TODAY IN GARABANDAL HISTORY JUNE 25,1961 “The Cuadro” The young men of the Village set up this rectangular enclosure made of tree trunks and stakes so that the Visionaries might be better protected from the crowd. The only ones authorized to go in were the parents of the children, their brothers, the priests and physicians, who came to examine the girls while in ecstasy. “GARABANDAL ‘’ by J. Serre, pg. 37
SAINT JOSE MARIA ESCRIVA AND GARABANDAL His feast day today June 26 . The link between St Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer with the Garabandal apparitions is not well known. In the summer of 1962 he spent a few days on holiday in Suances, Cantabria, during which he visited Garabandal, accompanied by several young men , probably members of Opus Dei. He spoke cheerfully and profoundly to the girls, an experience they still recall fondly after all these years. The visit was not unusual since at that time, and up until the Official Note of the Bishop of Santander of 7 October 1962, many priests visited Garabandal. As it happens, news of this visit came out by chance years later when somebody showed the girls a prayer picture for God’s favour through his intercession, printed during his canonization. It was then that the girls joyfully recounted the meeting. He would not have risked his reputation if he did not believe in the apparitions, and tell others about his trips to talk to the girls. This was also confirmed by Mother Nieves. Mother Maria de las Nieves García affirms that one of the seers (Mari Cruz) confirms the presence of the founder of Opus Dei in the town during the apparitions: Mari Cruz personally told Pueblo de María that the saint remembers him perfectly with his cassock, that he was very smiling, that he would go up with young students and that he would take out candies from the pocket of his cassock to distribute to the children present. Santiago Lanus affirms he visited Garabandal up to 3 times, expressing great interest in the phenomena” -“Garabandal,Message of Hope”, Fr.Luis Saavedra, page 245. “A Saint is a sinner who keeps trying”. - St. Escr
THE REVERENT HORSE On Sunday June 27, 1993, a group of pilgrims from France praying the Rosary at the Pines of Garabandal, were surprised by a horse that appeared on the scene. But the most remarkable thing was that this horse stood reverently next to the main Pine that has the image of Our Lady mounted on it. During the Rosary, the horse, lowered its head, remained motionless throughout the length of the Rosary. When the rosary finished, he raised its head and began to walk away. Reported in the "Garabandal Journal" Sept.-Oct. 2007
Daniel 3:57 Bless the Lord, you whales and all creatures that move in the waters, sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever. 58 Bless the Lord, all birds of the air, sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever. 59 Bless the Lord, all beasts and cattle, sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever. 60 Bless the Lord, you sons of men, sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.
Today in Garabandal History: June 28,1961 Seeing St. Michael again. "We were a little sad because we had not seen the Angel. We went as usual to the school. When we got out, the people in the village, seeing us so sad, wept and kissed us, saying: - Pray so that he will return! When the evening came, we went to the Calleja and did as usual. The people prayed the rosary with more faith than ever so that the Angel would appear to us. And on finishing the litany, he appeared to us and came smiling more than ever. We asked him, why have you come? He smiled and did not answer us. We began to see him around nine and it ended at ten. It seemed to us a minute or less, because we were so happy with him .” (During the ecstasy, the time seems very short because of the intense happiness they experience. ) From “Conchita's Diary” Chapter 2, page 14
TODAY IN GARABANDAL HISTORY JUNE 29, 1962 Dr. Ricardo Puncernau, Neuro-psychiatrist Dr. Ricardo Puncernau is the Vice-president of the Spanish Society of Sophrology and Psychosomatic Medicine and the President of the Spanish Association of Para-Psychological Investigations. “I have weighed, thought about, and consciously observed [the events], and I have made the following conclusion: In Garabandal, there has never existed nor exists any other acting causing factor in relation to what is happening there except the Most Holy Virgin.” During these times, in which the world is “confused” on the ecclesiastical level, similarly on international, social, familiar, and personal levels, full of injustice and egoism, we have dared to write these lines. These are a series of simple stories that deal with the famous happenings of Garabandal as seen through the prism of a Christian doctor. Since I am Christian, I am obligated to strictly tell the truth, without adornment, at least in the essence of the narration. What is important, I dare to say, is the adornment of the story. At least consciously, I haven’t left out the slightest detail of what I remember. They are personal things, mine, as they relate to the history of Garabandal. They are things that I have never told before. Things that I believe are necessary to say. Next year, 1975, is the Holy Year. What better occasion to exhume events that were seemingly buried forever but, in reality, never were? It is evident that this has been written for those who already know the story of Garabandal. If not, I fear that they will neither understand nor value this testimony. Barcelona, December 1974. Dr. Ricardo Puncernau From 'Garabandal' Book,J.Serre, page 138 Photo: Dr. Ricardo Puncernau with Mari Cruz, Loli, and his daughter Margarita.
Friday June 30,1961: Jacinta sees our Lord Jesus! “There was also one Apparition of Christ in Garabandal, only one, and for only one of the Seers. It was very early on, even before the first Apparition of the virgin. On Friday the 30th of June 1961 the last Friday of the month consecrated to the Heart of Jesus. That day, shortly before the end of the girls ecstasy, Jacinta turns her eyes to the side and there about 2 m in front of her, she sees Jesus surrounded by a light that, in the form of rays, proceeds mysteriously from his body. His heart may be seen in the bright light in his chest, with beautiful white and golden Rays coming from it. The way Jesus looks at her, pierces Jacinta’s soul to the depths of her being. He speaks no words to Jacinta, but indicates his heart with his left hand as he invites the child to come toward him with the right. This look, charged with love with strength, with Majesty, totally disarms Jacinta, impeding her from responding to the gesture. Jacinta can scarcely find the words to express what she feels at that moment: " it was as though my soul was being seized out of my body ". “Garabandal:Message of Hope.”, Fr. L. Saavedra, pages 128-129 “SHE WENT IN HASTE TO THE MOUNTAIN”, BOOK 1, PAGE 51, FOOT NOTE 32. (June 30,1961 was the last Friday in June).
