Thanks Grennan, it's great to hear that you are still promoting Garabandal in Ireland and beyond. I have a strong feeling that the times and events spoken about by the Blessed Mother and the young Seers are not too far away.
MAY 16, 1962 TWO NEW COMMUNIONS GIVEN BY ST. MICHAEL, AT THE PINES, TO CONCHITA The Communions given by the Angel to Conchita at the Pines, on May 16 and 26, were another proof of the extent to which, in Garabandal, there is an essential link between the Eucharist and the Priesthood. As a complement to what has already been pointed out, may we add here that St. Simon Stock, whose Feast day falls on May 16, received the "rule of the Carmelites" in Palestine, from St. Albert of Jerusalem. As to St. Philip Neri, whose Feast was celebrated on May 26, he founded his famous Oratory at the end of the sixteenth century; an exceptional example of Marian piety and cheerful holiness, he advocated frequent Communion, even for children, and was even so consumed body and soul, by the fire of the Holy Spirit, that after his death, physicians performing his autopsy discovered that his heart was . . . split open! (In the church of Garabandal, one can contemplate two central themes in the apparitions: the pelican sculptured on the door of the tabernacle being one of them, the other being quite properly the lamb.) From 'Garabandal' Book, by J. Serre, page 133
TODAY IN GARABANDAL HISTORY: MAY 17 With her permission, I am reprinting a letter from Conchita to the pastor of the village of Garabandal,(at that time) Padre Rolando, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the apparitions 1961-2011. AVE MARIA May 17, 2011 Dear Father Rolando, I join with you in the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the events of Garabandal. It is for me fifty years of contemplating the most beautiful thing in the world. I give thanks to God for having been a part of those experiences, impossible to describe adequately, but which have pressed upon my soul the secure assurance of faith and hope. I thank you, Father Rolando, for granting me the opportunity to recite the Message of Our Mother in the village yet again. [ October 18,1961-We must make many sacrifices, perform much penance, and visit the Blessed Sacrament frequently. But first, we must lead good lives. If we do not, a chastisement will befall us. The cup is already filling up, and if we do not change, a very great chastisement will come upon us.] The Angel said: As my message of October 18 has not been complied with and has not been made known to the world, I am advising you that this is the last one. Before, the cup was filling up. Now it is flowing over. Many cardinals, many bishops and many priests are on the road to perdition and are taking many souls with them. Less and less importance is being given to the Eucharist. You should turn the wrath of God away from yourselves by your efforts. If you ask His forgiveness with sincere hearts, He will pardon you. I, your mother, through the intercession of Saint Michael the Archangel, ask you to amend your lives. You are now receiving the last warnings. I love you very much and do not want your condemnation. Pray to us with sincerity and we will grant your requests. You should make more sacrifices. Think about the passion of Jesus. Father Rolando, there is nothing of greater importance that I can speak about than this Message of Our Mother. In Union of Prayer, Conchita
May 18, 1920 - Saint (Pope) John Paul II Birthday Pope John Paul II & Garabandal A note from Pope John Paul II to author Albrecht Weber after read his book on Garabandal “ The Finger of God”: “May God reward you for all your work, especially for the deep love with which you are making known the events related to Garabandal. May the message of the Mother of God be received in people’s hearts before it is too late. As an expression of joy and gratitude, the Holy Father wishes to impart his apostolic blessing to you.” This written testimony, in fact, demonstrates that in addition to [Saint] Paul VI, another Pope, Saint John Paul II, knew of Garabandal and was positively interested in it. The note, reproduced in the second edition of Weber own book, was drafted by the pope’s personal secretary, Stanislaw Dziwisz, after which the Holy Father adds in his own handwriting at the end a personal greeting and his signature. “Garabandal: Message of Hope” L. Saavedra pgs.260-261 During a special general audience with the Pope at the Vatican ... "special" because it was held on Saturday, rather than the usual Wednesday... Father Robert introduced Garabandal Visionary Mari-Loli and family to him. Father Robert who was holding 7 year old Maria Dolores, one of the three Lafleur children, said to the Pope: "Your Holiness, a special blessing for your littlest children who come on behalf of The Blessed Virgin from Garabandal." Our Holy Father exclaimed "Garabandal!" (picture below ). From “ A walk to Garabandal” Revised Edition , Ed Kelly, page 305
SPIRITUAL CURRENCY While I was visiting Conchita on January 13,2021, we talked about a great many things, and in the course of talking about prayers she said something interesting that I have never heard of, or thought about. Each time we say the “ Hail Mary” we end the prayer by saying : “ Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death, Amen.” She said when we say that prayer slowly, we are asking Mary repeatedly to pray for us at the hour of our death, and it is like putting a coin in our “Spiritual bank”, which accumulates for that hour ! Wow! It never ceases to amaze me how she sees things through only “spiritual eyes”. Thank God we have such a wonderful example of humility and spiritual guidance.
