The Vision of the Sacred Heart, Interview with Father Benac On December 23, 1978, Jacinta was interviewed by the Jesuit missionary Father Francisco Benac at his home in California. Here an excerpt from this conversation: Father Benac: I have read some articles in which you report that you have seen the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Please tell me how it all happened. Jacinta: I remember that this happened on a day in which the four of us climbed a little higher above the zone of the "calleja", that is, above where the Angel had appeared to us for the first time. No one, a girl from our village, followed us on that day too. Suddenly, the other three fell into ecstasy and the Angel came. At that moment I was behind, and I saw them in ecstasy, and I said, "But I see nothing." Suddenly I saw the Sacred Heart of Jesus that impressed me greatly. He did not tell me, however, His gaze came to the deepest place in my heart. Father Benac: What impressed you most? Jacinta: His eyes, all his appearance, his eyes that arrived well inside my heart in an inexplicable way. Father Benac: What did you think at that moment? Jacinta: Oh, Father, this vision of the Heart of Jesus has been etched for ever, though I have never seen Him again. Whenever I remember His vision, I feel that infinite Love that came to my heart that day. Reposted in the "Garabandal Journal" , May-June 2004 Issue
August 28, 2014 Archbishop Carlos Osoro Sierra of Oviedo was promoted Archbishop of Madrid. Conchita received a letter, dated February12, 2007, from Archbishop Carlos Sierra of Oviedo, then the acting Apostolic Administrator for the Diocese of Santander, which read: “I want you to know that I am open to receiving and considering all information about Garabandal, and would like to continue—as long as our Holy Father wishes me to serve as Apostolic Administrator—the work that my brothers at the Bishopric have already done in reference to this subject. What I have just done is authorize the priests to go to Garabandal and hold Holy Mass at the Parish, at any desired time, and to administer the Sacrament of Reconciliation to anyone that wishes to receive it. I am sure the next Bishop will promote further studies to examine in depth the Garabandal events and will send the findings to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome. I respect apparitions and have known of authentic conversions. How can we not always feel the need to open our heart to our Mother Mary to tell her that we need her protection, her help, her courage, her hope, her faith and her love when faced with these events! I encourage you to keep maintaining such devotion toward our Mother”. -Carlos Osoro Sierra, Archbishop of Oviedo
Todays Gospel has a very famous quote pertaining to humility: “For every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted." This reminded me of a story about Conchita. For a time, when she was younger, while she was living in Fatima many years ago, she went daily to an older priest’s residence to volunteer as a cleaning lady. As on other occasions, she went there using the name of Maria, in order not to be recognized. However, one day someone recognized her and immediately all the resident priests knew that the woman who swept the floors of their residence was Conchita of Garabandal ! From then on, nothing was the same. Conchita told me that when the priests discovered who she was, they changed the way they treated her. She said she was sorry that they had found out who she was because she felt better serving those elderly priests anonymously.
August 29, 1961 One of the cases happened on the night of August 29, 1961. Among the objects left on the table, an unknown person left a picture of FIDEL CASTRO's face. Without seeing anything, Jacinta raised it up to the VIRGIN, AND SHE RESISTED IN KISSING him, she commented to Loli: - She said that “ this person killed all the Priests”. "And all the nuns," said Jacinta, who must also have heard the Virgin's explanation. Text extracted from "Garabandal": the final times. CESCA, Olivo. Editora Myrian, 1990. pp. 65-67 I spoke with Conchita and did tell me that Fidel Casstro’s sister Juanita Castro had visited Garabandal several times, as she lived in a neighboring town called Asturias , and always dressed in black, as a penance. We can only assume she was the one who left the picture. She asked for prayers for her brother Fidel. Below Juanita & Fidel Castro
Strange weight of Visionaries in ecstasy. The Visionaries could lift one another up with the greatest of ease while in ecstasy. On the other hand, two grown men were not able to lift a single child when in ecstasy. In one of the photographs, Conchita can be seen, before the church door, lifting Mary Loli up to give something to the Virgin to be kissed.
The sorrow of Mary's motherly Heart is so evident; the refusal to kiss the picture demonstrates that sin separates us from those who love us most: the Two Hearts!
