Fr. ______  Gives the LMC and ITM a Retreat

Saturday March 15, 2008

Several weeks ago Fr. ______asked me if I would be willing to go before a group of seminarians at Mount St. Mary’s on April 7th and talk about the Lay Missionaries of Charity. At the same time he also asked Karen Major if she would be willing to represent the I Thirst Movement before the same class. Both of us accepted and told Fr. _____ we would be happy to do it.

Fr. ______ then said he would be willing to give a small one day retreat for all of the LMC and I Thirst members. That retreat was scheduled for today and this is how it went.

Before going to the retreat this morning I had to get S.C.C. to follow me to Wal-Mart so I could get new tires on my car before leaving for "hometown" later this afternoon. S.C.C. did not go to the retreat because she said she had a lot of things she needed to do. After dropping my car off a Wal-Mart S.C.C. dropped me off at St. ___’s Parish in ________ for the retreat.

The retreat began at 9 AM with mass. I don’t really know how to describe it but during this mass I continually felt a tangible feeling of peace. It seemed special. At the consecration I inadvertently just happened to notice my watch without thinking about glancing at it and the time was 9:13:59.

When mass ended Fr. ______gave a good talk before exposing the Blessed Sacrament while he heard confessions. During adoration everybody was in quiet prayer and Dolly K unexpectedly started the Sorrowful mysteries of the rosary. I picked up my rosary and started to pray too. I glanced at my watch and the time was 10:13. Just then someone stopped Dolly and the rosary never got past the first few prayers. I did not know why. I continued the rosary Dolly had started and glanced at my watch as I finished and kissed the Crucifix and the time was 10:33.

After completing the rosary I continued to just pray before the Blessed Sacrament. At one point during my prayer I was suddenly struck very strongly that I should tell Fr. ___ about seeing Our Lady of Emmitsburg on December 8, 2004. This thought was so sudden and strong I knew to glance at my watch and it said XX:XX:33.

I avoided the thought and during my prayer I simply told God that if You want it to happen I will need the strength that only He can give to give me the courage to do so and left it at that.

At this point I found myself last in line to go to confession. When my turn came I went into the confessional room and confessed my sins. Fr. ______ and I talked for a while and then suddenly I found the strength I needed to confide to Fr. _____ the events of December 8, 2004 when I saw Our Lady of Emmitsburg. It was easy telling him about it. When we finished I walked out and it was at that time Dolly K started the rosary again after the last person (me) had been to confession. I glanced at my watch and the time was 11:33.

After the rosary was finished we went into the parish hall for lunch. When we finished that Mick Major said he would drive me back to Wal-Mart to pick up my car. We left and the time was 1:13

Monday April 7, 2008

On Monday April 7 we did give the LMC and I Thirst presentation to the seminarians at Mount St. Mary’s. We were supposed to meet Fr.______ at the entrance of St. Bernard’s chapel at 11:05. Fr. ______ was a few minutes late and met us at 11:13. I glanced at my watch as we walked in the classroom door to give the presentation and the time was 11:13:33. We gave the talk and when we finished the time was 12:33.

R_____ C___

April 13, 2008

4:13 Pm