WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1965:

THE VIRGIN OF MOUNT CARMEL'S
LAST LOCUTION TO CONCHITA

We do not know for sure if Conchita was granted a last locution or not on that day. To us, that appears very probable, because of the very particular context of this December 8, 1965, date of the Closure of the Council of Vatican II, but also because the visionary, then boarder at the College of Burgos, will tell in 1966 to Sister Maria Nieves Garcia that "until now, every December 8, I had either an apparition or a locution from the Blessed Virgin."
[Excerpt from 'Garabandal' Book, page 203]

And so the supernatural events of Garabandal are winding down, and now begins the times of sufferings for the girls. But not all suffering, cause like us, there are times of joy too; like a marriage, a new baby, travel, birthday parties, baptisms, etc., etc. We all have our ups
and downs in life. But because of the unique state of life the girls lived, I believe their sufferings would be greater than most people, remember Our Lady promised them that they would go to heaven.

Well, read the lives of the Saints and see how much they suffered to get there!

Image via Wikipedia

One thing I remember constantly is that Our Lady said that those who wear the kissed objects would serve their purgatory here on earth, well I'm sure the girls know that and do wear a kissed object.
I do! I wear a Brown Scapular which has a kissed relic from Garabandal embedded in it and I never take my Scapular off!!!
Deacon John 
 

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1965:

CONCHITA OPENS UP WITH
GERMAN EDITOR ALBRECHT WEBER

The German publisher was at the village on the very day Conchita had her last apparition of the Blessed Virgin of Mount Carmel. During his stay, he had a series of conversations with Conchita, of which he published certain excerpts in 1993, in his fine book, 'Garabandal, The Hand of God.'

In the presence of Aniceta, Eloisa Deguia (Madrid), and his own sister, the conversations bore, among other major topics, on "the last Popes," on the future "Unity of the Church," on "abortion" as well, about which Conchita, astonished, pointed out to A. Weber that it would cause the Cup of divine Wrath to overflow! The Blessed Virgin had spoken about this unfortunate practice to the visionary, in terms that had left her stunned. Indeed, at the time, Conchita did not understand "how it was possible to kill a child in his (or hers) mother's womb without killing the mother at the same time . . .!"
[Excerpted from 'Garabandal' Book, page 203]

Yes, in the early 60's, we didn't hear too much about abortion, and I myself, probably didn't understand it like Conchita. "How can you kill a baby inside its mother and not kill the mother too?"

Ten years later, the Supreme Court changed all that and almost everyone now knew what it meant by having an abortion, although the media told us that it was only a blob, not a baby. Everything was based on a lie!

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

My wife and I joined a Pro-Life group at the local church on Long Island, and we began to picket and pray and lobby for Life! We also went to Washington D.C. for the March for Life every January. Sometimes I was the Bus Captain. We brought our children with us wherever we went, unless my wife went alone with a group. Then I would stay home and watch the kids. Those were very active days cause I was also involved with the Workers of Mount Carmel spreading the messages of Garabandal too. I had my own trucking business, so I could work my own hours and then do the other stuff. I thank God for these graces that we received enabling us to serve Him and the unborn!!!
Deacon John

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1965:

THE LAST APPARITION OF THE VIRGIN
OF MOUNT CARMEL TO CONCHITA AT
SAN SEBASTIAN DE GARABANDAL:
A "CONVERSATION" OF WHICH THE
SUPERNATURAL AND PROFOUNDLY
HUMAN QUALITY SEEMS TO LEAVE
NO DOUBT WHATSOEVER ABOUT
ITS DIVINE ORIGIN.

Conchita's account of the apparition:

"ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1965, I ALREADY KNEW THROUGH A LOCUTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN AT THE VILLAGE CHURCH THAT I WOULD SEE HER, AT THE PINES, IN A SPECIAL APPARITION, DURING WHICH SHE WOULD KISS DEVOTIONAL OBJECTS SO THAT I COULD DISTRIBUTE THEM, THIS BEING OF GREAT IMPORTANCE.

