This day in Garabandal history: October 26,1966 Conchita describes how they were "called" by Mary, before she appeared. (Conversation with Sister María Nieves García, from her Boarding School ) Q. ” I heard” — said the Sister — “that the Virgin called you prior to our falling into ecstasy. What were those calls?” Conchita: "The first was a sudden feeling of mild joy. The second was a stronger joy. The third made us go outside, overwhelmed with joy. What it was like to live in those times when we were seeing the Virgin so often! Although we had to remain without sleeping, it didn't matter to us. We were so happy! " "She went in haste to the mountain" Book 2, chapter 3, page 80.
Though Christ was speaking of the particulars relevant to Conchita, I think the closing words can be comforting for anyone of us (see post 6819): In your suffering you will find me and also Mary whom you love very much... I will be with whoever suffers for me." I take great comfort in them.
"We Now Know That The Miracle Will Happen In The Month Of April ..." Interview with Father Gustavo Morelos Reprinted with permission from The Vigil January - April 1988 While in Rome, Maria Saraco met with Father Gustavo Morelos on May 6,1986, and did a tape-recorded interview with him. Father who is Mexican was ordained a priest 28 years ago. He is the founder of "The Sons of The Divine Will." He conducted a serious 3-month study of the Garabandal Apparitions with the permission of his bishop during his stay there in 1965. He was also a great and personal friend of Padre Pio. Father Morelos is responsible for introducing Our Lady of Carmel of Garabandal to the entire South American part of the world. Q. Did Conchita ever reveal anything special to you? A. Well, she used to say to me that if I guessed the day of The Miracle that she would tell me, so I would try to guess the date but I never did. Every time I would give her a date she would say, "No that's not it." Until one time she said, "I will help you to guess. It will happen between the months of February and July and it will be between the 7th and the 17th, but I will not tell you which year." She assured me that The Miracle would not happen in the month of May. I enjoyed talking to Conchita about this while trying to guess the date... Of course, only Conchita knows the exact date and year which she will announce 8 days before it happens. However, in the book, "Miracle at Garabandal" authored by Harry Daley; page 89, Conchita is quoted as saying, "I will also tell you that it (meaning the Miracle) is going to happen either in April or May. Since she had already assured Father Morelos back in 1965 that the Miracle would not happen in May, it can safely be concluded that April must be the month in which it will take place. I spoke to Conchita about all these details as recent as April 25, 1988 during a telephone conversation, and while she was not able to recall saying what she did to both Father Morelos and Harry Daley, commenting that she had not read his book, she did not deny saying them nor did she contradict April as being The Miracle month. I pointed out that I intended to publish this information in "The Vigil" unless she said it was not true which she did not do, rather her reply was, "You can do what you want."
Glenn, is it true that Our Lady told the girls to place an image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on the front door to preserve the home from the chastisement? I found this online and it says the quote is from a book by Pierre-Jean Bocabielle.
No, I don’t have the quote, but the book is titled “Le mystère des apparitions de Garabandal” and the author is the president of some French Garabandal group.
TODAY IN GARABANDAL HISTORY : OCTOBER 28, 1964 Padre Pio's Superior in San Giovanni Rotondo addressed a letter (in Spanish) to Conchita, on behalf of the famous Capuchin: Peace and Greetings, Padre Pio is praying with (his) heart for your intentions and exhorts you to pray, placing your trust in the Divine Mercy in order to acquire the patience (to bear) all the trials and adversities of life, and also the spiritual blessings and graces for the sanctification of your soul. Padre Pio assures you that he remembers you constantly in his prayers and sends you his paternal blessing. Fr. Superior. ----------------------------------------------------------------- This little message, the third one at least, from Saint Padre Pio, was thus a new personal confirmation of the supernatural authenticity of Garabandal, a confirmation stemming doubtless from the supernatural lights that the famous stigmatist had already received on this subject since . . . the very beginning of the events! Other analogous and even more important "signs" would again be given to the visionary by the holy Italian priest! In March 1962, in answer to the first letter received from the Saint Padre, Conchita spontaneously and naively suggested to him that he come to Garabandal to visit her . . . : "Do you think that I can travel about like that, according to my whim, and why not like Santa Claus, and come down the chimney into your home?", the Capuchin retorted, amused. [Excerpted from 'Garabandal' Book, J. Serre, page 184]
TODAY IN GARABANDAL HISTORY October 29,1966 Conchita spoke at length about the times when the Virgin was appearing to them . . . (with Mother Maria Nieves Garcia ) "One day when I had finished speaking to her, the Virgin told me to turn toward a couple who were behind me and tell them, You aren't living right. I did this, although it embarrassed me. I know that they were moved, since they began to cry and went to confession on that same day. She told me many things like that . . . What do you think the Angel (St. Michael) was like? An adult? No, he was about 9 years old, with a blue tunic and rose-colored wings. We didn't see his hands, except when he gave us Communion. Many times the Virgin didn't look directly at us, but farther away at the people who were behind us. Sometimes she changed her expression; but she didn't stop smiling. I asked her, Whom are you looking at? She said to me, I AM LOOKING AT MY CHILDREN. We talked to her about everything, even about our cows . . . She laughed very much. We also played together. How happy we were then! We didn't suffer a thing, although some of the people bothered us. She seemed to be about seventeen. Because of this, I was pleased when a retreat master said that we would see the Virgin about this age. . —How nice it was to be with the Virgin! She was really like a friend; just as if she were living with us. And she called us by our nicknames like the people did. She didn't say, Maria Conception, but Conchita; not Maria Dolores, but Loli. Now we get weary in our periods of prayer; but then we didn't feel weary, or sleepy, or anything. We saw her so many times! “SHE WENT IN HASTE TO THE MOUNTAIN” Book 2 CH.3 pgs.80-82
Thank you so much, Glenn! I appreciate your constancy in this devotion to Our Blessed Mother. You are making it easier on the rest of us to remember what is most important in our insane world. Hope your health is continuing to improve.
