Palm Sunday and Public Apparition of Our Lady of Emmitsburg

Sunday April 1, 2007

Sometimes I wonder just how long these events that I experience will last. At this point there is no indication of it slowing down. Sometimes I am overwhelmed when I think about the reality of everything I have witnessed and reported here in Emmitsburg. There are other times I feel tired and exhausted because of it.

At those times all I have to do is think about a few of the things I have been allowed to experience and I regain my strength, especially seeing Jesus in St. Joseph’s June 7/8, 2002 and Seeing Our Lady of Emmitsburg December 8, 2004 and again on May 28, 2006.

This morning the first thing that ran through my mind when I woke up was that Our Lady comes today for the 1st Sunday Prayer Group. As this thought raced through my mind I looked over at the clock and it was the last fraction of a second of 5:33.

S.C.C., C.R.C., Greg and myself went to the 8 AM mass this morning at St. Mary’s. Both S.C.C. and I were scheduled to be Eucharistic Ministers but only one of us was needed because Deacon Robert was there. I sat down and S.C.C. served. The Gospel was Luke’s version of The Passion. It ended and Deacon Robert began the homily. I felt the peace and the time was 8:33.

Mass ended and we came home and had breakfast. Later in the day Greg and I left to go to today’s apparition. S.C.C. took her car because she needed to pick up Gwen L. Greg and I stopped by St. Peter’s Books because I needed to pick up another box of Fr. Al Pehrsson’s CD testimony. We arrived at St. Peter’s and the odometer was 3.3. We picked up the CD’s and as we backed out to leave we instantly met another car with the license plate of 13.

We drove by St. Joseph’s because I wanted to go in and say a few prayers before going to the Lynfield. We arrived and the 12 Noon Palm Sunday mass was just letting out. There was no place to park. I rode around the block once and by the time we returned there were parking spaces. Because of this I glanced at my watch as I walked in the church and the time was 1:13.

I prayed for a few minutes but there was a lot of noise in the church with the after mass socials that seem to plague every parish. I don’t remember it being like that when I was a child. Anyway we left and drove to the Lynfield and I glanced at my watch just as we arrived and the time was 1:33:59.

We set things up for today’s apparition. Last month another benefactor came forward and donated the money to buy another large screen projection TV so both rooms can have the benefit of being able to see Gianna during the apparition. During the time that we were setting up this equipment there were several times I was just suddenly filled with the peace I have been trying to describe for the past nine years. Each time it happened I glanced at my watch and each time it said XX:XX:13 or 33. At one point it was extremely strong and it was at 2:33.

The prayer group began shortly after 3 PM. Mike Sullivan made his usual list of announcements. There were not as many people here this month as last month but it was still crowded. I believe last month was a record breaker and it was estimated to be around 850 people.

The rosary began and I was asked to be a standby to lead the 1st decade because Phil C could not remember if he had assigned that decade to anyone or not. When Mike Sullivan announced the 1st decade and nobody went up to lead it I took over. Our Lady appeared to Gianna during the 3rd decade. I glanced at my watch as the apparition began and it said XX:XX:33. I glanced at it again a few minutes later when Gianna started to repeat Our Lady’s message and again it said XX:XX:33.

After the rosary ended we continued with more prayers. Jim O’Brien led the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. A deacon from the Dioceses of Arlington led the Divine Praises and Fr. Simon Ingler gave the final blessing. There were other priest there that were incognito who were recognized but will remain nameless.

When everything was over we cleaned up. During this process I thought about how wonderful it is to have The Blessed Virgin Mary here with us in such a special way. I also thought about how so many people miss this wonderful opportunity. This caused me to glance at my watch and the time was 5:33.

Just when I thought we had finished cleaning up and it was time to leave I noticed the chairs in the overflow room had not been folded up. I spent the next 15 minutes or so putting them away. When I finished I found Greg and we left.

Gianna Sullivan pulled out in front of us as we were leaving and we followed behind her all the way to Emmitsburg. When she turned off we stopped at St. Joseph’s and arrived there at 6:13. Greg and I sat out in the car and prayed another rosary in thanksgiving for Our Lady’s appearances here in Emmitsburg. We finished the rosary and started the car to leave and the time was 6:33.

R_____ C___

April 8, 2007

8:13 Am