OCTOBER 13, 1961: A "13TH OF OCTOBER" WITH PROFOUND AND PROPHETIC RESONANCES? A crowd of seventy thousand was present at the "Miracle of the Sun" at Fatima, on October 13, 1917. The Blessed Virgin was appearing for the sixth and last time, on that same day in 1917, to the young visionaries of the Cova da Iria, . . . under the title of 'Our Lady of Mount Carmel'. At Garabandal, on this "October 13," there occurred a mysterious cosmic phenomenon, the only one of which the Blessed Virgin refused to explain the nature or the reason, to the girls! Conchita and Loli, in ecstasy, saw, as it were, a dazzling star, not a comet, "nothing of that kind," said Don Valentin, who, at least in part, had witnessed the event, as had other people there. Kind of a preview of the prophetic worldwide AVISO? (Aviso is Spanish for Warning). [Excerpted from 'Garabandal' Book, J. Serre,page 107]
October 14, 1961 Fr. Ramon Maria Andreu’s trip and healing - “We came to San Sebastian de Garabandal." Two days after the feast of Our Lady of the Pillar, there appeared for the first time in Garabandal a German engineer who was residing in Spain at Madrid: Máximo Förschler Entenmann.(12) Although Protestant, he was very closely tied to the Andreu family; because of this he came accompanied by Fr. Ramón María. The journey was not easy. It was the 14th, the second Saturday of October, the octave of that special feastday of the rosary that had taken place in Garabandal. Let us listen to what he says: "Some 20 kilometers before Cossio we had a tremendous smash-up with another car on a mountain pass. [Since they came from Palencia, this refers to the mountain pass of Puerto de Piedras Luengas. 1,213 meters above sea level, separating the provinces of Palencia and Santander. From here on a clear day, the superb panorama of the Picos de Europa and the Sierra de Peña Sagra can be viewed.] The accident could have had fatal consequences. Only later did I come to understand that it was without doubt the Most Holy Virgin who had saved us from certain death. Because of what had happened we came to San Sebastian de Garabandal very late, after eleven at night. We had barely arrived when we had the good fortune to be able to witness two ecstasies. I admit that at the time they did not impress me in the least. We retired to the house where we had lodging (all the houses of the village were open to Father Ramón María Andreu); and following this, at twelve o'clock, Father began to be very sick, with nausea, cold sweats, and terrible pains in his left ankle, which seemed very swollen . . . In the village were a doctor from Santander and a bone specialist from Burgos. [The house where Fr. Andreu and Mr. Forschler were staying belonged to a woman named Epifania, called Fania. Dr. Celestino Ortiz Pérez was the doctor from Santander and Dr. Renedo was the one from Burgos.] I called them. After an examination they made a diagnosis: besides the obvious swelling, there was probably a fracture of the ankle, at least a hairline crack. They applied a thorough dressing and an icepack that was able to be found, (from the indiano who had a refrigerator) and with several others carried him in their arms to the bed; his pains were terrible. [So severe were his pains that he was not able to tolerate the slight weight of the sheet put over it to cover it. The ice cubes were the only ice that could be found in the village and they came from the refrigerator of the indiano. In Santander, the word indiano refers to emigrants who return to Spain after making their fortune in America, the India of their ancestors. The emigration from Santander across the ocean was especially directed to Mexico and Cuba.] As an old friend of the father, I stayed in a second bed that they had set up in his room in order to take care of him at night. After a long time — it had to be 3:30 in the morning — we began hearing a noise in the street, and people shouting that the owner of the house should open the door, since Jacinta was there in ecstasy, wanting to come in. Shortly afterwards she appeared in the room, went toward Father and gave him the crucifix to kiss. [Jacinta entered the room, raised the crucifix up in her hand, and said to the vision, «Father is very sick! Cure him. He is delirious , . , Cure him.» At the exact moment when the priest kissed the crucifix that the girl held out to him, his pains disappeared completely. But he was very careful about saying this in front of the people that accompanied Jacinta — some had come from Seville, Cádiz and Jerez — for fear that all this was due to the tremendous emotion of the moment; he said to himself, «Here! Better not to be foolish! Keep yourself quiet as a dead man.» A bad