The following words are taken from two letters written by Conchita to youth groups from France, during their pilgrimage to Garabandal in 1970 and 1972. Conchita‘s written messages to youth group in France in 1970 TOPICS: Life of Virtue Fasting The Eucharist True happiness The Rosary Jesus’s passion Examination of conscience Look at Mary The following words are taken from two letters written by Conchita to youth groups from France, during their pilgrimage to Garabandal in 1970 and 1972. A LIFE OF VIRTUE "Be models for other young people" "The Blessed Virgin wants you to help convert the world and, thereby, prevent the wrath of God over our sins. She trusts in you; she trusts that your example and self-denial might make you models for other young people that haven’t received the graces that you have in hearing Our Lady’s messages." FASTING,PRAYER, AND PENANCE "She asks you to have a spirit of penance, sacrifice and prayer. Without these weapons, we can do nothing." THE EUCHARIST Visit the Blessed Sacrament frequently "In the Blessed Sacrament you will find the strength to take on the life that the Virgin Mary is constantly asking of you. Make frequent visits to the Blessed Sacrament. Empty your hearts of earthly things that don't allow you to listen to God." TRUE HAPPINESS It comes from being with God "The happiness which you have never felt is found only in the surrender to God and the Virgin Mary." THE ROSARY "Pray to her with faith and trust." "Pray for one another, for yourselves, pray to Our Lady. Pray to her with faith and trust. She will give you everything that is good for you." JESUS' PASSION Think of His Passion "Let us all together think more about Jesus' passion, in order to forget about ourselves." EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE God speaks to your soul "You who listen to these words, listen to God who speaks within your soul, follow the voice of your conscience. Pause each day for just a few minutes to think about the bad you’ve done, the good you have failed to do and also the good you have done; ask forgiveness for the bad you've done and for the good that, through negligence, you failed to do and begin your Christian life again." LOOKING AT THE VIRGIN MARY Would the Blessed Virgin do it? "Pray before acting and ask yourself, beforehand, ‘Would the Virgin Mary do this? What would the Blessed Virgin do?’ It’s possible that at this moment, when you are about to do something bad, you change your mind." http://www.garabandal.it/en/live-garabandal/youth/conchita-speaks
GARABANDAL & PURGATORY I have always viewed Purgatory as God's greatest act of Mercy. The reason I say this is that , for the most part, most people do not deserve Heaven or hell immediately upon their demise. Purgatory at least gives us that hope and that someday, we can attain Heaven ( and we have avoided hell also ). The Warning will be God's next greatest act of Mercy, by allowing us to see the gravity of all our sins, as he sees them ,and a chance to repent , and correct our ways, before a final judgment one day . https://ourlady.ca/about/en/lesson/014-garabandal-and-purgatory/
THE WARNING AND MIRACLE INTERVIEWS WITH THE SEERS Reprinted with kind permission from GARABANDAL International October-December 2004 Compiled by the staff of GARABANDAL http://ourlady.ca/ab…/…/message/052-the-warning-and-miracle/#
Conchita interview with Fr. Morelos Reprinted with permission from The Vigil, January - April 1988 THE MONTH OF THE MIRACLE IS REVEALED ! https://ourlady.ca/about/en/story/065-interview-with-father-gustavo-morelos/
COLLECTION OF ODD LITTLE MIRACULOUS STORIES THAT WERE BARLEY NOTICED AMONG THE BIGGER DAILY MIRACLES AT GARABANDAL DURING THE APPARITIONS. The events of January 1, 1962. Dr. Ortiz tells us the following story: “I was in the village with Miss Margarita Huerta who had come from Madrid with a group of people. Three of the girls fell into ecstasy and were walking together through the street just above the plaza, going towards the Church. One of the men from the group, who was following at a distance, suddenly thought, ‘If this is from God, let the middle girl come to me now and offer me the crucifix to kiss.’ Immediately, the girl fell back from the other girls and held up the crucifix for him to kiss! He was very excited and later told us the story”. A Dominican in Disguise Conchita’s mother Aniceta tells us the story: A young man arrived here with a young woman, a couple. He was dressed like any normal young man, and I assumed that they were just a young dating couple. It was raining a lot and the place was full of people. Conchita, in ecstasy, came into the house. My sister was amidst the crowd and the young man approached her and said, “Give this cross to the girl.” My sister responded, “Why should I try to give it to her? She’s not going to take it. When she’s in ecstasy, she never receives anything.” “Well, give it to her mother then, so that her mother can give it to her.” My sister came up to me and said, “Here, that man said for you to give this to Conchita.” I responded, “Why am I going to give it to her? She never takes anything.” Then, I had an idea. What he wanted me to give to Conchita was a cross on a string, and so I thought of hanging it on her fingers, since she had her hands folded. Although Conchita spoke softly, I was close by and heard her insist to her vision, “I didn’t bring anything. I really didn’t bring anything.” She continued, “Well, if I have something, take it.” At that moment, Conchita took a step forward, lowered her hands and, in doing so, the cross fell on the ground. She took another step and stepped on the cross, “Ah! I’m stepping on it?” She bent down and picked up the cross, still in ecstasy, and held it up to her apparition to kiss. Then she turned around, facing the young man, made the sign of the cross over him and held it up for him to kiss. Turning back to the vision, she held it up again to be kissed and said, “Having such a beautiful habit as the Dominican habit, what a pity that he came dressed like that!”