First Friday, Saturday & First Sunday Public Apparition of Our Lady of Emmitsburg at

The Lynnfield Event Complex

December 2-4, 2005

For the past two years the public apparition of Our Lady of Emmitsburg has been taking place on the first Sunday of each month at the farm of Karen and Mick Major. The farm is about 10 miles out of Emmitsburg in Taneytown. Last year the monthly prayer service was not held during the winter months and it was resumed in the spring.

Over the past couple of years the prayer group has rebounded and it became very clear that people wanted it to continue this year throughout the winter months. Recently Mike Sullivan talked to the people who run the Lynnfield Event Complex on Rt. 15 which is about 13 miles south of Emmitsburg and secured it for the 1st Sunday public apparition of Our Lady of Emmitsburg throughout the winter months.

One of the great things about the Thursday Night Prayer group is that there are so many people who have had something extraordinary happen in their lives as a result of being present at The Thursday Night Prayer Group at St. Joseph’s in Emmitsburg.

These are events that can only be attributed to the Hand of God because it could not have happened any other way. People refuse to accept or believe anyone who never set foot in St. Joseph’s on Thursday nights telling them that the miracles that occurred in their lives did not really happen. This is why the Thursday Night Prayer Group is alive and well and will remain so.

This weekend marks the first time the prayer group has met at the Lynnfield Event Complex. It was a huge success and the number of people now attending the monthly public apparition of Our Lady of Emmitsburg is fast approaching the number of people who attended the prayer group on Thursday nights at St. Joseph’s.

First Friday December 2, 2005

When I left to go to work this morning I stopped at St. Joseph’s for a few minutes of prayer. I arrived and sat out in the car and prayed for a few minutes. I completed my prayers and it was at that instant the feeling of peace struck me. I also noticed at that instant the time on the dash was 6:33.

I drove straight to Manassas and just as I arrived at All Saint’s for daily mass an oncoming car approached from the opposite direction with the license plate of 33. I walked in the church and the mass began at 8:33. Fr. Mendez was the priest and when mass ended I glanced at my watch as I walked out of the door and it said XX:XX:13.

Later in the day Frank K called wanting to go across the street to All Saint’s to pray the rosary. I was unable to leave when Frank called because of some work I needed to finish. Frank said he would just meet me over there. About 10 minutes later or so I completed the work and left to go meet Frank. I glanced at my watch as I walked out of the door and it said XX:XX:33. I arrived and walked in the chapel and Frank was already there. I glanced at my watch as I started my rosary and the time was 12:33.

I prayed the Joyful and Sorrowful mysteries and returned to work. I was fairly busy the rest of the day and when I completed all of my work I left for the day. I looked at my watch as I walked out the door to go back to Emmitsburg and the time was 5:13.

Friday night traffic was bad and I was further delayed because of an accident on Evergreen Mill Rd. near Leesburg. I ended up having to take a detour. After getting around the accident I continued my drive home and got as far as the Lynnfield Event Complex which is where the public apparition of Our Lady of Emmitsburg will take place on Sunday. As I rode by I thought about the fact that Our Lady will be coming to Gianna there. It was at that instant I noticed the time on the dash was 7:13. I continued driving and arrived at St. Joseph’s. I glanced at my watch and the time was now 7:33:33.

I sat out in the car for a few minutes and prayed. I then drove home and was very tired. I fell asleep on the living room sofa and slept for hours.

First Saturday December 3, 2005

I suddenly awoke and realized it was the middle of the night. I was no longer tired at this point and without ever looking at the time I drove straight to St. Joseph’s for First Friday all night adoration. I arrived at St. Joseph’s and the time on the dash was 2:13 and just as the car came to a complete stop the CD flashed 13.

I went in the church and there were about 10 or 12 people there. That is more than usual for that time of night. I prayed the entire rosary before The Blessed Sacrament. During this time of prayer I asked God to give me strength for the events taking place in my life and guidance on how to properly respond to them. I completed the rosary and when I finished and kissed the crucifix I glanced at my watch and the time was 3:33. I left and drove straight home and the instant the car came to a complete stop the CD flashed 33.

I went straight to bed and later in the morning I got up and got ready for the First Saturday LMC meeting at St. Mary’s. I finished getting dressed and put on my watch and the time was 7:33.

S.C.C. and I went to the meeting and Mary G from "Parish Church" in "hometown" joined us for the first time because she recently moved here to Emmitsburg. She lives within walking distance of St. Joseph’s.

After the meeting I told Mary that she was being offered the 4th decade of the rosary tomorrow at the apparition of Our Lady of Emmitsburg. Mary accepted the offer. Our Lady usually comes during the 4th decade. I then left and was going to go to St. Peter’s Books for a cup of coffee but suddenly had the desire to stop at St. Joseph’s on the way. I arrived at St. Joseph’s and just as the car came to a complete stop the CD flashed 13. I looked at my watch as I walked in the door and the time was 11:33:13.

I just sat in the church for a while and prayed. I did not pray the rosary. After I finished my prayers I just sat there in mental silence and was at complete peace with everything. After a while I got up to leave and glanced at my watch as I walked out the door and it said XX:XX:33. I started my car to leave and the temperature display said 33.

