In the center of this picture you can barely make out the
safety rails of the outdoor pool. That pool was covered in brush
during the time of this picture
(Picture taken by Dan Becker).
ABOVE: Cove's Tree - This is a picture of the Demon Cove's Tree below the St. Cloud Children's Home. He liked to sit in this tree as mentioned in this chapter. If you enlarge the picture, you can barely make out the darkened concrete rim around the outdoor pool. This pool was covered in brush at the time of this picture.
(Picture taken by Dan Becker).
ABOVE: A Bishop's Chapel - This picture showed the doorway to the 3rd floor chapel so often mentioned in this chapter. Bishop Joseph Francis Busch built this house and died in it as written about in this chapter. This house currently serves as the Chancery for the Diocese of St. Cloud. The 3rd floor chapel continues to be used.
(Picture taken by Dan Becker).
ABOVE: Outdoor Pool - This picture showed the safety rails that came down the hill from the St. Cloud Children's Home. When this pool was open, this was a place Cove enjoyed hanging out. If you enlarge the picture, you can make out the blue painted walls of the pool. (Picture taken by Dan Becker)
ABOVE: Children's Home - This picture was an outside view of the St. Cloud Children's Home. Bishop Joseph Francis Busch was highly instrumental in this program. He had it designed for a courtyard in the center with so many flowers to enjoy. A cottage to the right was the one Cove witnessed a birthday party through the window as he talked with another
Orphan named George.
(Picture taken by Dan Becker)
ABOVE: A Bishop's House - This picture showed the house built by Bishop Joseph Francis Busch. This is the main location of this chapter. Bishop Busch died in this house and it currently serves as the Chancery for the St. Cloud Diocese.
(Picture taken by Dan Becker).
ABOVE: Bishop Busch Bedroom - Down this hall was the bedroom of Bishop Joseph Francis Busch. It was here that the Demon Cove engaged the Bishop during the final days of his life.. However, during the final three days of his life he was in a bed on the main floor.