feature of intellectualism, which is so unfavorable to the attitude of the Gospel, Unless you become like little children... A man who thinks of himself as an intellectual has less fear of being taken for a sick man than of being taken for a foolish one.] Following this she said something to him that I couldn't hear . . . The girl was starting to make expressions and gestures of farewell to the vision when suddenly she stopped. She leaned backwards toward where I was and held out the crucifix for me to kiss ----- two times!» It seems that took away Maximo's indifference. «When the girl left, we naturally began to discuss all the details; and Father confessed to me that he had actually requested in his conscience that the girl, before leaving, would also give me the crucifix to kiss. I thought about this for the rest of the night.» Father Ramón gives a more detailed and vivid description of this. A short time after having kissed the crucifix that Conchita had offered him, he saw that she was beginning to make the sign of the cross and to hold out her cheeks for the invisible kisses: the unmistakeable sign that the ecstasy was going to end. Then he rapidly formed in his conscience a petition to the Virgin: that the girl would also give the crucifix to Máximo . . . (Hours before, the good man had followed the visionaries in their trances without obtaining the least demonstration of attention from them; but rather the opposite, since several times they had given the crucifix to the onlookers while they had always passed him by.) Father had hardly made the secret request when Jacinta stopped and exclaimed, What? She remained in an attitude of listening, and added, Oh! She began to lean further and further backwards, till she was able to reach with the crucifix to the lips of Mr. Förschler, who she could not see, since he was behind her back . . . Seconds later, the girl returned to normal. It was time to go to sleep! Four o'clock Sunday morning, “She went in haste to the mountain”, book 2, pages 21-22
No not 1963 , but Sept. 4, 1962 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 ! 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 . . . From the book, “ She Came In Haste to the Mountain” http://www.garabandal.us/pdfs/she_wenthaste.pdf Scroll down to page 494
OCTOBER 15, 1961 (Continuation of Fr. Andreu’s fractured foot healing,from yesterday). It was getting light on the morning of that day when several French people arrived, and behind them, one of the two doctors asking for the Father. It was about 8 o'clock. Father told the doctor that all his pains were gone, and that he was able to move his foot without difficulty. The doctor was surprised; but as a precaution, he counseled him not to step on the foot, and to wait for the coming of the ambulance that they had been able to summon from Casa Valdecilla in Santander. The injury had been serious and normally would take from fifteen to twenty days to get better. The Casa de Salud Valdecilla was the biggest hospital in Santander. We have the following information about this from Father Andreu. The doctor found the Father sitting on the edge of the bed. — What are you doing Father? — As you see, I am trying to get up . . . — Don't do that! That's foolish. Let's see your ankle . . . The doctor got down on one knee to examine the ankle better. Then raising his head toward the Father, looking at him in a peculiar way, he said: — What a comedian you are! Come on, show me the bad ankle. The priest with apparent indifference showed him the other ankle, which was the good one. The doctor examined it very carefully . . . He compared it with the other . . . and ended up raising his head again toward the Father, while he said with an expression hard to describe, What strange things happen in this village! Continuing now with Mr. Förschler's description: «When the doctors left, Father began to put his shoes on, since he felt no pain . . . He went to stand on his foot, and did it without difficulty. Then he decided to celebrate Mass in the village, declining to advise Father Valentín to come to the village, as we had agreed to do. He ordered the bells to be rung for the Mass, and we set off to search for a cane. I accompanied him myself to the church. And when he was beginning the celebration — as I did not understand anything about the Mass — I found a place near the last pew and determined to carefully watch from there how he walked on his foot. During the entire ceremony he moved and knelt down, and got up without difficulty. After the Mass, I told him my observations, and he made various movements and bendings of his foot in front of me without the least trouble; and finally confided to me what had happened. The thing that Jacinta had told him in ecstasy at 3:30 in the morning had been this: Father, the Virgin told me that you were ill; but she told me to tell you that you are cured. At the same time the pains disappeared.”. “She went in haste to the mountain”, book 2, pages 22-23
