Mother’s Day and 101 Year Fatima Procession at the Grotto of Lourdes, Emmitsburg

May 13, 2018

 

S.C.C. and I had made plans to ride to Emmitsburg for the May 13th Fatima Procession that was scheduled for 11:30 at the Grotto of Lourdes. It was a very rainy day, pouring at times. While we were driving C.R.C. called and said the procession had been changed from 11:30 to 10:30 and would be at the glass chapel. I was supposed to be one of the people carrying Our Lady. I told C.R.C. we had just crossed the bridge into Maryland and would not make it in time. We hung up and I noticed the time on the dash was 10:33.

We arrived and C.R.C. told us the procession was over but the rosary had not yet started in the glass chapel. S.C.C. and I took our seats and a few minutes later the rosary began. We prayed to Glorious Mysteries. When the lady who was leading the rosary finished she immediately went straight into the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and that ended at 11:33.

Mass started and Fr. Daniel was the celebrant. The glass chapel was packed. Fr. Daniel gave a very good and hard hitting homily. He said it would be easier to separate the light from the sun than it would be to separate Jesus from Mary. I know that’s been said before but he said it in a very hard hitting and impactful way. His homily ended and the time was 12:33.

Mass ended and C.R.C. said he would be busy for about 10 minutes or so helping Fr. Daniel after mass so I walked up to the statue of Our Lady of Fatima and glanced at my watch as I arrived there in a light rain and the time was 1:13. I thought about today being the 101st anniversary and I prayed for God’s will to be done as far as a priestly vocation for C.R.C. When I finished praying and was getting ready to leave, I glanced and my watch and the seconds counter said 13.

I walked back to the gift shop thinking I would find S.C.C. and C.R.C. there. I did not see them but I did run into Dr. Michael Sullivan and I wanted to tell him about finding the Miraculous Medal yesterday. (Photo) After I told him what happened Mike asked me if I thought, even after all these many years after the Civil War that this was the time the soldiers souls were entering Heaven. I told Mike “I do think so” because that was exactly what was running through my mind during the rosary and the clear request for prayers.  Mike then said he has been present for over 3000 apparitions of Our Lady and has never received anything. He then said he wondered if me telling him my experiences was meant to give him additional strength. As he said that out loud I glanced at my watch and the time was 1:33:33. I showed Mike my watch and it was still 1:33.

A few minutes later S.C.C. and C.R.C. came walking up and we rode to the Ott House to eat Mother’s Day Dinner. We parked at St. Joseph’s and when we arrived the odometer was the last fraction of a second of 33.

We ate and had a very nice time. We then drove C.R.C. back to work at the Grotto and we all walked up to the statue of Our Lady of Fatima and said a few prayers as a family. We then left and as I stepped out of the boundary of the sanctuary of the Grotto I noticed the time was 3:33. S.C.C. and I drove home and as I walked into the house I noticed the time on the kitchen clock was 6:13:33.

 

R. C.

May 15, 2018

5:13:33 PM