The Miracle Letters of T. Rimberg

CONTENTS

Title Page

Dedication

August 28, 2005
(Address removed)

Introduction

Section I                                    Minneapolis

Day One (August 10, 2005):
Transcript 1

Letter 1
August 18, 2004

Day One: Transcript 2

Letter 2
August 19, 2004

Day One: Transcript 3

Letter 3
August 19, 2004—11:13 in the goddamn night.

Day One: Transcript 4

Journal Entry
August 20, 2004

Day Two: Transcript 1

Journal Entry,
August 23, 2004

Day Two: Transcript 2

Letter 4
August 23, 2004

Day Two: Transcript 3

Letter 5
August 23, 2004

Letter 6
August 23, 2004

Day Two: Transcript 4

Day Three: Transcript 1

Letter 7
August 26, 2004

Day Three: Transcript 2

Letter 8
August 26, 2004

Letter 9
August 26, 2004

Day Four: Transcript 1

Letter 10
August 28, 2004

Day Four: Transcript 2

Journal Entry,
August 30, 2004

Day Four: Transcript 3

Letter 11
September 1, 2004

Day Four: Transcript 4

Letter 12
September 2, 2004

Letter 13
September 2, 2004

Letter 14
September 3, 2004

Letter 15
September 3, 2004

Letter 16
September 3, 2004

Day Four: Transcript 5

Letter 17
To the Manager, White Castle, St. Louis Park
September 4, 2004

Day Five: Transcript 1

Journal Entry,
September 6, 2004

Day Five: Transcript 2

Letter 18
September 14, 2004

Day Five: Transcript 3

Section II                                    Western Europe

Journal Entry,
September 15, 2004

Day Six: Transcript 1

Letter 19
September 16–17, 2004
Molly (née Fitzpatrick) Presumably on Some Street Likely in Chicago, Illinois

Day Six: Transcript 2

Journal Entry,
September 17, Schiphol, Amsterdam

Day Seven: Transcript 1

Journal Entry,
September 17, 2004,
After Dinner with Kaatje and Cranberry

Letter 20
September 18, 2004

Day Seven: Transcript 2

Letter 21
September 18, 2004

Letter 22
September 18, 2004

Day Seven: Transcript 3

Letter 23
September 18, 2004

Day Seven: Transcript 4

Letter 24
September 18, 2004

Day Seven: Transcript 5

Letter 25
September 18, 2004

Letter 26
September 18, 2004

Letter 27
September 19, just after 1 a.m. local

Day Seven: Transcript 6

Letter 28
September 19, 2004

Letter 29
September 19, 2004

Day Seven: Transcript 7

Journal Entry,
September 19, 2004

Letter 30
September 20, 2004

Day Seven: Transcript 8

Journal Entry,
September 22, 2004, Still Amsterdam

Day Eight: Transcript 1

Letter 31
September 23, 2004

Letter 32
September 23, 2004

Letter 33
September 23, 2004

Day Eight: Transcript 2

Journal Entry,
September 25, 2004, under a bridge next to the Seine

Journal Entry,
September 25–26, 2004, under a bridge next to the Seine

Letter 34
September 26, 2004

Letter 35
September 26, 2004

Journal Entry,
September 27, 2 a.m., under a bridge next to the Seine

Journal Entry,
September 27, under a bridge next to the Seine

Day Eight: Transcript 3

Journal Entry,
September 27, on damn train

Day Nine: Transcript 1

Letter 36
October 3, 2004

Letter 37
October 3, 2004

Letter 38
October 4, 2004

Day Nine: Transcript 2

Journal Entry,
October 5, 2004, 3:12 a.m.

Day Nine: Transcript 3

Letter 39
October 10, 2004

Day Nine: Transcript 4

Letter 40
October 11, 2004

Letter 41
October 11, 2004

Day Nine: Transcript 5

Journal Entry,
October 11, 10 p.m.

