August 29, 1961 The day Our Lady refused to kiss a picture of Fidel Castro. “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 she did tell me that Fidel Castro’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.- Glenn Below Juanita & Fidel Castro
The Blessed Virgin reaffirmed at Garabandal the teachings and traditions of the Catholic Church. from “GARABANDAL JOURNAL” Nov-Dec. 2002 MARY ON HELL: While hell is seldom if ever preached today in the majority of churches, the Blessed Virgin did not hesitate to make reference to it at Garabandal. In her second Message of June 18, 1965, delivered by Saint Michael on her behalf to Conchita, Our Lady said: "Many cardinals, many bishops and many priests are on the road to perdition and are taking many souls with them." If there is any doubt that perdition refers to hell, here is the Webster's Unabridged dictionary description: Perdition: 1. a state of final spiritual ruin; loss of the soul; damnation. 2. the future state of the wicked. 3. hell. In that same Message, Our Lady again alluded to hell when she said: "You are now receiving the last warnings. I love you very much and do not want your condemnation."
August 31 MODESTY By Barry Hanratty Reprinted with kind permission from GARABANDAL JOURNAL July- August 2003 In her lessons at Garabandal, the Blessed Virgin impressed upon the girls the importance of modesty. She did this in a number of ways by requiring: 1) a proper code of dress; 2) proper comportment; and 3) that they not wear jewelry or cosmetics (inappropriate for young girls) especially when they were going to see her. Now there is something that can be noticed in their external manners that is not the same as the other girls. For example, in their way of sitting, they always do it with great modesty. And never have they been surprised in the least lack of purity. Their comportment in this has been in the extreme. Furthermore everyone has been able to observe in the ecstasies how they concern themselves that their dresses are in place. In She Went in Haste to the Mountain, Father Eusebio Garcia de Pesquera has this to say on the subject: "Yes, their comportment was most proper, although we should bear in mind the customs and styles of dress then prevalent in their sheltered and secluded environment. The girls from Garabandal dressed like other girls of their time and area, and because of this, they sometimes wore short skirts, as was then the style. "The Virgin called their attention to this with a mother's delicateness. In one of their ecstasies the three girls each went to their own homes separately, at the Vision's request, to change the dresses they were wearing for longer ones. Conchita was heard to say later during the trance, 'We should always wear long dresses like this, above all for coming to see you.'' To further emphasize the importance of modesty, some of the laws of physics were suspended during the ecstasies as Father Ramon Andreu observed: On August 31, one of the girls, while sitting on the ground in ecstasy, went several meters forwards toward the church and several meters backwards. The people who were watching became so filled with emotion that many cried — not so much for the action itself of going over the ground sitting down like this; but because in all the distance traveled, the girl's dress, without being disarranged, covered her to her knees. And I observed afterward that, in spite of having slid like this on the dirty ground, the dress had not become soiled. It was on this same day in August that the Virgin advised Loli to lengthen her skirt a little. "She said this smiling." —Father Ramón Andreu's report Another requirement of the Virgin was that dresses have long sleeves. She also told the girls not to allow themselves to be photographed with women with low necklines. We will conclude with these words of Father Eusebio: "Modesty and decency can never be neglected in genuine morality because they are required by our condition as creatures made in the image and likeness of God, and furthermore raised up to be His sons and members of the Mystical Body of Christ.
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." Article by Fr. Joseph Pelletier “ Garabandal and Purgatory”.
