Today in Garabandal History August 4,1961 OUR BLESSED MOTHER'S VOICE IS HEARD ! Conchita recounts the story in the book "Our Lady comes to Garabandal" . She said " I was returning from the fields, we met my Godmother Maximina Gonzalez, she was very excited and said this to us "Do you know the voice of the Blessed Virgin has been heard on a tape recorder ?" " What did she say I asked ? " She replied " Loli and Jacinta asked her (The Blessed Virgin) "Speak, Please Speak" and the people heard an answer : " No, I won’t speak " . My Godmother told me that people began to cry because they were very moved at having heard the Blessed Virgin's voice. The owner of the tape recorder (Angel Dominguez Borreguero, director of the Psychiatric Hospital of Salamanca) shouted, "I will send this to the pope!" Naturally the people wanted to hear the marvelous voice again so they played the tape again, but at the proper place they heard nothing. "Our Lady comes to Garabandal" page 59 "SHE WENT IN HASTE TO THE MOUNTAIN" CHAPTER 7 on page 156.
Today in Garabandal History : August 5,1961 The first of the " Ecstatic Marches ". The girls are seen walking through the town and the rocky cow paths, heads raised toward Mary,( never looking at the ground), yet they never stumble or injure themselves on the rocky ground. Sometimes they move so fast, men running have trouble keeping up with them, because of the dangerous ground.
August 6, 1978, (Saint) Pope Paul VI passed away. 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." "Jacinta, I am with you, but we have to pray much and have much patience . . : it. is necessary to pray that the Church will become aware of the importance of Garabandal."
The 3 “Days of Darkness” and the “Chastisement” Many people ask me to compare the prophecy of the "Three Days of Darkness" attributed to the late mystic, Blessed Anna Maria Taigi, and the “CHASTISEMENT” mentioned at Garabandal. (The term "3 days" was NEVER used in Garabandal.) Please use the term "Chastisement" when posting here. We have one description from Conchita ,and one from Mari Loli as to one aspect of the event, whereas Blessed Anna's is more detailed and descriptive. They do same one common theme of “ FIRE”. Here is Conchita's statement on what the Blessed Mother allowed her to say about the "Chastisement" : “The Chastisement is conditional and depends on whether or not mankind heeds the messages of the Blessed Virgin and the Miracle. If it should take place, I know what it will consist of, because the Blessed Virgin told me about it, but I am not permitted to say what it is. Moreover, I have seen the Chastisement. I can assure you that if it comes, it will be worse than being enveloped in fire, worse than having fire above and beneath you. I do not know how much time will elapse between the Miracle and the Conditional Chastisement.“
TODAY IN GARABANDAL HISTORY : August 8,1961 Boys throw stones at the girls. A little after 9:00 in the evening, the second session of that unforgettable day begins. Once again the four girls assemble in the church and before the main altar fall into ecstasy. They breathe deeply. Then they laugh, except for Conchita; she speaks ( to Mary ), “Yes, as you wish, as you command . . . We don't care what direction we go. As you say . . . But we haven't given any proof, and the people don't believe.” Toward 9:40 they get up and leave the church in an ecstatic march. They stop at those locations in the village where ecstasies had taken place, and they pray there . In a tremulous silence, under an infinite summer sky, all that could be heard were the prayer at the stations and the rhythmic footsteps of the four girls locking arms while in rapture. Toward the end of the march they were heard to say, “On what day will we see you again, so that the people may come? . . . The people say that this is a sickness of ours, and the young boys have thrown stones at us . . . Well, if you are happy with us, it doesn't matter.” And when it seemed that everything was going to end, they undertook an ascent to the Pines that all the witnesses have classified as impressive not only on account of the appearance of the four girls, but also because of the speed and lightness of their march. “She went in haste to the Mountain” Book 1, p. 177
Today in Garabandal history August 8-9, 1961 FATHER LUIS ANDREU SEES THE BLESSED VIRGIN OF MOUNT CARMEL AND THE FUTURE GREAT MIRACLE ! At 9:35 pm, the girls fall into an ecstatic state for the second time this day, but this time they have their ecstasy in the church in front of the main alter. After leaving the church, Fr. Luis Andreu follows them up to the “ Pines”. There, he himself goes into a trance and cries out “ Milagro ! “ ( “ Miracle ! “ ) four times ! On his way home ,in the early hours of the next day, he coughes slightly,and falls over and dies. The girls state positively that the Blessed Mother appeared to them and Fr. Luis Andreu , and that he witnessed the “ Miracle” to come. This is important because, the Blessed Mother predicted that the day after the Miracle, Fr. Luis Andreu's body will be found incorrupt after being dead since 1961 as another confirmation of the great Miracle coming from God. “She went in haste to the Mountain” Book 1, p. 177
From Fr. Valentin’s Journal, August 1961 “August 10th again. I said the Holy Mass, and the three girls received the sacrament. Mari Cruz did not come. I prayed the rosary in the afternoon at 8:30 as always. At 9:20 they arrived at the church, but it was closed. They stayed at the door, and there were many people there with them. They fell to their knees at the church door and they were like that for a minute in ecstasy. Then they began to run in ecstasy to all of the places from the previous day. When they arrived at the pines, Loli was almost completely bent backwards. They stayed for a few seconds where there had been an apparition a few days before. Loli, who was almost completely bent backwards, told me that in order to see the Virgin, they had to go back to the church at 10:15 praying the rosary. They prayed an Our Father for the good priest (Fr. Andreu) who had died, and it finished at 10. After that, they prayed another rosary in the normal state. I asked them who they had seen and they said that they had seen Our Lady of Mt. Carmel; the church was full of people from other places and there were four priests.”
