Over the past month a series of Gregorian Masses have been offered for my father, D_____ J___ C___ in Ecuador by the Franciscans. During this time I have lost count of the number of times I suddenly felt urged to pray for him only to be hit with an unexpected 13, 33 or 333 at the instant the urge hit me. Today is the last day of the masses and as I pulled out of my driveway this morning to go to work the though of today being the last mass hit me very hard. It was at that instant I noticed the CD counter flashed 3:33. I drove to St. Joseph’s on my way to work to pray for my father and when I arrived the time on the dash was 5:13 and the CD display flashed 13.
The feeling of peace was so strong when I arrived that it made me want to get out of the car and walk up to the church and kiss the corner. I did and at that instant the peace got stronger. I glanced at my watch and it said 5:13. I was praying for my father and his last Gregorian mass during this time. I returned to my car which was still running and at the very instant I arrived back at the car the CD counter flashed 33.
I drove to Manassas and attended the 7 AM mass at All Saint’s. At the very instant I arrived the CD counter flashed 3:33. All Saint’s has adoration every morning after the 7 AM mass until just before the 8:30 mass so after mass I knelt before the Blessed Sacrament and prayed the Joyful and Sorrowful mysteries of the rosary. During this time I prayed for my father. When I finished I felt the peace and I knew to look at my watch. The time was 8:13.
I remained in church and prayed for my father before the Blessed Sacrament until it was removed from the altar in preparation for the next mass. I then left and when I started my car to go across the street to work the time on the dash was 8:33. I arrived at work and it was still 8:33.
Later in the morning several job issues that I have found difficult to learn suddenly became very clear. At the instant I realized I understood a complex procedure I felt the peace of knowing Our Lady is always near. This feeling was so extremely strong I glanced at my watch and the time was 11:33:13.
A little later I took my lunch break when everyone else in the department went to lunch. I rode over to All Saint’s to pray another rosary for my father. I never looked at the time until I arrived and the time on the dash was 12:13. I felt the peace as I genuflected to enter the pew and glanced at my watch and the time was 12:13:33. I prayed the rosary for my dad and the very last thing I said was “Please let my dad in heaven”. It was at that very instant I felt the numbing peace of knowing he was there. I glanced at my watch and it said 12:33:13.
I returned to work and later in the afternoon I opened a package my co-worker Carrol sent me in the internal mail. It was a Christmas ornament of the Eucharist. When I opened it the time was 2:33.
Later in the afternoon I got off work because there was nothing left to do. I glanced at my watch as I was leaving and the time was 4:33. I stopped in Leesburg and had dinner with Ted Szymanski at a Chinese restaurant. It was very good to see him looking so well. When we finished eating I left and when I started the car the CD counter flashed 13.
While driving home I felt like I wanted to pray another rosary in thanksgiving for the Gregorian masses for my father and the way the whole thing came about and ended. When I arrived back in Emmitsburg I stopped at St. Joseph’s and sat out in the car and prayed the Glorious mysteries. When I finished the rosary I glanced at my watch and the time was 8:13:13.
I drove home and later in the evening S.C.C. told me that Sr. Claire Mahoney had been by the house today and brought us a Christmas present. S.C.C. went and got the gift and brought it over to me to open. I opened it and it was a very nice statue of Our Lady holding The Child Jesus. Suddenly the peace hit me again. I looked at my watch and the time was 9:13.
R_____ C___
Jan. 8, 2005
11:33:33 Pm