David G.

June 1999 to present.

As I said earlier I have brought approximately 100 people since November 1998 to St. Joseph’s on Thursday nights. Most of them my friends, relatives and parishioners from my parish in Virginia. I have brought people that I did not even know. Somehow from time to time someone would be just at the right place at the right time and ask if they could go with me. There is one special person I would like to tell you about. His name is David G. David was 15 when I first brought him to Emmitsburg in June of 1999. David comes from a broken family and has never had many of the things so many of us take for granted. David had never had any type of religious upbringing at all. His father is a non practicing Methodist and his mother is a non practicing Catholic. David lives with his father. David asked if he could go with me to Emmitsburg , I told him he could. When we got to Emmitsburg that day the church was full and there were no seats. I had a seat because a friend of mine would put my name on a seat each week. I decided that I would give David my seat and I would sit in the parish hall. In perfect synchronization with that thought the scent of the roses came and lasted for about 2 or 3 breaths. About 1 minute later a lady who had a seat directly behind my seat was going to leave and she gave David her seat. Later that night during the silence of the apparition I heard a sniffiling sound and I looked back only to see tears running down David’s cheeks. I turned back around and said nothing. Later that night after we dropped Ted off in Leesburg David said “ I have always heard of tears of joy but until tonight I never knew what they felt like. I can’t wait until the next time.” David continues to come to Emmitsburg every possible chance and has been there on Thursdays about 15 times now. David took it upon himself to enroll in the RCIA classes offered at our parish church, became baptized and entered the Catholic Church this past Easter. David is now VERY SERIOUSLY considering the priesthood. David’s story does not stop there. Because of David’s influence on his family as a result of going to St. Joseph’s on Thursday nights David’s sister R.G. and his mother are currently enrolled in RCIA and R.G. will be baptized this Easter and his mother will come back to the sacraments after 20 or more years.