I believe Garabandal is true. But I have to say...The Catholic Church has consistanty taught that all true prophecy is conditional on our response....and especially in the small details, they do not play out like you are reading a script. The prophesy of Joey's eyes comes to mind immediately. The Warning could happen tonight. The miracle could happen in February. That does not mean the prophesy was false. Our response to the call to conversion can effect how the prophesy plays out. If all of it is set in stone, and nothing can change what is the purpose of the prophecy? How then does one explain Joey's eyes?
The date of the Miracle has been set in stone since 1963. Chastisements can be mitigated or even entirely eliminated. However, the Miracle is not conditional and will occur on the date that Conchita knows. Concerning Joey my view is that Conchita misinterpreted what Our Lady told her. Our Lady told the girls they would undergo the same confusion the Church did. Visionaries often misinterpret what they hear. Sister Lucia thought Our Lady told her that World War I had ended on October 13, 1917. Upon further reflection she realized she had been told that the war would soon be over.
May God through Mary give us the grace to take these words to heart and follow them with courage and confidence.
5 Holy cards Story told by Fr. Ramon Andreu “Another time five holy cards were given to the children for the Virgin to kiss. The visionary was holding them up one by one to the Vision, all except one which it appeared she did not wish to take. The owner of that holy card, shaken, then came to me crying and saying that she wanted to confess her sins. Later she returned to give her holy card to the girl in ecstasy and the girl, after she had listened to the Virgin and smiled, offered that holy card first of all to Her to kiss. The person to whom this happened in front of me gave me permission to mention it.” “She went in haste to the mountain”, Book 1, chapter 5, page 100
Conchita didn't misinterpret anything ! You don't know all the conditions to that prophecy ,and all the connected prophecies . Here's what you missed. *What did Mary say EXACTLY to Conchita to tell Joey? She said “that you shall see on the very day of the Miracle. “ - MANY PEOPLE HAVE CHANGED THESE WORDS OVER THE YEARS,BUT ALL MARY SAID WAS “YOU WILL SEE THE VERY DAY OF THE MIRACLE” , but he will see the Miracle. DID JOEY FULFILL THE REQUIREMENTS MARY ASKED FOR ? Did Joey fulfill saying the prayers he was supposed to say each day , to fulfill the prophecy to regain his sight ? Mary said : "Joey do you want to see again?" "Yes." "Then you pray. Say 17 Hail Mary’s, 7 Acts of Contrition, 5 Our Father’s 3 times a day. “ Most people have never heard about this part of the promise ! Most people did not know that Joey suffered greatly the last two years of his life, and in addition to being blind, he became nearly deaf and was so weak from several heart attacks, he was so weak he could not attend daily mass. IS JOEY PART OF THIS PROPHECY ??? 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. Joey’s Offering. I asked Conchita very directly, " was it a Priest who told you that Joey had offered his eyes up in exchange for something, I had heard this ? She told me, " No , it was Joey himself who told her that he never prayed for his sight when offering up his suffering, he offered them up to be united with Jesus's suffering, and for the Church to accept and recognize Garabandal". NOW THATS ALL THE FACTS.
You also made the statement about Joey , leaving out our all the facts of the prophecy ! *What did Mary say EXACTLY to Conchita to tell Joey? She said “that you shall see on the very day of the Miracle. “ - MANY PEOPLE HAVE CHANGED THESE WORDS OVER THE YEARS,BUT ALL MARY SAID WAS “YOU WILL SEE THE VERY DAY OF THE MIRACLE” , but he will see the Miracle. DID JOEY FULFILL THE REQUIREMENTS MARY ASKED FOR ? Did Joey fulfill saying the prayers he was supposed to say each day , to fulfill the prophecy to regain his sight ? Mary said : "Joey do you want to see again?" "Yes." "Then you pray. Say 17 Hail Mary’s, 7 Acts of Contrition, 5 Our Father’s 3 times a day. “ Most people have never heard about this part of the promise ! Most people did not know that Joey suffered greatly the last two years of his life, and in addition to being blind, he became nearly deaf and was so weak from several heart attacks, he was so weak he could not attend daily mass. IS JOEY PART OF THIS PROPHECY ??? 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. Joey’s Offering. I asked Conchita very directly, " was it a Priest who told you that Joey had offered his eyes up in exchange for something, I had heard this ? She told me, " No , it was Joey himself who told her that he never prayed for his sight when offering up his suffering, he offered them up to be united with Jesus's suffering, and for the Church to accept and recognize Garabandal". NOW THATS ALL THE FACTS.
Glenn, I will defer to your knowledge about the events of Garabandal. You are definitely more knowledgeable. But the Catholic Church's teaching on true private revelation has to be our guide, even when it concerns Garabandal.