I strongly desired that this day would come so that I would see again Those who had brought the felicity of God to my soul: the Blessed Virgin and the Child Jesus whom She carried in Her arms.
It was raining but, of course, I did not mind going up to the Pines. I was bringing many rosaries I had recently been given to distribute and which, as the Blessed Virgin had asked me, I had brought to have Her kiss them.

As I was climbing all alone up to the Pines, I was telling myself about the way that I should amend my shortcomings and not fall into them again. I felt embarrassed to present myself like this to the Mother of God without having detached myself from them. . .

When I came to the Pines, I started pulling the devotional objects out of my pockets and, at this very moment, I heard a very soft voice (of course, the voice of the Blessed Virgin, that we can recognize among others) that was calling me by my name and I answered: "QUE! - What!"
Then I saw Her with the Child Jesus in Her arms; He was still dressed in the same way and was all smiles.

I said to Her: I came to bring you some rosaries so that You may kiss them. And She said to me: "I can see that."
I had a piece of chewing gum in my mouth, but when the Blessed Virgin appeared to me, I was no longer chewing; I had stuck it in one of my molars. But She obviously knew that I had it. And She said to me:
"Conchita, why don't you give up your chewing gum and offer it as a sacrifice to the glory of my Son?"
And I, ashamed, took it out of my mouth and threw it on the ground. Then She said to me: "You remember what I told you on the day of your birthday [the Immaculate Conception, 8 December], that you would suffer much on this earth? Have faith in Us and you will willingly offer these sufferings to Our Hearts for the good of your brothers; then, you will feel Us closer to you."
And I said to Her: "How unworthy I am, O Dear Mother, of so many graces received from [both of] You. And you still come to me today to make lighter the little cross that I now carry."
Then She said to me: "Conchita, I do not come for you alone. I come for all my children with the desire to draw them closer to Our Hearts." And She said to me again: "Give me all you brought for me to kiss." And I gave it all to Her. I had a crucifix with me. she kissed it and said: "Slip it into the hands of the Child Jesus." This is what I did. He said nothing to me.

I told the Blessed Virgin: "I will bring this cross with me to the convent?" She said nothing (about this). After She had kissed everything, She said to me: "Thanks to the kiss I put on these objects, my Son will perform wonders - Distribute them".

 
This is what I think I'll do. Then She asked me to speak about the wishes of the others, of all those who had given me requests to Her. And I did so. Then She said to me: "Tell me, Conchita, tell me something about my children, I keep them all gathered under my cloak." I told Her: "It is very small, not all of us can find room there."

And She smiled. "You know, Conchita, why I didn't come on June 18th to give the Message for the world? It is because it grieved Me to tell it to you myself. But I must tell it to you, for your own good and, if you accomplish it, for the glory of God. I love you very much, I desire that you be saved and to gather you all here in Heaven, around the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We can count on you, Conchita, can't We?"
And I told Her: "If I could always see You, yes, but otherwise, I don't know. I am very wicked." "Do all you can on your part and We will help you."
She stayed a very short time. She said to me: "This is the last time you will see Me here, but I will always be with you and with all My children." She also said to me: "Conchita, why don't you visit My Son in the Tabernacle more often. He waits for you there day and night."

As I have already said, it was raining heavily, but the Blessed Virgin and the Child Jesus were not at all wet. As for myself, while I was seeing Them, I was not aware it was raining, but after the apparition, I was soaked wet. I said to the Blessed Virgin: "How happy I am when I see both of You. Why don't You bring me to heaven now?"
Then She said to me: "Remember what I told you on your birthday: when you will present yourself before God, you will have to show your hands full of the works you will have accomplished for your brothers and for His glory. At the present time, they are empty!"

