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Today in Garabandal history, August 19,1961 The Blessed Virgin Mary kisses the girls for the first time. Individual ecstasies begin to occur. Conchita revealed : “ Up to then, in all the ecstasies, we have been the four together. Jacinta, Mary Cruz, Mary Loli, and myself. But then we started to have ecstasies separately, each one in her home. And so the Most Holy Virgin called us even though we were not together but separated. But we always saw the Most Holy Virgin in ecstasy. “ Father Jose Ramon Garcia de la Riva, “Memoirs of a Spanish Country Pastor”
SATURDAY, AUGUST 19, 1961: The Blessed Virgin played hide-and-go-seek several times with the children, something that amused them a great deal. At the time of the ecstasy on this Saturday evening, Conchita in ecstasy presents her doll to her Vision.
Thank you, Glenn! Reading about how the girls would pray the Rosary very slowly has inspired me to begin doing the same. Thank you!
PADRE PIO'S BELIEF IN GARABANDAL : Joey Lomangino’s recall of the when he talked to Padre Pio: “We made arrangements to come back again that same day and greeted Padre Pio in the cloister. When we knelt down, we said to him, “Padre Pio, is it true that the Virgin is appearing to the four girls of Garabandal?” And he said, “Yes.” We said, “Padre Pio, should we go there? He said, “Yes, why not?” And that’s how it happened. Because I received the assurance from Padre Pio that the Virgin was appearing and that he permitted me to go, then I wasn’t afraid and I went. “ Saint (Padre) Pio affirms Garabandal to a PH.D in confession. Joachim Bouflet,PH.D. went to Padre Pio for confession in July of 1968. Padre Pio told him "Pray to the Madonna. Consecrate yourself to the Virgin of Carmel." "Yes, Padre, I pray to Our Lady of Mount Carmel. For that matter, I would like to become a Carmelite." He didn't comment on this but repeated with insistence, "Consecrate yourself to the Virgin of Carmel who appeared at Garabandal." Bouflet:"So it's true?" Padre Pio : "Certo e vero!" ("Yes, it's true!") “While he was living, the same Padre Pio guaranteed the authenticity of the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin. He met Conchita at San Giovanni Rotondo. Even during the last days of his life he talked about this to his brothers in religious life and left a personal message for the principle personage of the apparitions. “ Fr. Pelletier -“Our Lady comes to Garabandal” page 219 From the book “The Final Hour “ page 141 On the topic of Padre Pio ‘s belief in Garabandal: “Asked on another occasion about its authenticity, he answered curtly, ”How many times must she appear there to be believed ? “ From the book “Thunder of Justice “ page 163 : An incident which confirms Padre Pio’s belief in Garabandal occurred early in 1966. Conchita, who was only 16 years old, was visiting Rome with her mother and Fr. Luna. She had been invited by Cardinal Ottaviani, Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith. During the visit, Conchita met privately with Padre Pio. On this occasion, he took Conchita’s hand and her crucifix that Our Lady had kissed in Garabandal and held them both in his own two hands. The crucifix had passed through the hands of the child Jesus, during the apparition of November 13,1965. Upon Padre Pio’s death in 1968 ,his close friend Father Bernardino Cennamo,was instructed to give Conchita several of his personal items. The priest gave Conchita one of the three veils that covered Padre Pio's face during his wake, saying that the stigmatist had requested this before he died. Conchita also was given Padre Pio's rosary, and one of the gloves he wore, stained by his stigmata. Conchita recounts: “I had the veil in front of me, as I was writing later that evening. When suddenly the whole room became filled with fragrance, the perfume so strong I started to cry.”
I have worn out many in the past 35 years, but I sleep with it on too, so I get the best I can find to wear.
