By Frank Dougherty

Gregory Gillespie these days is trying to solve a mystery every bit as intriguing as the plots of the whodunits lining the shelves of his used book store in Port Richmond.

“Some customers suspect the 100-year-old silent movie house building we converted into Port Richmond Used Books is haunted. Maybe they have a point considering the unexplained noises I’ve heard here over the years,” explained Gillespie.

The building at 3037 Richmond Street in Philadelphia has a history of strange occurrences, especially, but not exclusively, at night, says Gillespie.

“Before we opened in 2006, I had two guys doing odd jobs, painting, putting up shelving. They were South Philadelphia guys, not the type to easily scare,” Gillespie recalled.

The project progressed during the day, but after working one night, one guy reported seeing shadows and hearing voices. His partner was skeptical at first, but then he, too, balked at working after sunset.

They finished the project working exclusively by day, warning Gillespie that something weird was going on at night inside his building.

A year or two ago Gillespie invited a teacher friend to select kiddy books from the stacks to read to his students in the shop’s “piano room,” a nook with furniture, rug and an antique piano.

“I heard him reading, then I heard nothing. When I checked the space, everybody had disappeared,” said Gillespie. Encountering his pal a few days later, the guy accused Gillespie of pranking the kids.

“He claimed a mysterious outbreak of wall banging and whispering that interrupted the story telling session so scared his students that they fled the building,” said Gillespie.

His pal thought the rout was staged, but Gillespie swears he played no role in frightening the tots. “It remains a mystery without an explanation.”

But Gillespie now thinks he has a ghost of a chance in resolving his dilemma. Olde City Paranormal Investigators, Philadelphia’s premier investigators of this world of whisper, are on his case.

He’s working with the best sleuths in the business on this book store caper. Some of paranormal investigators, who don’t charge or ask for a finder’s fee, are off-duty Philadelphia police officers.

“We’re not ghost hunters, nor are we ghost busters. We’re investigators who gather evidence and assemble facts,” explained policeman John Levy, cofounder of the group with civilian Steve Rotondi. “We’re trying to determine the who, what, why, when and where.”

A policeman for fifteen years, Levy is assigned to the Police Administration Building in Center City. Officer George Feinstein, a member of Mayor Nutter’s security detail, also works with Levy.

Greg Gillespie, of Port Richmond Books, gets an early report from John Levy, of Olde City Paranormal Investigators,
concerning Levy’s investigation of strange happenings at the bookstore. — Photo | Jim Talone

The investigators in January set up an array of infrared night vision cameras, digital recorders and electromagnetic field testers at two locations inside the building in hopes of documenting a finding.

“A recorder and a night vision camera were positioned close to the disassembled Moeller organ in the building’s auditorium,” said Levy. “Similar detection devices were set in the front of the building inside the old lobby.”

The mighty Moeller organ provided background music for silent films.  It’s been in the auditorium since the theater opened 100 years ago.

Inside the lobby, Levy began to ask questions out loud, among them: “I’m from the neighborhood. Can you show me around?” Levy detected a hint of a response on the recorder, but further investigating will be required before a determination can be made.

“We believe we have a male’s voice, responding either yes or no but more research is in order. The organ was more promising. It produced a sounding,” he continued

Levy shared his ear phones with an Irish Edition writer so he, too, could evaluate the sounding. The finding suggested computer generated music; the type one hears as well as views on an oscillating video screen.

Until this January the sole reference to paranormal activity at the old Richmond Theater dates back to the 1940s when Casper the Friendly Ghost raced across its silver screen, frightening tots during Saturday matinee cartoon shows.

But that was Hollywood fantasy, much different from the cries and whispers Gillespie and the Olde City Paranormal investigators are trying to make sense of these days.

When queried on what prompted his interest in such an esoteric field, Levy said, “As a kid, I was interested in ghosts. As an adolescent, it was reading science fiction and watching TV programs on all things paranormal,” he explained.

