Our Lady of Emmitsburg’s Public Apparition

January 7, 2007

It was not until just before we left to go to Medjugorje that I realized that we would be back in time for this months public apparition of Our Lady of Emmitsburg because the first Sunday fell a full week into the month of January. When I realized this it made me happy because as much as I love Medjugorje, I love Emmitsburg more.

Sometimes when I think back to Friday July 3, 1998 as I passed through Emmitsburg on my way to Gettysburg and stopped at the Grotto for the very first time, I feel like I was just snatched up off the road and slammed head first into the apparitions of Our Lady of Emmitsburg. I was not looking for this and had never even heard of it. As a result I re-evaluated my life and started making the changes I suddenly knew I needed to make.

The unusual things that started happening to me made me, upon my arrival in Emmitsburg realize there was a supernatural element that I was not in control of. It caused me to experience a peace throughout my entire being that I was not accustomed to.

Three years later when Ted Szymanski talked me into going to Medjugorje for the first time I realized the same things that happened to me in Emmitsburg also happened to me in the same exact way in Medjugorje. Because of this I understood both Emmitsburg and Medjugorje to be of the same source. For me Medjugorje was God’s confirmation of Emmitsburg and vice versa.

This morning S.C.C. and I were suddenly awakened when C.R.C. ran into our room and said something was attacking his cat outside on the deck. As we got up I noticed the time on the clock next to the bed was 5:13.

The cat escaped an apparent fox attack by making his way up the nearest tree in the front yard. Since I was now up for the day I sat down and caught up all of my notes. Later in the morning we left to go to the 10:30 mass. Just as we were getting ready to pull in St. Mary’s parking lot Mike and Gianna Sullivan pulled in just in front of us from the opposite direction. We followed them into the parking lot and their license plate was 13. Fr. Peter was the priest and when mass ended I glanced at my watch as we walked out the door and the time was 11:33:13.

We came home and we did a few things before I left to go to today’s public apparition of Our Lady of Emmitsburg. S.C.C. did not go because she was not feeling well. I left alone and glanced at my watch as I walked out of the door and the time was 12:33.

Like always I stopped at St. Joseph’s on my way to St. Peter’s books to say a few prayers for today’s apparition of Our Lady. At the very instant I arrived at St. Joseph’s a car coming from the opposite direction met me directly in front of the church and it had the license plate of 33.

After I finished praying I drove down the street to St. Peter’s Books. I then left to pick up Ray Sanders who lives next door to St. Joseph’s. Just as I arrived the car parked in front of me had the license plate of 33.

I had to wait a few minutes for Ray and when he got in the car I pulled up and walked in St. Joseph’s and said a few prayers. Fr. O’Malley was there baptizing a baby. I said a few prayers and never looked at my watch until I walked out the door and the time was 1:33. As we pulled out I met another car coming from the opposite direction directly in front of St. Joseph’s and this time the license plate said “Ava Maria”.

Ray and I drove to the Lynfield Event Complex and at the instant we arrived I glanced at my watch and it said XX:XX:13. It was a rainy day. I helped Peter Blanchard set all of the audio/video equipment up and when we finished that a reporter from the Frederick News Post stopped me and started asking questions about the apparitions of Our Lady. After she finished interviewing me I suddenly felt the peace. I glanced at my watch and the time was 2:33:59.

The prayer group began shortly after 3 pm with Mike Sullivan making all of the announcements. After the announcements the rosary was begun. Our Lady came to Gianna after the last Hail Mary of the 4th decade at 3:58 pm. After the apparition was over the last prayers of the decade Our Lady appeared in was completed at 4:13.

After the 5th decade of the rosary Jim O’Brien and Sherry Masser led the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. They always do a very nice job singing the prayer. At the instant the Chaplet was completed I glanced at my watch just as I kissed the crucifix and it said XX:XX:13.

The prayer group continued with Fr. Kieran Kavanaugh O.C.D. leading the Divine Praises and the final blessing was given by Fr. Simon Ingler. There was also another new priest there this month but I don’t know his name. He was a Jesuit. I stood at the door handing out copies of Fr. Al Pehrsson’s CD testimony and when that was completed I glanced at my watch and the time was 5:13.

When everything was over I stayed behind and helped Peter Blanchard put things away and clean up a little. I then left and on my way back to Emmitsburg I decided to stop at St. Joseph’s and pray another rosary.

When I arrived at St. Joseph’s the time on the dash was 6:13. I sat in the car and prayed the Glorious mysteries. When I finished I glanced at my watch and the time was 6:33. I drove home and when I pulled in my driveway the odometer was 13 and the CD flashed 13.

R_____ C___

Jan. 14, 2007

6:13 Pm