I Have Told Gianna Sullivan Everything

First Friday October 6, 2006

Deep down in my heart I have known for years that this day would come. I did not know how, when or anything like that. I did not concern myself with it either. I just trusted in God to handle it the way He saw fit. There is no other way to deal with a situation such as this.

Despite the fact that I have known this was coming for years I did not actually see it start to unfold until the evening of July 2nd. That was the night Dr. Thomas Petrisko asked me how I first came to Emmitsburg and I explained it to him in the presence of Mike and Gianna Sullivan over at Peter and Mary Blanchard’s house.

Since that time Gianna and I have talked about getting together at some point in the near future and discussing what I have been experiencing since my first time at The Thursday Night Prayer Group back in 1998 at St. Joseph’s in Emmitsburg.

Months went by and I left to go to the “I Thirst Movememt” retreat in Tijuana, Mexico and while I was there I had a long talk with Fr. _______ ______ MC who is fully aware of what I have been experiencing. This is what I said in the September 5, 2006 paper describing this event:

Fr. _______ then asked me if I remembered the very first thing he said to me tonight when I first entered the confessional and sat down. He then repeated what he said which was “The time is now.” He then explained to me that it is time for me to tell Gianna EVERYTHING.

This stunned me beyond belief because he had no idea that I have been planning on doing this for the past several months. It gave me strength. Fr. _______ then said what I have been experiencing and written about is an important part of the events in Emmitsburg and the time has come to share them and bring it out into the open. He then said that he includes Gianna Sullivan in each and every one of his masses and from here on out he was including me and my family as well.

Thursday October 5

S.C.C. called me at work and said that she had talked to Gianna at the Mission of Mercy site this morning. Gianna asked S.C.C. if it would be possible that we get together tomorrow and talk about this before she and Mike leave for Rome. I told S.C.C. to tell Gianna that would be fine with me. Later that evening after I returned home from work Gianna called and wanted to know if we could meet and talk tomorrow at 2 o’clock. I said yes. When Gianna called I looked at my watch and the time was 6:33.

First Friday October 6

I had my regular Friday, 5am adoration this morning at the Missionaries House of Studies. During this time before the Blessed Sacrament I prayed about my meeting with Gianna this afternoon. I prayed the Sorrowful mysteries of the rosary. When adoration ended I drove home and pulled in my driveway and the time on the dash was 6:13.

When I arrived home S.C.C. was sitting in the living room because C.R.C. had just left to go to school. We had a cup of coffee and talked for a while. While I was sitting there I looked over and noticed the picture of The Risen Christ statue that Fr. Al Pehrsson C.M. took over in Medjugorje. At the instant my eyes made contact with it I felt the sudden feeling of peace. I glanced at my watch and the time was 6:33.

Later in the morning I got ready to go to 8:30 mass at St. Joseph’s. I looked at my watch as I finished getting ready and the time was 8:13. I left the house and got caught in a huge 20 minute delay because of bridge construction. I looked at my watch as I realized I was going to miss the 8:30 mass and it said XX:XX:33.

When traffic finally got through this construction delay I drove to McDonnald’s and picked up breakfast for both S.C.C. and myself. While I was sitting in the drive-through line I thought about today being the day I would talk to Gianna and I knew I needed to pray about it. Just then the cashier handed me my change of $1.33.

I then stopped by St. Joseph’s on the way home and when I arrived the odometer was 3.3. I did not go in because mass was still in progress. I sat outside and prayed about my meeting with Gianna later today. At the instant I finished praying I looked up and noticed the CD flash 033. I drove home and when I arrived the odometer was 3.3.

After breakfast I sat down to get a few things ready for Gianna’s visit today. I knew I needed to continue to pray. I felt a little nervous because I really did not know how to even begin. I almost felt like a fool to myself, however I knew that everything I was going to say would be the truth and that knowledge caused a feeling of peace. I looked at my watch and the time was 9:13.

I had a million things running through my mind. I wondered how Gianna would react to what I had to say. After many interruptions I finished putting together a complete copy of all of my papers to give to Gianna. At the instant I finished I felt the peace and so I glanced at my watch and the time was 11:13:59.

As of that instant I was no longer nervous and I was at peace. I knew Our Lady was there. I felt like I was prepared to talk to Gianna and a little later I left to go to the noon mass at the Grotto of Lourdes. I stopped at St. Joseph’s on the way I said some more prayers about our meeting. At the instant I completed my prayers I glanced at my watch and it said XX:XX:13, as I looked up the CD flashed 013 and as I pulled out the odometer switched to 13.3.

I drove to the Grotto and just as I shut the car off the CD flashed 133. I attended mass and Fr. Jack Lombardi was the priest. I received Holy Communion and at the instant I returned to my pew I felt the peace. I glanced at my watch and it said XX:XX:13. Mass ended and Fr. Jack said he would hear confessions. I knew I needed to go, I glanced at my watch and it said XX:XX:33. I went to confession and then I left. As I started the car to leave the CD again flashed 133.

I still felt the need to pray about today's meeting so I stopped at St. Joseph’s on the way home. I walked in the church and looked at my watch as I started the rosary and the time was 1:13. I prayed the Glorious mysteries. When I finished I looked at my watch as I walked out of the church and the time was now 1:33:13. I started the car to leave and the CD flashed 033 and there was a car parked in front of the church that was not there when I arrived and it had the license plate of 33. I drove home and just as the car came to a complete stop it said XX:XX:33.

I went in the house and Gianna was supposed to arrive at 2 pm. About 2:10 Gianna called and said she was running late because she was caught behind some fire trucks. About 10 minutes later Gianna arrived. Gianna, S.C.C. and myself sat in the living room and I told her EVERYTHING I possibly could over the next 2 hours.

There is no way I could tell her everything that I have experienced in that amount of time so I also gave her a copy of the complete set of papers that I have written over the past 8 years. I told her about the two times I have personally seen Our Lady of Emmitsburg and she received this news very well. It was the part I dreaded the most.

When we finished Gianna left and I have to say that it went very well. I was a little surprised by the fact that during this time there were absolutely no occurrences of 13, 33 or 333 as I would have expected it to happen. Not one. The best way I can describe the lack of this is: It was like silence. About an hour or so after Gianna left I was walking to the mail box in the rain and SUDDENLY I felt the peace and knew I had done the right thing. I glanced at my watch and it said XX:XX:33.

I went back in the house and I felt physically exhausted. I went to sleep and did not get up until the next morning. I looked over at the clock next to the bed and the time was 7:33.

R_____ C___

Oct. 15, 2006

8:33 Pm