Saint Padre Pio couldn't be fooled by anyone and he never lied . If he says it will happen in God's time , it will. I think you conveniently forgot to mention the corruption of the Church Officials in Santander (The Commission ) who wrongly tried to sabotage the apparitions. Their OWN Investigator RESIGNED ! His conscience would not permit him to do the corrupt bidding of the Church. He was the only one thinking of his soul,and he knew he would have to answer to Jesus for the wrongful attacks on HIS MOTHER ! So go easy with " Church teaching'', each appartion is different, and this one was NEVER properly given consideration until Padre Pio and Pope Paul VI endorsed it . Notice also, its NEVER been condemned.
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 (The manner in which one behaves or conducts oneself ) and 3) that they not wear jewelry or cosmetics (inappropriate for young girls) especially when they were going to see her. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fashions, dragging girls to Hell ? April 11, 1993, Interview with Conchita’s oldest brother, Serafin Gonzalez. Question: “ What did the Virgin say to the girls about fashions? “ Serafin: ”She told them that fashions drag people to hell and they should dress with decency and modesty if they want to be saved. These were her words. Much more meaningful now than it was back then when you consider the disaster all around (with the fashions). It didn’t make much sense back then, but it does now.” “GARABANDAL” magazine, July-September 1993
Was the date of the overthrow of Nineveh set in stone? God said to Jonah 40 days. Jonah was not a false prophet. Nineveh was not overthrown on day 40. Conversion of Nineveh 3 The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time, saying, 2 “Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you.” 3 So Jonah set out and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly large city, a three days’ walk across. 4 Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s walk. And he cried out, “Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” 5 And the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and everyone, great and small, put on sackcloth. 6 When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. 7 Then he had a proclamation made in Nineveh: “By the decree of the king and his nobles: No human being or animal, no herd or flock, shall taste anything. They shall not feed, nor shall they drink water. 8 Human beings and animals shall be covered with sackcloth, and they shall cry mightily to God. All shall turn from their evil ways and from the violence that is in their hands. 9 Who knows? God may relent and change his mind; he may turn from his fierce anger, so that we do not perish.” 10 When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Was the original message from God via Jonah phrased as a conditional punishment? No “Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” Was the timing or location of the punishment vague? No “Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” Was the "overthrowing" of the city just an allegory for conversion? No, look at verse 10: "God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it." ________________________________________________________________ Some background on how the Catholic Church views the nature of prophesy: St Thomas Aquinas Summa Theologica: https://www.newadvent.org/summa/3171.htm Prophesy is given not so individuals can set their clock and know the future. Prophesy is given to convert our hearts. A reading of the Mystical Doctor of the Church, St John of the Cross's Assent of Carmel will clear up misconceptions about the nature of prophesy, especially when it regards minor details like dates. The date is not the essential message, conversion is.
That was for a chastisement. The date for Chastisements can be changed or even completely cancelled by our prayers and sacrifices. They are always conditional. When God promises a miracle it will happen when He says so because God always keeps His world. The Miracle of the Sun had to happen on October 13, 1917. The little miracle had to happen on the night of July 18, 1962. Every time Our Lady makes a promise she keeps it. Conchita knows the date. It hasn’t changed since she was told in January 1963. The Great Miracle will occur on that date, whatever it may be. Our Lady rarely gives precise dates in apparitions (she really only did that in Fatima and Garabandal). You are right in saying that the most important thing is the message, much more than the prophecies.
Yes, conversion is the most important thing. Big ones and little daily ones. I have to be converted every day or else I will turn into a little monster. So in the spirit of conversion and charity, I will try to state this in the nicest way possible. I disagree that the date of the Miracle is a minor detail. It's an all-important one, because that is the date that God will work a fantastic miracle that will convert millions of people. We should be praying every day that the entire world will be converted on that day, because then we will be spared the Chastisement. So conversion, yes. But within the context of God's perfect timing, which in His great mercy He has deigned to convey to a poor girl who has faithfully carried her secret for over sixty years despite the indifference, suspicion, and downright hostility of others. He has given her the date so she can announce it at the appointed time, so we can travel there. It's not that complicated, really. I don't think we need to read the doctors of the Church to understand Our Lady's message. We must do much penance. We must make many sacrifices. We must visit the Blessed Sacrament very often. But first, we must lead good lives. Paraphrasing here, but I think that's the gist of it. Pretty simple, don't you think? Let us be as little children, trusting in our divine Mother and the Holy Trinity. And when that great day comes and Conchita says, "Go..." let's go!!!
PRELATES AND GARABANDAL Reprinted with the kind permission from the “GARABANDAL JOURNAL” , March/April 2019 The Archbishop of Madrid Casimiro Morcillo Gonzalez, in a letter issued on May 13th 1967 to the Bishop of Tecna in Peru, five days after the death of Bishop of Santander Puchol Montis stated : “ The apparitions of Garabandal are a confirmation of those at Fatima 50 years ago. The Virgin Mary came once more to insist in Spain what she had already told three Shepherds at Cova da Iria: “The bitter cup is not only filled ,it is spilling over”. I personally see a great parallel between Fatima and Garabandal. The children saw the Virgin at the exclusion of others. The Virgin smiled at them. She promised them heaven. She asked that they spread her message of the Rosary, Penance and prayers for sinners. If there is a small difference in the last message, it is precisely it's great clarity and the extent to which it admonishes the faithful, priests and even Bishops. There are therefore sufficient reasons for the Holy Father Pope Paul VI to tell Conchita during their meeting of January 19 ,1966 : “Conchita I bless you and with me the entire church blesses you.” This phrase evidences the concern on the part of the Holy Father for the ruin that is sought to be introduced into the church via false reforms”.
