ECSTATIC WALKS AT NIGHT ! Watch how the girls would walk at night, not only through the town without looking where they are stepping, but more impressive was the ecstatic walks at night through the rocky cow paths, never falling, or being injured.
Also this evening a women went through the small streets of Garabandal and rang a bell to remind us, to pray for the deceased.
YES ! This tradition is about 500 years old ! It started by a child or children walking through the streets banging a can, until later it became a bell, alerting the Villagers to pray for the dead. Amazing is still goes on today !
August 28, 2014 Archbishop Carlos Osoro Sierra of Oviedo was promoted Archbishop of Madrid, Spain’s capital ! Conchita received a letter, dated February12, 2007, from Archbishop Carlos Sierra of Oviedo, then the acting Apostolic Administrator for the Diocese of Santander, which read: “I want you to know that I am open to receiving and considering all information about Garabandal, and would like to continue—as long as our Holy Father wishes me to serve as Apostolic Administrator—the work that my brothers at the Bishopric have already done in reference to this subject. What I have just done is authorize the priests to go to Garabandal and hold Holy Mass at the Parish, at any desired time, and to administer the Sacrament of Reconciliation to anyone that wishes to receive it. I am sure the next Bishop will promote further studies to examine in depth the Garabandal events and will send the findings to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome. I respect apparitions and have known of authentic conversions. How can we not always feel the need to open our heart to our Mother Mary to tell her that we need her protection, her help, her courage, her hope, her faith and her love when faced with these events! I encourage you to keep maintaining such devotion toward our Mother”.
Today in Garabandal history: AUGUST 28, 1961 THE "SYMBOLIC" BAPTISM OF MURIEL CATHERINE Muriel Catherine, a nineteen-year old woman from Paris, of a Jewish father and a Protestant mother, was practicing no religion when she met Ascension de Luis from Burgos. The latter taught her a few rudimentary notions of the Catholic faith. The two friends went up to Garabandal on Monday, August 28, Feast of St. Augustine, the most famous convert in the Church history, except St. Paul. At about 12:30 a.m., on August 29, they attended an ecstasy of Mari-Loli and Jacinta, who spoke about Muriel to their Vision. The visionaries then exclaimed: "She is not baptized!. . . Come, let's help her . . . Ah, because of her parents! . . ." Loli suddenly stretched out her arm, and grasped a bottle of holy water that a priest had given her to throw towards the apparition as a "test." The girl opened the bottle and threw the contents upwards, in front of her. But instead of following its normal course, the water mysteriously bent its path, and in its inexplicable trajectory, fell as a little shower on Muriel. Muriel already had faith. But to be baptized, she had to wait until she came of age, the parents being opposed to her initiative. She was baptized in the cathedral of Burgos, at twenty-one years of age, on October 20, 1963, under the name of Maria del Carmen Catherine. She can be considered as a figure of the Synagogue called to be "baptized," or of the Church arising from the Synagogue. Muriel represents the first of three cases of a typical "conversion" linked directly to Garabandal. The two other cases are those of Maximo Foerscher, an Evangelist, and of Barbara Painter, an Anglican Protestant. [Excerpted from 'Garabandal' Book, page 98.] [Photo] Muriel, Fr. Ramon Andreu and Mr. Foerschler
MASS FOR PRAYER REQUESTS IN GARABANDAL Every last Thursday of the month, the Pastor of Garabandal offers a Mass for prayer requests. You have a few days to send your request by Wednesday, so it arrives on time. Requests sent using this form in Spanish ( below ) are received in the email address of the Parish. Then printed and delivered every Thursday the Pastor, to be deposited in an urn at the foot of the altar , through the intercession of Our Lady of Carmel, before the Blessed Sacrament exposed in the Chapel of San Sebastian de Garabandal. I have downloaded the English explanation, but you might want to use " Google Translate" or something like that to send your prayers in Spanish so they can read it. PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE THE PRAYER REQUESTS HERE . http://www.garabandalparroquia.com/en-union-de-oraciones
LEG MIRACULOUSLY CURED ! We have some brief notes from Father Valentin that complement those of Luis Navas and Maximina Gonzalez, helping us to better recreate in our minds the atmosphere at Garabandal during the early part of August, 1962: August 22. The four fell into ecstasy; first Loli and Conchita; afterwards, Jacinta; and finally, Mari Cruz. The latter, on coming down from the Pines, went to the house of Daniela (who was in bed, with her leg in bad condition making it impossible for her to walk). And she gave her the crucifix to kiss. Daniela jumped from the bed and said she was cured. I think there might have been some suggestion, but she jumped up and went up the stairs as if there were nothing wrong with her. We will see what happens tomorrow. Father Valentin did not hide his disbelief that this was really a miraculous cure. However Father de la Riva added to the words of the Garabandal pastor some of his own: "I was at the village, and I heard the joyful shouts of the people who had seen what had happened, and were discussing it as if it were a miracle. I was able to see later that there was no natural explanation for what happened. Daniela went to have an x-ray taken and a complete cure was reported. She is now married and has children, which wouldn't have been possible with the disease she had in her hip." “She went in haste to the Mountain”-pg 165 This story has special meaning to me personally , as it was a miraculous cure to my own legs as a boy, that brought me to know and get involved with Joey, The “Kissed Meal”, Garabandal, and Padre Pio. Sometimes we don’t understand or appreciate how a physical handicap can actually be a blessing from God , until later on.