TODAY IN GARABANDAL HISTORY October 30,1966 : (Conchita speaking) " I learned many things in my village since the people confided their problems to me. Some of them were tremendous. The ones that made the biggest impression on me were those of priests; these troubled me! A confessor told me to ask the Lord for the desire of suffering, and also to accept pain with joy. I couldn't speak to the Lord like that, since it doesn't come from me. I'm afraid of suffering! “We saw her so many times!” “FAITHFULNESS IN EVERYDAY LIFE” — I understand; but we ought to trust in Him, and know that we ought to serve for something in His Hands. God wishes to take us as little instruments, perhaps as "tapers for lighting the large candles." —That's true. We are instruments; people shouldn't notice us. In the village they shoved us, they pulled on our clothes . . . They sought after us. And although so many went up to the Pines, not all of them approached the tabernacle.” “SHE WENT IN HASTE TO THE MOUNTAIN” Book 2 CH.3 pg 82
Have any of the visionaries of Garabandal met with or visited the visionaries of Medjugorje? Has any connection between the two sites been established? Thank you,
Conchita’s husband Patrick, died on October 31, 2013 I am making a rare request today and asking for your prayers for Patrick ,Conchita, and her family. I received a letter from Conchita on December 17th, after the passing of her husband. I wanted to post the last sentence of her letter, it's TRULY PROFOUND. She wrote: " Death for sure is not the end, it is the beginning , and the vanities of the world are a loss of energy because it distracts us from the reality of life, and true happiness. "
NOVEMBER1, 1962 “ALL SAINTS DAY” NOVEMBER 1 (LITURGICAL DAY OF PRAYER FOR THE DECEASED) THE "PRAYER FOR THE DECEASED," BUT ALSO THE "CREED" . . . AGAIN ON THE AGENDA AT SAN SEBASTIAN DE GARABANDAL The visionaries, in ecstasy, recited the Creed apart from the Rosary at midnight, for the twelfth and last time, (that day). That series of very distinctive days, indeed a very ecclesial one, was thus coming to an end on a very symbolic date: the girls were, in effect, bringing together, thanks to their Vision, in one same Profession of Faith, the Church on earth and the faithful in the process of purification in Purgatory, and those already in Eternal Life. During the first week, that is, on the first day of that month devoted to the deceased, Mari-Loli and Conchita, in ecstasy, entered the cemetery. On their knees before the graves of Conchita's father and Maximina's relatives, the visionaries first placed their little crucifixes on them, then presented them to the Vision, and finally to Maximina accompanying them. From the 'Garabandal' Book, by J. Serre, page 154
TODAY IN GARABANDAL HISTORY NOVEMBER 2, 1961: GARABANDAL AND THE "COMMUNION WITH THE DECEASED" Sustained by prayer, the Communion of the Saints links the world of the living with that of the deceased in the one Church of God. This profound dimension of Christian faith was lived intensely at San Sebatian de Garabandal where the villagers prayed for the deceased every day. The ecstasies of November 2, 1961 and 1962 illustrate this bond with the "blessed souls of Purgatory" in a remarkable way. Led by the Blessed Virgin to the gates of the cemetery where, in ecstasy, they went regularly, the visionaries pushed their arms through the bars and held out their crucifix as if they were presenting it to be kissed by dozens of invisible people. [Excerpted from 'Garabandal' Book, page 116] Nov. 2 Our Lady confirmed, as it were, this custom of praying for the dead by frequently leading the girls in ecstasy to do this very thing. She led them to the village cemetery, either alone, or in various numbers. Quite significantly, this happened more often during the month of November than at other times of the year. The significance of this is heightened by the fact that the Spanish people are not really given to visiting the graves of their dead. In fact, as a general rule the girls in ecstasy did not enter the cemetery. They stayed at the wrought iron gate that gives access to the square stone walled plot of land which stands in isolation in a field a few hundred yards to the northwest of the village. Excerpted from 'Garabandal' Book, by J. Serre, page 116
Today in Garabandal History: November 3,1961 Conchita recalls how she learned the "Hail Mary" in Greek, from Fr.Luis Andreau, AFTER he passed away ! Conchita " After his death Fr. Luis Andreu taught me to pray the Hail Mary in Greek. We heard his voice during an ecstasy; but we didn't see him. Also he told me a message for his brother, and a French song, which I don't remember anymore, although Fr. Ramon knows it by heart. He told us how they had buried him . . . His voice was the same as when he was alive. From " She went in haste to the Mountain "
TODAY IN GARABANDAL HISTORY NOVEMBER 4, 1961: THE VIRGIN OF MOUNT CARMEL'S CONCERN FOR THE CHURCH The Blessed Virgin warned the four visionaries that their daily ecstasies would cease temporarily from November 18 on. Pressed by the "Special Commission," Msgr. Fernandez invited Don Valentin to take a "holiday." This would keep the pastor away from the village for almost two months during which time the girls each had only one apparition. Excerpted from 'Garabandal' Book, page 117 It seems that Our Lady didn't like the conclusions of the Bishop's "Special Commission", which was denying the supernatural events of Garabandal. I think She also didn't like the idea of removing the pastor from his post there. He was close to the girls and helped them spiritually, a 'good father priest'!
TODAY IN GARABANAL HISTORY :NOVEMBER 4,1962 Garabandal and the Holy Shroud of Turin 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."