Sorry , after having several others check the Spanish & Portuguese versions of the " Castro" story, the word "Parents" should be "Priests". It makes alot more sense , especially after hearing Jacinta's next words (and the nuns).
Yes! Now it makes perfect sense. Amazing story. One I’d never heard. Always something new to learn from the extraordinary events of Garabandal! Thanks.
Garabandal Girls speak other languages in ecstasy ! As he continued, Father Ramón Andreau brought out another very remarkable matter that occurred in the early ecstasies at Garabandal: “I myself have witnessed things that have given me reason to say that the girls spoke foreign languages while in their state of trance. Actually it isn't exactly that, at least not at the time I am writing these lines; the fact is that the girls have spoken words in other languages. I have heard the following . . . He (St. Michael) gives some words in French, in Latin, in German, and the beginning of the Hail Mary in Greek.) The most interesting thing is not that they spoke these words in ecstasy, but that they corrected themselves when they spoke them badly, so as to come to correct diction and pronunciation. They gave the impression that they were hearing the words from someone, one after the other, and that they were simply repeating them.” “ She Went in Haste to the Mountain” Ch..5 , page 107
Today in Garabandal History : September 1, 1962 The pastor of Garabandal, Don Valentin Marichalar, took notes of what he observed during his many visits to the village at the time of the apparitions. He relates an event involving a visit to the cemetery by all four girls. It took place on September 1, 1962. At about nine in the evening, after the public rosary in the village church, Conchita went into ecstasy at the door of the church, a place where many apparitions began. A few minutes later, Our Lady appeared also to Loli and Jacinta and then after a few more minutes to Mari Cruz. In the first days of the apparitions, Our Lady always appeared to the four girls together. This pattern changed quite quickly and the Blessed Virgin began appearing to one, two or three of the girls as well as to all four together. By September of 1962, apparitions to all four girls together were rare. The girls then began an ecstatic march in which Loli and Jacinta went together while Conchita and Mari Cruz walked alone. The four girls went to the pines, followed by a large number of people. They recited the rosary and left the pines, walking backwards in ecstasy and still praying the rosary. On this return march, Conchita joined Loli and Jacinta, while Mari Cruz went alone. ALL FOUR WENT TO THE CEMETERY and from there to the church. Excerpted from an article by Fr. Joseph Pelletier “ Garabandal and Purgatory”. https://www.garabandal.us/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/purgatory.pdf
TODAY IN GARABANDAL HISTORY SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1961 PADRE RODRIGO IS "CONSULTED" Padre Lucio Rodrigo was consulted by the members of the "Special Commission" most certainly in the second half of the month of August 1961. Following this encounter with the renowned Spanish theologian, Don Juan Antonio del Val, (the future bishop of Santander), resigned from the "Commission." Excerpted from 'Garabandal' Book, J. Serre, page 100 What does it say about “The Bishop’s Commission”, when it’s Priest assigned to investigate the apparitions, refuses to deny the validity of the apparitions, and instead resigns? Padre Lucio Rodrigo was present at a few ecstasies of the visionaries. An excellent theologian, his prudent critical spirit led him to believe firmly in the supernatural authenticity of Garabandal. He learned the nature of the great Miracle from Conchita, but not the date. His belief in the divine origin of the "events," of which he said: "If there exists in the world a window through which one can contemplate Heaven, it is Garabandal!"
