First Friday & Saturday

Prayers for the Pope

February 4-5, 2005

I will backup a couple of days to the instant I first heard that Pope John Paul II was ill and had been admitted in the hospital for breathing problems caused by the flu. It was Tuesday February 2nd and I was driving to work. A news report came on the radio that said the pope was in the hospital. At the very instant I first heard the news I felt the urgent desire to pray for him. It was so strong I glanced at my watch and the time was 6:33:00.

February 4

This morning I left the house to go to work. I always stop at St. Joseph’s on the way and say a few prayers. A few minutes before arriving at St. Joseph’s I suddenly remembered that today was First Friday. At the instant I suddenly remembered this I just happened to notice the odometer was 1.3 and the CD counter flashed 13 simultaneously . A few minutes later I arrived at St. Joseph’s and just as the car came to a complete stop I glanced at my watch and the time was 6:13:59. The outside temperature gauge on the dash said 33 and the odometer was 33.

I sat out in the car and prayed for a few minutes especially for the pope. I also told Our Lady that I would be back sometime tonight for First Friday adoration. The feeling of peace while I was praying was extremely strong. When I finished my prayers I left and at the very instant I pulled out the CD counter flashed 33 and the trip portion of the odometer switched to 3.3.

I drove to Manassas and went to All Saint’s for daily mass before going to work. When I arrived I felt the peace again at the very instant the car came to a complete stop. I glanced at my watch and it said XX:XX:33.

Like every morning before the 8:30 mass the Blessed Sacrament was on the altar and I started to pray the Joyful rosary. My friend Mike usually sits directly across the isle from me and when he got up to leave I reached in my pocket to hand him a copy of Our Lady of Emmitsburg message of January 31. Mike thanked me and left. At that very instant I again felt the peace run through me. I glanced at my watch and the time was 8:13.

Instances such as this serve to give me strength because I know it takes the actions of someone else to make the timing so perfect. In this case it was Mike getting up to leave when he did. Things like this happen all the time where Our Lady of Emmitsburg is involved.

I finished the rosary and mass began. When mass was over I drove across the street to go to work. I had only been there a few minutes when I realized I would need to go to "hometown" because of unexpected work related problems. While I was driving to "hometown" I stopped at 7-11 to get something to eat. Suddenly after I had already purchased some food I felt like I should fast. It was extremely strong. It was at that instant I noticed the time on the dash was 10:13 and at that very instant as I was pulling out of the parking lot I had to wait for a truck to pass with a license plate of 33. I did not eat the food.

I arrived at SWIFT in "hometown" and just as I pulled in the gate I glanced at my watch and it said XX:XX:33. I parked and at the very instant the car came to a complete stop the CD counter flashed 13. I did the work I needed to do and when my co-worker Carrol went to lunch I went with him. When Carrol finished eating I then got up to go to "Parish Church" to pray the rosary. I arrived and the clock on the dash switched to 12:33. I walked in the church and glanced at my watch and it said 12:33:13.

I had plenty of time because I had already done the work in "hometown" that needed to be done and I was not going back to Manassas that late in the day, so I prayed the 3 remaining mysteries of the rosary I started at All Saint’s this morning for the pope. When I finished I pulled out of the "Parish Church" parking lot and met a car coming towards me with the license plate of 33. I drove back to work and just as the car came to a complete stop the counter on the CD flashed 3:33.

Later in the day I left work to go back to Emmitsburg and just as I was pulling out of the parking lot I felt the peace and glanced at my watch and it said XX:XX:13 and in the corner of my eye I noticed a truck with the license plate of 333.

The traffic driving back to Emmitsburg was horrible. It is always the worst on Fridays but despite that I still arrived at St. Joseph’s just as the clock on the dash switched to 6:33. I then sat in the car and read the assignment for our LMC study group tonight at Phil C’s house. It was about Noah and the Arc. When I finished reading the assignment I glanced at my watch as I was leaving and it said XX:XX:13 and at the same instant the CD counter flashed 3:33.

I drove home and got a little something to eat before going to Phil’s house. S.C.C. and I talked for a while. I then left and just as I backed out of my driveway the clock on the dash switched to 7:13. I drove to Phil’s house which is only about 3 minutes away and when I arrived I glanced at my watch and it said XX:XX:33 and again simultaneously the CD counter flashed 33.

Dr. Joe F was there and invited me to go to Gettysburg after the study group to get a cup of coffee with him at a coffee shop he likes. I told him I would go. Phil  asked if I was going to adoration at St. Joseph’s anytime during the night. I told him that I was. Phil said he was scheduled from 1 to 3 AM and if I got there he might leave a little early.

When the study group dismissed I drove my car home and Joe followed me. At the instant my car came to a complete stop the CD counter flashed 33.

I then rode to the coffee shop with Joe. We had a cup of coffee and talked for a while before heading for home.

February 5

After Joe dropped me off at my house I sat down at my kitchen table and caught up my daily journal notes that I keep. I had several days worth on a small digital voice recorder that I have found very helpful keeping track of everything, especially since everything that I have been describing for years is on a steady increase.

I never once looked at my watch and when I finished transferring the digital voice recorder notes to my handwritten note book I left to go to First Friday / Saturday Adoration at St. Josephs. At the very instant I arrived the clock on the dash switched to 2:13 and again simultaneously the counter on the CD display flashed 33. I walked in the church and looked at my watch and it said 2:13.

Phil was in the church along with about 4 or 5 other people. I prayed before the Blessed Sacrament for a few minutes before praying the Joyful, Sorrowful and Glorious mysteries of the rosary. I am not sure if Phil left early or not because I never looked back.

While I was praying the rosary I looked up and I saw a gold shaft of light at the head of the statue of The Blessed Virgin Mary. It filled me with peace, I glanced at my watch and it said XX:XX:33. I continued the rosary and just as I got to the point at the end of praying for the pope I suddenly felt a surge of peace run through me. I looked up and there was a huge gold and bluish halo surrounding the head of the statue of Mary. It was so beautiful and peaceful I knew to look at my watch and the time was 3:13.

I finished the prayers for the pope and glanced at my watch as I walked out the door and it said XX:XX:33. I drove home and pulled in my driveway and the time on the dash was 3:33.

Later in the morning I got up and S.C.C. and I went to the First Saturday LMC meeting at St. Mary’s. After that we came home. I then remembered I wanted to take the latest pack of papers to Fr. M____. I pulled out of my drive way and met a car with the license plate of 13. I drove to St. Mary’s and prayed the rosary first. When I finished the rosary I glanced at my watch and it said XX:XX:33 (11:32:33). I then walked over to Fr. M___’s table and dropped off the packet of papers and glanced at my watch. The time was 11:33:33.

R_____ C___

Feb. 13, 2005

2:13 Am