SAINT POPE PAUL VI AND GARABANDAL The Blessed Virgin., in conversation with the young visionaries of Garabandal, mentioned the Holy Father on several occasions, and told them, "Pray, pray for the Pope" . It is an interesting fact that Pope Paul VI issued his encyclical "Mysterium Fidei" concerning "the weakening of devotion toward the Holy Eucharist" on September 3, 1965, only eleven weeks after Our Lady had complained, "Less and less importance is being given to the Eucharist." Early in 1966 Conchita was called to the Vatican. Cardinal Ottaviani, the pro-Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (Holy Office) had instructed Fr. Luna: "With or without the permission of the bishop, bring the young girls to me." During January 12-16 she was interviewed for 2 1/2 hours by the Cardinal and saw other members of the Congregation, afterwards she saw the Pope and gave him the date of the Great Miracle to come. She then paid a visit to Padre Pio, the famous stigmatist. Upon her return, at an audience in St. Peter's, the Holy Father came to her and announced joyfully in a clear voice, "Conchita, I, the Pope, bless you and with me the whole Church blesses you." The November 7, 1968 bulletin of Peru's Legion Blanca under the imprimatur of Mgr. Alfonso Zapana Belliza, Bishop of Tacna, Peru, quotes the late Pope Paul VI as having said at a private audience these inspiring words: "Garabandal the most beautiful story of humanity since the birth of Jesus Christ! It is also the second sojourn of the most Holy Virgin on this earth, and we have no adequate words to express our gratitude." Pope Paul VI had all the while shown a very special interest in the apparitions. At an audience given to Fr. Xavier Escalda, S.J., the latter mentioned there were many opponents of the apparitions even amongst his own people. His Holiness promptly rejoined: "It doesn't matter; tell these gentlemen that it is the Pope who has said that it is most important and most urgent to make these messages known to the world."
The Blessed Mother speaks of Abortion at Garabandal Among the fulfilled prophecies of Garabandal was one that only came to light with the publication of a German book [Garabandal — Der Zeigefinger Gottes.] on Garabandal in 1992. The author, Albrecht Weber, was in Garabandal on the day after Conchita's last apparition at Garabandal on November 13,1965, and had a long conversation with the visionary. The following excerpt from his book deals with some of what the visionary told him: She [Conchita] spoke quite openly about the developments by which men in the near future would rebel against God. On the day after Our Lady's last appearance at Garabandal, Conchita asked the author, "Can you imagine how somebody could kill children in the womb without thereby killing the mother?" The author spontaneously answered, "No! What gave you that idea, Conchita?" "Well, the Blessed Mother spoke about this and she let me know that this will happen with the overflowing of the chalice." [In her second Message of June 18,1965, the Virgin said, "Before, the cup was filling up. Now it is flowing over."] Conchita said this tremblingly without being able to visualize what it really implied. She said further that it disturbed her very much but that she felt ridiculous because she hadn't understood at all how this killing could be effected. The Blessed Virgin had not explained it to her and up until that moment, nobody had been able to make her understand it at all. Conchita would learn soon enough when abortion became legalized, even in her native country. The Blessed Virgin had spoken about this unfortunate practice to the visionary, in terms that had left her stunned. Indeed, at the time, Conchita did not understand "how it was possible to kill a child in his (or hers) mother's womb without killing the mother at the same time . . .!" [Excerpted from 'Garabandal' Book, page 203] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ANOTHER STEP CLOSER TO ENDING ABORTION . https://www.npr.org/2019/08/19/752438119/planned-parenthood-out-of-title-x-over-trump-rule
THE MIRACLE IS IN THE MONTH OF APRIL ! Conchita’s interview with Fr. Morelos https://ourlady.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Interview-with-Fr-Morelos.pdf
THE WARNING AND MIRACLE INTERVIEWS WITH THE SEERS Reprinted with kind permission from GARABANDAL International October-December 2004 Compiled by the staff of GARABANDAL https://ourlady.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/The-Warning-and-Miracle-Seers.pdf
This day in Garabandal history August 22,1961 The girls go into ecstasy in front of Fr. Ramon de la Riva , and 5 other priests. He recounts that day in his memoirs : GO TO CHAPTER 3 https://keddyandassociates-us.s3-ac...books/memoirs-of-a-spanish-country-priest.pdf
