Dr. Courtenay Bartholomew

May 20-21, 2005

There is a new project underway here in Emmitsburg sponsored by St. Peter’s Books that brings guest speakers here to give talks. This new venture began and the first speaker in this series was Dr. Courtney Bartholomew. It was also the unveiling of his new book “The Last Help Before The End of Time”. Dr. Bartholomew has been an outspoken, no non-sense supporter of the apparitions of Our Lady of Emmitsburg and has vowed to keep up his fight for what is the truth.

This morning I left the house to go to work in Manassas. Like always I stopped at St. Joseph’s on the way to say a prayer. I arrived at the very instant the car came to a complete stop the CD counter flashed 33. I sat in the car and said my prayers and left.

While I was driving my memory suddenly went back to the very first time in my life that I ever heard of an apparition of The Virgin Mary. I was about 5 years old and I was visiting my grandmother in Norfolk, Va. I remember finding a Miraculous Medal at the bottom of a glass dish. I then asked my mother and grandmother what it was and they explained it to me. They also told me about Bernadette at Lourdes. This 44 year old memory was so sudden, clear and strong that is caused a strong feeling of peace. It was at that instant I noticed the time on the dash was 7:13.

I continued my drive to Manassas and arrived at All Saints for mass. At the very instant the car came to a complete stop the CD counter flashed 13. I walked in the church and like every morning the Blessed Sacrament was on the altar before mass. I felt the peace again as I genuflected and entered my pew. I glanced at my watch and the time was 8:13. I prayed the rosary and finished it just as mass started at 8:33. It was the children’s mass from the school and when it ended I went across the street to work and arrived at my desk at 9:33.

Later in the morning my friend Frank K________ came up to my desk to ask another question about his return to the church and when he arrived the time was 10:13. Things such as this build my strength because I know I have no control over Frank’s actions or what time he would come to my desk with a question about Our Lady of Emmitsburg or the church but it happens all the time. Almost every time Frank comes to me on this subject the time is 13 or 33 after the hour. In other words it is not me doing it.

I was pretty busy at work most of the day and when I got to a good breaking point I took my lunch break and rode across the street to pray the rosary at All Saints. I prayed the Glorious mysteries and when I finished I glanced at my watch as I walked out the chapel door. The time was 1:13:13. As I pulled out of the All Saints parking lot I glanced at my watch and it said XX:XX:33 and the CD counter flashed 33.

Later in the afternoon when I got off work I drove back to Emmitsburg. I always stop at St. Joseph’s on my way home just to say a short prayer. I was going to do that but while I was driving I was suddenly struck with another out of nowhere thought that I should go straight to Ski Liberty to hear Dr. Courtenay Bartholomew’s talk on Our Lady. It was so strong I knew to glance at my watch and it said XX:XX:13.

Since I was not going to St. Joseph’s I took a shortcut to Ski Liberty and when I arrived Gianna Sullivan was pulling into the parking lot at the same time I was. The odometer was 33.3 and at the very instant the car came to a complete stop the CD counter flashed 13.

Susan and Christopher were already there when I arrived and just about every seat was taken. It was a very good turnout. Dr. Michael Sullivan introduced Dr. Bartholomew and the time was 7:13. Dr. Bartholomew gave a very good and intellectual talk on the history of Marian apparitions throughout the world. At one point during his talk he mentioned Emmitsburg as being “The Center of The Immaculate Heart of Mary” and that time would take care of the approval process. At the instant he said that I suddenly felt the peace and I glanced down at my watch and the time was 8:13.

The talk ended about a half hour later. Dr. Joe F_______ and I then rode into Gettysburg to get something to eat and have a cup of coffee. Since we moved here I have become very good friends with Joe. We arrived at the restaurant and the time was 9:33.

Saturday May 21st

This morning I got up and was delayed leaving for mass because Susan broke her glasses. I tried to fix them but they were to far gone so we just glued them. I then left to go to mass at St. Joseph’s and just as I walked in the door I felt the peace. I glanced at my watch and the time was 8:33:33.

During mass I thought about my arrival at St. Joseph’s this morning being caused by Susan breaking her glasses. It astounds me sometimes how simple little things like this end up being the cause of my arrival time at St. Joseph’s. I just accept it.

When mass was over I rode to St. Peter’s books because Dr. Courtenay Bartholomew was having a book signing for his latest book. Susan was working there today. When I arrived I glanced at my watch at the very instant the car came to a complete stop and it said XX:XX:13.

Shortly after I arrived Sr. Claire Mahoney came in the store and after a few minutes said she would like to go to the Grotto and pray. I suddenly felt like I should offer to go with her. I glanced at my watch and it said XX:XX:13. We rode to the Grotto of Lourdes and while there I suddenly felt the peace hit me several times. Each time I glanced at my watch and it said XX:XX:13 or 33.

When Sr. Claire was ready to leave we rode back to St. Peter’s Books and a few minutes later Dr. Bartholomew arrived. His book signing was a big success and lots of people had their books signed by him.

I then rode home and did a lot of things around the house such as mowing the grass and washing the cars. At one point I felt like taking a break and going to St. Joseph’s to pray the rosary. I drove to St. Joseph’s and I prayed the Glorious and Sorrowful mysteries. When I finished I looked at my watch as I walked out of the church and the time was 3:13.

I drove home and completed the work I was doing and later in the evening I again had to go to town and get some money from the ATM machine. I stopped at St. Joseph’s on the way and when I arrived the odometer was 33. I prayed another rosary while sitting out in the car and when I finished I started the car to leave and the time on the dash was 9:33.

R_____ C___

 June 5, 2005

 10:33 Pm