Thank you for your kind words of consolation ,no need to thank me for answering your question,but its appreciated. I'm not sure if you know there is a "GARABANDAL Australia" magazine that's been around for a long time. Here is the contact info: Australian Garabandal Apostolate, 22 Fergus St, Keperra QLD 4054 Box 202, Ferny Hills QLD 4055 Australia Email: bris@garabandal.com
(The Promise) : Our Lady said, “Through the kiss I bestow on these objects, my Son will perform prodigies. Distribute them to others.” “Those who wear them with faith and devotion will do their purgatory on earth.” I dont recall Mary ever "blessing" any objects. (she only kissed them ). I can only confirm that some bibles and prayer missals were kissed by Mary, and then used to make those tiny medals. It was not just one bible. Again items were not "blessed" by Mary, they were kissed by here. I believe it was a "prayer missal" of Mari Loli's that was kissed (NOT A BIBLE). Here is the story, recorded. TODAY IN GARABANDAL HISTORY: OCTOBER 7,1962 FEAST OF OUR LADY OF THE HOLY ROSARY AT GARABANDAL The young visionaries, in ecstasy, cried out in unison: "Viva Santo Domingo que lo (i.e. el "Rosario") ha fundado!" ("Long live St. Dominic who 'founded' the Rosary") as they were reciting the rosary. This feast of our Lady of the Holy Rosary was highlighted by the magnificent ecstasy of Conchita who ran through the village, while singing the rosary for more than an hour. According to the visionary “ the rosary is a very important part of the Message of Our Lady at Garabandal”. * On that day as well, the Blessed Virgin kissed Loli’s Missal , page by page. Excerpted from 'Garabandal' Book, J.Serre, page 106
THIS DAY IN GARABANDAL :JULY 3, 1962: CONCHITA PREDICTS THE FUTURE "MILAGRUCU" (LATER KNOWN AS THE “LITTLE MIRACLE” ) As the "voice" (St. Michael ) had asked her, from this day on Conchita began to spread the news of the "Milagrucu," first of all warning the village, then writing to the main witnesses of the events of San Sebastian de Garabandal: "People will see the Host, that the Angel will give me, appearing on my tongue" . . . [From 'Garabandal' Book, J. Serre,page 138]
Hi Glenn, Thank you so much for this information. I've written to inquire about their magazine as a result. Condolences were and are most sincere. Take good care, Jan
THIS DAY IN GARABANDAL HISTORY: JULY 4, 1961. There is a 35 minute ecstasy in the evening. The Virgin Mary explains the meaning of the plaque which represents the first part of an important message which the four girls must make known publicly on October 18,1961. The Blessed Virgin gives the text of the Message to the four girls. Here is the first question the Blessed Virgin had asked the children on the previous 2nd of July: "Do you know the meaning of the notice the Angel had under his feet?" - "No, we don't." "It was a Message that I am going to tell you and that you will repeat in public on October 18" (1961): "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." It was from this day on that Our Lady gradually initiated the young visionaries in a motherly way to the meaning and scope of this Message. Excerpted from 'Garabandal' Book, J. Serre, page 55.
3 Girls went into convents ! Many people have commented over the years “ Why didn’t the girls become Nuns after the apparitions ? Most people don’t know that actually 3 of the 4 girls did enter convents ! Conchita, Jacinta, and Mari Loli did for a short time, then left for different reasons, and became boarding students instead. Mary Cruz did not go at all. On February 7,1966 Conchita (on her 17th birthday) enters the Discalced Carmelites Missionaries of Pamplona. On February 13,1966 she has a locution from Jesus, where he tells her this was not his wish to be here. Both Jacinta and Mari Loli were 16 at the time they decided to enter a convent. On September 30, 1965 they left for the Sisters of Charity of St. Ann, in the Aragon town of Borja. Jesus said to Conchita: “ I choose you in the world, that is, in the normal condition of the faithful, so that you would remain in it. “ I guess our Lord had other plans and vocations for the girls, to remain in the world, and not hidden away in a convent.
I mentioned Sr. Anne of Yahweh before. She has youtube videos on many apparitions. She is devoted to setting up a new Order open to lay people, i.e., the Order of the Mother of God (OMD). This order would be based on the instructions of Our Lady of La Salette. She has just started a new video series on the apparitions of Our Lady of Garabandal, along with Cathy Miller. While I am not an expert on Garabandal, it does seem to me very good and informative.
The Works of the Mother and Teacher From: “She went in haste to the Mountain” Ch. 6, p.123 HUMILITY — This was shown by the children in various ways: by their manner of dressing, by their manner of speaking, by the small things that they did for the public that came to see them, by the lowly work that they continued to do in front of everyone, by their docility to suggestions from their parents and priests, etc.. On various occasions the Virgin has indicated that when they would come to see her, they should not wear either bracelets or earrings. The only one who had the habit of wearing earrings was Conchita. But in a trance at the door of the church, she was heard asking, What did I do bad? Oh, good! And returning to normal, she went to her home, took off the earrings and a bracelet and returned to the door of the church, where she went into ecstasy again. I myself have noticed several times that when they felt the third call, they immediately began to take off any ring or bracelet that they had on their hands and which belonged not to them, but to some other person who had given them to the girls to look at and examine.
The Works of the Mother and Teacher From: “She went in haste to the Mountain” Ch. 6, p.120 PATIENCE — Having lived in the village, I saw right away that the patience of the girls had to be very great. The people, when they saw them, touched them — even to cutting off locks of their hair. They gave them rosaries, medals, marriage rings to give the Virgin to kiss. They requested kissed objects; they sought to take photographs. I never saw the girls angry. When they were worn out by such an avalanche of people, who even followed them into their homes, they limited themselves many times to keeping quiet and smiling. One time I asked them, Why don't you get angry? They answered, :"The Virgin has told us that we should be modest and answer what they ask us if we can."