LEG MIRACULOUSLY CURED ! AUGUST 22,1962 We have some brief notes from Father Valentin that complement those of Luis Navas and Maximina Gonzalez, helping us to better recreate in our minds the atmosphere at Garabandal during the early part of August, 1962: August 22. The four fell into ecstasy; first Loli and Conchita; afterwards, Jacinta; and finally, Mari Cruz. The latter, on coming down from the Pines, went to the house of Daniela (who was in bed, with her leg in bad condition making it impossible for her to walk). And she gave her the crucifix to kiss. Daniela jumped from the bed and said she was cured. I think there might have been some suggestion, but she jumped up and went up the stairs as if there were nothing wrong with her. We will see what happens tomorrow. Father Valentin did not hide his disbelief that this was really a miraculous cure. However Father de la Riva added to the words of the Garabandal pastor some of his own: "I was at the village, and I heard the joyful shouts of the people who had seen what had happened, and were discussing it as if it were a miracle. I was able to see later that there was no natural explanation for what happened. Daniela went to have an x-ray taken and a complete cure was reported. She is now married and has children, which wouldn't have been possible with the disease she had in her hip." “She went in haste to the Mountain”-pg 165 This story has special meaning to me personally , as it was a miraculous cure to my own legs as a boy, that brought me to know and get involved with Joey, The “Kissed Meal”, Garabandal, and Padre Pio. Sometimes we don’t understand or appreciate how a physical handicap can actually be a blessing from God , until later on.
Today in Garabanda history August 23,1961 The Apostolic Administrator from Santandar, Bishop Doroteo Fernandez, closes the doors to the church ,so apparitions can not happen inside. His reasoning is that overflow crowding is leading to damage of the church. I mention this only for the more important fact of “OBEDIENCE” that Mary taught to the girls. Read Conchita’s account of why below. Obedience The virtue of obedience is one of the greatest indicators for determining the authenticity of alleged apparitions. According to the Saints, it is the only virtue the devil cannot imitate (who, by his nature, is disobedient), and is therefore the hallmark of authentic apparitions. In the apparitions of Garabandal the examples of obedience are so numerous and varying, that one can say that it permeated from all facets of the girls' lives. Most notably, the Blessed Virgin instructed the children on the importance of obedience, especially to the Bishop. In fact, She told the children to obey the Bishop even before her; "She taught us to obey the Bishop before her." (Interview with Conchita, 1972). What is most striking, is even the Blessed Virgin Herself, in the apparitions, obeyed the commands of the bishop, as detailed in the account below; Conchita, interview, 1973: "At the beginning, we used to go into the Church (editor's note; The Blessed Virgin often led the girls into a local church, where She would recite the Rosary together with them). But then the people, because they wanted to be first when we extended our arms, would make a big disturbance. So the bishop said we could not go into the church anymore. Then the Virgin, from the time the bishop said not to go into the church, never would let us in there again." Conchita recounts that, from that day forward, the Blessed Virgin no longer entered the Church, but instead remained outside. The children learned from the example of the Virgin, and followed it themselves. The girls were not only obedient and docile to the bishops, but also to their parents, interrogations by doctors, physical exams, psychological tests, criticisms and slander, and so forth. They went along with everything imposed on them. Joseph Pelletier notes; "This simple unquestioning obedience to the commission manifested by the girls on this occasion is typical of their attitude and conduct toward the Church and clergy all during the apparitions" (jp53) In 1965, in response to those eager to spread the message of Garabandal, Conchita writes; "This is agreeable to the Blessed Virgin. She is very pleased to have us work to spread the message. That is what She wants. But she wants us to obey the Church, for in this way we will give greater glory to God. She will provide time for the message to be spread with the permission of the Church." Below: The girls praying outside the Church doors.