OCTOBER 16, 1968: PADRE PIO, LOURDES AND CONCHITA: NEW EXCEPTIONAL "CONFIRMATIONS" OF THE AUTHENTICITY OF GARABANDAL When Blessed Padre Pio died, on September 23, 1968, Conchita was very perplexed. The Blessed Virgin's prophecy, predicting that he would see the Miracle, had apparently not been fulfilled . . . But, on October 16 of the same year, the visionary received a telegram from Lourdes. It was sent by a lady friend of hers, urging her to go to the world-famous Sanctuary, to receive a letter written by Blessed Padre Pio (written, by the way, just . . . one day before the Blessed Capuchin "confirmed," once more, the supernatural authenticity of Garabandal to a French author in spiritual matters, whom we know very well ( Jacques Serre). Convent of the Capuchins, August 22, 1968, For Conchita - Padre Pio has said: "I pray the most Blessed Virgin to comfort her and to guide her towards sanctity. I bless her with all my heart." Fr. Pellegrino This note dictated by Padre Pio the very day, at the time of the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, to Fr. Pellegrino, then Superior of the Monastery of San Giovanni Rotondo, was brought to Conchita by one of the famous Capuchin's messengers and friends, the Franciscan Fr. Bernardino Cennamo, who himself had been in San Sebastian de Garabandal on June 18, 1965, and had witnessed the spectacular ecstasy of that famous day, but still doubting about its divine origin . . . until the famous Capuchin of Pietrelcina asked him to offer Conchita the little veil that was to be used to cover his face soon after his death -- a most exceptional 'relic' that the visionary inherited at Lourdes. She also learned from Fr. Bernardino that Padre Pio had clearly "seen the Miracle" shortly before dying (on August 22, 1968): "He told me so himself," the Franciscan insisted. A few days later, Conchita wrote to Joey Lomangino and mentioned the altogether important recent "event." She would later write a complete account of this for Elisa, a friend of Barcelona. ( Fr. A. Combe, a French priest, who had accompanied Conchita and her mother to Lourdes, also would provide us with a full account of that most remarkable, providential trip). Furthermore, all the irrefutable facts occurred before and after the famous Note of Msgr. Cirarda, October 9, 1968! As to Fr. B. Cennamo himself, he will eventually corroborate firmly what has been said above, in a letter of July 4, 1969, to an English gentleman. From 'Garabandal' Book, J. Serre, pages 216-217
OCTOBER 16 1961 Mari Loli heals a sick baby On the following day a group of people from Asturias came to Garabandal. It was an ordinary day, Monday, October 16th. An ordinary day on the calendar, but very distinguished in our annals. As night fell there was an ecstasy, a phenomenon that was never dull . . . not even for those who were seeing it every day. During it the accustomed time arrived for presenting the holy articles that the people wished to be kissed, and then the time for their return to their owners. In the room where Loli's trance was taking place, a man finally forced himself in. It was the first time that he had been at Garabandal, and he carried in his arms a sick baby who was a heavy cross on his shoulders. The baby was crying. Loli, undoubtedly advised by the apparition, went toward it and — without looking — signed it with a perfect sign of the cross. Immediately the tears stopped and on the convulsing face of the little child an unexpected smile appeared. The father's sad expression softened with emotion, and he said simply, I have never yet seen him smile! Loli holds up article to be kissed. When the ecstasy ended, Mari Loli asked for the sick baby who was carried in his father's arms. She wanted to meet him, since she had not yet seen him, and at the same time she wanted to transmit the message with which she had been charged. She caressed the little baby and said to the father, dwelling slowly on the words, The Virgin told me that you shouldn't worry. Jacinta — who at the time was in ecstasy in the street, searching for the man who had come — also repeated, on the part of the Virgin the same words of comfort concerning the little baby. «Loli, in ecstasy, went up to a sick child, made the sign of the cross over him several times and gave him the cross to kiss. It was a very moving scene, since the father of the child wept and cried aloud for his cure.»