I then rode to St. Peter’s Books and had a cup of coffee. Peter Blanchard is the owner and he and I then rode down the street to the Chronicle Press to see about having some stickers printed up for the new Center of The Immaculate Heart Foundation that has been formed here in Emmitsburg. We finished our business there and as we walked out the door a person walked directly in front of me wearing a sweatshirt with the number 33.

We rode back to St. Peter’s and I dropped Peter off. I then left and stopped at St. Joseph’s on my way home. I glanced at my watch as I walked in the door and the time was now 1:33. I prayed for a few minutes and left. As I started my car to leave the CD flashed 33.

I drove home and spent the rest of the day doing things around the house. There were times I would think about small things that mean a lot to God such as small sacrifices that are seemingly insignificant.

At one point later that afternoon I reached in the freezer to get a slice of frozen chocolate pie. At that instant I don’t think there was anything I wanted more than that pie. As I was getting ready to cut the pie I suddenly heard myself say that “Only Our Lady could talk me out of this pie.” Suddenly I felt the peace hit me and I knew Our Lady was asking that I not have the pie and I should offer it up to Jesus. It was so strong and clear I looked at my watch and the time was 5:13. I did not have the pie.

Later in the evening the phone rang and it was my friend Greg P who lives in Washington DC. Greg wanted directions to the new apparition site. I gave him the directions but he asked if he could just meet me at the Grotto. I told him to meet me at 1:30 because I needed to be there early to help set up. It was at that instant I again felt the peace and glanced at my watch and the time was 9:13.

Sunday December 4, 2005

We had a ice storm last night and everything is covered with a thin layer of ice. S.C.C. and I were scheduled to be Eucharistic Ministers at the 8 am mass at St. Mary’s this morning. Before leaving for mass I was very hungry and wanted to get something to eat. I was very tempted to get something but I knew I should not eat or drink anything before mass. I looked at my watch and the time was 7:13.

We drove to St. Mary’s and the roads were very slick but you could tell they would be fine by this afternoon when it was time to go to the public apparition of Our Lady of Emmitsburg. We arrived at St. Mary’s and I was surprised to see as many people there for the early mass as there was because of the ice. I glanced at my watch as we walked in the church and it said XX:XX:33.

The scheduled altar server did not show up so Fr. M____ asked if C.R.C. would fill in. Mass was very nice and C.R.C. served and both S.C.C. and I were Eucharistic Ministers. By the time mass ended most of the ice had melted but it was going to be a cold, damp day.

We drove home and had a very nice morning and ate breakfast. Later in the day I started thinking about getting ready for today’s apparition. Without paying attention to the time I thought about leaving early enough to stop by St. Joseph’s to pray a rosary before having to be at the Grotto to meet Greg. I drove to St. Joseph’s and looked at my watch as I walked in the church and the time was 1:13.

The noon mass had recently ended and Fr. O’Malley was getting ready to perform a multiple baptism on about 10 or more babies. I stayed in the back row of the church out of the way and prayed the Glorious mysteries of the rosary. When I finished I got up and left and glanced at my watch as I walked out of the church and it said XX:XX:13 (1:32:13). I started my car to leave and go meet Greg and the time on the dash was 1:33.

I arrived at the Grotto and Greg had just arrived. He wanted to follow behind me to the new apparition site but said he needed to stop at the very first gas station because he was flat on empty. This somewhat aggravated me interiorly because I had promised to arrive early enough to help set things up and I thought this was going to make us late. We stopped at the first gas station and Greg filled up. At the instant the pump stopped I suddenly felt the peace. The pump stopped at $21.13.

We arrived at the Lynnfield Event Complex and to everybody's surprise everything was already set up. We did not have to do anything. Mike Sullivan (Gianna’s husband) showed Peter Blanchard and I around and showed us a room where starting next month Gianna will pray over seriously ill people like she used to do at St. Joseph’s. After Mike finished showing us around I suddenly felt the peace. I glanced at my watch and it said XX:XX:33.

The new location was perfect. I could not help but think about how cold and damp the weather was today and this being the first public apparition in a nice, warm, dry building since the last time it was held in St. Joseph’s. Mike Sullivan made a few announcements and the prayer group started at 3:13.

There were well over 300 people there. My co-worker, Frank K led the 3rd decade of the rosary and Our Lady came to Gianna during the 4the decade while my friend Mary G____ was leading the rosary at 3:52 pm. When the apparition ended I thanked Our Lady in prayer for coming while Mary was leading the rosary next to Gianna. At that instant I felt the peace and knew to glance at my watch and it said XX:XX:13

After the rosary Jim O’Brien and Sherry M led the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. That was followed by a few hymns and a final blessing by Fr. Simon Ingler. The prayer group ended and Gianna walked by. As she walked by I felt the peace of knowing she really sees Our Lady. It was so strong I glanced at my watch and the time was 5:13.

As we were leaving I was invited to go to dinner with Mary and Peter Blanchard at the Mountain Gate Restaurant. S.C.C. had already left to go home. Gianna and Mike’s 9 year old daughter, Ann Marie and Jim O’Brien went with us. We arrived at the Mountain Gate and there was a life size Nativity scene set up. The owners were standing there and said the Baby Jesus had just been stolen. The time was 5:33.

We ate dinner and and had a very nice evening. When we finished eating we left when Mary and Peter were ready to go. I drove Jim home and dropped him off and then I stopped by St. Joseph’s on my way home and arrived there at 7:13.

R_____ C___

Dec. 9, 2005

4:33 Pm