. Then, turning back to the man, she took his glasses off and put them in his hands. The man was afraid and I said to him, “Don't worry, she won’t break them.” She made the sign of the cross over him, held up his cross to be kissed again, and then put it around his neck. However, she put it on him backwards, the image was turned inwards. “Oh! I put it on him backwards?” She took it off, turned it around and put it back around his neck. Then she opened his hands, took his glasses and put them back on his face. Then she repeated, “What a shame that they come dressed like that!” He was a Dominican priest in disguise, wearing normal clothing, and accompanied by a young lady, who appeared to be his girlfriend, but who turned out to be his sister“. CRUCIFIX RISES BY ITSELF FROM BEING DROPPED THE MUD ! June 1961. With her eyes fixed straight above, Conchita stooped slightly and reached down about 50 centimeters (20 inches) from the ground. Then before the attentive and stupefied eyes of all of us who witnessed it, the crucifix came out of the mud by itself to the level of the girl's hand. She immediately grabbed it with both hands while remaining in ecstasy. Witness: Don Placido Ruiloba Conchita and the Glass of Milk One day Conchita was eating near the elevated kitchen fireplace on a small stool where she usually sat. Suddenly Loli came inside in ecstasy and said to her: — “Conchita, the Virgin says you should finish quickly, since she is going to come to see you.” Conchita sped up her motions a little, and then as she lifted her glass of milk, to everyone’s surprise, she fell into ecstasy, the glass of milk in her hand. She came down slowly from the fireplace, and at the doorway of the house, she started running swiftly toward the church. She stopped abruptly in front of the portico. There they were able to take the celebrated glass of milk from her hand. To everyone’s surprise, not a drop had been lost. (Just another little example of the daily signs of proof ) Falling on the ground: 6-11-67 Mother Nieves: " Why did you fall on the ground ? " Conchita: " We were not aware of that, we were with the Virgin ! And we followed the conversation or communication with her, without knowing if we were running or not, if we were on our knees or lying on the ground." "Foot Race", A story from Serafin Gonzalez ( Conchita's Brother ) “On one occasion, a boy who was a good athlete arrived and said: ‘No one can beat me in a race. No girl can beat me.’ One of the girls had an ecstasy and set off running, and this boy ran after her. It was clear that the Blessed Virgin wasn’t trying to outrun him in the race, but at this point the girl was running at such a speed right toward the wall of a house that the boy thought: ‘If this is not from God, this girl will kill herself running into that wall.’ The boy had to stop to give him time to slow down, but the girl continued running without stopping until she reached the wall, and then she stopped in an instant. She said to the Blessed Virgin: ‘Oh, it is so he will believe…!’ The boy heard this and believed, since it was not humanly possible to stop in an instant at that speed.” Light bulb story The Chief of the Civil Guard, Juan Alvarez Seco, who lived nearby, remembers this case. “One day María Dolores ( Mari Loli ) was on the second floor of her house where she had apparitions many times. Her father Ceferino had said that, when they came down from there to the floor below where the tavern was, they would unscrew the light bulb since there was no switch to turn it off. Loli, while putting her hand on the bulb this time, fell into ecstasy, and she didn't take away her hand. We all feared that if she continued like this, holding onto the lit light bulb, she would burn her hand. Her mother said, “Heavens, take away the light bulb!” However all our efforts were useless. Then we called Mari Cruz who wasn't in ecstasy, and she—with the greatest of ease—made Loli let go of the bulb. Her hand was not burned. Then the girl went down the stairs and continued her ecstatic march “. Garabandal and the Holy Shroud Only after Father Eusebio Garcia de Pesquera had written his comprehensive book on Garabandal, SHE WENT IN HASTE TO THE MOUNTAIN, did it come to light that the Shroud was mentioned at Garabandal. It was during one of Conchita's ecstasies when the Blessed Virgin spoke to the visionary about the Sabana Santa (Spanish for Holy Shroud). Among the spectators at that ecstasy was the Marquesa de Santa Maria, an excellent witness, and it was from her that Prof. Jacques Serre learned what the Virgin said about the Shroud. The Marquesa heard Conchita repeat the words