Fr. Jack Spalding Attends The Public Apparition of Our Lady of Emmitsburg

Sunday February 3, 2008

Most people who are familiar with the apparitions of Our Lady of Emmitsburg are aware that the apparitions to Gianna Sullivan began in Scottsdale, Arizona after a trip to Medjugorje. Gianna was not the only person in Scottsdale to see Our Lady, it was also happening to eight other people at St. Maria Goretti Parish starting in 1988.

Fr. Jack Spalding was the pastor of St. Maria Goretti at the time of the apparitions there and he believed in its authenticity. Since 1993 the apparitions have been taking place in Emmitsburg.

There are some people who would like to say the apparitions moved from Scottsdale to Emmitsburg because Fr. Spalding wanted to put a stop to it. This is not true. Fr. Spalding even traveled to Emmitsburg to be present at the Thursday Night Prayer Group at St. Joseph’s after Gianna moved here.

On Sunday February 4, 2008 Fr. Jack Spalding again traveled from Scottsdale to Emmitsburg, this time to be present at Our Lady of Emmitsburg’s public apparition at the Lynfield Event Complex dispelling anyone’s argument that he does not support the apparitions.

S.C.C., C.R.C. and myself attended mass this morning at St. Mary’s in Fairfield. Fr. Mike Messaro was the priest. Mass ended and Fr. Mike blessed throats for St. Blaise day. We then drove home and when we arrived the time on the dash was 9:13.

We ate breakfast and later in the day we got ready to go to today’s public apparition of Our Lady. S.C.C. said she had someplace to go so she took her car and I took mine. C.R.C. went to work at Ski Liberty. I left to go to the apparition and when I got as far as St. Joseph’s the odometer was 3.3.

I said a few prayers and then stopped by St. Peter’s books to pick up Ray Sanders who had earlier asked for a ride. I had a coffee and then Ray and I rode to the Lynfield. After we arrived I was introduced to Anne Pryor who is preparing a report for Congress on the subject of Marian Apparitions. I agreed to be interviewed by her and as I went back out to my car to get some information for her I glanced at my watch and the time was 2:13.

We scheduled our interview for Monday February 11th. A few minutes later Mike Sullivan made the announcements and the prayer group began. Our Lady came during the 4th decade of the rosary. The apparition ended and the rosary resumed and the decade Our Lady appeared in ended at 4:13.

Jim O’Brien then led the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and upon completion of that I glanced at my watch and it said XX:XX:33.

Mike Sullivan then introduced Fr. Jack Spalding. Fr. Jack gave a very nice talk on Mercy and people were thrilled that he traveled from Arizona just to be here. It was special and dispelled any notion that he no longer supports the apparitions of Our Lady.

When Fr. Spalding completed his talk the final blessing was given by Fr. Kiernan Kavanaugh. When everything was over I drove back to Emmitsburg and stopped at St. Joseph’s just to say a quick thank you prayer. As the car came to a complete stop I glanced at my watch and it said XX:XX:33.

R_____ C___

February 22, 2008

12:33 Pm