First Friday & Saturday

April 2-3, 2004

Gradually I have been moving more and more segments of my life to Emmitsburg. When Dr. Poole retired I did not even try to find a replacement doctor in "hometown". I switched to Dr. Joe F in Emmitsburg. Today is my first appointment with him.

I started the day by going to daily mass at "Parish Church". It was the children’s mass and it ended at 9:13. When mass was over I mentioned to Fr. ___ that we had bought a house near Emmitsburg and would be moving there in late June.

I felt like I should tell him then because C.R.C. had let the cat out of the bag and some people had already come up to me and asked questions about us moving, otherwise I would have just waited until I wrote it in a paper.

After mass I drove home and S.C.C. and I loaded boxes in the back of my truck to take to Phil C’s house. S.C.C.’s cousin, Harvey who is still painting the house also helped. I then left and drove to Emmitsburg for my appointment with Joe F, like always I stopped at St. Joseph’s first. I looked at my watch as I walked in the front door and the time was 1:33.

I was the only person in church and I prayed both the Sorrowful and Glorious mysteries of the rosary. When I finished I walked over to the rectory and asked to see Fr. O’Malley. Fr. O’Malley came downstairs and I gave him a complete copy of my testimony as we discussed this past Monday night after the Miraculous Medal Novena at 8:13. Fr. O’Malley thanked me, shook my hand and said “God Bless you Robert”. I then left to go to my doctors appointment. I glanced at my watch as I was leaving and it said XX:XX:33.

I drove down the street to Dr. Joe F’s office and kept my 2:30 appointment. My checkup went ok and he increased the amount of medicine I take for diabetes. After the appointment was over I drove straight back to St. Joseph’s. I arrived and looked at my watch as I walked in the front door and the time was 3:33.

I prayed about our move but I especially felt the need to pray for the priest in Emmitsburg because many of them realize that support for the apparitions of Our Lady in Emmitsburg is not weakening. With the fierce resistance that has been hurled at Our Lady it is becoming more and more evident that the only thing that could possibly keep the momentum up is God Himself.

When I left St. Joseph’s I drove into Gettysburg to discuss the sale of another segment of my collection. When that was complete I then drove back to St. Mary’s in Fairfield because I was going to drop off the latest packet of papers I have written. When I arrived I walked in the sacristy and dropped off the envelope with the papers. When I walked out I noticed adoration was in progress. I walked in the main body of the church, the Blessed Sacrament was exposed and the time was 4:33.

I completed the rosary I started at St. Joseph’s by praying the Joyful and Luminous mysteries. When I finished I got up to leave. I ran into Bob Nichols and he mentioned he knew where a house was for sale. I told him I had already bought one and would be moving up in June. I then walked out the door and I glanced at my watch and the time was 5:13:59.

I then rode by and looked at our house and then drove back to St. Joseph’s before having to be at Phil C’s house at 7 PM for our Lay Missionary of Charity study group that meets every 1st and 3rd Friday. I arrived at St. Joseph’s and the time was 5:33.

I went in and I just sat there. I just prayed by thinking and talking to God in my own words. I prayed about our move and many other things. When I finished I got up to leave. I got in my truck and just as I was pulling out the clock on the dash switched to 6:13.

I started driving to Phil’s house and I passed a sign advertising the Friday Night Fish Dinner at St. Joseph’s. I was hungry and thought about turning around and going to the fish dinner. I glanced at my watch and it said XX:XX:13. I turned around and went back. I saw Jim O’Brien and sat with him. The fish was good but not as good as "Parish Church"’s.

After I ate I drove to Phil’s house and we had our regular LMC study group meeting. We had a new person who has joined us for the first time. His name is Bob F. No relation to Dr. Joe F who was also there. After the study group meeting we all unloaded boxes from the back of my truck and put them in Phil’s basement. I then rode back to St. Joseph’s for First Friday adoration and arrived at 9:13.

Again I just prayed before the Blessed Sacrament and asked God to continue with what is happening to me if it is His will. I don’t know how else to put it. I got up to leave and ran into Ray Sanders. I asked Ray if he would mind if I spent the night at his apartment. The reason is because there is the regular monthly Lay Missionaries of Charity meeting every 1st Saturday at St. Mary’s after the 8 AM mass. This is different than the Friday night study groups. Ray said it was alright. We drove over to his apartment and arrived at 10:13.

Saturday April 3

I woke up early the next morning and left Ray’s apartment before he woke up. I was going to go to the Grotto of Lourdes but just before I got there it started raining fairly hard. I turned around and drove to St. Joseph’s. I looked at my watch as I walked in the front door and the time was 6:33.

The Blessed Sacrament was still on the altar from First Friday all night adoration. I prayed the Joyful and Sorrowful mysteries of the rosary and finished at 7:13. I continued to pray and then got up to go to St. Mary’s for 8 AM mass. I arrived at St. Mary’s and the time was 7:33.

I went in and prayed before mass. After mass the LMC meeting began with the Glorious mysteries of the rosary in the church. After the rosary the meeting continued in one of the CCD classrooms. Fr. Messaro told us he would not be at next months meeting because he would be in Rome. After the meeting I was delayed a few minutes because Phil wanted to talk about something. I then left and I looked at my watch as I walked out of the door. The time was 11:33.

I then rode by our new house which is only about a mile from St. Mary’s. I then rode back to St. Joseph’s to complete the rosary before going home. I arrived at St. Joseph’s and glanced at my watch as I walked in the door. It said XX:XX:33. I prayed the Luminous mysteries and when I finished I looked at my watch just as I was walking out the door and it said 12:13:33.

R_____ C___

April 6, 2004

10:33:59 Pm