Levitation across a bridge. “ I know of many cases of levitation that took place at Garabandal. One case was photographed, and its copy on slides has been spread throughout the entire world. It is interesting to note that the photographer noticed the actual phenomenon only after the film was developed. Another levitation took place at the very small bridge — now gone — which was in front of the church. On that day, the brook that it crossed was full. The four girls, in ecstasy, were holding arms. The bridge was not wide enough to permit the passage of the four girls abreast, which is what they did nevertheless; one or two of them consequently had to pass outside of the bridge on the water, without, however getting their feet wet. “Memoirs of a Spanish Country Priest” by Father José Ramon Garcia de la Riva CHAPTER XIX “ Levitations” pg. 45 Below is the bridge mentioned, unfortunately I have never found a still photo of that day mentioned above.
COLLECTION OF LITTLE MIRACULOUS STORIES THAT WERE BARLEY NOTICED AMONG THE BIGGER DAILY MIRACLES AT GARABANDAL DURING THE APPARITIONS. HAIR DRY IN RAIN June 1961 ,by Placido Ruiloba “As the ecstasy was prolonged and the pathways became more difficult to traverse, my arm got tired from holding the umbrella and I closed it even though the rain continued without letup. I accompanied the girl for twenty minutes and was soaked through and through; my feet were swimming in my shoes. At the end of twenty minutes, we passed before a house lit by a small electric light bulb which enabled me to see to my amazement that the shoulders and head of the girl were completely dry. To make sure I passed my wet hand three times through her hair and dried it as if I were using a towel. All this I affirm, and would swear to it with my hand on the holy Gospels. “ UNTANGLED ROSARIES Another interesting miraculous phenomenon was the returning of rosaries. Now that people started to believe the Blessed Mother was actually appearing at Garabandal, they would bring their rosaries and medals to be kissed by her. They were all piled on a table for the girls to offer up to her. Entangled when presented by the girls to be blessed by the Blessed Mother, rosaries, medals, and multitude of objects would incredibly untangle smoothly when being returned to their owners. Even without any pre-established order, the Garabandal visionaries also never erred in returning each object to its proper owner. The events of January 1, 1962. Dr. Ortiz tells us the following story: “I was in the village with Miss Margarita Huerta who had come from Madrid with a group of people. Three of the girls fell into ecstasy and were walking together through the street just above the plaza, going towards the Church. One of the men from the group, who was following at a distance, suddenly thought, ‘If this is from God, let the middle girl come to me now and offer me the crucifix to kiss.’ Immediately, the girl fell back from the other girls and held up the crucifix for him to kiss! He was very excited and later told us the story”. A Dominican in Disguise Conchita’s mother Aniceta tells us the story: A young man arrived here with a young woman, a couple. He was dressed like any normal young man, and I assumed that they were just a young dating couple. It was raining a lot and the place was full of people. Conchita, in ecstasy, came into the house. My sister was amidst the crowd and the young man approached her and said, “Give this cross to the girl.” My sister responded, “Why should I try to give it to her? She’s not going to take it. When she’s in ecstasy, she never receives anything.” “Well, give it to her mother then, so that her mother can give it to her.” My sister came up to me and said, “Here, that man said for you to give this to Conchita.” I responded, “Why am I going to give it to her? She never takes anything.” Then, I had an idea. What he wanted me to give to Conchita was a cross on a string, and so I thought of hanging it on her fingers, since she had her hands folded. Although Conchita spoke softly, I was close by and heard her insist to her vision, “I didn’t bring anything. I really didn’t bring anything.” She continued, “Well, if I have something, take it.” At that moment, Conchita took a step forward, lowered her hands and, in doing so, the cross fell on the ground. She took another step and stepped on the cross, “Ah! I’m stepping on it?” She bent down and picked up the cross, still in ecstasy, and held it up to her apparition to kiss. Then she turned around, facing the young man, made the sign of the cross over him and held it up for him to kiss. Turning back to the vision, she held it up again to be kissed and said, “Having such a beautiful habit as the Dominican habit, what a pity that he came dressed like that!”