Day Nine: Transcript 6

Letter 42
October 12, 2004

Journal Entry,
October 12, 2004

Letter Faxed to Fr. Barry McGinn,
August 17, 2005

Day Nine: Transcript 7

Letter 43
October 15, 2004

Day Nine: Transcript 8

Letter 44
October 15, 2004

Letter 45
October 15, 2004

Day Nine: Transcript 9

Letter 46
October 15, 2004

Letter 47
October 15, 2004

Letter 48
October 15, 2004

Day Nine: Transcript 10

Journal Entry,
October 18, 2004

Day Nine: Transcript 11

Letter 49
Note: Copy of letter left at Hotel Cammerpoorte front desk. N.K. verified.
October 21, 2004

Letter 50
October 21, 2004

Section III                                    Poland

Day Ten: Transcript 1

Letter 51
October 23, 2004

Day Ten: Transcript 2

Letter 52
October 23, 2004, just past Poznan

Day Ten: Transcript 3

Letter 53
October 26, 2004

Day Ten: Transcript 4

Cover Letter,
faxed to Fr. Barry McGinn,
August 19, 2005

Note 1,
Faxed to Fr. Barry McGinn,
August 19, 2005

Day Ten: Transcript 5

Letter 54
October 28, 2004

Day Ten,
Transcript 6

Note 2,
Faxed to Fr. Barry McGinn,
August 19, 2005

Note 3,
Faxed to Fr. Barry McGinn,
August 19, 2005

Day Ten: Transcript 7

Letter 55
Written from police headquarters, Warsaw, Poland
October 30, 2004

Letter 56
Written from police headquarters, Warsaw, Poland
October 31, 2004

Day Eleven: Transcript 1

Journal Entries,
November 3–5

Letter 57
November 5, 2004

Day Eleven: Transcript 2

Journal Entries,
November 6–9

Day Twelve: Transcript 1

Letter from Josef Rimberg mailed to T. Rimberg on August 15, 2004. Handwritten address nearly illegible. Delivered to T. in Warsaw by Nick Kelly, May 2005.

Day Twelve: Transcript 2

Section IV                                    Green Bay

Letter 58
Letter left at front desk of St. Vincent's Care Center, Green Bay, WI
August 22, 2005

Acknowledgments

Copyright

For my amazing parents

August 28, 2005
(Address removed)

Dear Council Members:

We have spoken about this occurrence, which has come to be known as the Miracle of I-43, and have agreed that it does, indeed, have a miraculous, although disputed, character. Immediately after the accident, the council asked me to prepare documentation on the primary actor in this occurrence, Mr. Theodore Rimberg. Due to Mr. Rimberg's compulsion over the past year to document his experiences himself, to write letters and journal entries, we have ample information. Enclosed with this correspondence you will find the documentation we created with his assistance.

Faye and I have tried to present as fair a representation of Mr. Rimberg as we can. From the conference call of August 23, you are aware that we have grown fond of him. With that said, we have not tried to color his story in a way that would make him appear more favorable to the council than he actually should. We have provided all of his letters, appropriate portions of his journal, and the entire interview transcript except that which is casual and superfluous.

In truth, Faye and I disagree about the inclusion of some of the information herein. While I feel it necessary to shine a light on Mr. Rimberg's many negatives, she would have preferred we focus entirely on his growth as a human being and his courageous acts. I'm afraid Faye is a bit displeased with me as I submit this examination. For that, I am sorry.

I want to be clear, however: Although Mr. Rimberg's story, personality, and many of his actions run counter to Church teaching, I find him to be a perfect vehicle for God's work. He is flawed. He is sinful. He is contrary. He is contrite. He is thoughtful. He is hopeful. He is human. I do not want to hide the fact of his humanity. The chips will fall where they may.

Perhaps this document, which is more of a history than a piece of persuasive writing, will be of little use to the council. If that is true, I hope it is at least of use to someone in the future.

No matter what, remember Mr. Rimberg's actions on the eighth of August. His courage and his accomplishments are at least commendable and at most miraculous. If only for that fact, we feel his story should be included in the occurrence's larger documentation.

Of course, we will treat any instruction you give us on this matter as binding and will end our promotion of Mr. Rimberg's cause with this letter.

Please forgive me if I am overstepping my office by being so forthright.

Faye and I sincerely appreciate your attention to Mr. Rimberg's case.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Barry McGinn

Diocese of Green Bay