Levy believes he shared a paranormal interaction with his late grandfather, according to a November 2012 interview with Philadelphia Daily News reporter Stephanie Farr.

While on patrol one night, while his family was down the shore, Levy stopped at his mother’s empty house in Port Richmond to use the bathroom.

Once inside, he spotted a figure slip into a room where his late grandfather used to sleep. The figure was his grandfather, dead for more than 20 years, swears Levy.

Connie Jesiolowska listening for ghosts at Port Richmond Books with Philadelphia Police Officer
John Levy of Olde City Paranormal. — Photo | Jim Talone

“There was no doubt in my mind it was him — his height, his walk, his stature — it was him,” he told the Daily News. Levy said the investigators would return later this year to Richmond Street when the weather gets warmer, to attempt more findings.

The investigators maintain an informational website at: www.oldecityparanormal.com.

Gillespie’s used book emporium sits inside a former nickelodeon dating back to a time when America’s emerging entertainment industry was supplying the world with silent films.

The Richmond Theater with its 1,026 seats began projecting the flickers in 1913 — the same year the US Mint here began producing a new five-cent nickel coin stamped with the image of an American Indian and a Great Plains bison.

“We have more than 125,000 books and collectible ephemera ranging from periodicals to posters to photographs,” said Gillespie. Now he’s wondering if phantoms and poltergeists are sharing space along his shelves.

For book worms of a certain age, his shop triggers an olfactory sensation dating back decades to Leary’s Used Books on South Ninth Street. Celebrated by book lovers worldwide, it’s the redolence of paper dust.

A retired City Hall environmental health inspector, Gillespie’s love of books dates back to a fondness for reading while still a child.

“I grew up collecting books. Then I met the late Jay Kogan. He introduced me to book fairs, which led to my life of buying, selling and trading books,” said Gillespie.

Jay Kogan’s widow, Deen, helped Gillespie set up his business. An ardent lover of books, Deen Kogan operates Society Hill Playhouse, a Philadelphia showcase for more than fifty years of stage productions with Irish themes.

By  Marita Krivda Poxon

On a recent visit that I made to Immaculata University I spoke with Dr. Bill Watson about his ongoing historical detective work at the Duffy’s Cut site in Malvern, PA.  Dr. Watson praised the soon to be released documentary, Death on the Railroad. Tile Films located in Dublin has made this film which was produced and written by Keith and Dave Farrell. Tile Films had made another television documentary film in 2006 called The Ghosts of Duffy’s Cut.  As Dr. Bill Watson said: “We went to them (Tile Films) because they did such a good job on the first one.”

Dr. Bill Watson holds remains of man presumed to be John Ruddy which were buried in Donegal on March 2, 2013. Photo | Tom Keenan.

Dr. Bill Watson, professor and chairman of the History/Politics Department at Immaculata University, his twin brother the Rev. Dr. Frank Watson, pastor, Christ Lutheran Church, Whiting, NJ, and Earl Schandelmeier, adjunct professor of history at Immaculata, will fly to Ireland on February 27^th, 2013.  They will attend the March 2^nd, 2013 reburial ceremony of the remains of a man presumed to be John Ruddy.

Ruddy was the 18-year-old Donegal-born immigrant who died at Mile 59 of the Philadelphia & Columbia Railroad — commonly known as Duffy’s Cut.

It had become expedient for the Tile Film crew to have the remains transported to Donegal so that this reburial ceremony at the Ardara Cemetery could be included in Death on the Railroad. When Bill Watson found out recently that the remains had cleared through Irish Customs and were on their way to Donegal, he breathed a sigh of relief. So did the Tile Film producers.  The film will be released in America first and in the fall in Ireland through RTE.

The Watsons along with fellow historians Earl Schandelmeier and John Ahtes, began excavations at the site in 2004 and found human bones on March 24^th, 2009.  The remains found in total included two skulls, six teeth and eighty other bones. These two skulls showed evidence of violent, blunt force trauma.