. Then, turning back to the man, she took his glasses off and put them in his hands. The man was afraid and I said to him, “Don't worry, she won’t break them.” She made the sign of the cross over him, held up his cross to be kissed again, and then put it around his neck. However, she put it on him backwards, the image was turned inwards. “Oh! I put it on him backwards?” She took it off, turned it around and put it back around his neck. Then she opened his hands, took his glasses and put them back on his face. Then she repeated, “What a shame that they come dressed like that!” He was a Dominican priest in disguise, wearing normal clothing, and accompanied by a young lady, who appeared to be his girlfriend, but who turned out to be his sister“. CRUCIFIX RISES BY ITSELF FROM BEING DROPPED THE MUD ! June 1961. With her eyes fixed straight above, Conchita stooped slightly and reached down about 50 centimeters (20 inches) from the ground. Then before the attentive and stupefied eyes of all of us who witnessed it, the crucifix came out of the mud by itself to the level of the girl's hand. She immediately grabbed it with both hands while remaining in ecstasy. Witness: Don Placido Ruiloba Conchita and the Glass of Milk One day Conchita was eating near the elevated kitchen fireplace on a small stool where she usually sat. Suddenly Loli came inside in ecstasy and said to her: — “Conchita, the Virgin says you should finish quickly, since she is going to come to see you.” Conchita sped up her motions a little, and then as she lifted her glass of milk, to everyone’s surprise, she fell into ecstasy, the glass of milk in her hand. She came down slowly from the fireplace, and at the doorway of the house, she started running swiftly toward the church. She stopped abruptly in front of the portico. There they were able to take the celebrated glass of milk from her hand. To everyone’s surprise, not a drop had been lost. (Just another little example of the daily signs of proof ) Falling on the ground: 6-11-67 Mother Nieves: " Why did you fall on the ground ? " Conchita: " We were not aware of that, we were with the Virgin ! And we followed the conversation or communication with her, without knowing if we were running or not, if we were on our knees or lying on the ground." "Foot Race", A story from Serafin Gonzalez ( Conchita's Brother ) “On one occasion, a boy who was a good athlete arrived and said: ‘No one can beat me in a race. No girl can beat me.’ One of the girls had an ecstasy and set off running, and this boy ran after her. It was clear that the Blessed Virgin wasn’t trying to outrun him in the race, but at this point the girl was running at such a speed right toward the wall of a house that the boy thought: ‘If this is not from God, this girl will kill herself running into that wall.’ The boy had to stop to give him time to slow down, but the girl continued running without stopping until she reached the wall, and then she stopped in an instant. She said to the Blessed Virgin: ‘Oh, it is so he will believe…!’ The boy heard this and believed, since it was not humanly possible to stop in an instant at that speed.”
CONT> Light bulb story The Chief of the Civil Guard, Juan Alvarez Seco, who lived nearby, remembers this case. “One day María Dolores ( Mari Loli ) was on the second floor of her house where she had apparitions many times. Her father Ceferino had said that, when they came down from there to the floor below where the tavern was, they would unscrew the light bulb since there was no switch to turn it off. Loli, while putting her hand on the bulb this time, fell into ecstasy, and she didn't take away her hand. We all feared that if she continued like this, holding onto the lit light bulb, she would burn her hand. Her mother said, “Heavens, take away the light bulb!” However all our efforts were useless. Then we called Mari Cruz who wasn't in ecstasy, and she—with the greatest of ease—made Loli let go of the bulb. Her hand was not burned. Then the girl went down the stairs and continued her ecstatic march “. WEDDING RINGS The girls would have their fingers full of wedding rings, and while in ecstasy they'd raise up their hands and ask the Virgin to kiss them. After this they would return the rings to their owners without making any mistakes and without seeing who they were giving them to as their heads were always tilted backwards and their eyes fixed on the apparition above them. Garabandal and the Holy Shroud Only after Father Eusebio Garcia de Pesquera had written his comprehensive book on Garabandal, SHE WENT IN HASTE TO THE MOUNTAIN, did it come to light that the Shroud was mentioned at Garabandal. It was during one of Conchita's ecstasies