Don't try to test our Blessed Mother ! Two couples approached Conchita and gave her four wedding rings, so that in her next ecstasy she would give them to be kissed by the Virgin. As Conchita offered the rings to Our Lady, she was heard to say: "You don't want to kiss them? But I don't understand. Ah! So I have to tell them to straighten out their lives and be good?" After the ecstasy, Conchita returned the rings to the man who had given them to her and told him and his companions what the Virgin had said. He was very embarrassed and said, "We came here to prove Garabandal was false if the girls gave us back the rings on our fingers, because none of us are married and we only bought the rings for this occasion." Reprinted with kind permission from GARABANDAL JOURNAL, MAY-JUNE 2003
The Fifth Visionary of Garabandal Who Died of Joy. By Barry Hanratty, Editor of the” Garabandal “ magazine. Fr. Luis Maria Andreu Rodamilans, S.J., was the only person besides the four children to see the Blessed Virgin at Garabandal, and the only person to see, in advance, the Great Miracle which Our Lady promised will take place at Garabandal in the future 'time appointed by God. On August 8, 1961, Fr. Luis went to Garabandal with a group of friends. It was his second visit to the village. That evening the visionaries had an ecstastic march, the first of many such marches during the years of the apparitions. It was a very long march which ended at the pines. Fr. Luis and many other people followed the visionaries. Afterwards, Conchita wrote in her Diary: “It was dark when the Blessed Virgin appeared to us. At the end of the rosary, the four of us went into ecstasy and we began to walk toward the pines. When we arrived at the pines, Fr. Luis Maria, who had followed us, said:‘Miracle, Miracle,’ and he kept staring upward. We could see him. Now, in our ecstasies we never see anyone (except the Blessed Virgin). But we saw Fr. Luis, and the Blessed Virgin told us that he was seeing her and the Miracle, too.” In the ecstasy, the children saw Fr. Luis on his knees. Conchita further stated that the Virgin, who was looking at Fr. Luis, seemed to say to him, “You will soon be with me.” “The Happiest Day of My Life” Fr. Luis left Garabandal in a jeep with friends that same night. Stopping at Cosio, he met the Parish Priest, Don Valentin Marichalar, to whom he said: “Don Valentin, what the children say is true, but I ask you not to repeat what I have just told you, for the Church can never be prudent enough in this kind of affair.” Fr. Marichalar wrote these words of Fr. Luis in a notebook that very night. Continuing his journey with Rafael Fontaneda and his family, Fr. Luis showed overwhelming joy the entire trip, constantly repeating: “I am so happy. What a favour the Blessed Virgin has bestowed on me. How fortunate we are to have a mother like her in heaven! There is no reason to fear the supernatural life. The girls have given us an example of how we must act with the Blessed Virgin. There is no doubt in my mind that the things involving the girls are true. Why should the Blessed Virgin have chosen us? This is the happiest day of my life.” As the car was passing through Reinosa, Fr. Luis, after repeating these words once again, lifted his head and fell silent. His friend Fontaneda asked him, “Father, are you all right?” “Yes, I am just sleepy.” Came the reply. Then his head bowed forward onto his chest. He made a slight coughing sound, and died. He experienced no pain, 2 nor death agony, but died with a smile on his lips. Fr. Luis died of joy at 4.30 am on August 9, the feast of St. John Vianney (The Cure of Ars), the patron and model of priests. Reprinted with kind permission from GARABANDAL INTERNATIONAL / October-December 2011