In March 2011 the body of an Irish immigrant woman was uncovered. She is believed to be Catherine Burns who was murdered. On March 9^th, 2012, the remains of five men and this one woman were given a Christian burial at West Laurel Hill Cemetery. A Celtic cross made in County Laois erected at the site bears the inscription:

Artifacts from Duffy’s Cut site include clay pipes embossed with shamrocks and harps. Photo | Tom Kenan

In his book-filled office at Immaculata, Bill Watson showed off a small box that contained a piece of John Ruddy’s jaw which would go with the brothers on their flight over. He said it was his insurance that some part of Ruddy would be buried in Ardara should the remains never make it through Irish customs or encounter some other mishap. The Very Reverend Canon Austin Laverty, a parish priest at Ardara’s Holy Family Catholic Church, will officiate at the reburial.

Direct descendents of John Ruddy’s father and uncle from the Donegal town of Inishowen will attend.

Philadelphia’s own Vincent Gallagher, president of the Commodore Barry Club, who is a native of Donegal, has donated a grave for the reburial.

Bill Watson also said that negotiations with Amtrak officials may hopefully reach a breakthrough soon. Bill reported a reversal in Amtrak’s position on the mass grave excavation at the Duffy’s Cut location. He is hopeful that his team will soon be permitted to do the final excavations at the mass grave.

For safety reasons members of the public will not be allowed on the site while the work is underway.

Geophysicist Tim Bechtel located this mass grave through his electrical imaging and seismic surveys at the site. The mass grave is 30 feet below the surface and adjacent to an existing Amtrak track on ground owned by Amtrak.

Bill Watson spoke about future locations where similar excavations would take place including Northwood Cemetery in Downingtown where there is a Potters’ Field with unmarked graves.  The Watson brothers have gathered evidence that Peter Conner, another Irish contractor boss, employed a crew of Irish immigrant workers who also died in the 1832 outbreak of cholera.

This site poses fewer obstacles than Duffy’s Cut. The Watsons hope to document what happened to that crew of Irish workers.

Another site they are looking into is a Mennonite Cemetery in Spring City, PA where an outbreak of cholera killed Irish workers who were working on a canal.

Dr. Bill Watson gave me a tour of the Duffy’s Cut Collection of Artifacts excavated from the site on display at the Immaculata University library for a few years. Museum cases house old Irish-made clay pipes embossed with shamrocks and harps, a large forged cooking bowl found buried intact, hand forged nails (many used to nail shut coffins) made by Malachi Harris, the camp’s blacksmith, iron implements used to lower stone sleepers onto the original iron track line, and a very rare piece of Morris & Essex-type cast iron track. The only other known such track is housed in the Smithsonian Museum.

A rare piece of Morris & Essex-type cast iron railroad track
Photo | Tom Keenan

The Watson brothers have been approached by commercial shows like the “History Detectives” and “Ghost Hunters” to sell their story. Dr. Bill Watson and his brother Frank are adamant that they themselves want to uncover the historic truths of Duffy’s Cut.

Their own family story has been part of Duffy’s Cut since their grandfather Joseph F. Tripician preserved Pennsylvania Railroad files. He recounted Duffy’s Cut legends and stories to his grandsons.  Dr. Bill Watson talks of “the boys” like they are his own brothers. His affinity to their humanity is apparent when he speaks of them. No one but he, his brother, and Earl Schandelmeier will take these boys home to a respectful burial site and to an honored place in Irish American history.

Marita Krivda Poxon is the author of Irish Philadelphia.

Screenings will take place at the following locations and times:

*Monday, March 4 from 5 p.m. till 7 p.m at the Irish Immigration Center at 7 South Cedar Lane, Upper Darby, Pa.

*Saturday, April 20 from 9:30 a.m. till 11:30 a.m. at the practice of Dr. John L. Sabatini, PC at 301 Oxford Valley Road, suite 905A, Yardley, Pa.

