Pope Francis
March 13, 2013 - 3-13-13
It has been a very long time since I sat down and wrote a paper describing the events in Emmitsburg. To be exact the last time was July 13, 2008. That is not to say that what I have been experiencing and describing over the years has stopped, it has not. It simply means that during the past five years I felt I had written enough and adding any more would just be saying again what has already been said. But I would like to say now that nothing has changed since The Church completely shut down the prayer group in Emmitsburg and what I started experiencing at St. Joseph’s during the apparition of Our Lady of Emmitsburg continues to this day. She has not left. It still happens every time I arrive in Emmitsburg, I will arrive at St. Joseph’s at 13 or 33 after the hour. The church is always locked but that does not stop me from praying outside sitting in the car. The events of the past week were so extraordinary I felt compelled to sit down and record the events leading up to the election of Pope Francis.
Almost immediately after the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI on February 11th I started experiencing sudden, almost urgent need to pray the rosary for the intention of the election of the new pope. This happened a lot and every time it happened, because it was so sudden and out of the blue I knew to look at my watch and every time it was 13 or 33 after the hour. Mostly 13.
This happened daily and if I was busy with something and thought to myself “I will get to it later” it would happen hours later more urgently than the time before. That was a clear message to me that Our Lady was asking for prayer and I was ignoring Her and I did feel guilty. I would pray my rosary for Her intention of the new pope and every time I finished it was 13 or 33 minutes after the hour. On several occasions it was even more precise because the time would be for example 3:33:13.
On Saturday March 9th I received a phone call from one of my good friends in Emmitsburg. Ivan Pare called to tell me that our friend Ray Beaumont had suffered a massive heart attack and was expected to die anytime. While we were still on the phone Ivan received word from Dr. Joe Ferguson that Ray had indeed died. Ray was one of the strongest supporters of Our Lady of Emmitsburg and always gave Her credit for his return to the sacraments. I asked Ivan to make sure he let me know about the arrangements because I would want to come to his funeral. We hung up and I was suddenly filled with peace. The time on my iPhone in, big bold letters was 9:33.
The next day after mass and taking Holy Communion to Marty Jadgman I went metal detecting for Civil War relics in Madison County on Great Run off Rt. 15. While I was detecting my phone rang and again it was Ivan. Ivan told me the arrangements for Ray were complete and the funeral mass would be held at St. Mary’s in Fairfield on Wednesday March 13th at 10:30. I thanked Ivan and we hung up. The time on my iPhone this time was 3:13.
Without doubt I knew I was being asked to come to Emmitsburg on the 13th by Our Lady. This has happened too many time in the past for me not to recognize it when it happens even years later. There is no mistaking Our Lady’s gentle but clear call. A day or so later I received a phone call from Jim O’Brien in Emmitsburg asking if I was coming to Ray’s funeral. I told him I was. Jim asked if I could pick him up. I said yes and we hung up.
Wednesday morning came and I left to go to Emmitsburg. It was an uneventful ride and there were no delays. Traffic was not too bad. When I arrived I had a few extra minutes so I stopped by St. Joseph’s. I was surprised to find the church unlocked, but it was because they were having a funeral too. I glanced at my watch as I walked into the church for the first time in more than a year and it said XX:XX:13 (HH:MM:SS) (hours/minutes/seconds). I knelt down in the back left pew and prayed for Ray. As I was leaving and genuflected in the isle I suddenly remembered that I had not prayed for the election of the new pope. While knelling in the isle I prayed one simple Hail Mary for the election. I then got up and glanced at my watch as I walked out of the church, it said XX:XX:33.
I drove two blocks and picked up Jim. We rode to St. Mary’s for Ray’s funeral and the church was packed. Everyone loved Ray. During mass while Fr. Mike talked about Ray he publicly said that Ray attributed his return to the church to the work of “The Virgin of Emmitsburg”! Mass ended and there was a covered dish dinner in the parish hall. After that I drove Jim home. I then rode by St. Joseph’s and when I arrived the time was 12:13.
I then rode back to Fairfield to visit Peter Blanchard because I had some extra time. I had an appointment to conduct a mortgage closing in Bealton at 5:30 on my way home. When I left Peter’s house I started driving back to Virginia. Just before I arrived in Frederick I turned the radio on WTOP. They were reporting white smoke at the Vatican. At this point they did not know who the new pope was. About 30 or 40 minutes later they reported the Vatican curtains were moving and we were about to see for the first time the new pope and learn his name. The curtain opened and the new pope was introduced to the world for the first time. The time was 3:13. Even WTOP reported that we learned the name and saw the pope for the first time on March 13th, 2013 at 3:13 EST.
I was filled with joy and amazed that Our Lady called me to Emmitsburg for this great event that corresponds with what I have been reporting for years.
I arrived in Bealton and conducted the Notary Public mortgage closing and then I drove home to Culpeper and pulled in my driveway and the time was 7:13.
RC March 19, 2013 4:13 PM