when the Blessed Virgin spoke to the visionary about the Sabana Santa (Spanish for Holy Shroud). Among the spectators at that ecstasy was the Marquesa de Santa Maria, an excellent witness, and it was from her that Prof. Jacques Serre learned what the Virgin said about the Shroud. The Marquesa heard Conchita repeat the words of Our Lady: "It is the divine imprint of my Son." IN TIME , MARY REVEALS ALL. I have a rarely heard story of Our Lady kissing a woman's powdercase. We know most of the stories are about kissed religious objects. The reason I post this ( besides being a rarely heard story ) is that it reminds me of we don't always understand everything that happened at Garabandal , until later on. I think this story proves my point. Never question our Blessed Mother's intentions, even if we don’t understand it right away. One day Conchita was in the kitchen of her house surrounded by persons who were waiting for the moment of the apparition. On the simple table that served for the family meals, the objects that she was going to give to be kissed were being gathered. Together with these, someone had put there a stylish woman's powder case. The child and those present wanted this removed. How could the Virgin come to kiss an object so profane and used only for the service of vanity? Nevertheless, the powder case remained there. The ecstasy began and those present saw with astonishment that the visionary's hand, without her looking at it, before going to any other object, went first of all toward the previously discussed powder case. The child raised it toward the invisible Virgin and then set it down with great respect on the table. Among those present, surprise must have been mingled with doubt. Was it really the Virgin who was appearing? It didn't seem that she would kiss such an object . . . As soon as the ecstasy was finished, Conchita was asked for an explanation. And she declared that the Virgin had asked immediately for the powder case in order to kiss it, saying that it was something «belonging to her Son».The girl did not know anything more. But the person who had put the powder case there did know more and revealed the secret. During the terrible Spanish civil war (1936-1939) in the Red Zone when priests were being executed and had to be hidden, the powder case had been used to bring Communion Hosts to various locations and especially to prisoners whom the Reds held captive in order to execute. Thus it had served as a Pyx.
EYEWITNESS TESTIMONY FROM CONCHITA'S MOTHER ANICETA GONZALEZ/ https://www.garabandal.it/en/documentation/witnesses/aniceta-gonzalez
THE "CONDITIONAL" CHASTISEMENT (PART 1 OF 2 ). THE "CONDITIONAL" CHASTISEMENT What happens after the Warning and Miracle will depend on the response to the Message. Of the three great prophesied supernatural events of Garabandal, only the Chastisement is conditional. It can be averted. Whether or not it will be depends entirely on how the world responds to the Message after the Warning and Miracle. In biblical times, God used the prophets to warn His people when their transgressions against the law were reaching the breaking point. In our time, it is the Blessed Virgin, queen of prophets, who fulfills that role. At Fatima she foretold the Second World War and the spread of atheistic communism if the world did not change. At Garabandal, she warns of the greatest cataclysm in human history since the deluge if mankind does not reform. While the Chastisement has never been the favorite topic for discussion when it comes to Garabandal, it was primarily to warn us of this potential event that the Blessed Virgin appeared. This is supported by the fact that in the first Message of October 18, 1961, the message of Garabandal, the whole second part, more than fifty percent of the text of the entire Message, is devoted to the Chastisement. The first part tells us what we must do to prevent it from happening. In the second Message of June 18, 1965, delivered to Conchita by St. Michael on behalf of the Virgin, reference to the Chastisement is again made when Our Lady says: "Before the cup was filling up; now it is flowing over....You should turn the wrath of God away from yourselves by your efforts. " Neither the Warning nor the Miracle are mentioned in the two formal Messages, but they play an important role nonetheless in regard to the Chastisement. If it is true that God always warns before He strikes, then the world should know of the threat of this Chastisement which at the present time it does not. But after the worldwide Warning and the great Miracle, the appearances of the Blessed Virgin at Garabandal, with her Message (containing the threat of a Chastisement), should become common knowledge. It will be at this point, when