First Friday, Saturday & Public Apparition of Our Lady of Emmitsburg

and Fr. Philip Romano OFM Cap

August 3-5, 2007

First Friday August 3

I got up very early this morning so I could go to my 5 AM adoration at the House of Studies next to St. Mary’s. After I arrived and while I was praying I felt a very strong feeling of peace run through me. At that instant I thought about the possibility of Our Lady appearing at our house again when we host the next Jesus of Mercy prayer group on August 19th. This thought was so sudden I glanced at my watch and it said XX:XX:33. A little while later the same exact thing happened so I glanced at my watch and the time was now 5:33.

During adoration I prayed the Sorrowful mysteries of the rosary and I also read a paper about The Crucifixion. When adoration ended I drove home before leaving for work. I had every intention of going to the noon mass at All Saint’s but changed my mind and drove to the Basilica for the 7 AM mass. I arrived at the Basilica and the odometer was 33 and just as the car came to a complete stop the CD flashed 33.

There were two priest who celebrated mass who I have never seen before. It is good that they are here because Fr. Steve is having back problems and getting ready for surgery. I received Holy Communion and just as I returned to my seat and knelt down I glanced at my watch and it said XX:XX:13. Mass ended at 7:33.

I drove to work and later in the day I rode across the street to pray the rosary. I arrived and completely forgot about the noon mass being in progress. Because of this I sat out in the parking lot and caught up all of my notes. Just as I finished the notes mass ended so I went in the chapel and glanced at my watch as I started the rosary and the time was 12:33.

I prayed the Glorious and Joyful mysteries and when I finished I left. As I exited the chapel door I noticed the only car parked near mine had the license plate of 33. I started the car to leave and the time on the dash was 1:13.

I returned to work and it became fairly busy. I finished all of my work but my co-worker still had more to do. I told him I was willing to stay and help him but he said he was almost finished so I left. I glanced at my watch as I was leaving and the time was 5:33.

I drove back to Emmitsburg and I stopped at St. Joseph’s to say a prayer or two. As I arrived I noticed there was only one car parked there and it had the license plate of 33. I said a few prayers and left to go to Joe F’s house for our Men’s Prayer Group. I arrived and glanced at my watch as the car came to a complete stop and it said XX:XX:13. After the prayer group I went home and went to bed.

First Saturday August 4

On First Saturday’s we have our monthly LMC meeting following the 8 AM mass at St. Mary’s. S.C.C. and I attended and the mass ended at 8:33. We then had our meeting. When the LMC meeting was over our group went back into the main part of the church and prayed the Joyful mysteries of the rosary. When the rosary ended everyone left except for me. I stayed in the church because I wanted to continue to pray especially for the events that happen to me because if I don’t pray I won’t have the strength to continue. I sat in the church and prayed both the Glorious and Luminous mysteries. When I finished I glanced at my watch and the time was 11:33.

I rode to St. Peter’s Book store and had a cup of coffee. The weather was so hot and humid that I was not able to find the motivation to do other things that I needed to do. While I was in the store Fr. Philip Romano OFM Cap arrived from New York for tomorrows apparition of Our Lady.

Fr. Philip has been here before but it has been a while. Fr. Philip is known because he receives locutions and apparitions from St. Raphael the Arch Angel. Fr Philip is also gifted with the ability to hear God tell him a scripture reading that He would like to give to a specific person.

I sat in St. Peter’s and Fr. Philip and I talked for a good while. It was a very enjoyable afternoon. Later as I was getting ready to leave another person named Mike who drove Fr. Philip down from New York asked Fr. Philip if God had a scripture reading for me. At this point Fr. Philip bowed his head in prayer for a few moments. He then looked at me and said, “You are very disappointed with the reaction of some priest that you have tried so hard to reveal the truth.” Fr. Philip then picked up a bible that was sitting on the table and opened it at random. He then picked up a piece of paper and wrote down a scripture reading and said to me “This is not from me, It is from God.” He handed me the piece of paper which simply said: 8/4/07 Rxxxxx Cxxx Hosea 5:1-7 Guilt of the Leaders” I glanced at my watch and the time was 3:33.

-Guilt of The Leaders-

Hear this, O priests, Pay attention, O house of Israel, O household of the king, give ear! It is you who are called to judgment. For you have become a snare at Mizpah, and a net spread upon Tabor.

In their perversity they have sunk into wickedness, and I am rejected by them all.

I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from me; Now Ephraim has played the harlot, Israel is defiled.

Their deeds do not allow them to return to their God; For the spirit of harlotry is in them, and they do not recognize the LORD.