*Monday, May 13 from 12:30 p.m. till 2:30 p.m. at the Irish Center of Philadelphia (Commodore Barry Club) at 6815 Emlen Street, West Mt. Airy, Pa.

Tay-Sachs Disease is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that can be passed on to children when both parents are carriers of an altered gene. Babies born with Tay-Sachs disease appear normal at birth, and symptoms of the disease do not appear until the infants are about four to six months of age when they begin to lose previously attained skills, such as sitting up or rolling over. Children then gradually lose their sight, hearing and swallowing abilities. These children usually die by the age of five.

In the past, Tay-Sachs was often thought of as a Jewish genetic disorder due to its large presence among Ashkenazi Jews. But, cases of Tay-Sachs have been identified in the Irish population right here in Philadelphia over the last few years. That’s why Dr. Adele Schneider, director of clinical genetics at Einstein Medical Center Philadelphia and her team at Einstein are conducting a study to find out just how high the carrier rate is among people of Irish descent. The study, the only one done in the Irish population since DNA testing for the gene mutation has been available, aims to screen 1,000 people, and is funded by the Albert Einstein Society and the National Tay-Sachs & Allied Diseases Association of Delaware Valley.

If the carrier rate turns out to be high, then large – scale screening initiatives — like those conducted through the Victor Center for the Prevention of Jewish Genetic Diseases at Einstein and other facilities throughout the country—could identify carriers before they pass on the Tay-Sachs gene.

For more information contact Amybeth Weaver, MS , CGC at 484-636-4197 or  Irish@tay-sachs.org.

Back in 1922, a commission was set up by the first Irish Government into creating a new coinage in an early attempt to remove British symbols. Among those people chosen to study the issue and come up with a new design were WB Yeats, and his domineering personality was soon in evidence when he proposed that the new coins use the image of animals, fish and birds pertaining to Ireland and Irish lore. For example, the salmon appeared on the florin, the hen on the penny, the hound on the shilling, the hare on the sixpence and pride of place went to the largest of the coins, the half crown with the superb figure of a horse.

We in Ireland prided ourselves in this animal above all. The limestone plains of the Curragh and Tipperary enrich the grass that enriches the pedigree and so we became world famous in breeding and training. We literally loved this animal without reserve. Until last month, when it appeared in our burgers.

In a recent issue of the Irish Edition, I mention the discovery in Ireland that some tests identified horse meat in hamburgers. But at the time, this was presented as an accidental thing, that somewhere along the line there was a mistake and ordinary cattle meat got somehow mixed up, and it would all be speedily rectified.

But it soon became apparent that this was no one-off accident, and that there was a deliberate and substantial campaign to include horsemeat in products advertised as “100 percent finest meat.” Things quickly developed. Some burgers were discovered to contain over 80 percent horse and the center of gravity moved from Ireland to Eastern Europe where the trade had been in full swing for a long time. Then, overnight, most of Europe was involved while supermarket chains loudly announced the removal of any such contaminated product from their shelves.

Many believe that these same stores knew all along or chose not to look closely at their meat and meat-related products. Many also believe that governments “had more important things to do than examine hamburgers.” But there is serious fear everywhere.  While horse meat is a delicacy in some countries, the main pronounced danger is that aspects of the business is controlled by criminal gangs throughout Europe who will put elephant meat, snake meat, dog meat, gull meat, crow meat into the chain without the slightest qualm of palate.

The Irish meat industry is huge. There is consternation that the latest crisis will affect one of the economic mainstays, especially in these hungry times. It leads all the news items over here that what started as a trickle is now a flood.

I notice for the first time in many years that the small butcher’s shops are doing well. More and more shoppers are going to these stores where the meat is formally certified in the local abattoirs. As I see it, the boundless race for profits at all costs eventually charged into the middle of the meat industry and Murphy’s Law applied — “If it can happen, it will happen.” A specific variation of this law might apply to the present scandal, “If there’s a dollar to be made, a dollar will be made.”