October 16, 1961 "Then I will believe" It was the afternoon of October 16, 1961. Among the numerous spectators present that day were two priests from Asturias (Spain), but since they were not wearing their clerical attire nobody realized that they were priests. When Conchi-ta arrived in ecstasy, she held out the crucifix so that the people could kiss it. The two priests, not believing in the apparitions, left the group to see what would happen from the upstairs window of a nearby house. The girl followed them. She climbed the stairs quickly in the typical posture with her head thrown backwards. Everyone was impressed to see with what ease she was able to go up the stairs without seeing where she was going. She offered them the crucifix to kiss but they refused. While still looking upwards she made the sign of the cross over the first but he again refused to kiss the crucifix. The same happened with the second. Conchita began to go down the stairs but she suddenly turned back and again offered them the crucifix to kiss, and once more they refused to do so. The bystanders were shocked; they didn’t know that they were priests. One of the priests thought to himself: “My God, if what is happening is really su-pernatural, let the girl come towards me again and let the ecstasy sud-denly end; if so then I will believe.” It happened just as he requested. Con-chita came out of the ecstasy and began to walk home, but before having even reached the square, she fell into ecstasy again and began to retrace her steps. This was in answer to another petition made by the priest: “If the reason the girl came to me before was because it had been supernaturally revealed to her that I am a priest, let her demonstrate it to me again, and come and hold out the crucifix once more so I can kiss it, and let her make the sign of the cross over me several times.” When the ecstasy ended, they gave her a holy card to sign. In the note the girl surprised everyone present when she made a specific reference to their priest-hood. There were numerous episodes similar to this one in Garabandal that em-phasize the importance and the dignity of the priesthood. https://www.garabandal.it/.../sto.../829-then-i-will-believe
October 17th, 1961: Testimony by the Brigadier Leader of the Civil guard in Garabandal, Mr. Juan Alvarez Seco I went up that day with 14 pairs of guards to maintain order, as it was the day before the 18th. Conchita came up to me in ecstasy and gave me the Cross to kiss, which for me was a sign of hope that everything was going to turn out well, despite the huge number of people that came to Garabandal and despite the heavy rain that hadn’t stopped all day. There wasn’t even the slightest problem. I calculated that there were about 12 thousand to 15 thousand people in Garabandal that day. The fact that there were 8 hundred to a thousand cars and no accidents, to me was a huge surprise.- Mr. Juan Alvarez Seco, http://garabandal.it/en/documentation/reports/seco
October 17, 1961. During their ecstasies, the visionaries always carried a crucifix that they would offer to those present. They would stretched out their hand to whomever Our Lady indicated in order for that person to then kiss the crucifix. This is an anecdote from the night of October 17, 1961. Conchita fell into ecstasy in her little kitchen. She offered the crucifix to be kissed by those who were present. Still in ecstasy, with her head thrown back and her gaze fixed on something high above her, she skillfully passed her hand through the window bars, so that those who were outside could also kiss the crucifix. When it seemed as though everyone had had the opportunity to kiss the crucifix, the crowd observed with astonishment that the girl still remained with her arm extended, as if she were waiting for someone else to draw near. Then, those inside the house heard her exclaim, “Ah! They don’t want to kiss Him? Why?” In spite of the crowd, both inside and outside the house, suddenly an absolute silence fell. A few moments later, a man who had stepped out of the kitchen discovered a couple hiding from the only light that came from the window. He approached them, and they confessed their fear: they considered themselves unworthy. The man answered, with great simplicity, that even though they considered themselves great sinners, God was waiting for them. This was clear, given that the girl, in her rapture, was standing there with her arm stretched out toward the darkness, offering the crucifix… to them, the only ones who hadn’t kissed it yet! The couple finally gave in, and, after having kissed the crucifix, the girl withdrew her hand from the window. A few minutes later, the ecstasy ended. Anecdote taken from the book: "Garabandal: Message of hope", by Fr. José Luis Saavedra