the Message is universally known, that the way will be cleared for the Chastisement to take place if that is what divine justice decrees. In his book THE APPARITIONS OF GARABANDAL, Francisco Sanchez-Venture y Pascual includes the following note written by Conchita about the Chastisement : “The Chastisement is conditional and depends on whether or not mankind heeds the messages of the Blessed Virgin and the Miracle. If it should take place, I know what it will consist of because the Blessed Virgin told me about it, but I am not permitted to say what it is. Moreover, I have seen the Chastisement. I can assure you that if it comes, it will be worse than being enveloped in fire, worse than having fire above and beneath you. I do not know how much time will elapse between the Miracle and the Chastisement.“ On the feast of the Holy Rosary, October 7, 1962, Maria Herrero de Gallardo was in Garabandal and took the occasion to question Mari Loli about the visions of June 19-20, 1962 (the Nights of the Screams), and what she and the other visionaries could possibly have seen to cause them to cry out in such a terrifying manner. Sefiora Herrero reported: "Oh!" exclaimed the girl. "That was horrible to see. We were really frightened, and I know no words that could explain it. We saw rivers change into blood.... Fire fell from the sky.... And something much worse still, which I'm not able to reveal now." (SHE WENT IN HASTE TO THE MOUNTAIN) Further information from Loli was contained in messages bearing her signature that were presented to Maria Saraco and published in 1970 by Fernand Corteville in his newsletter L'Impartial (No.31): In spite of continuing to see the Virgin, (during the Nights of the Screams) we saw a great multitude of people who were suffering intensely and screaming in terror. The Blessed Virgin explained to us that this great tribulation, which was not even the Chastisement, would come because a time would arrive when the Church would appear to be on the point of perishing. It would pass through a terrible trial. We asked the Virgin what this great trial was called and she told us it was "Communism." Then she showed us how the great Chastisement for all mankind would come, and that it would come directly from God. At a certain moment, not a single motor or machine would function; a terrible heat wave will strike the earth and men will begin to feel a great thirst. In desperation they will seek water, but this will evaporate from the heat. Then almost everyone will despair and they will seek to kill one another. But they will lose their strength and fall to the ground. Then it will be understood that it is God alone Who has permitted this. Then we saw a crowd in the midst of flames. The people ran to hurl themselves into the lakes and seas. But the water seemed to boil, and instead of putting out the flames, it seemed to enkindle them even more. It was so horrible that I asked the Blessed Virgin to take all the young children with her before all this happened. But the Virgin told us that by the time it came, they would all be adults.
THE "CONDITIONAL" CHASTISEMENT (PART 2 OF 2 ). THE "CONDITIONAL" CHASTISEMENT (PART 2 OF 2 )The four visionaries from left: Jacinta, Mari Cruz, Conchita, and Mari-Loli in 1962.WILL IT HAPPEN ? According to the first Message of Our Lady, the Chastisement is conditional and can be averted. However, if history repeats itself, as it usually does, then it's hard to see it not happening. Both at La Salette and Fatima conditions were given by Our Lady that, if met, would forestall the impending threatened punishments. The warnings were not heeded and the rest is history.Did the Chastisement change from being conditional to unavoidable during the events themselves? The first Message of Our Lady delivered on October 18, 1961, had virtually no effect, and so after the first night of screams on June 19, 1962, Mari Loli and Jacinta wrote a message which was followed a few days later by a second one. These messages can only be described as dire.On August 7, 1971, in a message to American Garabandal workers, Conchita twice made reference to the Chastisement and her belief that it would indeed take place:We are now in the last warnings, in the final moments. God has already prepared us for all the last things, even the Chastisement, for it is needed. The Chastisement must come because the Miracle will not suffice by itself to make us change. It is true that we will change after seeing the Miracle, but then we will fall again. That is why all of us who hear these words should prepare ourselves and induce all those around us, all those within our reach, to change their lives......However, it will not be possible to avoid the Chastisement because we have