I don’t know how this will all end up. I don’t eat many hamburgers, but I suppose like everybody else I’ve had a few bites of horse in recent times. I don’t want to think any further than that, because for all I know, the horse involved might have been an old and diseased animal grazing its last days on the plains of Hungary.

By Kristen McCann

After the New Year passes, and March rolls around, Saint Patrick’s Day is here again. It is a time for the celebration of St. Patrick and his gift of Christianity to Ireland, helping Ireland to identify with the shamrock.

But, somewhere along the line, this day of history and pride became not just a day of celebrating Ireland and its patron saint, but also a time for everyone to become “Irish” for a day, no matter what their ethnic background is. This day seems, to some, to grant people permission to wear kelly green clothes, to eat green-dyed foods, and to fall into a drunken stupor.  Along with this American tradition comes the shortened name of St. Paddy’s day or even worse, St. Patty’s Day.

Many forget that ‘Paddy’ was an ethnic slur used along with ‘Mick’ and ‘Taig’. These derogatory terms were forms of disrespect. It gave a stereotypical name to an entire body of people.

Sure, Paddy is a common shortened version of Patrick, because it is derived from the name Pádraig. But it is certainly unacceptable to call the day, St. Patty’s Day.

So next March 17th, please remember to have some respect…and call the day by its proper name, Saint Patrick’s Day.

By Dr. William Watson

The remains are the first-found set of remains from Duffy’s Cut in 2009, originally designated as SK001, AKA John Ruddy.  Ruddy was an 18-year-old immigrant from Donegal who died during a raging cholera epidemic in 1832 near present-day Immaculata University’s campus, while working on the construction of the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad.

The remains will be accompanied to Donegal by Bill Watson, Frank Watson, and Earl Schandelmeier, three original Duffy’s Cut researchers. Ruddy showed signs of perimortem blunt-force trauma to his head according to the forensic analysis, and likely died from that blow rather than cholera.

Ruddy will be reburied in Ardara on March 2, 2013, in a grave generously donated by Vincent Gallagher of the Commodore Barry Irish Center in Philadelphia. Vincent also put us in touch with the funeral director (Seamus Sholvin) and parish priest (Fr. Lafferty) who will assist us in the endeavor.

We have obtained necessary paperwork for the return from the Chester County Coroner, Dr. Stephen Dickter, and we will also be getting statements attesting to the age of the remains from Dr. Janet Monge, bone curator of the University of Pennsylvania Museum and from the funeral director at West Laurel Hill Cemetery in Bala Cynwyd, where five sets of Duffy’s Cut remains were buried in March, 2012.

A casket will be manufactured at West Laurel Hill to contain the body, of the same type used for the March, 2012 reburials of Ruddy’s colleagues.

Reburying one of the men back in Ireland was one of our primary goals when we began this endeavor ten years ago, although at the time, it seemed like a distant hope.  The struggle to obtain the state historical marker, then to begin the archaeological dig and obtain the experts to assist us, and finally the

March, 2012 reburial could not have been accomplished without the assistance of a good many kind-hearted individuals in the Philadelphia Irish community.

We are grateful to all in the Philadelphia Irish community who have helped us also to reach this milestone.

Dr. William Watson, Immaculata University

http://duffyscut.immaculata.edu

Following the interview, Ms. Byrne will take questions from the audience and then will meet with and give individual blessings to all interested attendees. Signed copies of Ms. Byrne’s books will be available for purchase. Light refreshments will be served. This program is free to the public and all are welcome.

Lorna Byrne has been seeing angels since she was a baby. She sees them physically, as you would see a person. When she was 4 years old, an angel came to her and told her that his name was Michael. Years later, he revealed to her that he was Michael the Archangel. She emphasizes that everyone has a guardian angel who is with them from the moment they are born until death.

Lorna Byrne’s first book Angels in My Hair was an international bestseller, translated into 27 languages. This was followed by her book — Stairways to Heaven and her recently released book — A Message of Hope from the Angels. All of her books are best sellers.