And it was all over. The moment of happiness I had with my Mother of Heaven, my best Friend, and with the Child Jesus, is gone. I have stopped seeing Them but I have not stopped feeling Their presence. . ."
[from 'Garabandal' Book, pages 200-201]

Image by Jim, the Photographer via Flickr

Read this over a few times and meditate on its meaning for your life!
Are your hands full of good deeds? Do you offer small sacrifices to God for His glory? Do we visit the Blessed Sacrament frequently? There is so much good to do and not enough time to do it!
Deacon John
 

MONDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1965:

LAST LOCUTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN
OF MOUNT CARMEL TO MARI-LOLI

The final locution, and what a remarkable one, of the Blessed Virgin to Mari-Loli, then a boarder with Jacinta, at Borja, in the College of the Sisters of Charity of St. Ann where famous Madre Maria Naya herself had spent several years:

"I had a locution from the Most Blessed Virgin. She told me that I would have much to suffer in this world, that I would be subjected to many trials, that this is what would make me suffer most."
I asked Her to tell me if I was to become a sister. She did not answer me.
She told me that She was very happy that I was here in the boarding school.
I asked Her if She would come back to speak with me. She did not answer.
I asked Her to give my father a proof of the apparitions so that he might believe. She told me that he would soon believe in them and that everyone would also believe.
She told me that She was very happy with my sacrifices, but that I ought to be better and more mortified in everything each day, that, as I had done until now, I ought to recite the Rosary every day, a devotion most agreeable to Her, that She loves us all very much, that She wanted us to be very good so that we may soon be together with Her in the glory of Heaven."
Mari-Loli Mazon

A reading, even a rapid one, of the last "interior words" of the Blessed Virgin to Mari-Loli suggests the following few observations:

-- The phase, henceforth near, of the "great doubts and denials" that Loli was about to go through, is implicitly predicted, as well as an existence punctuated by difficulties of many forms (which indeed is very much the case!);
-- Our Lady does not reveal to the visionary that she would see her again a few days before the "D" day, something which, on the other hand, she told Conchita in 1963;
-- The Blessed Virgin, we must note, remains silent on Mari-Loli's question about her possible religious vocation; She does not tell either when "her father (Ceferino) will believe at last" (this will happen on June 2, 1974, in absolutely remarkable conditions and circumstances); [Mari-Loli's father, Ceferino Mazon, was to receive 'his' proof on June 2, 1974, the very day of his passing away, also of Pentecost . . . just when the celebrated "Pilgrim Virgin of Fatima," then going through Spain, came through San Sebastian de Garabandal.]
-- Mary insisted again, and in her own way, on the value of the prayer of the Rosary (Mari-Loli was to find in her future husband, Francis LaFleur, the one who would help her to persist with fervor in this main Marian devotion); and
-- Finally, just as She would later tell Conchita during her last apparition, on November 13, 1965, the Blessed Virgin expressed to Loli Her keen desire, almost a promise, of welcoming her as well as "all of them" (the four visionaries) in the glory of Heaven.
[From 'Garabandal' Book, pages 199-200]

What a promise! Imagine being promised Heaven by Our Lady! But we already have that promise in many ways . . . Devotion to Our Lady's Rosary promises Heaven for those who devotedly pray it; especially the First Five Saturday Devotion; Wearing the "Brown Scapular" is another promise of Heaven; How about the promises of Our Lord regarding the First Friday devotion , Receiving Holy Communion for Nine consecutive First Fridays in reparation for the
offenses committed against the Sacred Heart of Jesus promises Eternal reward in Heaven. There are many more . . . how many do you take advantage of, these wonderful Gifts from Heaven? Hey! Don't wait for your last day on earth to do these devotions, you might not make it!!!
Deacon John

 A Tribute to Mari Loli (of Garabandal) who a passed away on April 20, 2009. May God Be with You Always Mari Loli !!... 