of Our Lady: "It is the divine imprint of my Son." IN TIME , MARY REVEALS ALL. I have a rarely heard story of Our Lady kissing a woman's powdercase. We know most of the stories are about kissed religious objects. The reason I post this ( besides being a rarely heard story ) is that it reminds me of we don't always understand everything that happened at Garabandal , until later on. I think this story proves my point. Never question our Blessed Mother's intentions. One day Conchita was in the kitchen of her house surrounded by persons who were waiting for the moment of the apparition. On the simple table that served for the family meals, the objects that she was going to give to be kissed were being gathered. Together with these, someone had put there a stylish woman's powder case. The child and those present wanted this removed. How could the Virgin come to kiss an object so profane and used only for the service of vanity? Nevertheless, the powder case remained there. The ecstasy began and those present saw with astonishment that the visionary's hand, without her looking at it, before going to any other object, went first of all toward the previously discussed powder case. The child raised it toward the invisible Virgin and then set it down with great respect on the table. Among those present, surprise must have been mingled with doubt. Was it really the Virgin who was appearing? It didn't seem that she would kiss such an object . . . As soon as the ecstasy was finished, Conchita was asked for an explanation. And she declared that the Virgin had asked immediately for the powder case in order to kiss it, saying that it was something «belonging to her Son».The girl did not know anything more. But the person who had put the powder case there did know more and revealed the secret. During the terrible Spanish civil war (1936-1939) in the Red Zone when priests were being executed and had to be hidden, the powder case had been used to bring Communion Hosts to various locations and especially to prisoners whom the Reds held captive in order to execute. Thus it had served as a Pyx.
AUGUST 11 Among the many qualified visitors in Garabandal during those days, we have to single out the pastor from Barro, Fr. de la Riva. His stay was a long one and he sought to use all his time to the maximum. A page from his Memorias tells us his experiences during those days: "I went down every day to Cossío to celebrate the Mass.(10) Then I would go back up to the village again and ask where I could find the young seer that I wanted to see. Then I took the road leading to the pasture where she was working.(11) In the evening I returned to the village. At nightfall there was the rosary in the church, then the apparitions, frequently very lengthy. All this greatly exhausted me." ______________ This exhaustion that was wearing him down led him one afternoon, perhaps on August 11th,(12) Saturday, to refrain from accompanying the visionaries in their ecstatic marches. On going outside after the rosary, instead of following Jacinta who was marching at the time through the village in a trance, he accompanied the girl’s mother to her home and there began to eat dinner. After dinner, with its anecdotes of the apparitions, Fr. de la Riva went to Maximina’s home where he was lodging and went to bed. "I was a little sad" — he said — «for not having gone to the apparitions that day like the other villagers and the visitors . . . In a brief prayer before going to bed, I asked the Virgin to give me a sign that she wasn’t angry with me for not going to the apparitions after the rosary. And I fell asleep like a log. After several hours, I heard someone running and the voice of Nandín (Fernando, Loli’s brother) saying, Maximina, open up! Loli is here. I turned on the light, looked at my watch, and saw that it was a quarter to four in the morning. I said to myself, It has to be almost an hour that Loli is in ecstasy.(13) In the meantime, people were knocking at the door of my room. I sat up quickly on the bed and said, Come in. The door opened with a bang and Loli appeared in ecstasy. She fell on her knees and began to crawl on them, little by little, toward the wall that was facing me. This made me greatly wonder since I still didn’t know that, when the girls visited the homes in ecstasy, almost the first thing that they did was to pray for the departed from the family. On the wall in front of me was a large photograph of Maximina and her husband, who had been dead for years. Kneeling under the photograph, Loli prayed for some time. Then she pivoted and on her knees and went toward my bed. With the crucifix that she held in her hand, she first made the sign of the cross over the pillow, and then she put it on my lips while smiling. She continued smiling, turned around and began to make her way toward the door, still on her knees. When she came to the doorway, she stood up and went out that way. Then I said to myself, The Virgin is in the village . . . and you are still in bed!. I dressed quickly and ran toward the church. On passing by Loli’s house, I noticed that the girl was in the kitchen still in ecstasy.» _____________ Naturally Fr. de la Riva went inside, and soon became aware that the girl was then speaking about what had happened in Maximina’s house. 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.''