Father E. Clifford Cutler is the 11th rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church which has its own storied history. It was the meeting place for clergy from both the North and South immediately following the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Father Cutler has taken his ministry to the inner-city neighborhoods of Kensington and to the distant shores of Israel and the West Bank as a part of a delegation dedicated to peace making and conflict resolution. He says, ”Faith is not something that is wrapped up between church walls. The Gospel should speak to everyday life.” . A graduate of Germantown Academy and Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, Father Cutler was born in Germantown and ordained to the priesthood in 1977.

Free All are Welcome

2 – 3 pm   —   Lorna Byrne Interview

3 -3:30 pm   —   Audience Questions

3:30 pm   —   Individual blessings by Lorna to program attendees

Sunday March 17th at  2 PM  —   St. Patrick’s Day

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
22 E. Chestnut Hill Avenue, Phila. Pa. 19118

For more information, call: Virginia Emlen, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church @215.242.2055 #25 or visit: www.lornabyrne.com/Lorna Byrne Irish Mystic and Angel Communicator.

Lorna Bryne was interviewed by Sabina Clarke in the Irish Edition, Dec. 2012 and on our website: www.irishedition.com. You can read the interview Click here.

Irish author Lorna Byrne who lives a quiet life in County Kilkenny, Ireland has been seeing and talking to angels since she was a child. In 2003 she decided to tell her story to the world—at the angels’ prompting. From an early age, Lorna a mother of four was told by the angels that she would write a book about them. She recalls that she used to laugh and protest; reminding them that she was severely dyslexic and “could not read or write properly.”

But the angels persisted and assured Lorna that she would get help. Years later, through a mutual friend, she met a woman who has been at her side ever since helping her to edit her books and schedule speaking engagements all over the world. Her agent assured me that Lorna does all her own writing and speaks into a voice activated computer. Her inspiration comes from the angels and her truly phenomenal otherworldly experiences—which she does not sensationalize.

In 2008, Byrne’s  first book Angels in My Hair was an international bestseller, published in 50 countries and translated into 27 languages. That was followed by her second book Stairways To Heaven, also a bestseller. And this year, her third book A Message of Hope from the Angels, was released to much acclaim –again catapulting her to the bestseller list.

Lorna’s formal education ended in 6th grade in what she calls ‘ordinary school, “I didn’t go to a fancy school or the university but I feel that I had a better education in one sense because the angels taught me everything I know.”

Lorna was born into a poor family in Dublin. In the 1950’s, people considered different were labeled retarded. Since she didn’t speak until after the age of two years old, she was considered ‘slow’ and actually overheard a neighbor saying to her mother, “She is lucky she is not in an institution.”

Looking back, she says, “You have to remember back in Ireland in the 1950’s, people didn’t know about dyslexia. So, if you showed any signs of being slow, which I was, they called you ‘retarded.’ The doctors actually told my mother and father that I was retarded. Later, in school, I had a great deal of trouble reading and writing by hand—I don’t read books at all. I have taught myself some words like exit and out. But it has taken my whole life to unravel these words because I see them different.”

When Lorna was 4 years old, the Archangel Michael came to her and told her his name was Michael; it was not until years later, that he told her he was Michael the Archangel. When she was 9 years old, the Angel Elijah let her see her future husband Joe and told her that he would die young—this came to pass. Although the marriage was a happy one, her husband had myriad health problems and died at the age of forty-six; leaving her alone with four children—the youngest child was just five years old.

Photo | Katharine Gilbert

She emphasizes that everyone has a guardian angel that is with them from the moment they are born until death. She sees guardian angels as a column of light appearing about three steps behind a person. Often she sees a beautiful perfect human appearance and sometimes they show their wings. The following description of an angel is from her book Stairways to Heaven, “An angel stepped through the trees and as he came closer to me, the aura of light surrounding him grew brighter. Tall and elegant, he had a human appearance. He was radiant….as with all angels. His feet didn’t touch the ground as he walked.”

