Holy Week & Easter Sunday 2019
Palm Sunday April 14, 2019
The last remaining visual remnant of The Thursday Night Prayer Group in Emmitsburg is The Eucharistic Prayer Group for Peace and Unity. It is held the 2nd Sunday of every month at St. Mary’s in Fairfield, Pennsylvania just across the border from Emmitsburg. This month it just happened to be Palm Sunday.
Attendance is poor but the determination of the few people present to continue the work of Our Lady is strong. I have written papers about this prayer group in the past but it has been a while. I think it is time to write another one to show that what started at St. Joseph’s during the Thursday Night Prayer Group concerning the 13’s , 33’s and 333’s continues to this day after more than 20 years and has shown no indication of stopping. Our Lady has said on numerous occasions that she is NOT leaving. For whatever reason Our Lady has made that abundantly clear to me so I feel it’s my responsibility to share that with you.
I decided to attend the 12 noon mass at the Grotto of Lourdes today. I drove to Emmitsburg and it was a light rain most of the way. I arrived in Emmitsburg and stopped first at St. Joseph’s. When I arrived there was a car parked in front of the church and it had the license plate of 13. I said a few prayers and left to go to the Grotto for mass. I saw C.R.C. and gave him some Easter candy from S.C.C..
Mass started and was in the Glass Chapel and during Holy Communion I saw Brother Paschal O’Brien. I then assumed that he was not going to the prayer group today because he always calls me asking for a ride. He had not called so I did not think he was going. Mass ended and I decided to stop by the statue of Our Lady of Fatima before leaving. It was now raining harder and as I arrived at the statue of Our Lady I glanced at my watch and the time was 1:33.
I said a few prayers for C.R.C. and then left to go pick up Raymond Sanders at St. Joseph’s. I arrived at St. Joseph’s and the car that was there earlier with the license plate of 13 had been replaced in the exact spot with another car with the license plate of 33.
I picked up Raymond and we started driving to St. Mary’s. We were already on Tract Rd when my phone rang and it was Brother Paschal asking if we were going to pick him up to go the prayer group. I told Brother Paschal that since he did not call I assumed he was not going this month. Anyway we turned around and rode back to Emmitsburg and picked him up. We then rode to St. Mary’s and only because we had to turn around to pick up Brother Paschal we arrived and the odometer was 33.
I walked in St. Mary’s and I just happened to notice my watch as I dipped my finger in the holy water and the time was 2:13:00. Again I just happened to notice that as I genuflected to enter my pew it said 2:13:13.
The prayer group began and like always Mike Sullivan gave a good talk. We prayed the Sorrowful mysteries of the rosary followed by several Marian consecrations. Mike then called me up to lead the Chaplet of Divine Mercy before the exposed Blessed Sacrament. Just as I finished the Chaplet I glanced at my watch and the time was 3:33:59.
After the prayer group ended Mike Sullivan, George Coval, Brother Paschal and Raymond Sanders and I went to Taverna’s for dinner. During that time we discussed the upcoming Face Book page “Our Lady of Emmitsburg 2019 & Beyond”. After that we left and I drove Brother Paschal and Raymond home. I then stopped at St. Josephs and prayed the Luminous Mysteries for C.R.C.. I finished the rosary and glanced at my watch and the time was 6:13. I started the car to leave and the time on the dash was the last fraction of a second of 6:13. I then drove home and pulled in my driveway at 8:33.
Tuesday April 16
I am currently reading a book In Sinue Jesu by an anonymous Benedictine monk that C.R.C. gave me. I sat down late in the evening to read a few more entries . It was the entry of January 17, 2008. In this entry Jesus requested that his priest friend was to read the Gospel of John chapters 13-17 every Thursday. Since I was reading this I felt like I should also read John 13-17. I put down the book and I picked up my bible and read the requested chapters. When I finished I went back to the book In Sinue Jesu and finished the January 17, 2008 entry. I then glanced at my watch and the time was 10:33.
Holy Thursday April 18, 2019
I was sitting at the kitchen table this morning and thought about riding to Emmitsburg today to pray the entire rosary for Holy Thursday as I have done many years in the past. I looked up as this thought ran through my mind and the time on the kitchen clock was 6:33.
I did go to Emmitsburg and the first place I stopped was St. Joseph’s. I arrived and the time was 11:33. Sadly even on Holy Thursday the church is locked so I sat in the car and prayed the Joyful mysteries. I then continued with the Sorrowful mysteries as I walked around the church on the sidewalk. I finished the rosary and glanced at my watch and the time was 12:13.
I got back in the car and drove to the Grotto of Lourdes and when I arrived the odometer was 3.3. I walked directly to the statue of Our Lady of Fatima and glanced at my watch as I arrived and the time was 12:33. I completed the rosary by praying the Glorious and Luminous mysteries and at the very instant I finished and kissed the crucifix I glanced at my watch and the time was 1:13:33.
I then took a short walk through the Grotto. I ran into some of C.R.C.’s co-workers and they stopped to talk. They spoke very highly of C.R.C.. I then left and went back to my car to leave. I was pulling out when SUDDENLY I felt like I SHOULD NOT leave yet. I turned around in the parking lot and re-parked and at that instant the clock on the dash switched to 1:33.
This time I took the entire walk through the Grotto and as I was finishing up I ran into C.R.C. and we stopped and talked for a little while. He introduced me to a contractor named John who said he has had some profound experiences at the Grotto. I then left and I pulled out of the Grotto just as the clock on the dash switched to 2:13.
I started driving home and on the way I stopped at St. John the Apostle in Leesburg because I have never been in the new church. I arrived and the time was 3:13. I prayed for a little while and glanced at my watch as I walked out the door and the time was 3:33. I continued my drive home and pulled in my driveway at 5:33.
Later in the evening S.C.C. and I went to the Mass of the Last Supper at <Home Parish> in <Home Town>. The mass ended and Fr. Kevin announced that there would be Exposition of The Blessed Sacrament. He also said that at the top of each hour during Exposition the Gospel of John chapters 13-17 would be read out loud. When he said that it caused me to think back to this past Tuesday when I read those exact chapters because of the book In Sinue Jesu. I glanced at my watch as he said this and the time was 8:33.
We processed into the parish hall for Exposition of The Blessed Sacrament. S.C.C. and I stayed for a while then I drove her home. I then rode back to <Home Parish> and arrived at 9:13 and stayed for Exposition. I then left and drove home and pulled in my drive way at 10:13.
Good Friday April 19
A very quiet day. Nothing to write about.
Holy Saturday April 20
A very quiet day. Nothing to write about.
Easter Sunday April 21
In the middle of the night I SUDDENLY awoke from a deep sleep saying the words “Jesus Christ is risen today. Hallelujah!”
It was so abrupt and startling I knew I had to look over at the clock next to the bed, as I did it was the precise instant the clock switched to 3:33.
R.C.
April 23, 2019
9:13:13 PM