now lost even the sense of sin. We have reached such an extremity that God cannot now avoid sending the Chastisement. We need it for our own good. Those who survive the Chastisement will change very much and then we shall live for God until the end of time, which will also arrive. [OUR LADY COMES TO GARABANDAL, by Joseph Pelletier, A.A.] Regarding the above statements of Conchita, which the visionary herself acknowledged were only her own opinion, Father Joseph Pelletier had this to say: "Conchita's opinion...must always be considered as strictly her own. No matter how much one may be tempted to agree with her position on the matter, that position does not reflect Our Lady's very precise words which always have presented the Chastisement as conditional, as a thing that can be avoided. Let us heed Conchita and not attach an importance to her words that they do not warrant. What Our Lady has said is one thing. What Conchita conjectures will happen, may very well happen. But it is always her conjecture and she could be wrong." [OUR LADY COMES TO GARABANDAL, by Joseph Pelletier, A.A.] That certainly is a fair analysis. In fact, when interviewed by Father Francis Benac, S.J., in 1978, [THE CALL OF GARABANDAL] Conchita expressed a different view:Father Benac:We read in the books [on Garabandal] that on that night of the screams, Our Lady advised that nobody should be around you, that she wanted you girls to be all alone. Could you explain that? Was it about the Chastisement? Did you see it and if so, how would you describe it?Conchita:Oh I don't know; I don't remember. I don't want to remember.Benac:Would you mind repeating that?Conchita:No, that I don't want to even remember it, it was so terrible.Benac:Would it be a Chastisement such as an atomic war?Conchita:I don't know; I have never seen such a thing in my life nor could I imagine it.Benac: Do you think the Chastisement can be averted with prayer? Conchita:I think so. I don't think that it should take place; I think it won't happen. It seems to me that it would be impossible for such a thing to happen. It is for this reason that I believe God is sending us the Aviso (Warning) so that we may acknowledge all the evil within us. Later He will send us the Miracle to manifest His love and His presence amongst us.....I feel that it is impossible that after this we should not change. However, two years later in 1980, when Conchita was interviewed by the BBC, she again expressed her view that the Chastisement would come: "I think we're going to get the punishment." Another statement made by her suggests that it's a foregone conclusion: "Prior to this, the Blessed Virgin had told me that Jesus is not going to send the Chastisement to discourage us, but to help us and to reprimand us for not heeding Him."[OUR LADY COMES TO GARABANDAL]OTHER SOURCES Blessed Anna-Maria Taigi saw a future "Three Days of Darkness" which is generally believed to be the same event as the Chastisement prophesied at Garabandal. Blessed Elizabeth Canorii-Mora, a contemporary of Blessed Anna Maria, also saw this same event. While all this points to the actuality of the Chastisement, it nevertheless still can be avoided simply because the Blessed Virgin said so. Much must happen first: the communist tribulation, the Warning and the Miracle. According to Conchita's locution with Jesus on June 21, 1963, He told her that as a result of the Miracle, Russia and other countries would be converted. This seems to suggest that if the Chastisement does come, it will not be for a while although we really don't know. FINAL REFLECTIONS In November, 1967, Spanish artist Isabel Daganzo, who wanted to commit to canvas representational images of the visions of Garabandal, had a number of interviews with Conchita while the visionary was at school in Burgos. One of the questions she asked was: "Could you speak about something that I could put on canvas that could cause fear?" Conchita replied: "No. What I have seen that could cause fear is the Chastisement, and I can't tell you about that. Besides, terror and fear are not the best means to move souls."This shows good insight on the part of Conchita. To dwell too much on the destructive nature of the Chastisement could lead to moroseness and would oppose a healthy spiritual outlook. Everything happens within the providence of God even the Chastisement if it should come. If it does happen, it will be because that is the best and most necessary thing to happen at that particular time. And even in this cataclysmic event can be seen divine mercy. If the glory of God in the world is on the verge of being overwhelmed by evil, He will intervene to preserve the good. Reprinted with kind permission from GARABANDAL JOURNAL - May -June 2004