Today in Garabandal History : August 11,1961. The Blessed Virgin is unhappy with unbelievers ! After the ecstasy, there were two questions: the first, to find out why the trance had begun much later than the hour predicted (which had been at 3:00 a.m.); and the second, to explain the reason why Loli went unexpectedly to Maximina’s house. Loli answered the first question by saying that"The Virgin wanted to show her displeasure this way", because on that night some women had joked about the apparitions. They had asked the girl if the Virgin painted her nails, if she combed her hair, if she wore a bracelet . . . No one could answer the second question adequately. Ceferino could only say that his daughter, without his understanding the reason, "immediately on being in ecstasy, at about 3:45 in the morning, had gone running toward Maximina’s house." ''Then I was aware" — declared Fr. de la Riva —"that the Virgin had deigned to hear my petition, giving me the sign that I had requested.'' (Earlier in the day Fr. de la Riva asked the Blessed Mother for a sign , while he was lodging at Maximina's house) “SHE CAME IN HASTE TO THE MOUNTAIN” BOOK 3, PG.62
Today in Garabandal History, AUGUST 12, 1961 THE DECEASED PADRE LUIS AND THE "SABBATINE PRIVILEGE." The Sabbatine Privilege, in its original form, was granted in the fourteenth century by the Blessed Virgin, after the grace of the Scapular to St. Simon Stock. The sixth General Superior of the Carmelites, who had just been chased away from the East by the Saracens, had begged Mary to help him. She then appeared to him promising him, at the same time as she gave him the gift of the Scapular, that every Carmelite wearing it would be spared the eternal fires. The Sabbatine Privilege was illustrated in a remarkable way on this August 12 at Garabandal. The four visionaries, as much in a state of ecstasy as in a normal state, had prayed a great deal after August 9, for the soul of the deceased Fr. Luis. They ceased to do so completely on this first Saturday after his death. The Blessed Virgin told the little girls that he was now in heaven. We know that Fr. Luis wore the scapular-medal of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. From the book “Garabandal” by J. Serre, page 88
MARY’S MESSAGE TO CONCHITA & US “Above all, we must lead good lives”. Our Lady's 1st Message of Garabandal :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."
Many people have asked me privately why can’t Conchita announce the date of the Miracle now, so we can prepare, instead of later ? The “extremely great” Miracle which Conchita mentions in her Diary is more fully discussed in the notes she gave Francisco Sanchez-Ventura, author of “The Apparitions of Garabandal” : (Conchita) “I am the only one to whom the Blessed Virgin spoke of the Miracle. She forbade me to say what it will consist of. I can’t announce the date either until eight days before it is due to occur."