SC Why did you decide to write A Message of Hope from the Angels?

LB I wasn’t even thinking of a book until Angel Michael came along and said, ‘Lorna, you have to start writing. I told him that I didn’t know what to write about and he said to write about hope.

SC When did you tell people you saw angels?

LB The angels told me when I was quite young that I should not tell anyone what I saw and that I must keep it a secret. They were constantly telling me that.

SC Did you tell your husband Joe about this?

LB Right before he died, I told him. He believed me but he was very shocked. He said that ‘only priests and nuns see angels, not ordinary people like you and me.’ I remember that day. I knew I would never see him again. Then the angels told me he was gone—he is not coming back—that was right before he died.

SC What do angels look like?

LB When they have a human appearance, with or without wings, their eyes are one of their most fascinating features. Angels’ eyes are not like human eyes. They are so much more alive, so full of life and light and love. Their radiance fills me completely. I feel like I am in the presence of a tremendous power.

SC Why do you think God has chosen you to see angels?

LB I don’t know why God has chosen me in this way. I don’t think I’m better than anyone else. I’m just an ordinary person. But He did choose me and He sent His angels to teach me.

SC How did you feel when at the age of 10, you were shown your future husband and then told he would die young?

LB I asked the Angel Elijah why he had to tell me that. He just said that I needed to know and that this would go to the back of my mind. It did go to the back of my mind but I never forgot.

SC Who gave Elijah his name?

LB He told me his name

SC You talk about Angel Hosus being a big part of your life, when did you first see him and did he show you his wings?

LB I first met Hosus the first day after school on my way home. He always wore a robe and a funny hat. He has seldom shown me his wings. Angels don’t always show their wings. When they do, I feel very privileged. They are fantastic.

SC Have you ever touched an angel or shaken his hand?

LB Yes, the Archangel Michael has taken my hand. It may seem strange for you. I have lived this every day—ever since I was an infant—so it is very normal for me.

SC What does the Archangel Michael look like?

LB He looks like he is 30 or 35 years old, at most. He is very handsome. It would depend on where I am, how he would be dressed. He rarely allows me to see his wings.

SC Why is that?

LB I suppose it is because I remember once getting a terrible shock. After I was married, I remember walking with Angel Michael through the main college square where there were a lot of priests and young men. Michael was dressed as a priest and he allowed himself to be seen. People who passed us said, ‘Hello, Father’, to him.

SC In your book A Message of Hope from the Angels, you said that you were sitting at your kitchen table with Michael the Archangel and he showed you a glimpse of humanity’s future if people grow spiritually

LB  Yes, he showed me a future where people of all religions will be praying together-and able to see angels –physically-as I do

SC You said in your book that the Angel Amen came to you when you were 4 years old and sat on your bed and taught you how to pray—how did you know his name?

LB  He told me his name

SC You say that you have been to Heaven; what is it like. Also, have you seen Hell and does it exist?

LB  Heaven is real, it exists and God is real.  God has shown me that He has never sent anyone to Hell. He has taken my soul to Heaven on several occasions. I was a child and God was walking beside me. I hinted at this in my first book. My editor was afraid that people might be put off. But some people figured it out anyway.

SC  Do people have bodies in Heaven?

LB  How can I describe it—they’re more beautiful. The soul is actually incredible. You can see bodies-they all look young and they are in the presence of God. It is perfect. There is no pain. It is hard to put into words

SC  When you speak before big crowds, have you ever been tempted to ask an angel to appear—just once?

LB  Of course, I have—many times. But we cannot tell God or the angels what to do. I have talked to Michael and Hosus at times and told them people have been asking about this.

SC How can someone get in touch with his or her guardian angel?

LB  The first thing you do is believe you have a guardian angel and ask him for help

SC How can we find out the name of our guardian angel?