Archived works of Fr. Francois Turner https://www.garabandal.us/category/new-york-center-archive/works-of-francois-turner/
I took a picture of this article in the " GARABANDAL JOURNAL" June 2017 issue. Mother Nieves was the director of the boarding school Conchita attended from 1966-1967. They later would become good friends.
I wish i could include it in my group Pilgrimage (time & money). Please for all of us on the forum and our needs and hearts' wishes.
POPE PAUL VI AND GARABANDAL The Blessed Virgin., in conversation with the young visionaries of Garabandal, mentioned the Holy Father on several occasions, and told them, "Pray, pray for the Pope" . It is an interesting fact that Pope Paul VI issued his encyclical "Mysterium Fidei" concerning "the weakening of devotion toward the Holy Eucharist" on September 3, 1965, only eleven weeks after Our Lady had complained, "Less and less importance is being given to the Eucharist." Early in 1966 Conchita was called to the Vatican. Cardinal Ottaviani, the pro-Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (Holy Office) had instructed Fr. Luna: "With or without the permission of the bishop, bring the young girls to me." During January 12-16 she was interviewed for 2 1/2 hours by the Cardinal and saw other members of the Congregation, afterwards she saw the Pope and gave him the date of the Great Miracle to come. She then paid a visit to Padre Pio, the famous stigmatist. Upon her return, at an audience in St. Peter's, the Holy Father came to her and announced joyfully in a clear voice, "Conchita, I, the Pope, bless you and with me the whole Church blesses you." In February 1968 Conchita was again summoned to Rome by Cardinal Francis Seper. The Vatican paid for this and she was lodged for 15 days at the home of Lugina, a personal friend of the Pope.After her meeting with Cardinal Seper, she was apparently received by the Holy Father but she told questioners, "I cannot say anything in this regard. " The November 7, 1968 bulletin of Peru's Legion Blanca under the imprimatur of Mgr. Alfonso Zapana Belliza, Bishop of Tacna, Peru, quotes the late Pope Paul VI as having said at a private audience these inspiring words: "Garabandal the most beautiful story of humanity since the birth of Jesus Christ! It is also the second sojourn of the most Holy Virgin on this earth, and we have no adequate words to express our gratitude." Pope Paul VI had all the while 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." On March 3, 1969, the Pope, replying to a letter ' sent to him by Mrs. N. Baco of the Anglo-French Centre, sent his Apostolic Blessing to her and to all "Garabandalists in England and Ireland." In June 1969, Pope Paul sent his personal blessing to Difurora Mariana of Mexico, along with the gift of a crucifix for every member of the Garabandal Centre there, encouraging them to continue promoting the messages of Garabandal. On May 7, 1970, addressing a group of Garabandal pilgrims from St. Michael's. Garabandal Centre, Brockton, Mass., U.S.A., the Pope blessed their banner, saying, "Be in the Vanguard! Forward!" The following day L'Osservatore, the official Vatican newspaper, carried the news on the front page. In 1975, Jacinta, the visionary visited Rome in order to gain the Holy Year indulgence. The then Bishop of Santander, Bishop del Val, had given her a personal letter of introduction addressed to certain Cardinals of the Sacred Congregation. She was received with great kindness by Cardinal Ottaviani for 30 minutes. He told her, "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." .Cardinal Philippe who was presiding over a Bishops' Conference, left it in order to meet her and tell her, "I bless you in the name of the Madonna and I am fully with you. " She was also told, ' `It is very important that the four of you remain united. " NOW HE IS DECLARED “ BLESSED “ OCT. 2014. It won’t be long before he is declared a Saint and added to the growing list of Saints who believed in Garabandal.
