Rosary Procession

May 13, 2003

Every year on May 13th and again on October 13th there is a rosary procession in honor of Our Lady of Fatima that starts at the Basilica of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and ends at St. Joseph’s. Today marks the 4th time I have been asked to help carry the statue of Our Lady of Fatima during this semi annual event. It was scheduled to begin at 6 PM at the Basilica and conclude at St. Joseph’s with benediction.

Yesterday, May 12th I was sitting at work and decided that I would take the whole day off. That would give me a chance to catch up on some other things I needed to do. I sent an email to my manager asking for the day off. The timestamp on the email was XX:XX:13. The request was approved.

Later that night I sat down and using my notes I finished writing the events that have taken place since the last message concluding with the 1st Mission of Mercy mass at St. Mary’s on Mothers Day, May 11, 2003. When I finished that paper and hit the print button the time on the corner of the computer screen was May 13th at 1:13 AM. I then went to bed. When I got up the next morning I checked my email because somehow in my heart I was expecting a new message and there was one.

I got ready for mass and when I pulled out of my driveway to go to "Parish Church" the time on the dash was 8:13. After mass I prayed the rosary, when I finished I returned to my truck and when I started it to leave the time on the dash was 9:13.

Later in the morning the phone rang and it was my mother. I told her there was a new message from Our Lady of Emmitsburg and she said “Well read it to me.” At the very instant I started to read it to her I somehow knew to look at my watch. The time was 11:13. When we hung up I put together the latest papers and went to "Parish Church" to drop them off and pray another rosary. When I pulled out of the driveway the clock on the dash was 12:13. After I dropped them off and prayed the rosary I returned to the truck. When I started it the CD displayed 13 on the dash. As I pulled out of the parking lot the first car that approached had a license plate of XX33.

When I got home I called to see how Bob G was feeling and asked if he felt up to riding to Emmitsburg for the rosary procession. Bob said he was having a good day and would love to ride to Emmitsburg. I did a few things around the house and lost all track of time. When I pulled out of my driveway to go to Emmitsburg the time on the dash was 2:13. I stopped by the bank then went to pick up Bob. Bob was not ready yet and I sat in the living room waiting for him. He finished getting ready and said “I’m ready lets go” and he started rolling out the front door. The time was 2:33.

We rode in Bob’s handicap van and went to pick up Ted in Leesburg. We drove to Emmitsburg and went to St. Joseph’s. When we arrived the odometer was 1.3. It was raining a little and so we thought it would be best if Bob did not run the risk of getting pneumonia again. He is still not fully recovered from the last bout. Ted decided that he would be better off waiting at the church too because the walk from the basilica might be a little to much for him and his leg brace was pinching. I started walking from St. Joseph’s to the basilica and the time was 5:33. As I was walking I heard a loud horn honk. I looked up and it was the Mission of Mercy van coming in from its days run. Phil C was driving and Dr. Sullivan waved.

I arrived at the Basilica and there was a pretty good crowd. Gianna Sullivan was there. Mick Major and myself carried the statue of Our Lady of Fatima. They have a platform that the statue is mounted on and it takes 2 people to carry it on their shoulders, one in the front and one in the rear. It is fairly heavy. I was in the front. The procession started and we prayed the Luminous Mysteries. It was still raining but not very hard. The procession arrived at St. Joseph’s and the time on the steeple clock was 6:33. That clock was running a few minutes fast and has been a little out of whack since it started running again. It was actually 6:28.

We continued the procession into St. Joseph’s and when we got to the front of the church we took the statue of Our Lady of Fatima off of the platform and placed Her in front of the altar surrounded by flowers. We then entered the right front pew and the time was 6:33. Fr. O’Brien was there and started reading the Gospel of Luke covering the Annunciation and Mary’s response. After the gospel Gianna left. Fr. O’Brien’s gave a very nice homily followed by benediction. Fr. O’Brien was putting more incense in the urn when suddenly it spilled and incense when flying everywhere. The carpet in that area was covered. Fr. O’Brien continued as if nothing had happened except for the look on his face. We then had about 5 minutes of adoration.

When everything was over Karen and Catherine Major and myself cleaned up the mess. The incense granules are very difficult to sweep out of a carpet. Fr. O’Brien thanked us for cleaning up. It took about 10 minutes to get it all up. When we finished I walked outside and Bob was already in the van and Ted was just returning from the parish hall. We pulled out and the time was 7:13.

Bob suggested that we go get something to eat so we rode over to Dave and Janes Seafood House which is on the outskirts of Emmitsburg. When we sat down the man sitting at the table next to us said “I know you, you were in Medjugorje this past October” I did recognize him but I could not remember his name. I had never seen him in Emmitsburg, only Medjugorje. The thought ran through my mind about the chances of running into someone you have only met once in Medjugorje. I glanced at my watch and the time was 7:33. His name is Pat Deignan and he lives in New Jersey.

After we finished eating we drove back to Leesburg and dropped Ted off at Walmart. Bob and I drove back to "hometown" and when we got to Bob’s house I helped him in. When I started my truck to go home which had been parked at Bob’s all day the CD displayed 13 on the dash. I drove home and pulled in my drive way at 11:13.

R_____ C___

May 22, 2003

11:33 Pm