LB  Millions of people have been asking me this. I said to the angels, ‘What will I say to them? They said—and these are the angels’ exact words—“It is the name that you love, that is in your heart.” I have been told that you knew it when you were a child. Children talk to their guardian angels all the time.

SC  Do you feel like you have a foot in both worlds?

LB What a lovely question. Yes, I would have to say that I do. Sometimes, I ask God to remember that I am also a  flesh and blood person—not just an old soul and sometimes I ask Him if I have to give out all the time.

The ghosts of Knute Rockne and the Four Horsemen had to be smiling down on the Fighting Irish who conquered the USC Trojans on Saturday night in the Los Angeles Coliseum with a final score of 22-13.  This was the first time since 1988, that Notre Dame has been undefeated in the regular season—a  fact  made  even more compelling since Notre Dame was not even ranked at the beginning of the season with little  chance, it seemed, of getting an invite to the BCS national championship game in Miami, Florida on January, 7^th.

So, Saturday night’s win over the University of Southern California, USC, surrounded by a frenzied USC crowd capped a Cinderella season that has pollsters gasping and now unanimous in voting the Irish #1.The atmosphere before the opening kick-off was electric with anticipation as injured starting quarterback for the Trojans, Matt Barkley ran onto the field as Phil Collin’s “In the Air Tonight” pumped over the PA system.

The Trojans looked ready for a challenge knowing that a win over Notre Dame would salvage their season while the Irish needed this win to secure a berth to the national championship game, their first invite since 1988.

The Irish jumped out to an early ten point lead ending the half with a score of 16-10 – not a real secure lead.  In the second half, the Trojans, sputtered as the Irish defense smothered their running game and harassed backup quarterback, Max Wittek, who had guaranteed USC victory days before.

Despite Notre Dame offense moving the ball against USC, with senior running back Theo Riddick, the game’s MVP, they could   still only manage field goals against the Trojans, keeping them within striking distance With around five minutes left, USC Quarterback Max Wittek found a streaking Marqise Lee for a 53 yard gain to the Irish 5 yard line.

With Notre Dame’s season hanging in the balance of four and a half minutes of play, the Irish would make a legendary stand for the ages. Twice, USC got the ball in the end zone and drew two pass interference penalties against Notre Dame, giving the Trojans automatic first downs and a seemingly easy opportunity for a touchdown to draw within 2 points of the Irish.

But something amazing happened. The Irish silenced the Trojans three times on the one yard line. The Irish simply refused to relinquish a touchdown as the Trojans tried desperately to run the ball with All-American Silas Redd, who was demolished by the Irish defense as he tried to bulldoze his way into the end zone.  Wittek tried a quarterback sneak that was   also snuffed out by the Irish defense.

Then as the clock ticked for the Trojans, USC Head Coach Lane Kiffen frantically called the plays in to his team for the fourth down play that would decide the fate of the Irish. On fourth down, Wittek threw a pass that fell incomplete in another goal line stand as the jubilant Irish savored the victory.

Irish Head Coach Brian Kelly has evolved into a superb coach in his third year and his team has unanimously bought into his program.  He has succeeded in changing the culture of losing that had taken hold for so long at Notre Dame and built a championship defense by recruiting players like Stephan Tuitt and Louis Nix, two stalwarts on the Notre Dame defensive line.  Now, he is on the verge of leading the Irish to their most improbable championship ever.

This Notre Dame team has taken on all comers with the stubborn resolve of their feisty head coach; exhibiting remarkable poise.  They showed their first signs of greatness with a convincing win on the road at Michigan State.

This is a Cinderella season that Hollywood turns into movies—the tale of a true underdog that rallied around a leader in Heisman candidate Linebacker Manti Te’o, who embodies all that is great in college sports.

The Irish will have to wait for 41 days to compete for the national championship—against either Alabama or Georgia.  If they win the national title, we will be talking about this team and Brian Kelly like we have talked about the Four Horsemen and   Knute Rockne and   Frank Leahy and Ara Parseghian and Dan Devine and Lou Holtz.