Sunday February 4, 2007

There has been a lot of media coverage of the apparitions of Our Lady of Emmitsburg lately. Somehow I ended up being interviewed by The Frederick News Post and that resulted in another interview with the Emmitsburg Dispatch.

The last thing I ever expected was to be interviewed today by Greta Kreuz from ABC station WJLA Channel 7 out of Washington DC. This is the second time Greta Kreuz has interviewed me for Channel 7 news regarding Emmitsburg. The first time was September 14, 2000.

I woke up early this morning and went down stairs and wrote the January 21/22 March for Life paper. I completed the paper and the time was 9:33. S.C.C. called me in for breakfast just as I was finishing up. After breakfast I proof read the paper and noticed an important omission. I made the necessary update and it was then I noticed the time was now 10:13.

S.C.C. had already been to mass last evening and C.R.C. was at Mount St. Mary’s for Mount 2000 And Beyond. Mass ended and I had to meet with Harriet N to discuss some plans for a upcoming Lay Missionary of Charity and I Thirst Movement retreat in March. We finished and when I started my car to leave the time on the dash was 12:13.

I drove home and got things ready to go to today’s public apparition of Our Lady. S.C.C. said she would meet me there. I stopped at St. Joseph’s to pray before going to the apparition. I glanced at my watch as I walked in the church and the time was 1:13:13.

Fr. Steve was there and he was preparing for a baptism for a set of twins named Madison and Mackenzie. During the baptism I stayed in the back of the church and prayed the Glorious mysteries. I finished and glanced at my watch as I walked out the door and the time was 1:33.

I drove down the street and picked up Ray Sanders and we left to go to the Lynfield Event Complex. We arrived and just as I shut the car off I noticed the CD flash 13.

I walked in and was taken by complete surprise when Peter Blanchard came up to me and said Channel 7 New wanted to talk to me. My first though was that I did not want to do this. My second thought was Our Lady wanted me to do this. I glanced at my watch and it said XX:XX:13.

I did the interview and I felt like it went pretty well. Greta Kreuz was the reporter and asked a lot of questions. She is familiar with the apparitions and has reported on them before. Back in 2000 Greta once told me that she came here to report the story and now feels like she is part of the story. She also appeared in the Emmitsburg documentary Unbridled Mercy.

Shortly after the TV interview Mike Sullivan announced that it was time to begin today’s prayer group. When he said that I glanced at my watch and the time was 3:13.

Mike made a lot of announcements. He then said something that stopped me in my tracks. Mike said “Our Lady has recently requested that we offer our rosary intentions today for the special intention of a validation of Our Lady’s presence here in Emmitsburg.” When Mike said that I knew I was hearing something important for the first time. It caused me to glanced down at my watch and the time was 3:33.

The rosary began. Both Channel 7 News and The Frederick News Post were there taking pictures and video. The Frederick News Post was also here last month. The apparition took place in the 4thd decade and during that time I could not help but notice the reporters and the reverence they displayed during Our Lady’s presence. I noticed this several times and each time I glanced at my watch and it said XX:XX:33.

After the rosary was completed we continued with other prayers. Jim O’Brien led the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and that completed at 4:33. Mike Sullivan made a few last announcements and Fr. Joseph McCloskey gave the final blessing.

I stayed behind and helped clean up before leaving. As I was driving back to Emmitsburg I put in a Medjugorje CD and just at that instant the CD flashed 033. I arrived at St. Joseph’s and just at the instant I arrived I met on oncoming car directly in front of the church with the license plate of 33. I sat out in the car and prayed another rosary for Our Lady’s intentions, when I finished I started the car to leave and the time on the dash was 6:13.