TODAY IN GARABANDAL HISTORY SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1961 PADRE RODRIGO IS "CONSULTED" Padre Lucio Rodrigo was consulted by the members of the "Special Commission . Following this encounter with the renowned Spanish theologian, Don Juan Antonio del Val, (the future bishop of Santander), (appointed by the Commission to investigate the apparitions) resigned from the "Commission." xcerpted 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!" Below Fr. Rodigo & Del Val Gallo
TODAY IN GARABANDAL HISTORY: SEPTEMBER 3, 1961 ST. JOSEPH IS THE GREATEST SAINT IN HEAVEN 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
TODAY IN GARABANDAL HISTORY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1962: “A Miracle on the Horizon” From a tape recording on September 4, 1962, the Blessed Mother tells Conchita , there will be a Miracle in Garabandal, Mary will be there, and it will be a long time from then ! From the book, “ She went In Haste to the Mountain” Book 3,Chapter 4,page 73 ( CONTINUED) September 4th, 1962 was a Tuesday. According to Fr. Valentín’s annotations, toward 11:00 in the morning Conchita fell into ecstasy at the door of the church, and there received Communion from the hand of the Angel; somewhat later, the same thing happened to Loli. The afternoon passed; the night began, and at 1:30 Conchita had an ecstasy again. She went to the graveyard, made her way through the streets of the village, prayed the rosary, sang the Salve. On entering her home, she fell on her knees and said farewell to the Vision. As she was speaking, a person near to her not satisfied with just hearing what the girl was saying held a microphone to her lips. What he recorded from this confirmed afterwards what his ears had not understood well. You say there’s going to be a miracle? . . . And the miracle is going to be that? . . . And the Virgin will be seen? . . . And when? . . . So long away? . . . With me alone . . . No. I don’t want that . . . Don’t do that! Perform it with the four . . . “ She Went In Haste to the Mountain” Book 3, Chapter 4page 73
September 5 1961 Fr. Ramon M. Andreu's Cross - Found ! Fr. Ramon M. Andreu noted this extraordinary event of which he himself was a witness.� "On August 15 [1961] one of the girls prayed the Rosary with a rosary I had given her. Later, when she returned it to me, we observed that the cross was missing. It had fallen off and was lost. It was useless to search for it in those streets, paths and lanes... Twenty days later, on September 5, it occurred to me to tell the girls to ask the Virgin Mary for my Rosary's cross... I myself heard the dialogue in which they asked Her and how the exact spot was specified. Once the trance concluded, we went without any hesitation to the indicated spot, and there was the little cross beneath a stone in the mud." This event, and many others like it, left the witnesses surprised, for it was so obvious that it was impossible for the girls to know where the objects were. In the mud, stones and grass, they found the lost objects and gave them back to their owners. Moreover, the girls in ecstasy went their way in an absolutely accurate manner, not hesitating, to the exact spot in which the objects were without lowering their gaze. https://www.garabandal.it/.../1149-fr-ramon-m-andreu-s...
3 Girls went into a convent. Many people have commented over the years “ Why didn’t the girls become Nuns after the apparitions ? Most people don’t know that actually 3 of the 4 girls did enter convents ! Conchita, Jacinta, and Mari Loli did for a short time, then left for different reasons, and became boarding students instead. Mary Cruz did not go at all. On February 7,1966 Conchita (on her 17th birthday) enters the Discalced Carmelites Missionaries of Pamplona. On February 13,1966 she has a locution from Jesus, where he tells her this was not his wish to be here. Both Jacinta and Mari Loli were 16 at the time they decided to enter a convent. On September 30, 1965 they left for the Sisters of Charity of St. Ann, in the Aragon town of Borja. Jesus said to Conchita: “ I choose you in the world, that is, in the normal condition of the faithful, so that you would remain in it. “ I guess our Lord had other plans and vocations for the girls, to remain in the world, and not hidden away in a convent. Sources : “A decisive hour for Conchita” by Fr. Alfred Combe “Garabandal: Message of Hope”. Pg 227 GARABANDAL JOURNAL JAN.-FEB. 2022 PGS 4-6
GARABANDAL : "AWAITING APPROVAL " Some Anti-Garabandal people say this apparition is “not approved”, that is NOT true. There has been NO Official ruling for approval or condemnation by the current local Bishop AND no official Vatican ruling yet because in 1966 Conchita was summoned by the Vatican and questioned by Cardinal Alfredo Ottaviani and his staff (which included the Pope’s Personal Secretary) for over 2 hours, convinced or her story, they requested a meeting with Pope Paul VI. Conchita and her Mother, and Dr. Medi met the Pope in a private meeting the next day. At the end of that meeting, 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." Another quote from Pope Paul VI from another conversation: "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." There can be no ruling until after the Miracle date that Conchita gave to the Vatican, then the Vatican can and will confirm it's validity.
