C.R.C.’s Discernment to the Priesthood with the Missionaries of the Sacred Hearts MSSCC

December 11-12, 2019

     C.R.C.’s discernment to the holy priesthood has been a long process up to this point. It has had many ups and downs along the way. I guess that is to be expected in making a decision of this importance. C.R.C. has worked hard and I know he takes this decision with the utmost concern for God’s Will in his life. This is evident in the way he lives his life and the many hours he spends in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. There also appears to be an element of attack that would seem to try to upend a vocation to the priesthood. I am sure it is to be expected that forces determined to dissuade any man from the priesthood will without doubt be present. I am sure it is part of the territory. Because of this S.C.C. and I pray the rosary for C.R.C. every day and will continue to do so.

     There is also no doubt in my mind that Our Lord and Our Lady both take a very active role in C.R.C.’s discernment process. This has been made evident to me through the many, many times that when something happens regarding C.R.C.’s journey it is in perfect harmony and always falls together in the same way the events I have been describing for years in these papers do. Recognizing this is very easy for me but may be impossible to explain to someone else so I do the only thing I can do, write it down.

December 11, 2019

     I was driving not thinking about much when a sudden, out of nowhere thought ran through my mind that I should ride to Emmitsburg to pray for C.R.C. tomorrow. With that I glanced and my watch and the seconds said 13, at that very instant I also looked down and the odometer said 331.3. I continued to my destination without giving it much thought. I also knew if Our Lady desires it she will in one way or another tell me again if need be. Later in the evening it was nearing 10 pm when my phone rang and it was C.R.C.. It was good to hear from him. We talked about several things including his approach to the priesthood with the Missionaries of The Sacred Hearts MSSCC. We discussed some of the difficulties he has experienced since his discernment process began. We also talked about some of the amazing events that have taken place in his life since this process began. We also talked about CONFIDENCE and how it is so essential to any priestly vocation. During our conversation C.R.C. acknowledged that to a certain degree he may have been dragging his feet. I agreed with him and suggested that the time may have come to take the next step. After we finished talking we hung up and I AGAIN had a crashing thought that I should go to Emmitsburg tomorrow to pray for C.R.C. at my favorite spot at the Grotto of Lourdes which is the statue of Our Lady of Fatima. I glanced at my watch and the seconds said 13.

December 12, 2019

     I got up this morning and decided that I would be going to Emmitsburg today to pray the rosary at the statue of Our Lady of Fatima at the Grotto of Lourdes. S.C.C. and I were at the kitchen table having coffee when I told her my plans. She said if I drove her to her mother’s house I could take the new car and she would use her mom’s truck for the day. I decided that I would go to the 12 noon mass at the Grotto and then go to the statue of Our Lady of Fatima and pray the ENTIRE rosary, Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious & Luminous mysteries for C.R.C. and then come home. Well, that was my intention but this is how it actually went: I left the house this morning and dropped S.C.C. off at her mother’s house. I then drove to Emmitsburg and when I arrived at the Grotto for mass the odometer was 1.3.

     I went to mass at the Glass Chapel and Fr. Daniel Mentesana IVE was the priest. He gave a very fulfilling homily on Our Lady of Guadalupe and his sincere love for her under all her titles radiated with every word he spoke. Mass ended and then I walked to the statue of Our Lady of Fatima which is where I took the picture showing the Face of Christ in the burst of light next to Our Lady back on September 23, 1998. It was very cold and there was a light dusting of snow on the ground and benches. There was one half of a bench that was dry so I sat there to pray the ENTIRE Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious & Luminous rosary and then drive home. I glanced at my watch as I began the rosary and the seconds said 13. It was very cold and I was freezing the entire time. I have to admit that I was looking forward to finishing the rosary so I could go get warm. As I was finishing the rosary a STRONG, SUDDEN feeling struck me saying I should stay and pray ANOTHER ENTIRE Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious & Luminous rosary. This is not what I wanted to do. I was cold but when this thought crashed through me I glanced at my watch and again the seconds were 13. At that instant I decided that I would stay and pray another entire rosary. As I made the decision to do so I glanced at my watch and the seconds were 33. I prayed the entire rosary again as the sun dropped in the sky, getting colder the entire time. I finished the 2^nd complete rosary and I glanced at my watch as I kissed the crucifix and the time was 3:33.

     I was then going to leave and drive home, back to <Home Town> but as I was leaving I had another thought that I should at least stop by St. Joseph’s to say a prayer. I started driving to St. Joseph’s and about half way there I had another SUDDEN, CRASHING thought that I should go to the Adoration Chapel at the Missionaries of the Sacred Hearts MSSCC in Fairfield. At the VERY INSTANT this thought hit a small white car pulled out in front of me with the license plate of 13. I arrived at St. Joseph’s and the odometer was 3.3 and a car parked there had the license plate of 33. I said a few prayers and left to go the the MSSCC Adoration Chapel at the House of Studies. I arrived and when I walked in there were only two women in the chapel. I sat down and started praying for C.R.C. before the Blessed Sacrament for his potential priestly vocation with the MSSCC. A few minutes later Fr. P.D. came in. A minute later Fr. R.M. came in followed by Fr. M.M. Thirty seconds later Fr. C.O. came in. There were plenty of empty seats but Fr. C.O. came and sat right next to me. He handed me a copy of The Liturgry of The Hours book and at that point I glanced at my watch and the time was 4:33:33. WE THEN PRAYED THE VOCATIONS PRAYER FOR THE ORDER BEFORE THE BLESSED SACRAMENT. This nearly stunned me how the entire sequence of the day led up to this moment of praying their vocations prayer with all the priest which was why I was here to begin with at 4:33:33!!!

     When everything was over I talked to the priest and then I left to go home.I stopped at St. Josephs on the way and when I arrived the lights were on in the church. I walked up to the front door but it was locked. I kissed the corner of the church as I walked back to my car and the time was 5:13.

     Later in the evening after I got home and finished watching the news I had a sudden thought of the entire day. I said out loud “Thank You God!” I glanced at my watch and the time was 11:33:33.

R. C.

Dec. 13, 2019

3:33 PM