TODAY IN GARABANDAL HISTORY: SEPTEMBER 3, 1961 "ST. JOSEPH IS THE GREATEST SAINT" In response to Don Valentin Marichalar’s questions, the visionaries learned from the Blessed Virgin that “ St. Joseph is the greatest of all the Saints “ Excerpted from 'Garabandal' Book, J.Serre, page 100
NO THIRD WORLD WAR Our Lady Said at Garabandal: NO THIRD WORLD WAR Of primary concern to the people of today is the impending threat of a nuclear holocaust with the major superpowers (and lesser powers!) in possession of weapons that can turn the world’s centers of civilization into piles of rubble within a matter of minutes. Heads of State and Church leaders have labored under the burden of how to deal with the problem. But we know from what Our Lady said at Garabandal concerning another world war, that there is nothing to worry about. It will never happen. On at least three occasions, Conchita has addressed herself to this question. The first source of reference is Joey Lomangino who has known the visionary since 1963. Joey vividly recalls Conchita telling him that the Virgin said there would not be a third world war. According to Joey, there may be skirmishes or limited wars between countries but not a global conflict. A second source of reference is Anne Mequeli from Brentwood, New York. Anne, a dedicated worker for the New York Center Scapular Committee, is a good friend of Conchita’s and frequently attends the visionary’s weekly holy hour to ‘pray for priests’. She gives the following testimony: One night in Conchita’s house, everyone was talking about the ‘Cuban Crisis’ when Conchita said to me, “At that time in my village, all the people feared a third world war and everyone had radios close to their ears waiting to hear of such a war. But I had an apparition at the time and the Blessed Virgin told me, ‘No World War Three.” A third source of reference is a taped conversation between Conchita and Bishop Franciso Garmendia, Auxillary Bishop of New York, on August 27, 1981. In answer to the Bishop’s question about the ‘end of times,’ Conchita responded: The Virgin told me that before the Miracle, there will be only three popes (Paul VI, John Paul I and John Paul II). That same day—I don’t know if you remember but in France they were saying that in 1962 world war would break out—she (The Virgin) told us that there would never be another world war. Everybody, in fact, was frightened that day, including me, when the Virgin appeared and said, “Don’t be afraid because there will never be a world war.” Source: https://www.garabandal.us/prph_other __________________________________________ Question: Can any of you provide a weblink for the audio (video?) conversation which is mentioned above in red boldface text?
So.. That would eliminate that purported 4th World War? Thing is, Armageddon must occur. Call it whatever one wants call it.. And? It'll be much bigger than WWII. Thus Spake God
Allow me to suggest that this prospect hinges upon how one chooses to interpret the meaning of "Armageddon" in the biblical text (Rev. 16:13-16). Is the Book of Revelations referring to a military conflict in the literal sense of the phrase? A final spiritual conflict between the forces of light and darkness? Or both? "Perhaps" Our Lady of Garabandal has offered a little insight regarding such questions.
Good Credo. Yes, it is a "spiritual battle." The word translated Armageddon is from the Hebrew "Har" (mountain/hill) "of Megiddo" (the town of Megiddo). The town of Megiddo is in the plain of Jezreel. The word Armageddon is alluding to BOTH "Megiddo" and the "mountain" visible from Megiddo, Mount Carmel. The Biblical allusions to that town are as follows (link): In the Bible, the city of Jezreel has a long, violent history. The wife of King Ahab, Jezebel, died when she was thrown from a window of Jezreel's palace, and her body was eaten by dogs (2 Kings 9:30-35). Naboth was murdered in Jezreel when he refused to give King Ahab his vineyard (1 Kings 21:1-23). King Ahab's sons were beheaded and their heads piled at the gates of Jezreel (2 Kings 10:1-11). Jezreel was also the scene of many biblical battles: Deborah's victory over Sisera (Judges 4); the Israelites' victory over the Midianites and the Amalekites (Judges 6—8); Saul and Jonathan's defeat at the hand of the Philistines (1 Samuel 31); Egypt's victory over King Josiah (2 Kings 23:29). So "Megiddo" in "Jezreel" alludes to the story of Jezabel (and the other related references mentioned above). But the allusion is not only about Jezabel's (a figure of the Harlot of Babylon) final moments at her palace where she is definitively defeated. It also references the "Mountain" near Megiddo. Before Jezabel's death, she was challenged by the prophet Elijah to a battle on the top of Mt. Carmel. She sent her prophets of Baal to "battle" against Elijah. Each side tried to call down their God. The prophets of Baal, being false prophets and purveyors of novelties in Israel, could not call down their god to consume the sacrifice (this is figure of an invalid Novus Ordo consecration). Elijah easily called the true, ancient God of Israel (a figure of the Mass of the Ages) to consume the sacrifice on the altar. After Elijah wins, all of the prophets of Baal are slain. You should read the story in 1 Kings 18. So the mention of Armageddon in the Apocalypse is about the final liturgical battle, with the counterfeit, newchurch, jezabel church on one side, and the true, ancient One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic church on the other side. It is not a battle with jets and missiles and tanks. Again, to think in those materialistic, political terms is part of the Freemasonic ruse to distract Catholics away from the actual event, the battle for the soul of the Church and its Sacred Liturgy.