TODAY IN GARABADNAL HISTORY : OCTOBER 18, 1961: THE BLESSED MOTHER'S 1st MESSAGE AT GARABANDAL October 18, 1961-- 60 years ago today, Mary sent her first warning to us . Sadly the world has not heeded her words. Hopefully the “Warning & Miracle” will change the hearts of this selfish world. “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. “ (Below: footage from that rainy day )
TODAY IN GARABADNAL HISTORY : OCTOBER 18, 1961: The Blessed Virgin wanted the Message read in front of the church. THE FIRST "MESSAGE" IS MADE PUBLIC AT LAST ,60 YEARS AGO TODAY ! It was on this liturgical and extremely meaningful day (see note at end of this message) that, at 10 P.M. at the Pines, the visionaries read the (first) Message of Garabandal. It was a formal, public and explicit Message which, on the previous June 24, had appeared in large writing at the feet of the Angel. These were all new and original elements carrying biblical overtones. A message of salvation, the principal revelation of Garabandal, was being given to the world. The Blessed Virgin who, as early as on the previous July 2, had asked the girls if they had understood its meaning, was thus straightaway manifesting the primary intention of her "visit." "WE MUST MAKE MANY SACRIFICES, PERFORM MUCH PENANCE, AND VISIT THE BLESSED SACRAMENT FREQUENTLY. BUT FIRST, WE MUST BE VERY GOOD. 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 Message, apparently "childish and infantile," conceals, in fact, a powerful prophetic and evangelical charge of universal scope. It calls upon the unavoidable responsibility of every human moral conscience, that of the Christian as that of the unbeliever. It already makes reflect the interior light of the "Splendor of Truth" (God) on man and the quality of his heart, and finally on the whole world. On this October 18, 1961, at San Sebastian de Garabandal, the weather itself was to testify in its own way to the twofold aspect of the Message: a torrential rain fell all day on the village; it hailed, it snowed, the thundery rain never stopped rumbling and the thunder itself reverberating. Must we impute that to chance? Or was this not a very special reminder of the theophanies of the Old Covenant, e.g. that of the Exodus and of Mount Sinai? . . . On the other hand, at the moment when the Message was about to be proclaimed and translated into various languages, a strong wind blew in the valley, chased away all the clouds and revealed a bright moon shining in the sky! An ecstasy followed the reading of this first Message. Our Lady then announced to Conchita, definitively this time, that a great Miracle was certain to come. Father Ramon Maria Andreu was the first person to whom the visionary spoke of this miracle, on the morning of the next day. Back from the Pines, totally downhearted and bewildered by the simplicity of the "little" Message, Ramon had been called first by Mari-Loli and then by Conchita after the ecstasy of the evening of this 18th of October, 1961. They repeated to him what the Blessed Virgin had revealed to them about him: that is, the details of his extremely painful interior states and the exact sites where he had felt them. The next day, as we saw, Conchita assured him that the Blessed Virgin had sent her to console him in that "there would be a Miracle. However, I still do not know what it will be, or when it will come." Note: How one could not discern here the profound spiritual meaning of the choice of "October 18" for the first Message to be given at San Sebastian de Garabandal, that is on the very Feastday of the evangelist (and author of the Acts of the Apostles), whose very attractive and accessible personality is already so marvelously adapted to contemporary men and women? The first Message displays some connection with the essential characteristics of the hagiographer's writings: Luke's sincere attachment to the person of Mary, Mother of the Redeemer; his universal call to the radical Message, which is the Gospel; his exhortation to conversion and to change (metanoia), to repentance, to prayer and to the spirit of poverty; his delight in the spirit; his insistence on the authentic divine kindliness and mercy, on the preaching of the Gospel to the entire world within the framework of the mystery and the time of the Church, and his interest for everything that concerns the mystery of the salvation of Israel; his theological and eschatological hope already existentially existing between an already acquired salvation and one that is not yet fully accomplished; finally his recall of the possibility of a fair condemnation, the mysterious counter-picture of a jealous divine Love for the human being, symbolized in Scripture but also in the two Messages of Garabandal, by the image of the "Cup of the Wrath of God." However, this Wrath will come to bear only after the patient delays of His Mercy. [Excerpted from 'Garabandal' Book, J.Serre , page 109.]
