Steve K’s Sudden Death, First Friday & Saturday, Public Apparition of Our Lady

Steve has been a good friend to our family and tutored C.R.C. when he was having some problems with algebra. It would not be possible for me to write this paper with out going back a few days to when I first learned of his sudden death.

December 30, 2005

I was sitting at my desk working when my phone rang. It was Sherry M. Sherry asked me if I had heard about Steve K. I told her I had not. Sherry then told me that Steve had been killed this morning in a single car accident on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. I was stunned when I received this news and looked down at my watch as Sherry was telling me about this and the time was 1:13.

I immediately had the urge to get up and go across the street to All Saint’s to pray for Steve but I had to wait until the computer job I was running completed before I could leave. A few minutes later it finished and I then left to take my lunch break and go to All Saints and pray the rosary for Steve.

I arrived and glanced at my watch as I walked in the chapel door and the time was 1:33. As I genuflected to enter the pew I felt the strong feeling of peace hit me so I glanced at my watch and the time was now 1:33:33.

I prayed both the Sorrowful and Glorious mysteries for Steve and his wife Dolly. While praying the rosary I had many fond and vivid memories of Steve and the unwavering support he gave for Our Lady of Emmitsburg. When I finished the rosary I glanced down at my watch and the time was 2:13.

The Week Leading up to Steve’s Funeral  

It was an entire week from the time of Steve’s death until the time of his funeral because of all of the arrangements that needed to be made. Dolly also wanted to give extra time because there were many people who had to make a very long trip to get here. We cancelled our monthly Lay Missionary of Charity meeting because of Steve’s funeral and decided that the LMC members would stay in St. Mary’s throughout the entire night with Steve’s body to pray for him. Each LMC member took a 1 ½ hour shift.

First Friday January 6, 2006

I woke up this morning thinking about how busy this weekend would be with Steve’s funeral and the public apparition of Our Lady on Sunday. As these thoughts ran through my mind I looked over at the clock as I was getting up and the time was 5:13.

Today is also S.C.C.’s 47^th birthday and C.R.C. and I gave her a birthday present before I left for work and he left for school. We also told S.C.C. that we would take her out to dinner tonight. I then left for work and stopped at St. Joseph’s on the way to say a few prayers and arrived there at 6:33. I prayed for a few minutes and just as I finished and pulled out the CD flashed 33.

I drove to Manassas and while I was sitting at a traffic light I noticed in my rearview mirror someone leaning forward to read my bumper sticker that says “1 Abortion = 2 Deaths - Your Baby And Your Soul - Do The Math”. When the person finished reading it I could see a look of disgust on their face. At that instant I felt the peace and as I looked down I noticed the time on the dash was 8:13.

I continued my drive to All Saint’s for daily mass before going to work. I arrived and walked in the church. Mass began at 8:33. Fr. Hudgins was the priest. The daily mass was longer than usual because it was the children’s mass for All Saint’s school. Mass ended and when I started my car to leave the time on the dash was 9:13.

I then drove across the street to work. Later in the day Frank K came up to me asking to go to All Saint’s to pray the rosary. I looked at my watch as we walked out of the door and the time was 12:13. We drove across the street to the church and just as the car came to a complete stop the CD flashed 13. I prayed the rosary and left. As I was leaving I glanced at my watch and it said XX:XX:33.

I returned to work and had made prior arrangements to leave a little early because of Steve K’s wake at St. Mary’s tonight. I left work around 4 pm and while I was driving home Phil C called. While we were talking I mentioned to him that all of the LMC’s had signed up for a 1 ½ hour shift tonight after the wake. I also told him the only time slot that had not yet been filled was from 1:30 to 3:00 am. We hung up and a few minutes later Phil’s wife, Aileen called me back and said she would take that time slot. I suddenly felt the peace and noticed the time on the dash was 4:33.

I arrived home and S.C.C., C.R.C. and myself got ready to go to St. Mary’s for the wake. We arrived and I glanced at my watch as we walked in the door and the time was 7:33. Steve’s wife Dolly was looking good considering all she has been through this week. We stayed for a while and then left to take S.C.C. out for her birthday dinner.

We ate at Dave and Jane’s Restaurant and had a very nice time. As we finished and pulled out of the restaurant parking lot I suddenly felt the peace of knowing Our Lady was with us every step of the way. As this thought crashed through my mind I glanced at my watch and the time was 9:13:13.

We drove home and S.C.C. got ready to go back to St. Mary’s to take her 1 ½ hour shift from 10:30 till midnight praying for Steve. I left to go to St. Joseph’s and pray the rosary because of First Friday adoration. I arrived at St. Josephs and glanced at my watch as I walked in the church and it said XX:XX:33. I prayed the Sorrowful and Glorious mysteries before the Blessed Sacrament. At the instant I finished the rosary and kissed the Crucifix I glanced at my watch and it again said XX:XX:33. I got up to leave and looked at my watch as I walked out the door and the time was 10:33.