The Works of the Mother and Teacher From: “She went in haste to the Mountain” Ch. 6, p.126 PENANCE — From the time they learned the significance of the word sacrifices, they practiced it. For them, making sacrifices was to do what I don't like and to omit doing other things that I like.[A definition both simple and magnificent.] Among these: helping others . . . obeying, giving away the things that they received, and not wearing the bracelets and other jewelry that they had received .
The Works of the Mother and Teacher From: “She went in haste to the Mountain” Ch. 6, p.126 PURITY OF SOUL — The horror of sin was causing in them a desire to atone for the sins of mankind. But the sins of mankind did not hold for them a concrete meaning, only a vagueness about things that sorrow God and the Virgin. It should be taken into account that, due to the isolation in which they lived, their twelve years of age represented much less than twelve years for children in a city. The modesty of the girls in their manner of walking, of running, of looking, of conducting themselves in general was a close following of the advice repeated by the Virgin that they 'Be modest'. And they were not pleased when the people came with improper dress. I already mentioned the girl who did not want to be photographed with a lady because her dress was very low-cut. Nor did it please them that women smoked. "A desire to atone for the sins of mankind." "Close following of the advice repeated by the Virgin that they Be modest"
Sigh! What a different world in which we now live. O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!
TODAY IN GARABANDAL HISTORY: JULY 10, 1963: CHRIST'S FIRST LOCUTION TO CONCHITA. TOWARDS THE "CONVERSION OF RUSSIA AND THE WHOLE WORLD . . ." The first of the two very remarkable locutions of Christ to Conchita occurred in the village church. Conchita: "As I was giving thanks to God and asking Him for certain things, He replied. "I asked Him to give me a cross, for I experience no suffering in my life, except that of not having any crosses. As I was asking Him for that, Jesus replied: "Yes, I will give you a Cross." Very moved, I kept on asking for other things and I said to Him: "Why is the Miracle coming? To convert many people?" And He replied: "to convert the entire world -Para convertir al mundo entero" - [Our Lord was thus indicating the importance of the events of Garabandal.] "Will Russia be converted?" "Yes, it will be converted; thus everyone - todos - will love our Hearts." "Will the chastisement come after that?" He gave no reply. "Why do You come into my poor heart without any merit on my part?" "Because I do not come for you; I come for the whole world." From 'Garabandal' Book, by J. Serre, page 175
Hi Glenn, I too am very sorry to learn of your family's recent loss. Such poignant happenings are never easy. However, I know that the many spiritual insights which you've gleaned from Garabandal over the course of several decades will serve as a tremendous consolation and reassurance. The needs of your family will be in my prayers. At your convenience - when your time permits - could you advise me if the testimonies of Juan Álvarez Seco - and other credible witnesses - have been compiled and published in a book? (Again, no rush.) Blessings!
There is nothing Ive written in 30 years that can bring any consolation, after the loss of a child, only the writings of the Bible and Jesus's promise of eternal life in Paradise offers any real consolation.
FIRST HAND WITNESS :Juan Alvarez Seco, Brigadier of the Spanish Civil Guard https://ourlady.ca/2020/04/eyewitness-juan-a-seco/ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- EYE WITNESS STORIES https://www.garabandal.it/en/documentation/witnesses
TODAY IN GARABANDAL HISTORY TUESDAY, JULY 11, 1961: THE PHYSICIANS AT WORK . . . PERFORMING TESTS Garabandal was an exceptional field of study for theologians as well as for physicians, psychologists and psychiatrists who, as early as June 25, went up to the village as independent observers. In the first two weeks of July, Msgr. Doroteo Fernandez set up a "Special Commission" made up of three priests and two physicians. These were in charge of investigating the "events" and the girls of San Sebastian de Garabandal. The members of this "Commission" came only three times to the village during the four years that the events occurred. (This proves their motives were not serious ) Commissioned by the bishop, Doctors Jose Luis Pinal Ruiz and Luis Morales, psychiatrist, began their first experiments on July 11. All kinds of tests were performed on the children in ecstasy. Pinching, burns, pricks, intense light: so many sensory stimulants producing no effect. "This is no way supernatural. It is a psychogenic reaction to the situation . . . Vulgar hysterical phenomena . . ." Such was Dr. Morales' opinion on the one ecstasy that he had attended. His report, quickly drafted, influenced the negative verdict by the "Commission" concerning the supernatural origin of the phenomena of Garabandal. He, who had really been the "directing head" of the "Special Commission," completely reversed his position in 1977. In May 1983, during some lectures he gave at Santander, then at Madrid, he publicly defended the authenticity of the apparitions. Excerpted from 'Garabandal' Book, J.Serre pages 59; 61
4 world famous Saints supported Conchita ! St. Padre Pio St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta St. Pope John Paul II St. Pope Paul VI I can’t think of another Marian apparition that a Visionary had such credible public support and defense of her visions in ecstasy. In addition to her 4 years of visits by our Blessed Mother, she also received several Locutions from Jesus himself ! Not to mention her life spent in quiet ,spiritual, humility, another great example of a true Visionary.
You're right, Glenn. The association Conchita had, especially with Padre Pio and St. Teresa does say a lot to me. John Paul II encouraged a number of seers. The fact that Conchita had two audiences, I believe, with Pope Paul VI, adds credibility, and is the reason that judgment has been withheld pending the date of the Miracle.
