TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1964:

Conchita signing autographs

CONCHITA'S NEW LOCUTION:
SHE IS TOLD THAT ST. MICHAEL
WILL COME AGAIN . . . "JUNE 18TH, 1965!"

Image by theroamincatholic via Flickr

During a locution that occurred on this December 8, 1964, the Blessed Virgin of Mount Carmel revealed to Conchita that she would have a new apparition of the Archangel St. Michael, on next June 18, (1965). (He would then deliver for the world the second and ultimate Message of Garabandal.) The visionary widely circulated this information.
[Excerpt from 'Garabandal' Book, page 185]

So now we await the second formal Message, which is very powerful and full of meaning. Meanwhile the girls (seers) lived their life normally in the village, working their daily chores and growing spiritually in prayer. It's a good lesson for us! No matter how many graces we have received, we still need to be part of this world and do our daily duty. Worker, housewife, student, whatever, doing the best we can at our vocation is God's Will and gives Him glory as we await our Day to enter God's Heavenly Kingdom.
Deacon John

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1962:

Fr. Laffineur and Conchita in 1962

FATHER MATERNE LAFFINEUR (D. 1970)

Born in 1897 in Walcourt, Belgium, Fr. Materne Laffineur, O.P., was ordained to the priesthood in 1924. He was later to be involved in the canonical inquiry about the apparitions of Beuraing and become as early as 1963, the unofficial or private investigator of the Garabandal "facts," on behalf of Msgr. Beitia himself. A tireless diffuser of the Message in France and in the world, he worked without respite, so that the supernatural authenticity of the events might be recognized by the Church, gathering the most abundant documentation on the question.

In July 1965, Conchita is said to have transmitted to him, in a letter, these presumed words from the Blessed Virgin concerning the Dominican priest: "Tell . . . Fr. Laffineur in France that my Son has chosen him to spread the Message I gave to the world, tell him also my love for everyone . . . I shall always be with (him) and so will my Son." Fr. Laffineur had witnessed many ecstasies in San Sebastian de Garabandal.
[From 'Garabandal' Book, page 159]

This priest was a rare man, very holy and very Marian. He was really an expert on Marian apparitions and he firmly believed in Garabandal! He was instrumental in the spreading of the Messages and events throughout Europe and America. There were other great Marian priests who also believed in the Garabandal events. We will meet them as the story continues . . . Since 1970, I have always prayed for these priests who were spreading the Message throughout the world and I continue to do so for the glory of God and the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary!
Deacon John

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1962:

"COMMUNISM" IS MENTIONED AGAIN . . .
ON THIS ANNIVERSARY DAY OF THE
"APPARITIONS OF LA SALETTE"

Mari-Loli and Jacinta again mentioned the theme of communism. A theme suited to the occasion on this anniversary of the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary at La Salette, on September 19, 1846. We know that certain elements of Melanie's famous secret indeed concerned the great evil of communism that was then soon to begin to spread more and more throughout the world . . .

As they came out of their ecstasy, the two visionaries did not want to disclose Our Lady's words: these were certainly related to the very difficult period of time of the Pre-Aviso. It was only in 1978 that Mari-Loli and Jacinta confirmed the fact that Mary had really spoken to them of communism and had done so on more than one occasion.
[From 'Garabandal' Book, page 150]

Who could forget the Cuban missile crisis in 1962. The world was on the brink of nuclear war! I think Our Lady had a lot to do in stopping that horror! Then it seemed that communism was disappearing after the 80's and 90's, but actually, it's gotten worse in countries like China and North Korea. Now we have communism creeping into South America with so-called dictators vowing to destroy democracy and hating America. So, maybe communism will be the scourge that will bring God's intervention with the Warning and conversion of the world. We will see . . .
Deacon John

TUESDAY, JULY 3, 1962:

Conchita and Aniceta with the family's little donkey (1964).

CONCHITA PREDICTS THE FUTURE "MILAGRUCU"

As the "voice" 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, page 138]

Conchita is preparing everyone of the "Little Miracle", but wait till you hear what happens in our next installment. It shows us how weak people's faith becomes when God tests them with patience. I guess we are all the same. How many times have we asked God for some grace and when we don't get it right away, we become impatient and our prayers and faith start to diminish. Even Our Blessed Mother and Saint Joseph were tested with patience; remember when the Child Jesus was lost when He was 12 years old, He tested Mary and Joseph by His absence, until they found Him in the Temple. Mary said to Jesus: "Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress." And he said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" [Luke 2:48-49]
Deacon John

TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 1962:

"CORPUS CHRISTI" AT SAN SEBASTIAN DE GARABANDAL

In the early hours of Corpus Christi, all the witnesses and villagers went to confession and received Communion! During an apparition that same day, Mari-Loli would ask the Blessed Virgin "where this Blood that we could see falling in a chalice came from?" "It is the Blood falling from the Heart of my Son," Mary explained to her. [Excerpted from 'Garabandal' Book, page 137] 