SUNDAY, JULY 18, 1965:

From Left in 1947: Luis, Marcelino, Maria Luisa, Ramón and Rafael.

LOCUTION AND APPARITION OF THE
BLESSED VIRGIN OF MOUNT CARMEL
TO CONCHITA . . . ABOUT FRS. MARCELINO
AND ALEJANDRO ANDREU, S.J.

Village church of San Sebastian. Image via Wikipedia

The solemn Feast of St. Sebastian in the village (thanks to a special ecclesiastical indult) also a key day in the events, a day which was, as in the previous years, to be amply "emphasized" at San Sebastian de Garabandal.

Father Marcelino Andreu celebrated Mass at the village. During his sermon, Conchita was favored with a locution from the Blessed Virgin who, moreover, appeared to her at home at the end of the same day. The visionary learned then that Fathers Alejandro and Marcelino Andreu "would see" the Miracle, just like had been the case for their brother Luis (August 8, 1961). Astonishing enough, Fr. Alejandro was to die on August 9, 1989, at Caracas, very precisely at 4 a.m., the same day and at the same time as Luis in 1961! He was about sixty years old. As to Fr. Marcelino, he was to die on June 17, 1998, at Bilbao, after a long illness (leukemia). Thus, the meaning of the apparition to Mrs. Andreu (see April 30, 1962) of her son Luis and of the other two Jesuit priests whom she had seen only from their backs, emerged, at last!

In various degrees, the four Andreu brothers had been, all of them, "witnesses" of the phenomena that occurred at San Sebastian de Garabandal; furthermore, all "saw" or will see the great Miracle; Luis, Alejandro and Marcelino before the future "D" day, Father Ramon on the "D" day itself, since we know, according to some valuable documents, that in the twenty-four or forty-eight hours following the Miracle, the latter, accompanied by the "skeptical" Padre Justo,

O.F.M., will sing the Te Deum . . . !

[From ;Garabandal' Book, page 198]

Jesuit emblem. Image via Wikipedia

Father Ramon also died in November, 2004 of Cancer. after serving since 1971 in a parish (St. Kevin's) in California. So all the brothers who were Jesuit priests, have gone on to eternity. And that's where they will see the great Miracle! If we die before it comes, we too will see it in eternity, especially because we have been so interested in the Garabandal events. 

Where do you want to see the Warning, Miracle and great Sign? For myself, I want only what God wants, so if He allows me to be here, great! If not, so be it, I hope to be in Heaven looking down on you!
Deacon John

FRIDAY, JULY 2, 1965:

AN IMPORTANT LOCUTION OF OUR
LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL TO CONCHITA,
CONCERNING MSGR. BEITIA, HIS
SUCCESSOR, MSGR. PUCHOL Y MONTIS,
AND FR. LAFFINEUR AS WELL

This was the anniversary of the Blessed Virgin's first apparition, when she entrusted Conchita with a little message destined for Msgr. Beitia and already clearly insinuated during the seer's previous June 18 famous public ecstasy, a personal message he was to receive shortly after, thanks to Francisco Sanchez-Ventura. We ignore its content, but on the following 8th of July, he was to publish his second Note, the longest and most complete, the most open also of the two he wrote concerning the question of the supernatural authenticity ofGarabandal.

The bishop of Santander having tendered his resignation, Msgr Vincente Puchol Montis succeeded him on this same 2nd of July and was enthroned on the following August 17, 1965.

Msgr. Puchol was a native of Valencia where he was born 1n 1915. We will see more about him . . .

Our Lady of Mount Carmel also had words destined to Fr. Materne Laffineur (see November 20, 1962).
[From 'Garabandal' Book, page 198]

Not much to comment on here, except that the late Fr. Laffineur became one of the great apostles of Garabandal, spreading the Messages and events throughout the world. Here's an excerpt from Garabandal Magazine about him:

One of the first to step forward is an elderly but stout- hearted Frenchman, a veteran of two world wars with sixteen decorations and citations for bravery, by the name of Fr Materne Laffineur.

