Christmas

December 24-25, 2004

This is our first Christmas living here in the Emmitsburg area. We spent most of Christmas in "hometown" with family members and part of it here in Emmitsburg. It was a very good Christmas for all of us. There are only 2 things in "hometown" that I really miss and they are family members and "Parish Church" . This Christmas was special because we had the best of both.

December 24th

Several weeks ago S.C.C. said she would like to spend Christmas in "hometown" with our families and attend mass at "Parish Church". She said she wanted to leave early enough to be able to take her mother to the mall in Fredericksburg on Christmas Eve. I went to daily mass at St. Mary’s and when I returned we loaded the Christmas presents in the car. When S.C.C. and C.R.C. were finally ready I started the car and the time on the dash was 10:13.

We made a few stops in the neighborhood to drop off a few small Christmas presents to some of the people who helped us so much during our move here. We then drove over to St. Mary’s to drop off a Christmas card for Fr. M___. When we arrived I glanced at my watch and it said XX:XX:13.

We then stopped at Phil and Alien’s house to drop off a gift and they were just pulling in their driveway as we arrived. We gave them the gift and left. When we got back in the car the time on the dash was 10:33. We stopped at St. Catherine’s to drop off a gift for Sr. Genevieve and when we arrived the odometer was 1.3. We visited with her for a little while and gave her the gift. When we left I glanced at my watch and the time was 11:13.

We started driving to "hometown" but needed to stop in Frederick, Maryland to return a defective ski hat we bought for C.R.C.. We then drove to S.C.C.’s mothers house which is very, very close to "Parish Church". When we arrived at "Parish Church" I suddenly felt the peace. I glanced at my watch as we rode by and the time was 1:13:13.

When we arrived at S.C.C.’s mothers house the time was still 1:13. We carried things in the house and when S.C.C. said she was ready to go to the mall in Fredericksburg we all left. We arrived and just as I was parking in what looked like the last available parking space the feeling of peace suddenly hit me. The time on the dash was 3:13.

We did the things they needed to do at the mall and I also got a few last minute gifts. We then rode back to "hometown". Later in the evening I told S.C.C. I was going to walk over to "Parish Church" to get our old seats before the church filled up and pray the rosary. I arrived and people were already coming in. I prayed the Joyful mysteries of the rosary and when I finished I looked at my watch and the time was 9:13.

S.C.C. and C.R.C. arrived a little later and mass started at 10 PM. It was a beautiful mass. My mom, sister and nephews were there too. The "Parish Church" choir was excellent, like always. During the consecration I felt a very strong sense of peace about seeing Our Lady of Emmitsburg on December 8th. Mass ended and I waited for S.C.C. to finish talking to people. I felt the peace hit me again as we walked out of the church and the time was 11:33.

December 25th

We exchanged gifts with S.C.C.’s family and it was a very nice morning. Later in the day I had the urge to go pray the rosary. I went to "Parish Church" but the church was locked. I sat in the car and prayed the Joyful mysteries and when I finished I looked and the time was 12:13.

We then went to my sister’s house had had Christmas dinner with my family and exchanged gifts. While we were there my mother asked if there had been a new message from Our Lady lately. I went out to the car to get it for her to read and as I handed it to her I suddenly felt the peace. I looked at my watch and the time was 3:33. A little later we left to go home to Emmitsburg. We stopped at St. Joseph’s and when we arrived there the time on the dash was 6:13.

R_____ C___

January 3, 2005

8:33 Pm