First Friday, Saturday and The Public Apparition of Our Lady of Emmitsburg

January 4-6, 2008

First Friday January 4

Today is First Friday and I attended mass this morning at All Saint’s in Manassas. I will skip the rest of the work day until it was almost time to get off in order to keep this months papers at a reasonable length.

I had worked all day long and was ready to leave for the weekend. Right at the very end of the day more work came in and I was obliged to stay and do it. At the very instant I first realized I would not be leaving on time I thought about First Friday Adoration at St. Joseph’s tonight. The thought ran through my mind that this event would put me at St. Joseph’s for adoration at just the time Our Lady wanted me there. This thought was so strong I glanced at my watch and it said XX:XX:13.

I completed the work which took me almost another hour. I then left and I drove back to Emmitsburg and traffic was light for a Friday night. I arrived at St. Joseph’s and the time on the dash was 8:33. I walked in the church and the First Friday Holy Hour had just begun. I glanced at my watch as I genuflected to enter the pew before the exposed Blessed Sacrament and it said 8:13:59.

My intention was to pray another rosary and go home but the Evening Prayers were in progress and the choir was singing Christmas songs between the prayers. I took part in the prayers and songs and when that was over I prayed the Joyful mysteries of the rosary and when I finished I glanced at my watch as I walked out of the door and the time was 9:33.

First Saturday January 5

I attended mass this morning at St. Joseph’s. I then ran errands, did a few things and got coffee at St. Peters. I then stopped by St. Joseph’s and sat outside in the car and prayed the Glorious mysteries of the rosary. When I finished the rosary I started the car to leave and the time on the dash was the last fraction of a second of 11:13.

Later in the day I went metal detecting on a farm near my house. The farm is on the way to Gettysburg. I found a rare Confederate Civil War belt buckle worth close to $1500.00. I could not (and still can’t) believe it.

Sunday January 6

Today is S.C.C.’s 49th birthday. We were both scheduled to be Eucharistic Ministers at the 10:30 mass at St. Mary’s. During mass the consecration took place at 11:13. Mass ended and S.C.C. and I completed our EM duties. I glanced at my watch and it said XX:XX:13.

We came home and later we left to go to today’s public apparition of Our Lady of Emmitsburg. S.C.C. drove her car because I was supposed to give a ride to Jim O’Brien and Ray Sanders. I also needed to stop at St. Peter’s. I stopped at St. Joseph’s on the way but did not go in because the noon mass was still in progress however when I arrived the odometer was 13.3.

After saying a few prayers for today’s apparition I drove to the book store and picked up Jim. Ray ended up riding with someone else. Jim and I drove to the Lynfield and a few minutes after I arrived Mike Sullivan stopped me and asked if I would take pictures of Gianna for Wayne Weible during the apparition today. Mike said the pictures would be for Wayne’s Medjugorje magazine that he publishes. Mike asked me to do this and the time was 2:13.

I helped set everything up. While I was setting things up I noticed how many people were already there. I knew that because of this there would be a large crowd today. This caused me to glance at my watch and the time was 2:33.

The prayer group began shortly after 3 PM. Mike Sullivan introduced the 3 priest who were present to the nearly overflow crowd. Our Lady came during the 4th decade and I took pictures of Gianna while she was seeing Our Lady for Wayne Weible. After the apparition ended we completed the rosary and the Chaplet of Diving Mercy. Wayne Weible then began his talk and at the instant he began to speak I glanced at my watch and it said XX:XX:33.

Wayne gave a good talk on Emmitsburg and Medjugorje. When everything was over I helped clean up and left. I stopped at St. Joseph’s on the way and when I arrived the CD flashed 13.

R_____ C___

January 9, 2008

3:13 Pm