Fr. Laffineur has been to Garabandal some eight or ten times, has witnessed the girls in ecstasy, and believed! Now he is intent on doing something about it. He returns to his native France, has some leaflets printed and begins to give lectures. His listeners are impressed by the sincerity and objectivity of this eyewitness to the events and some come to help him. One such person is Fr Alfred Combe, a pastor of a parish just outside of Lyon. Later he will become Fr Laffineur's successor as leader of the French Garabandal movement and will play an important part in the worldwide diffusion of the Message.

And here is a short article he wrote on the Priesthood:

Garabandal and the Priesthood
By Father Materne Laffineur

Together with a devotion to the Eucharist, Garabandal teaches a great devotion for the priesthood. Our Lady teaches the girls to pray often for priests. Loli said one day, "I often pray for them, especially for those who wish that they were not priests. I pray that they may at least go on saying Mass."

They have the greatest reverence and affection for all members of the clergy, so much so that they are often reproached for "giving a warmer welcome to priests than to lay people."

In spite of the imprudence and unsettling hostility of certain priests, the children have never been heard to utter the least criticism of them or to show them the least discourtesy. They even make a special point of praying for them, especially for those who cause the children to suffer for reasons unknown to them.

To everyone expressing surprise at this, Loli replies, "When in the presence of an angel and of a priest, I would greet the priest first and it is to the priest that I would bow first of all."

That does not prevent them from from being nice little Spanish girls with a liveliness that reminds us of certain answers given by their illustrious compatriot. St. Teresa of Avila!

One theologian, a young priest and a fine one at that, asked Conchita:

"If you think that a priest has more power than an angel, whom would you prefer to see, the angel or me?"

"Oh, the angel of course! He is much better looking than you!"

Another cleric, deciding to put the little girls through one of those psychological "tests", asked Conchita this strange question:

"If your parish priest were neither a man nor a woman but an animal, what kind of animal would you like him to be?"

"A lamb."

"Why?"

"Because he would be like Jesus Who sacrificed Himself for us."
Roman Deacon

SATURDAY, JUNE 19, 1965:

ACCORDING TO ST. MICHAEL'S
EXPRESS INSTRUCTIONS, CONCHITA
MAKES THE MESSAGE KNOWN TO THE PUBLIC

At 2:00 p.m., after returning to her home, the visionary transmitted the Message received on the previous day, writing the first three copies of it on ordinary stationary paper [see copy above], and mentioning the "bishops" and "cardinals" in the first two copies only because of her being too deeply moved by such a "Warning," however motherly, from the Blessed Virgin of Mount Carmel. She will say later that if (from the third copy) she was writing only "many priests," the reason was that "I thought that all of them (priests, bishops and cardinals) are priests." 

Msgr Beita himself was to receive from Conchita, a few days later, thanks to

Dr. and Mrs. Jean Caux, a copy of the Message.

[From 'Garabandal' Book, pages 196-197] 

St. Jose Maria Escriva. Image via Wikipedia

Yes, Conchita, they are all priests! So we see how much she respected all priests! And of course, so does Our Blessed Lady, who loves Her priest-sons, and weeps when they fall into sin or lead others into sin and error! And Our Lady's constant Message was to "Pray for priests!" Why? Because they are our spiritual fathers and if the are holy, we are holy. Think about it!
Deacon John

FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 1965 CONTINUED . . .

On the indication of the Archangel St. Michael, the visionary will present the crucifix to be kissed, to Fr. Pel, then to Messrs Pique and Masure.

We see Fr. Pel's white hair at the bottom - on the left of the photo. He was the first to whom Conchita offered the crucifix. The priest then cried out: "We must not doubt this is from God!"
Placido Ruiloba, a merchant from Santander, father of eight children, was a key witness of the Garabandal "events," as early as July 1961. He was an important observer, a critical and even skeptical one at times; we owe him many recordings of the conversations of the visionaries while in ecstasy. He appears here, immediately on the left of Conchita, holding a microphone. 

