1 Year Anniversary of the Mission of Mercy Mass at St Mary’s

Mother’s Day May 9, 2004

Today is the 1st anniversary of the Mission of Mercy mass at St. Mary’s. It has been very well received and attendance is good. When I got up this morning I was thinking about this as I picked up my watch to put it on and it said XX:XX:13.

C.R.C. spent the night at my sisters house last night and I needed to go pick him up because he would be serving at the mass. When I left to go pick him up the time on the dash when I started the truck was 10:13.

I picked up C.R.C. and we drove back to our house to pick up S.C.C.. We were getting ready to leave and Ted Szymanski called and said he would like to go too. We left and needed to stop at 7-11 to get gas. It was at this time the very strong sense of peace of knowing we were going to Emmitsburg hit me. I glanced at my watch and the time was 11:33:33.

We drove to Leesburg and picked up Ted at Wal Mart. We then drove straight to St. Mary’s. As we walked in the church Gianna Sullivan was walking out. It was at that very instant the feeling of peace hit me again. I glanced at my watch and the time was 2:13:33.

Gianna’s husband Dr. Mike Sullivan had just started leading the rosary. When the rosary ended C.R.C. lit the candles in preparation for mass. C.R.C. was unable to reach the Pascal Candle to get it lit and gave up trying. Ray Sanders who was the other altar server took the candle out of the holder and lowered it where C.R.C. could reach it and get it lit. The time was 2:33.

Mass started and Gianna was the lector. During the first reading I looked up and was stunned almost to tears because the statue of The Blessed Virgin Mary that was behind Gianna had a magnificent halo surrounding Her head. The light also extended down the entire length of the statue. It was unbelievable. When it dimmed I knew without a doubt to look at my watch and it said XX:XX:13.

When mass ended Fr. M__ asked everyone to kneel for exposition of The Blessed Sacrament. Fr. M__ walked over to the tabernacle and at the very instant he opened the door the peaceful feeling hit me again. I glanced at my watch and the time was 3:33:00. Fr. M____ placed the Host in the monstrance and at the very instant he turned it to face the congregation the peace hit me again. I glanced at my watch at the same time I first saw the Host and the time was 3:33:33.

The Chaplet of Divine Mercy was then prayed followed by silent adoration and then benediction. When everything was over we went downstairs to eat and Fr. M__ signed a paper for us that would be needed for C.R.C.’s enrollment in St. Francis Xavier School in Gettysburg.

After we finished eating we were getting ready to leave and I helped Bob Nichols break down and carry a table. We got in the car to leave and the time was 5:13. S.C.C. and C.R.C. wanted to ride by the new house so we did. We then rode to St. Joseph’s and when we arrived the time was 5:33.

We decided to stop at the Grotto before going home and when we arrived the odometer was 1.3. We walked through the Grotto and then left. We dropped Ted off at Wal Mart and the odometer was 3.3

We drove home and I knew I was behind on writing these papers that I write and I knew I needed to get that done. I sat down and wrote the handwritten daily journal for today and when I did I glanced at my watch and the time was 9:13. I then sat down and wrote the April 18th paper and finished it at 10:33. I then continued and wrote the April 19th paper and glanced at my watch at the very instant I completed it and the time was 11:33:13.

R_____ C___

May 12, 2004

11:33:33 Pm