TODAY IN GARABANDAL HISTORY : OCTOBER 19, 1982 October 19, 1982 Interview with Mary Loli. Q. Do you remember what the Blessed Mother said about the communist tribulation that is to precede the Warning? A. It would look like the communists would have taken over the whole world and it would be very hard to practise the religion, for priests to say Mass or for people to open the doors of the churches. Q. Is that what you meant when you said that it would seem as though the Church had disappeared? A. Yes. Q. It would be because of the persecution and not because the people would stop practicing their religion? A. Yes, but I guess a lot of people will stop. Whoever practices it will have to go into hiding. Q. Will this only be in Europe or do you think it will be here in the United States as well? A. I don't know because for me at that time, Europe was the whole world. I just assumed it was that way. The Blessed Mother didn't specify in what place. To me it looked like it was everywhere. Q. Approximately 67% of the earth s land is now dominated by communism. Do you think that's sufficient to fulfil Our Lady s prophecy? A. I really don't know. It sounded to me like it would be more than that. Q. In other words you think it will be worse than it is now? A. That's what I thought from what she said but I really don't know exactly. To me it looked like it was every place out there, the places I saw in my mind. In a lot of countries in Europe you can still practice your religion. Q. So, the situation in the world is not bad enough for the Warning to happen? A. The Warning is not going to happen yet so it's probably going to get worse. Q. You said that it would be very difficult for priests to say Mass. Was this something that the Blessed Mother told you or was it something that you thought yourself because of the communist tribulation? A. From what I remember, it was something she said. Q. And the Virgin said that it would seem as though the Church had disappeared? A. Yes. Q. Did the Blessed Mother ever say anything about the Holy Father having to leave Rome at the time of the Warning? A. No, but what it looked like to me — maybe at this time I was confusing in my mind what I was seeing and what the Blessed Mother was saying to me because it's been so many years — but what it looked like to me was that the Pope couldn't be in Rome either, you know what I mean, out in the open. He was being persecuted, too, and had to hide just like everybody else. Q. You said that when the Warning comes, the planes would stop in the air and that all engines would stop. Is this what the Blessed Mother told you? A. She said that everything, everywhere, for a moment would stop and the people would just think and look inside themselves. Q. Will there be any noise with the Warning like a wind blowing? A. The way I saw it at the time, it was more like a big silence, like a sense of emptiness. Everything was very silent. That's the way I saw it. Q. Seven years ago you said that the Warning was soon. Many people thought that it would have happened by now. What would you say today? A. It is soon. Everything looks soon to me because time goes by so fast. Q. You're the only one who knows the year of the Warning. Did you ever tell it to anyone else, like a priest for example? A. No. GARABANDAL MAGAZINE (1982) Reprinted From Garabandal Interational Magazine October-December 2004
Today in Garabandal history: Oct. 19,1966 Conchita enters as a boarder, a school operated by the religious of the Concepcionistas Misioneras de la Ensañanza. The directress of the college, was Sr. María Nieves García . In her remarks, Mother Nieves said "Finally they brought Conchita to me. My impression was excellent: simple and candid, with an unusual and penetrating look; I was pleased. Feeling herself strange to everything, Conchita came to the college in such a bad state that she had to struggle very hard. And furthermore she constantly had to hide her identity. She needed a friend in whom she could confide everything that she was holding inside, to whom she would be able to unburden her worries and speak of "everything that had happened" naturally and simply. Because of this, I told her that she could come to see me in my free hours whenever she wanted to. I left this completely to her preference; I never called for her myself . " “She went in haste to the Mountain”, Book 2, page 79
SAINT (POPE) PAUL VI : QUOTES ON GARABANDAL After meeting Conchita in Jan.1966 he said: “ Conchita, I bless you and with me the whole church will bless you “. Pope Paul VI had shown a very special interest in the apparitions. At an audience given to Fr. Xavier Escalda, S.J., the latter mentioned there were many opponents of the apparitions even amongst his own people. His Holiness promptly rejoined: "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." Father Escalada explained his work in spreading the message of Garabandal in Mexico and the Pope Paul VI encouraged him to continue saying: "These messages must be made known." Father Escalada asked the Pope for his permission to continue promoting Garabandal and the Pope said “YES”. Pope Paul VI said : "It is the most beautiful story of humanity since the days of Christ. It is like a second life of the Virgin on earth. And we can never be grateful enough for it."