The arrogance of Israel bears witness against him; Ephraim stumbles in his guilt, and Judah stumbles with them.

With their flocks and their herds they shall go to seek the LORD, but they shall not find him; he has withdrawn himself from them.

They have been untrue to the LORD, for they have begotten illegitimate children; Now shall the new moon devour them together with their fields.

This reading and the words Fr. Philip spoke to me just seconds before opening the bible to this reading and the time of 3:33 struck me as almost astounding as my mind went straight back to several instances where I found myself defending the apparitions of Our Lady by telling nothing but the truth to several priest who staunchly oppose the apparitions.

I then left St. Peter’s and both Jim O’Brien and I rode out to the Emmitsburg Antique Mall just to look around for a while. When we finished I drove Jim back to his apartment and then I stopped by St. Joseph’s just to say a quick prayer. As I arrived at St. Josephs I was filled with peace as I met an oncoming car directly in front of the church with the license plate of 013. I looked at the time on the dash and the time was 4:33. I glanced at my watch and the time was 4:33:00. As I sat there and prayed for a few minutes I noticed the car parked next to me had the license plate of 13.

I drove home and S.C.C., C.R.C. and myself went to the 5:30 mass at St. Mary’s. Fr. Mike said he was going to give a short homily because he wanted to give time to Sr. Thelma Stigert to explain an icon she had painted of The Transfiguration which will be hung in the adoration chapel later this week.

After Holy Communion Fr. Mike asked everybody to sit down so Sr. Thelma could speak. I glanced at my watch as we sat down and the time was 6:13:59. She explained all of the symbolism in the icon and it was very beautiful. When she finished speaking Fr. Mike said “The mass is ended” and I looked at my watch as we were leaving and the time was 6:33.

Sunday August 5

Today is the public apparition of Our Lady of Emmitsburg. August 5th is also the day that one of the visionaries in Medjugorje said that Our Lady revealed that Her actual birth was on August 5th and not on September 8th when the church celebrates it.

When I left to go to the apparition I stopped by St. Joseph’s to pray. At the instant I arrived at St. Joseph’s the odometer switched to 33. At the instant the car came to a complete stop the CD flashed 33. I prayed and when I finished I glanced over at the CD as I was pulling out and it flashed 333.

I then stopped by St. Peter’s and had a coke. Jim O’Brien was there and asked for a ride to the Lynfield. A little later Jim and I left and stopped to pick up Ray Sanders who had also asked for a ride. We rode to the Lynfield Event Complex and as we arrived I noticed the CD flash 13.

I did my usual setup of the video equipment along with Peter B and Jim T. While I was doing that I was suddenly struck with a strong feeling of peace and a interior knowledge that something was special about the message Our Lady would give today. It was so strong I glanced at my watch and the time was 2:13.

The prayer group began shortly after 3 PM to a overflow crowd. There were at least 700 people there and not enough chairs to go around. There were four priest present, Fr. Kieran Kavanaugh, Fr. Joseph McCloskey, Fr. Philip Romano and a priest from Nigeria whose name I do not know but he has been here before. After all of the announcements the rosary began and as it did I glanced at my watch and it said XX:XX:33.

Our Lady came during the 4th decade and I glanced at my watch and it said 4:03. The apparition ended and the time was 4:16 and I did think the message was very special as I had earlier thought. The rosary continued and just before it ended I again felt a strong feeling of peace. This caused to glance at my watch and it said XX:XX:33.

Upon completion of the rosary the priest from Nigeria chanted the Divine Praises and Fr. Philip Romano gave the final blessing. When everything was over Bob F (who is the other person who experiences exactly the same thing I do) came up to me and asked if I noticed the apparition today was 13 minutes long. I had not. Bob then said according to his watch the apparition started at 4:00 and ended at 4:13. My watch said 4:03 and ended at 4:16 but he was right the actual apparition lasted 13 minutes.

I helped clean up and take down the video equipment. Both Jim and Ray found other rides home. After I finished cleaning up Fr. Philip Romano came up to me and told me that he would be sending me something in the mail and it would be a private message for me from St. Raphael The Arch Angel. I did not know exactly what to say. I then left and as I was pulling out I met a van with the license plate of 013.

I had to stop on my way home by Cozy’s restaurant to pick up some cooked vegetables because S.C.C. and I have been invited to Peter and Mary Blanchard’s house for dinner. We had a very nice time and during this dinner we discussed a new book Peter is writing called the Encyclicle Insights on Our Lady of Emmitsburg. When everything was over at Peter and Mary’s house S.C.C. and I got in the car to go home. When I started it the time on the dash was 10:33.

R_____ C___

August 12, 2007

6:33 Pm