First Friday

May 2, 2003

I was sitting at my desk at work this morning when I suddenly thought about it being 1st Friday and St. Joseph’s being open all night tonight. I looked at my watch at the very instant I remembered this. The time was 11:33:13. I was fairly busy and I took my lunch break after I had completed what I needed to do. I drove to "Parish Church" to pray the rosary and I arrived there at 12:33. I prayed the rosary then went to get gas for the ride to Emmitsburg tonight. I returned to work and the time was 1:13.

Later in the day I discovered that I had to go to Manassas to take care of a sudden, urgent work related matter. I left to go to Manassas which in reality was the start of my trip to Emmitsburg. I pulled out of the parking lot and the time was 2:33. I arrived in Manassas and took care of the problem that I needed to take care of. When I got off from work I rode over to All Saints to pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy before going to Emmitsburg. I looked at my watch at the very instant I walked in the chapel. The time was 4:33. When I finished I drove to Leesburg to pickup Ted. I arrived at Walmart at 5:33. Ted and I rode to Emmitsburg and he looked very tired from his move over to his daughter house. Traffic was very heavy and we rode by St. Joseph’s when we arrived in Emmitsburg. The time was about 6:40. We did not stop we just rode by before going to St. Mary’s for the Rosary for Life.

There is a clock tower on the steeple at St. Joseph’s and when we rode by I thought it was just running a little slow because it said 6:33. We rode over to St. Mary’s which is about 9 or 10 minutes away and when we arrived there the odometer was 13. The rosary started at 7:00. While we were praying the rosary I thought I heard Sister Claire Mahoney’s voice. I looked back and she was two pews back. At this point I suddenly thought about the burned crucifix she gave me. I glanced at my watch and the time was 7:13:33. The rosary ended at 8:13. We went down to the parish hall and Sister Claire gave me a picture from a news paper which was about 30 years old. The picture was her brother, Fr. Daniel J. Mahoney and behind him in the picture was the crucifix that I now have before it burned.

We left St. Mary’s and Ted and I rode over to Sister Genevieve’s to say hello before driving to St. Joseph’s for adoration. She returned the copy of my letter that I allowed her to read. When she handed it back to me she just looked at me and said “I love you.” We left Sister Genevieve’s and when I started my truck the time on the dash was 9:13. We rode back to St. Joseph’s and it was then that I realized that the clock on the steeple of the church was not running a little slow, the clock had broken down and stopped at 6:33. This almost sent a chill up my spine.

Ted and I went it St. Joseph’s but after just a few minutes Ted said he was ready to go home because he was tired. I did not want to leave but I did not let Ted know that because I knew he was tired. We left and I drove Ted back to Walmart and I dropped him off at his car. Ted asked me to look at his tail lights and see if one was burned out because he was having problems with the turn signals. I found the bad bulb and told Ted to go to any full service gas station to get a replacement. When I got in my truck and started it the time was 11:13. I wanted to go back to St. Joseph’s for 1st Friday adoration and since I was not at all tired I rode back. I pulled up and parked and the time was 12:13. I went in the church and again I talked to God about these things I have been writing about. I told Him that I have all the respect in the world for the those trying to destroy Emmitsburg. I told him that my confidence in Emmitsburg goes far beyond just believing or wanting to believe that it is true. I told Him that my unwavering confidence is based on the fact that I know that what I have experienced has really happened. I told God that I am willing to continue despite the fact that it is getting harder and I will continue to write it down. I also told Him that because of what He has done for me that I will defend what I know is the truth with my life. When I finished I returned to my truck and as I was pulling away from St. Joseph’s the clock on the dash was 1:13.

 

R    C

May 9, 2003

1:13 Am