WHOLE VILLAGE GOES TO CONFESSION (June 19,1962, “The Night of Screams” Girls see the future Tribulations) Fr. Valentin’s notes say that the dramatic apparition ended at around 2:00 in the morning. The girls then said that they would stay there the whole night in prayer. And many decided to stay there with them. Among them was Eloisa de la Roza Verlarde: “ I don’t think anyone left, we were praying with them until six in the morning. At that hour ( with the first light of day), Fr. Larrazabal- a Franciscan Friar, left for the church, with all the people following him. And the confession line began. The whole village went to confession, and seemingly the confessions were of a truly extraordinary sincerity and repentance.” From: “She went in haste to the mountain”: Book 2, pg. 195 From “ Garabandal: Message of Hope” pgs. 190-191 ** For those who have never heard of the “2 Nights of Screams” it was back to back nights June 19 & 20 1962, when Mary showed the girls the times of Tribulation before the Warning, and the time of the Chastisement, if it happens.
I assume it will be much like that after the warning. At least I surely hope so..we need to pray that the evil one will not deceive people.
OCTOBER 22 - FEAST DAY OF SAINT JOHN PAUL II SAINT JOHN PAUL II AND GARABANDAL Father José Luis Saavedra, a Doctor in Theology who wrote his thesis precisely on the events of Garabandal, in his book entitled Garabandal, Message of Hope, included an anecdote which speaks about John Paul II’s interest in the apparitions of San Sebastián de Garabandal. Father José Luis correctly pointed out that this message sent by John Paul II to Albrecht Weber, a famous student of Garabandal, does not imply an approval of any kind, but it does demonstrate the pontiff’s interest in these events. The doorbell rings. It is early but Albrecht Weber is already seated at his desk reviewing some papers. The writer gets up wearily and goes to see who it is: “Albrecht Weber, please.” “Yes, that’s me.” “I bring you a certified letter from the Vatican. Please sign here.” Although Weber did not manifest and external sign, he is shaken. He signs the receipt, takes the letter and walks rather nervously toward his desk. He is used to receiving letters from abroad, especially from Spain, because many of his travels and studies during the past thirty years have been in that country investigating the apparitions of Garabandal. He has published many articles and several books on the subject. But from the Vatican? He has never received a letter from there and has no idea what it may be about. He walks hurriedly, even worried, and upon reaching his table he carefully opens the elegant envelope bearing the insignias of the Internal Secretary of the Pontifical Household. He is more nervous by the minute. Inside there is only one sheet. It does not have many words, but the German’s eyes jump directly to the end of the page. There he finds some words written in longhand, containing an affectionate greeting and beneath it a name and signature: John Paul II. Albrecht cannot believe what he is seeing. Excitedly, he directs his gaze to the beginning of the text and he begins to read it with full attention, several times, from beginning to end. He is particularly struck by these lines: “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 Blessed [Saint] Paul VI, another Pope, Saint John Paul II, knew of Garabandal and was positively interested in it. This same pope, after reading Weber’s book Garabandal: Der Zeigfinger Gottes (1992), wished to send a note to the author. The note is brief and without formal pretensions. Nevertheless, it is of great interest as “an expression of joy and gratitude.” 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
OCTOBER 22 - FEAST DAY OF SAINT JOHN PAUL II SAINT (Pope) John Paul II - on Garabandal There is a book on Garabandal, written by Albrecht Weber in 1993, entitled Garabandal Der Zeigefmger Gottes (Garabandal: The Finger of God), of which a first edition copy was presented to Pope John Paul II. He later asked his secretary, Fr. (now Archbishop) Stanislaus Dziwisz, to write to the author. (after which the Holy Father adds in his own handwriting at the end a personal greeting and his signature.) In the subsequent printing (2000 ,2nd Edition) of the book, on page 19, a portion of the Pope's message is reprinted, as follows:"May God reward you for everything. Especially for the deep love with which you are making the events connected with Garabandal more widely known. May the Message of the Mother of God find an entrance into hearts before it is too late. As an expression of joy and gratitude, the Holy Father gives you his apostolic blessing." Weber writes, "From the attached greeting in the Pope's own handwriting, with his signature, it is clear how deep an interest he has in the events of Garabandal, and how anxious he is that they should be made known in a credible way." On July 23, 1988, 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 )
