Wednesday October 1, 2003
If ever there was a saint who I felt was always close to me it would be St. Therese’ of Lisieux. I will go to my grave believing that the mysterious woman at the Grotto of Lourdes on March 25, 2001 amid the scent of roses and who said to me “The roses are for the baptisms” was St. Therese’.
I am often reminded of this when I suddenly remember this event and glance at my watch in sync with a 13 or 33. I am also assured after reading that events such as this are not all that uncommon in places where the Blessed Virgin Mary has in the past or is currently appearing such as Fatima, Lourdes and Medjugorje.
I arrived at "Parish Church" this morning and there was no mass. I forgot about it being Wednesday and Fr. ___ being at the tribunal. I was walking back to my truck when a very strong urge to take the day off and attend the noon mass at the Grotto of Lourdes struck. I looked at my watch and the time was 8:33.
I drove to work and asked for the day off. It was granted. I started driving to Emmitsburg and decided to call Ted Szymanski and see if he wanted to go with me. Ted said yes he would like to go and would meet me at Walmart .
Ted and I rode to Emmitsburg and when we arrived at the Grotto of Lourdes the odometer was 1.3. I read the mass schedule and was very disappointed to find out that there is a 12 noon daily mass everyday except Wednesday. I felt sad that I would not be able to attend mass on St. Therese’s feast day.
Ted suggested that we go in the glass chapel and pray the rosary. We prayed the Joyful mysteries and when we finished we walked through the Grotto and stopped at the statue of St. Therese’ first. When we arrived there I felt such a strong surge of peace that I kissed the foot of the statue. The time was 12:13:13.
Shortly thereafter I remembered that there might be a 1:30 mass at the Basilica of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. Ted and I walked through the Grotto and then went to the basilica for mass. We arrived early enough that there was time for a rosary so I prayed the Glorious mysteries. About a minute after I finished the rosary mass started. Again that peaceful feeling and a feeling of relief that we did not miss mass ran through me. I glanced at my watch at the very instant Fr. Michael Kennedy started the mass. It said XX:XX:33 (01:30:33). Fr. Kennedy gave a very nice sermon on St. Therese’ and Tom Miller was the lector.
After mass Karen Major walked up to me and said she had the rack that is used to carry the statue of Our Lady of Fatima and she needed to take it to Jim O’Brien because it was going to be used for a event carrying a statue of St. Francis. Karen said she did not know where Jim lives. I told Karen I would take it because he lives very close to St. Joseph’s and I was going there when I left the basilica. Karen thanked me and I put the carrier rack in the back of my truck.
Ted and I rode to St. Joseph’s and when we pulled up the time on the dash was 2:13. I glanced at my watch and it said 2:13:33. Ted and I went in and prayed the Glorious mysteries. When we finished the rosary I could not help but notice that the time was 2:33.
We left and dropped the carrier rack off at Jim’s house along with a note saying it was from Karen. We then ate lunch at the Ott House. When we finished eating Ted and I rode to Gettysburg to check on Sister Genevieve. She was feeling and looking much better. She seemed like her old self.
We left the nursing home and started driving back to Emmitsburg. We got twisted up in the traffic circle in Gettysburg and took the wrong road. We went about 5 miles before we noticed we were going in the wrong direction. We turned around and eventually got back on the right road.
We arrived back in Emmitsburg and stopped at St. Joseph’s. The time on the dash was 5:13. I glanced at my watch and it said 5:13:33. Ted and I walked up to the front door thinking it would be locked and was very surprised to find it open. We walked in and Eucharistic adoration was in progress.
We entered a pew and I completed the rosary with the Light mysteries. When I finished the rosary I just sat there waiting for Ted to finish his prayers. A few minutes later Ted looked over at me and nodded that he was ready to go. I glanced at my watch and the time was 5:33.
We left St. Joseph’s and because the weather was so nice we stopped at the Grotto for another walk through before going home. When Ted was ready we walked back to the truck and Ted said he needed to use the restroom. I waited for Ted and when he returned and we were pulling out to go home the clock on the dash said 6:13. I glanced at my watch and it said 6:13:33.
We drove back to Leesburg and I dropped Ted off at his car. I drove home and pulled in my driveway at 8:33.
R_____ C___
Oct. 7, 2003
12:33:33 Am