Again we find the connection to Fatima! Looking at the picture above, it shows a vision that Sister Lucia had in her convent chapel in Spain around 10 years after the apparitions of Our Lady at Fatima. Notice the Blood falling into the chalice from the wounds of Christ. Remember the scene described by St. John in his Gospel, when the soldier pierced Jesus' side with a lance and Blood and water flowed out! See the connection? And Our Lady was with St. John at the foot of the Cross witnessing all this, so She could say to Mari-Loli, "  It is the Blood falling from the Heart of My Son."   I wonder at what the young girl saw that day. Perhaps we shall never know in this life, but certainly will see it in eternity! 

Deacon John

TUESDAY, JUNE 19, AND WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 1962

The girls let out cries of terror; begging their Vision: "Wait! . . .
Let them all go to confession! . . . Alas! Alas! . . ."

THE IMPRESSIVE "TWO NIGHTS OF THE SCREAMS"

On the "second night of screams" (the following day, June 19, 1962), the visions of the girls were to be more terrifying than those of the previous one, and bore almost exclusively on the Chastisement. Conchita was there. The visionary fears that this Chastisement, although 'conditionally' prophesied, is inevitable. Frequently questioned on this subject, she "thinks" that after a period of amendment due to the effects of the Aviso, and also of the Miracle, the world will go back to its wayward ways. A critical response to this very serious question will be attempted in Books II and III of our trilogy.

As to the witnesses themselves, kept at some distance, they could hear the visionaries screaming and crying: their testimonies were extremely eloquent!

At the end of this ecstasy of the "second night of screams," which lasted from 10:30 pm to 2:00 am, the visionaries, and those attending, petrified, all remained praying at the cuadro until 6:00 am . . . until they could go and receive the Sacrament of Penance, attend Mass and receive Holy Communion -- except for six persons only!

(The children saw "rivers being transformed into blood, and entire crowds surrounded by flames throwing themselves into the burning waters of the sea, etc . . .")
[From 'Garabandal, Book, page 134-135]

Again this sounds similar to the visions of Fatima, where the three children saw the fires of hell and people and demons rolling around in the fires! Everybody in that town went to confession too! Just watching these children and hearing their screams would send anyone to church, even unbelievers! Of course, there is always a few Judases who will never believe no matter what appears before their eyes. I always feel so sorry for atheists, who deny God's love for humanity. Our Lady wants us to pray for them every day! 

Conchita says that the Chastisement is going to come, even after God reveals Himself through the Warning and great Miracle. Well, read the Old Testament and see how many times the Jewish people abandoned God and worshiped false idols, even after He revealed Himself to them through great prodigies and miracles. Human nature is prone to evil because of Original Sin. It's called concupiscence, we would rather sin than be good. It takes God's grace to not sin through our prayers, penance, and sacrifices. We have a free will, which Almighty God respects. If we want to reject Him, He will let us, but to our own peril. That's why we Christians conform ourselves to the Divine Will and pray each day "Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven!" Let's hope that the "Era of Peace" will last a long time!!! 

Deacon John

TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 1962

:

Left to right: Loli, Conchita, Mari-Cruz and Jacinta

Mari-Cruz and Jacinta, in turn, had their regular apparitions again.
However, starting on January 19, Jacinta was to be deprived of visions for a month for having disobeyed her father. Judging that his daughter needed her sleep, he had not awakened her at the appointed time for her rendezvous with the Blessed Virgin. Jacinta blamed him sharply for this; in spite of her father's disapproval, she had gone to the calleja in the middle of this wintry night to wait for Our Lady who . . . did not come. Jacinta would be punished again in the same way (September - October, also for a period of one month), for a similar behavior.
[Excerpted from 'Garabandal' Book, page 122]
Very interesting! We're not supposed to judge anyone but God really means it when he wrote on the Tablets, "Honor Thy Father and Mother!"

This fourth Commandment is so disregarded these days with rebellious children doing their own thing, dis-obeying their parents, teachers, police; any authority figure that they don't agree with. Some children are even suing their parents for divorce!!! It's a sick society out there and it seems to have all started in the sixties when the Supreme Court stopped prayer in schools; millions of children no longer were in contact with heaven and I believe the graces stopped flowing, allowing more evil to enter the world. It wasn't long after that, that abortion was legalized and the killing of the unborn began in full scale.