Pope Benedict XVI & Garabandal Pope Benedict XVI knows all about Garabandal , and been very receptive to learning more about it. Not only has he met and interviewed Conchita, ( When I personally spoke to Conchita about the meeting in the Vatican , she told me she only met him when he was Cardinal Ratzinger, not as Pope Benedict.) He has all the latest investigation papers, eyewitness testimonies of the miracles, etc. performed through the intercession of Our Lady of Garabandal, sent to him by the well known promoter the late Fr. Francis Benac, S.J. He has also read the Garabandal book “ O Children Listen to Me “ Cardinal Ratzinger became the Prefect (head) of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, on November 25, 1981,the Vatican department in charge of protecting the sacred deposit of the faith handed on from the apostles. Considering how close he was with Pope John Paul II, who was a vocal supporter of Garabandal, him meeting Conchita, reading up on the subject, it’s no surprise to me, that he is a believer too. The reason I say this is I have it on good authority that he has conveyed his belief to a Vatican priest ,who is also a Canon Lawyer (who wishes to remain nameless ). According to journalist John L. Allen Jr.'s 2005 biography entitled: 'Pope Benedict XVI: A Biography of Joseph Ratzinger' (pages 118-119 ) his interest in Garabandal began long before becoming Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. It actually began when he was a professor of theology at the Gustav Siewerth Haus Academy, located in Germany's Black Forest. Every summer he gave a course in dogmatic exegesis at the private academy from 1970 thru 1979. It is said that he knew of and took the Garabandal apparitions seriously even then. Author John Allen, Jr. confirmed this from several of Joseph Ratzinger's former graduate students. Monsignor Juan Antonio del Val, in addition to giving permission for the movie made by BBC, made a personal investigation for several years about the Apparitions of Garabandal and is one of the witnesses on the video, “Garabandal, the Eyewitnesses,” produced by Michael Tubberty and published in more that thirty languages by Monsignor Roman Danylak, titular Bishop of Nyssa, Rome, Italy. (January 24, 2000). Monsignor del Val testifies that the findings of the investigation of the Apparitions of the Most Holy Virgin Mary in Garabandal were sent to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith; more specifically, to Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. ( This led to Pope Benedict XVI interest and belief in Garabandal).
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. In the subsequent printing (2000) 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 )
SEPTEMBER 1, 1961: FIRST THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION ON GARABANDAL At the beginning of September, Fr.Ramon Maria Andreu pursued his observations. He was then on the point of completing his Memorandum, still a limited study but nonetheless a serious one, about the "events," that he had made with Msgr. Doroteo Fernandez' full consent. [Excerpted from 'Garabandal' Book, page 100] https://ourlady.ca/about/en/witnesses/083-father-ramon-andreu-extraordinary-witness/
FR. RAMON ANDREU DIARY https://mensagemdegarabandal.webnode.pt/en/tags/Father Ramon Notes This site has all of Fr. Andreu’s notes from his visit to Garabandal. You may have to click on the “ Translate” button in the upper right hand corner , since the originals were in Spanish.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1961 PADRE RODRIGO IS "CONSULTED" Padre Lucio Rodrigo was consulted by the members of the "Special Commission" (except Dr. Morales), most certainly in the second half of the month of August 1961. Following this encounter with the renowned Spanish theologian, Don Juan Antonio del Val, the future bishop of Santander . . ., resigned from the "Commission." [Excerpted from 'Garabandal' Book, page 100] The reason this is important is that the "Special Commission was trying to discredit the apparitions by bringing in and consulting well known Theologians to back up there false findings, they did not ,and both resigned. Don Juan Antonio del Val Gallo later became Bishop, and he installed a new Commission in 1987 to do a real investigation, those finding were sent to the Vatican. The first commission never sent their false accusations to the Vatican, that should tell you even they knew their lies were not going to be believed. Padre Lucio Rodrigo was present at a few ecstasies of the visionaries. An excellent theologian, his prudent critical spirit led him to believe firmly in the supernatural authenticity of Garabandal. He learned the nature of the great Miracle from Conchita, but not the date. Shortly before he died, the zealous Jesuit obtained the grace he had asked to be definitively confirmed in his belief in the divine origin of the "events," of which he said: "If there exists in the world a window through which one can contemplate Heaven, it is Garabandal!" Below Padre Lucio Rodrigo & Bishop Del Val Gallo
SEPTEMBER 3, 1961 ST. JOSEPH IS THE GREATEST SAINT IN HEAVEN ! In response to Don Valentin Marichalar’s questions, the visionaries learned from the Blessed Virgin that “ St. Joseph is the greatest of all the Saints “ [Excerpted from 'Garabandal' Book, page 100]