At the request of St. Michael, Conchita made the Message known, in writing, just as the first Message had first been given, to the four seers only, on June 24, 1961 when it appeared written on a placard (letrero or escritorio) beneath the feet of the same Archangel St. Michael. As to the numerous data supporting our own transcription of the original second Message, one will find them, at least in part, in our Book II to be published later. [From 'Garabandal' Book, pages 194-195]

Unfortunately, Book II has not been published yet and there has been no news about when it will be! But thank God we have these amazing photos, and hundreds more! Plus many rolls of amateur and professional newsreel. Someday it will all be released for us to remember the "Events" of Garabandal! 
Deacon John 

FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 1965:

Conchita suddenly raises her crucifix up to the
Archangel St. Michael, who touches it.

THE INCOMPARABLE DAY OF THE
SECOND AND FINAL MESSAGE
OF GARABANDAL

"On behalf of the Most Blessed Virgin, here is the Message to the world transmitted by St. Michael. The 'Angel' said:

"As my message of October 18 has not been complied with and has not been made known to the world, I am advising you that this is the last one. Before, the cup was filling up. Now it is flowing over. Many cardinals, many bishops and many priests are on the road to perdition and are taking many souls with them. Less and less importance is being given to the Eucharist. You should turn the wrath of God away from yourselves by your efforts. If you ask His forgiveness with sincere hearts, He will pardon you. I, your mother, through the intercession of Saint Michael the Archangel, ask you to amend your lives. You are now receiving the last warnings. I love you very much and do not want your condemnation. Pray to us with sincerity and we will grant your requests. You should make more sacrifices. Think about the passion of Jesus."

The Eucharist, the Priesthood and the Passion of Jesus Christ represent the three major Christological and ecclesial aspects of the second Message. The date, June 18, was perhaps chosen because it was close to or corresponded with the Feast of Corpus Christi, the principal Eucharistic celebration that generally falls in the month of June, a month also consecrated to the Sacred Heart. But also, very probably, because of he profound significance of the "18th of June" 1961 and 1962 . . . One should again note the progressive (since the first Message of October 18, 1961) accent of the "wrath of God," an extremely meaningful biblical theme, expressed there in a complementary way by the other biblical image of the "Cup." The latter, already mentioned in the first Message, is now overflowing, in this "last" one! In addition to the "Cup of the divine Wrath," we also find here the explicit mention of our sins through which we are distancing ourselves from God and from the more important "Cup of Communion" with Him through Christ.

The theme of the Priesthood is also particularly prominent in this second and "ultimate" Message. On the subject of the important responsibility of priests, see Vatican II, 'Gaudium et Spes', n. 43, as well as Robert Francois (Turner), 'I, Your Mother', the excellent chapter 14, "The Priests," where one can see clearly the extent to which the visionaries of San Sebastian de Garabandal, still more their Vision, gave supreme importance to the "ministerial Priesthood" and also, it goes without saying, to the "Eucharist."
[From 'Garabandal' Book, page 192]

So there you have the Second Formal Message! It gives one a lot to think about, especially now, 45 years later, when this Message has more meaning to us than to those people in 1965. We have seen the changes in the Church, the falling away of Mass attendance, the priestly scandals, the disrespect of the Eucharist, the sins of the world crying out for the "wrath of God," like abortion and infanticide! And Our Lady gives the remedy for all this: confession, sincerity, prayer, conversion, penance and sacrifice, and meditation on the Passion of Christ! Yes, there is still hope! If enough of us repent and offer sacrifices in union with Our Lord's Sacrifice, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, then maybe the chastisement will be mitigated or reduced, and the "Era of Peace" will come upon the world. Keep praying and spreading these Messages so that all will believe!
Deacon John