Why the Garabandal Children were chosen. Start with the Bible ((Mathew 11:25) “At that time Jesus answered and said: I praise You, Oh Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and the prudent and have revealed then to little ones.” Why young girls chosen for such things? “The Mystical Evolution” by P. Artinero explains this: "Because the very young, the feminine, the virgin souls hold a heart more pure, or more generously do violence to the passions. Thus the Holy Spirit can make His light shine in them. The words of the sixth Beatitude, Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God, find fulfillment in their life. “She went in haste to the Mountain”, Ch.5 p.87 Recently I have confirmed that Garabandal has a history of doing a nightly Rosary for HUNDREDS OF YEARS ! It’s no wonder why Mary said : “God loves this place very much, this place is sacred !” This humble, remote part of the world, has not been tarnished by the greed and selfishness of this world, and its villagers still reflect that, as the girls did in 1961. “Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God”.
PADRE PIO & GARABANDAL On January 1, 1962, on the occasion of a visit to Padre Pio, a group of Spanish pilgrims asked him whether the apparitions at Garabandal were true. He responded with his usual gruff tone: “Are you still asking this question? How many times must you ask whether the Mother of God is appearing to you when she has already been appearing for eight months?” A member of the Holy Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Monsignor Philippi, wrote: “The fact that Padre Pio, who is well known for his virtue, his knowledge and fidelity to the Holy See, said that these apparitions are good and encouraged the four little seers to make the Blessed Virgin’s messages known, is a big proof as to the truthfulness of these messages.” Document of the Marian Center in Paris 1967. Reprinted with kind permission from Garabandal Journal /March-April 2019 On March 3, 1962, Conchita received a typed letter written in Italian, without signature or address on the envelope, with a stamp that was difficult to identify because half of it was effaced. In the letter, the children were addressed as follows: “Blessed little children of San Sebastian de Garabandal,” adding the assurance that their visions of the Virgin were true. The letter ended with the following words: “I only give you this advice: pray and ensure that the people pray, because the world finds itself at the beginning of its ruin. They do not believe either in you or in the conversations with the Blessed Virgin. They will not believe until it will be too late.” We know that Conchita asked the Blessed Virgin during an ecstasy as to the author of the letter and that she received confirmation that it was a letter from Padre Pio. " SHE CAME IN HASTE TO THE MOUNTAIN " Book 2 , page 146
GIFTS FROM PADRE PIO TO CONCHITA When Conchita found out Padre Pio died in Sept. 1968, she met his close friend, Father Bernardino Cennamo, at Lourdes. 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, blood stained by his stigmata. When Conchita had returned home she decided to write about the incident to a friend in Madrid. From Conchita’s interview in NEEDLES magazine in 1975: "I had the cloth ( Veil ) in front of me while I wrote the letter when all of a sudden the room was filled with a fragrance. I had heard about the fragrances from Padre Pio, but I never paid any attention to them. The whole room filled with such a strong smell of perfume that I began to cry. It was the first time I experienced this, it happened after his death." Padre Pio never ceased recommending pilgrims who asked him about Garabandal, to make a visit there and that yes, the Virgin was appearing there. Below is the actual glove he gave her.
JANUARY 27, 1962: CONCHITA'S MUCH AWAITED ECSTASIES START AGAIN Having known for some weeks already that Conchita would see the Blessed Virgin again, many witnesses came on this January 27 to attend the resumption of her ecstasies. A NEW BISHOP APPOINTED TO THE SEE OF SANTANDER JANUARY 27, 1962. On this very day, Msgr. Eugenio Beitia Aldazabal was named the new Bishop of Santander. He was the only titular Bishop during the period of the public "events" of Garabandal, and was to fulfill that office until July 2, 1965. * Titular Bishop is a Roman Catholic bishop without a diocese. Excerpted from 'Garabandal' Book, by J. Serre, page 123 JANUARY 27,1962, Eugene Beitia is appointed Bishop of Santandar. Concerning the theological content of these messages, His Excellency Bishop Eugenio Beitia of Santander through the official nota of July 8,1965 declared: “We point out, however, that we have not found anything deserving of ecclesiastical censorship or condemnation either in the doctrine or in the spiritual recommendations that have been publicized as having been addressed to the faithful, for these contain an exhortation to prayer and sacrifice, to Eucharistic devotion, to veneration of Our Lady in traditional praiseworthy ways, and to holy fear of God offended by our sins. They simply repeat the common doctrine of the Church in these matters.”
Glenn, can you tell me if it was foretold in Garabandal that the Pope will visit the Pines a few days after the Great Miracle?