First Saturday January 7, 2006

I drove home and tried to get some sleep on the living room sofa before having to get up to take my shift praying for Steve at St. Mary’s from 4:30 to 6:00 am. I don’t think I ever fell asleep and I got up to turn the alarm clock off before it went off. The time on the clock caught me by complete surprise. It was 4:13.

I got ready and glanced at my watch as I was leaving the house and it said XX:XX:13. I arrived at St. Mary’s and glanced at my watch as I walked in the church and it now said XX:XX:33. I relieved Phil C who was there for the 3:00 to 4:30 shift. We prayed the Chaplet of Divine Mercy together before he left. I continued to pray for Steve after Phil left and I was relieved at 6:00 am by Jan F and Karen M. I then rode back to St. Joseph’s for adoration and arrived at 6:13.

I continued to pray for Steve by praying the Joyful mysteries of the rosary. Despite the fact that I was tired, the feeling of peace was very strong. When I finished I drove home and just as I shut the car off the CD flashed 33.

Later in the morning we left to attend Steve’s 11 am funeral at St. Mary’s. We arrived and the parking lot was jammed full. Every slot was taken and people were now making their own parking space anywhere they could. After I finally managed to wedge my car in a place that was never intended for parking, I suddenly felt the peace. I looked up and the CD flashed 033. I glanced at my watch and it said XX:XX:13.

The mass was very nice. Fr. Mike Messaro was the priest along with 3 others and a deacon. Gianna Sullivan was one of the readers. During mass I suddenly started thinking about the Lay Missioniaries of Charity spending the entire night in prayer at St. Mary’s with Steve’s body. At that instant I had a very vivid thought of Bl. Mother Teresa. Just at the instant I finished thinking about this the choir started singing the offertory hymn, Hosea. A old woman who was sitting next to me opened her song book to the page and held it where I could see it too. The page was marked with a picture of Bl. Mother Teresa. I was stunned, I glanced down at my watch and the time was 11:33.

Mass ended and we got ready for the funeral procession to St. Mary’s cemetery which is about a mile and a half away. At the instant I started the car the CD flashed 33. I followed the car in front of me which had a Vermont license plate of 13. We arrived at the cemetery and I glanced at my watch and it said XX:XX:13.

Fr Messaro did a wonderful job and said St. Mary’s will never be the same without Steve. There were full military honors conducted by the Navy. The funeral ended and I got in my car to leave and the time on the dash was 1:13.

I drove back to St. Mary’s but I did not stay for the dinner that was being held in the parish hall. I said good by to a few people and left. I drove to St. Peter’s Books and stopped at St. Joseph’s on the way. When I arrived at St. Joseph’s the odometer was 33. I did not go in. I then arrived at St. Peter’s and arrived there at 2:13.

I had coffee and talked to Peter for a while about the new Foundation of the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart that has been formed. Without paying any attention to the time whatsoever I left and drove to St. Joseph’s to pray the rosary. I arrived and the time was 3:13.

I prayed the Luminous mysteries and just as I finished the rosary I walked over and got in the confession line. It was at that instant the feeling of peace hit me. I glanced at my watch and the time was 3:33. I went to confession and then prayed my penance. I then left and just as I was pulling out I met a car coming from the opposite direction with the license plate of 333.

Sunday January 8, 2006

Today was not a very good day. I was very tired and not in the best mood. This caused me to to be somewhat angry towards S.C.C. for reasons that I won’t discuss here other than to say I was wrong and now needed to go to confession again.

On days where Our Lady of Emmitsburg comes the occurrences of what happens to me is very high. This was not the case today and I am 100% sure it was because of my bad behavior towards S.C.C..

S.C.C. left to go to the apparition of Our Lady and stopped to pick up Gwen L on the way. I left to go pick up Jim O’Brien at St. Peter’s books. At the instant I started my car to leave the time on the dash was 1:33 and the odometer was 1.3. I glanced at my watch and it said XX:XX:13. I stopped at St. Joseph’s to say a quick prayer before picking up Jim.

I said a few prayers and left to go pick up Jim. We arrived at the Lynfield Event Complex and I glanced at my watch as the car came to a complete stop and it said XX:XX:13 and that’s just about where it stopped.

Throughout the entire prayer service and apparition I was never struck with a feeling of peace and I knew it was because of the argument I picked with S.C.C. this morning. When everything was over I drove Jim back to his apartment and I stopped at St. Joseph’s. I prayed and glanced at my watch as I left and it said XX:XX:13.

January 16, 2006

10:33 Pm