Painting of Our Lady of Emmitsburg

Saturday May 28, 2005

One of the things about Our Lady of Emmitsburg is that She makes Her presence known to so many people around here (and elsewhere) by the way She gently and quietly works in peoples lives and the results are good. She got my attention first thing this morning as I got dressed and put on my watch and the time was 8:13.

I finished getting dressed and drove to St. Joseph’s for daily mass and at the instant I arrived and the car came to a complete stop the CD counter flashed 33. I also glanced at my watch as I walked in the front door and the time was 8:33.

Fr. O’Malley was the priest. He gave a rather surprising sermon about western civilization being on the brink of collapse because of the rejection of God. Mass ended and I went to breakfast with Phil and Aline C. We then went to St. Peter’s Books for a committee meeting for the new St. Peter’s Lecture Series. It went well and when it was over I drove home.

I had not been home very long when the phone rang and it was Gwen L. Gwen is a local artist who paints on slabs of slate. She and S.C.C. are pretty good friends and she wanted us to come over and see the prints she had made of her painting of Our Lady of Emmitsburg. I asked S.C.C. if she wanted to go and she said yes.

I waited for S.C.C. to get ready and we drove over to Gwen’s house. At the instant we walked in the front door I was immediately struck with a very strong sense of peace. It was so strong that I immediately knew to glance at my watch. The time was 2:33.

Gwen showed us her latest paintings related to her Emmitsburg Series which consist of St. Joseph’s Church and other special places related to the apparitions of Mary here in Emmitsburg. She then showed us the prints she had made of her painting of Our Lady of Emmitsburg. While I was looking at the print I very suddenly felt like I should buy one of the prints. It was so strong I glanced down at my watch and it said XX:XX:33.

Gwen continued showing us other paintings in her Eucharistic Series. They are all very good. When Gwen finished showing us all of her paintings I told her that I would like to buy one of the prints of Our Lady of Emmitsburg. We bought # 5 of 60. When S.C.C. and Gwen finished talking we left. At the very instant I walked out of the door with the print in my hand I felt the peace hit me again. I glanced at my watch and it said XX:XX:13. S.C.C. and I drove home and pulled in our driveway and the time was 3:33.

I spent the rest of the afternoon doing work around the house and then I took a nap on the living room sofa. When I woke up I looked at my watch and the time was 6:13. It was at that time I felt like riding to St. Joseph’s to pray the rosary.

I drove to St. Joseph’s and went in the church to pray the rosary. Ray Sanders came in and joined me during the Joyful mysteries but left before I started the Sorrowful mysteries. When I finished the rosary I glanced at my watch as I walked out of the church and the time was 7:13:13. I then drove home and when I pulled in my driveway the odometer was 3.3 and the CD counter flashed 33.

R_____ C___

June 6, 2005

10:33 Pm