13th Mission of Mercy Mass

June 13, 2004

Earlier in the week Jim B from "Parish Church" called and asked if I would be willing to take his place as Eucharistic Minister at the 11 AM mass on June 13th. He said he needed to be out of town. Jim said he would take my June 19th duty at 6 PM. I told Jim that I would make the trade with him if it helped him out. He thanked me and we hung up.

Later in the week I mentioned to S.C.C. that I was filling in for Jim at the 11 AM mass. S.C.C. then reminded me that was the Mission of Mercy Sunday at St. Mary’s. I told S.C.C. that I already told Jim that I would take his place. I told S.C.C. that we would just be a little late getting there.

Sunday came and I went to the 11 AM mass. A visiting priest from Mission Hurst filled in for Fr. ___. S.C.C. and C.R.C. said they would wait and go to mass at St. Mary’s. I arrived at church and sat down and Barbara G came and sat down beside me. It was good seeing her happy and in good spirits.

After mass ended Barbara said she would come over to our house and help us pack things up to move. I told her that we were leaving now for Emmitsburg to go to the Mission of Mercy mass. I told her that we were picking Ted up in Leesburg otherwise she could go with us. I told her there was no room in the car. Suddenly I felt the peace run through me. I glanced at my watch and the time was 12:13.

I told Barbara that if we could take her van there would be enough room for everybody. Barbara said “Lets take my van” We drove over to S.C.C.’s mothers house and picked up S.C.C. and C.R.C. and left for Emmitsburg. We stopped in Leesburg and picked up Ted.

We drove to St. Mary’s and we were late. The rosary was over and mass had just started. There was no altar server. During the 1st reading C.R.C. went back and put on his alb and joined Fr. M______.

Mass continued and at the very instant we knelt for the Liturgy of the Eucharist I felt the surge of peace and warmth run through me. I glanced at my watch and it said XX:XX:33. At the very instant Fr. M______ consecrated the host I felt the same peace only stronger. I knew again to glance at my watch and it said 3:33:13.

Adoration began when mass ended. During this time Gianna Sullivan led prayers from the front of the church. That was followed by the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and then benediction. When everything was over and we were exiting our pew I again felt the sudden sense of peace. I glanced at my watch and the time was 4:13.

We went downstairs to the parish hall and had a very good dinner. While we were eating Peter Blanchard who owns St. Peter’s Catholic Books and Gifts came up to us and offered to help us move. He also offered S.C.C. a job working in the store.

Since S.C.C. will no longer need to drive C.R.C. to school because there is a bus that takes the kids to St. Francis Xavier school in Gettysburg, she accepted the job. At that very instant I had the sudden peaceful thought of how everything has just fallen together perfectly. I glanced at my watch and it said XX:XX:33.

When everything was over I helped Dolly K and Janet M clean up in the kitchen. When we finished I walked upstairs and we got in the car to leave. When I started the car the time on the dash was 5:33.

Barbara wanted to see our new house so we rode out and showed it to her. We then rode to St. Joseph’s. We decided to sit outside in the van and pray the rosary since we missed the rosary today at St. Mary’s. We prayed the Glorious mysteries. When we finished and started the van the clock on the dash displayed the last fraction of a second of 6:13.

As we left St. Joseph’s Barbara started to cry. She said that she did not want us to move because she was going to miss us to much. We assured Barbara that we would be in very close contact with her. We then rode out to the Grotto of Lourdes and got more water and just walked around. When we left I glanced at my watch and the time was 7:13.

We drove home and were delayed 2 separate times because of road paving on Rt.15. We finally arrived back in "hometown" and drove to S.C.C.’s mothers house because that is where our cars were parked. We said good night to Barbara and we drove home. When I pulled in my driveway the time on the dash was 10:33. The odometer was 3.3 and at the very instant the car came to a complete stop the CD player flashed 13.

R_____ C___

June 14, 2004

11:13 Pm