Jesus of Mercy Lay Community Annual Dinner

Sunday October 22, 2006

Sister Genevieve Walsh was the first person to ever tell me about the Jesus of Mercy Lay Community prayer group. She suggested that S.C.C. and I join after we moved here to the Emmitsburg area. We did join and originally we were in Phil and Aileen’s group but after Steve K’s death S.C.C. and I were asked to join Gianna & Mike Sullivans group. It was at the Jesus of Mercy Prayer group that Our Lady appeared to Gianna in our living room this past May 13th.

There are about 7 or 8 groups and each group has 3 or 4 married couples who meet each month at one of the members home for dinner and prayer. The host couple provides the main course and the visiting couples provide the side dishes, bread and wine. Each month the members take turns hosting the prayer group.

Each month the prayer group consist of the rosary and the Liturgy of The Hours followed by dinner. During this time each couple feels free to discuss whatever they would like to discuss. Sometimes some very personal things. Once a year all of the members get together at St. Mary’s for prayers in the church and dinner in the parish hall. Today was the day all of us met at St. Mary’s and this is how it went:

S.C.C., C.R.C. and myself went to the 10:30 mass this morning at St. Mary’s. After mass we came home and did a few things around the house. It was just a normal Sunday morning.

Later in the afternoon S.C.C. and I left to go to the Jesus of Mercy Lay Community prayer group that was scheduled to begin at St. Mary’s at 3 pm. We arrived and people were standing in the vestibule talking. Gianna said we should get started. I glanced at my watch as we all walked in the church and the time was 3:13.

Gianna and Mike started off by making some announcements pertaining to the prayer group. After the announcements Gianna talked about a few things Our Lady had told her back in the early 1990’s at the inception of this prayer group.

While Gianna was talking about what Our Lady had told her I looked up and there was a bright oval of light completely surrounding the statue of St. Joseph with an even brighter circle of light forming a halo around his head. When it ended I glanced at my watch and the time was 3:33:59.

After Gianna finished talking we prayed the Liturgy of The Hours prayers for today followed by the Glorious mysteries of the rosary. S.C.C. had been asked to lead the 4th decade but when her turn came someone else jumped in and took over. I looked at my watch for some reason when this happened and the time was 4:13.

The rosary ended and everybody went downstairs to the parish hall for a covered dish dinner. It was very good and I believe everyone there had a very nice time. When everything was over S.C.C. and I drove home.

A little later in the evening Peter B called wanting to discuss some things with me about Fr. Al Pehrsson’s CD testimony. After we finished talking I needed to run into town to go to the ATM machine. On my way home from the bank I stopped at St. Joseph’s to say a rosary. I looked at my watch as I started the rosary and the time was 8:13:33. I prayed the rosary and looked at my watch again as I finished and kissed the crucifix and the time was 8:33:13.

R_____ C___

Oct. 29 2006

8:33 Pm