Today in Garabandal History, August 15, 1961 A WONDERFUL VIGIL IN PREPARATION FOR THE FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION The vigil inaugurating the Feast of the Assumption on August 15, 1961, stands out among the most beautiful ones. It began at 2:45 a.m., when Conchita, Loli and Jacinta came out in ecstasy from Conchita's home. For the first time, they sang Aves, a Noel as well, and a few "Mananitas" or short musical compositions. Then the Blessed Virgin brought them in front of the house of Mari-Cruz . . . prevented by her parents to follow the other visionaries who, once there, started an improvised song or, more exactly, a sacred serenade! The sacred serenade sung for Mari-Cruz Wake up, Mari-Cruz Do you not smell lilies The Virgin Mary brings you To help you be very good? Wake up, Mari-Cruz, She is coming, the kind Virgin With a basket of flowers For a little girl. Pick up the lilies That Mary brings you To help you be good. Good and holy little girl, You are very loving But you do not get up. From the "Garabandal', Book, by J. Serre, pages 89-91
Today in Garabandal History: AUGUST 16, 1961 FR. LUIS ANDREU SPEAKS FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE ! (who just passed away on August 9th) “Between 8:00 or 9:00 the Virgin appeared to us, smiling very much as usual, and said to the four of us, “ Fr. Luis will come now and speak to you” And after a while he came , and he called us one after the other. But we didn’t see him, we only heard his voice. It was exactly the same as when he spoke on Earth. And after giving us advice ,he also told us something for his brother Fr. Ramon. More importantly, he sent a consoling message through them to his elderly mother, for whom news of his early death had come as a great shock. ‘Be happy and content,’ he said, ‘for I am in Heaven and see you every day.’ He taught us words in French, and even to pray in Greek. He taught us words in German, and in English too. After a while, we didn’t hear his voice anymore. And the Virgin spoke to us and stayed for a moment and left. ” From “Conchita’s Diary” page 32
What More Do I Need to Believe? Among many of the stories we know, a story which was told by Maximina Gonzalez (Conchita’s Aunt) about a ring that belonged to Maria Luisa Salazar and her husband from Bilbao. This couple reached Garabandal when the apparition had already begun. Everyone knew that once the apparition had started, the girls did not collect any more objects to be kissed. However, seeing that this couple had come from so far away, Maximina Gonzalez, a lady from the town, made her way through the crowd and placed Maria Luisa’s husbands’ ring in Conchita’s jacket pocket. “She did not see me put the ring in her pocket, nor did anyone else. I stayed close behind her and I heard her say, ‘I have a ring in my pocket?’ And she put her hand in it. ‘Who put it there?... Oh, kiss it!’ And it seems that Our Lady kissed it. She stopped walking in the direction that she was going in her ecstasy and started to walk backwards, further and further, a few feet in total, until she reached the man. She took his hand and put the ring on his finger. The man said, ‘My God, what more do I need to believe?’”
Today in Garabandal history: August 18,1961 DEPTH OF PRAYER AT SAN SEBASTIAN DE GARABANDAL "Prayer holds an important place in Garabandal. Magnificent, varied, profound, it runs through the "events" on the whole as never in any other great Marian Apparition . . . . The girls devoted a great deal of their time to prayer. What is especially striking is the quality of their ecstatic prayer: a meditation filled with presence, moved to the extreme; a slow, poised recitation inspiring the full meaning of words as simple as "Mary," "blessed," "grace," "Jesus." " (Robert Francois Turner, 'I, Your Mother,' chapter. 18). The children spontaneously recited first the Rosary, then the Litanies, the Creed, the Our Father, the Salve Regina, in short what they knew. The Blessed Virgin had taught the visionaries all these prayers and, then, had gradually helped the girls to pronounce them clearly. So, on this August 18, the first thing Our Lady undertook was to recite the rosary with them: "I'll start the prayer and you will answer, very slowly," She suggested to the children. The visionaries postures induced the crowds to be quiet and recollected. "They would fall on their knees in the tiniest fraction of a second, sometimes adopting an overwhelming attitude of petition, their faces turned to heaven" . "To sing is to pray twice over" . . . The children improvised various hymns. From their songs there emanated a strange meekness and always a beautiful harmony. The Blessed Virgin taught the girls to make correctly the various signs of the cross used in Spain. They made them with unmatched dignity. Many films testify to this. From 'Garabandal' Book, J Serre, page 93 Mary teaches the girls how to bless themselves (in their local Spanish custom).
Today in Garabandal history, August 19,1961 The Blessed Virgin Mary kisses the girls for the first time. Individual ecstasies begin to occur. Conchita revealed : “ Up to then, in all the ecstasies, we have been the four together. Jacinta, Mary Cruz, Mary Loli, and myself. But then we started to have ecstasies separately, each one in her home. And so the Most Holy Virgin called us even though we were not together but separated. But we always saw the Most Holy Virgin in ecstasy. “ Father Jose Ramon Garcia de la Riva, “Memoirs of a Spanish Country Pastor” page 50.
Today in Garabandal History, August 20, 1961 Fr. Valentin's personal Journal. August 20th. Fr. (Ramon) Andreu arrived. I said the rosary at 7:30, and they received Communion after the rosary. They went into ecstasy from 9:10-11:00. They prayed rosaries, sang songs, and they prostrated themselves at the entrance of the church for about half an hour. They talked about things that had happened during the day. They returned to the normal state at about 11, and Conchita fell back into ecstasy once again. A priest and one of the Fontenadas said that she was speaking German and French. It ended at 1, and Jacinta and Loli were in the same state. I went to bed at 2. They went to call me so that I could give them the key because Loli stayed in ecstasy until 5 o'clock in the morning. Fr. Andreu told me that Loli spoke French, German, and Latin with his deceased brother. He noted this. She saw Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, the Angel, and the Infant.
Since most people know that Jacinta is presently in Garabandal, I keep getting asked ,how is she related to Conchita? Jacinta's Grandmother and Conchita's Grandmother were sisters, on their Mother’s side. (I believe that makes them cousins).