GLENN’S GARABANDAL VIDEO COLLECTION I have started a collection of Garabandal related videos. I will continue to update this as I find additional information. Now over 50 videos ! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_mUQdURostj9Cn78UKd78w
Jacinta's vision of the Sacred Heart of Jesus: https://ourlady.ca/about/en/story/073-jacintas-vision-of-the-sacred-heart-of-jesus/
WHAT WAS THE BLESSED VIRGIN LIKE ? http://www.garabandal.it/en/live-garabandal/what-was-the-blessed-virgin-like#10
Glenn, I have a question. I'm not questioning the Garabandal apparitions, but am wondering if I have heard correctly that Conchita is the only visionary who still stands by the apparitions. Why would the others back off? Fear? Bad advice from a superior or priest? Thank you, Glenn, just wondering if that is true, and what might have happened.
ABSOLUTELY FALSE ! Conchita, Mai Loli and Jacinta has not wavered ! Mari Cruz is the ONLY one who has confusion and memory lose. The reason might be she was the first to loose the visions because her parents forbid her to go when called, as the early apparitions were met with much resisitance and townspeople made fun of the girls and their parents.
Hi Gracia. I can advise you that All Visionaries still believe and stand by the apparitions. There was a time as predicted by Our Blessed Mother that they All would doubt the apparitions. Including Conchita. That was when they were still young. Mari Loli (RIP) passed away several years ago-died on the Feast Of Mercy and took the belief with her to heaven. Mari Cruz had the longest doubts but just a few Months ago came out in an article affirming her belief in the Apparitions. Lastly, Jacinta still believes in the Apparitions. She had locutions (as Conchita did) with Jesus. So the remaining three visionaries affirm the Apparitions and await the events to come as we do. The Warning First. Then Miracle. Peace!
SACRED GROUND The Virgin Mary referred to “the Pines“ : "God loves this place very much. This place is sacred." GARABANDAL- “The Pines - Sacred ground “ . We all know about the special area of Garabandal called "The Pines" (the 9 Pine trees where the Blessed Mother appeared, and foretold of the great Miracle that will take place there),but there are some other facts that have been forgotten about over time. Mary called this place "sacred". Conchita 's Grandfather Serafin, in his younger years when he was the mayor of the village, had the idea that every child, in commemoration of his or her First Holy Communion would plant a pine tree on the heights above the village as a symbol for his or her life. Of those planted, nine survived and grew into massive trees, at the place to which the Virgin Mary referred ' saying: "God loves this place very much. This place is sacred." Today they are called "los pinos" and we await the great Miracle announced by the visionary children. Mary said "It will be the greatest miracle that my Son, Jesus, will have ever performed for mankind. It will also be the last one before the end”. Recently I have confirmed that Garabandal has a history of doing a nightly Rosary for over 500 years ! It’s no wonder why “God loves this place very much,this place is sacred !”
SCIENTIFIC MEDICAL TESTIMONIES https://maryourlady.com/our-lady-of...ientific-medical-testimonies-english-espanol/
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.
NIGHT OF MONDAY, AUGUST 14 TO TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 1961 A WONDERFUL VIGIL IN PREPARATION FOR THE FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION The "Vigils," so familiar to Christians during the first centuries and then fallen into disuse, emerged again, as luck would have it, at Garabandal. There was a great deal of commotion during these vigils, the girls moving from one place to another in the village and in the neighborhood. 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! That night, the candid hymns of the three children traveling through the dark lanes of the village, overjoyed in their ecstasy, symbolized the humble response of the earth to the songs of praise of the heavenly Court celebrating the Queen of angels and men. At about 4:15 a.m., always in ecstasy, they went to the church. The vigil came to an end at 5:00 a.m. 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 "Garabandal', Book, pages 89-91
MARY'S MESSAGE: "BUT ABOVE ALL, WE MUST LEAD GOOD LIVES" https://www.garabandal.us/zips/pdf/bo_above_all.pdf