TODAY IN GARABANDAL HISTORY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1961: THE VIRGIN OF MOUNT CARMEL, QUESTIONED . . . REPLIES! In the afternoon of his arrival, Don Valentin asked Dr. Porro to draw up some ten questions to be submitted to the Blessed Virgin through the visionaries, during their evening ecstasy. Mari-Loli took charge of this mission. Our Lady's answers are a "first" . . 1. By what sins does the Blessed Virgin feel most offended? - The mortal ones. 2. What is the Blessed Virgin urging the Spaniards to do above all to amend themselves? - That they go to confession and receive Communion. 3. What sacrifices is she asking from Spain? - That "we may be good" (totally virtuous). 4. What are the sins of young people that hurt and offend her most? - No answer. 5. What sins of the parents offend her the most? - When they quarrel. 6. What social sin wounds the Heart of Jesus the most? - No answer. 7. Is the impact of the Message greater for Spain or for the whole world? - No answer. 8. What nation fulfills the commandment of Jesus Christ the best? - Spain. 9. What nation can be presented as a model to the faithful? - No answer. 10. Is the Message for the whole world or for Spain? - For the whole world. 11. Why do these things (i.e. the apparitions) occur at night? - No answer: the face of the Vision became clouded over with sadness . . . " (Excerpted from 'Garabandal' Book,J. Serre, page 101) The #11 question I found an answer to. When the children were asked why the Virgin came at such late hours, they answered that the Virgin told them that it was at that time most of the sins of the world were committed and that they should do penance... And for them it was a penance, and not the smallest, to stay up until the Virgin came to visit them, late in the night, or very early in the morning. They performed this penance because the Virgin wanted it and also because they wanted to see her again. From “Memoirs of Spanish Priest” pg 51
TODAY IN GARABANDAL HISTORY SEPTEMBER 9, 1962: "THE POPE AND PADRE PIO WILL SEE THE MIRACLE" . . . Conchita explained Our Lady's remarks to Dr. Celestino Ortiz: "This Miracle will be a very great one. The Pope, wherever we may want him to be, will see it. And Padre Pio as well." The odd turn of the visionary's statement concerning the location from which the Sovereign Pontiff will see the Miracle, leads us to suppose that he will not be at the Vatican for the great event. (Conchita's own repeated opinion). As to Blessed Padre Pio seeing (in advance) the Miracle, (see below ) Excerpt from 'Garabandal' Book, J. Serre page 147 When Conchita found out Padre Pio died in Sept. 1968, she met his close friend, Father Bernardino Cennamo, at Lourdes, and asked him, "How is it that Our Lady told me Padre Pio would see the Miracle and he has died?" Father Cenammo responded, "Padre Pio saw the Miracle before he died. He told me himself."
TODAY IN GARABANDAL HISTORY, SEPTEMBER 10,1965 September 10th, there was another meeting in Garabandal itself. It occurred under the awning of a tent that a French family had pitched a few steps from Conchita’s house. Conchita went to visit a woman there with the two smallest of her eight children. “The Miracle here will be much greater, more tremendous than Fatima. It will cause such an impression that none of those who see it will be able to leave with doubts. It would be well if all the world were here, since that way there surely would be no chastisement, since everyone would believe.” Conchita ,September 10,1965 “She went in haste to the mountain”, book 3 page 189
That is quite the claim, a claim which gives me hope that God will check our downward spiral through the impact of the Warning/Miracle combo. But I also recall that shortly before the Miracle something will occur to discredit Conchita and/or Garabandal. Am I right, Glenn?
On December 6, 1962, Conchita had a 90 minute ecstasy around 5:30 in the afternoon after which, she provided more pieces of information regarding the Miracle: “One day, before the Miracle, something will happen that will cause many people to stop believing in the apparitions of Garabandal. “ Jesus comments on belief of Garabandal before the Miracle From Conchita, Dairy pg. 204, 1966: He [Jesus] replied..."I want to tell you, Conchita, that before the miracle occurs, you will suffer much, for few people will believe you. Your own family will believe that you have deceived them. I am the one who wants all this, as I have already told you, for your sanctification and so that the world may comply with the message. I wish to advise you that the remainder of your life will be a continual suffering. Do not be frightened. In your suffering you will find me and also Mary whom you love very much... I will be with whoever suffers for me."
TODAY IN GARABANDAL HISTORY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1961 Fr. Valentin Marichalar Torres , Notebook #1 , September 11, 1961 At 4 Jacinta entered into ecstasy. And when I entered into Ceferino’s house Jacinta said: “Fr. Valentín is here with his notebook.” After a little while, she grabbed me by the cassock and laughingly took me from place to place. She made the sign of the cross over me next to Elena’s house. She arrived at the Church. I had closed it, but not locked it. She pushed the door and entered the Church. I asked the priests why she went into the Church since the Bishop didn’t want them to go into the Church. Upon saying this, she stood up and left. Jacinta fell out of ecstasy at 5:20 in Conchita’s house. Loli fell into ecstasy at the same time and she left her house and went toward the Church. Mari Cruz also had an ecstasy that day; she gave the crucifix to be kissed and when she went to the Church she said: “Oh, I forgot,” then she returned to the house and got the crucifix. It ended at 5:20. At 11 they left again in ecstasy and I told her that the theologians said that they weren’t happy. They went to the Pines and when they came down it was night. Jacinta said: “She ordered us like that.” They went up to the Pines and they came down rapidly. After, they went through the street. Then they went to Conchita’s house and spent two hours there praying the rosary. They called people by their names: Carmen and Margarita. Although she didn’t go up, the Virgin said that there was a Margarita. (They said that there was a Dominican dressed like a layman). Jacinta said that there was a priest. When I went up, they said: “Now there are two. Fr. Valentín is one,” and when the Dominican left they said: “Now it is only Fr. Valentín.” When the Dominican left she told Simon and Celia that he was a Dominican. Fr. Valentin Marichalar Torres , Notebook #1 , September 11, 1961 --------------------------------------------------- A Dominican in Disguise Aniceta (Conchita's Mother) confirms the same 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. 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.”