Today, 37 years later, over 50 million babies have been murdered in their mother's wombs. So, if you break one Commandment, soon you break another, "Thou shalt not kill!" Of course the rebellious children don't know about the Commandments because that same Supreme Court won't allow them to be posted in schools. It's a vicious cycle, which won't end until Almighty God intervenes and corrects the conscience of the world. Let's pray that the Warning comes soon!
Deacon John

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1961:

Queen Fabiola and King Baudoin

KING BAUDOIN AGAIN AT SAN
SEBASTIAN DE GARABANDAL

The Belgian sovereign had already visited San Sebastian de Garabandal several times. Taking advantage of holidays he was spending in Spain with his wife of Spanish origin, Queen Fabiola, he returned to this village on September 12, 1961. He thus attended the ecstasies of that day and even found himself "bound" to one of the visionaries in a particular way. One of them made a step backward and stepped on his foot, to the point of keeping him rooted to the spot!

At the funeral Mass for King Baudoin (d. July 31, 1993), Cardinal Daneels (Malines - Brussels) dwelt at length on the "secret" of the deceased man. Under the cover of the monarch's public activities (the process of his possible beatification was even mentioned), flowed a calm and hidden spring: his life in God, to the rhythm of prayer and penance with a great devotion to the Blessed Virgin, whom he venerated very particularly as "Our Lady of Mount Carmel," and to the Eucharist. "The day will come when the Sovereign's 'secret' will be revealed, and the world will then be in amazement," explained Cardinal Daneels.

In the night of September 12 to 13, then Feast of the Holy Name of Mary, the girls, in ecstasy, recited the whole fifteen mysteries of the rosary . . .
[Excerpted from 'Garabandal' Book page 101]

I'm trying to remember the comments I made about this excerpt. I think I said that there were many saintly Kings and Queens who led lives of Faith, Hope and Charity, helped their subjects in their needs and were devout! Then there were those like Henry the Eight and Elizabeth the First, and many others, who persecuted Catholics and murdered many priests, nuns, and laity. When I read those stories about how the English Saints were martyred, it sends chills up my spine. I ask myself 'How could these monarchs be so evil, murdering these innocent Christians and trying to destroy the Catholic Faith, the Church of Jesus Christ?'

Blessed Rodger Dickenson, Blessed Ralph Milner, and Blessed Lawrence Humphrey were some of the many Christian Catholic Martyrs in Europe.

These three martyrs lived in England during the time of Church persecution by Queen Elizabeth I. "Mr." Roger Dickenson was an undercover diocesan priest. Ralph Milner was a husband and father. He worked as a farm laborer and was brought into the Church through the good example of his neighbors. The day he made his First Communion he was put into prison for being a Catholic. The jailer liked Mr. Milner so his prison confinement was not strict at first. For several years, he went on "parole" to find supplies of food and whatever the other prisoners needed. While on parole, he was of great help to "Mr." Dickenson and Father Stanney, a Jesuit. The day came when Father Dickenson, too, was caught. He and Mr. Milner were brought to trial together. Father Dickenson was tried for the crime of being a Catholic priest. Mr. Milner was tried for helping Father Dickenson perform his ministry. The judge looked at the crowd in the courtroom. He thought of Mrs. Milner and the couple's eight children. He wanted to free Milner at all costs. "All you have to do," he said, "is visit a Protestant church, just for a few minutes, to say you have been there. I'll let you go free to be with your family." Mr. Milner quietly and firmly refused. He and Father Dickenson went bravely to their deaths. It was July 7, 1591. The third martyr, Lawrence Humphrey, had been brought into the Church by Father Stanney, S.J. He would not give up the faith he had so recently acquired. Lawrence was just twenty-one years old when he was martyred.

Oh! How our beloved Church has suffered these past 2000 years! No wonder Our Lord sweated Blood in the Garden the night before He died, seeing all this persecution before His eyes! Lord, have mercy on us! Father, forgive them, they know not what they do (I hope)!

Deacon John

TUESDAY, AUGUST 22, 1961:

Padre Don Jose Ramon Garcia de la Riva 

A REMARKABLE "SPANISH
COUNTRY PASTOR" ENTERS
THE LIVING STORY OF
GARABANDAL

Don Jose Ramon Garcia de la Riva went up to Garabandal for the first time on this day. He was then pastor of the parish of Our Lady of Sorrows at Barro, a small village some 38 miles away. The name of this priest of the Asturias was to remain profoundly linked to Garabandal.

A good photographer and an amateur movie maker, he took some beautiful films and some remarkable photos of the visionaries and sites. He published his 'Memoirs of a Spanish country parish Priest', in memory of his numerous trips to San Sebastian de Garabandal, from 1961 to 1968.


The very day of his arrival in the village, the members of the "Special Commission," who were also there on this August 22, obtained that the church be closed to the visionaries in ecstasy. Four days later, Msgr. Doroteo Fernandez published his first Note in the Official Bulletin of the diocese, forbidding priests henceforth from going to Garabandal. This was above all a pastoral act of prudence.
[Excerpted from 'Garabandal' Book, page 95.]

Father Jose witnessed over 200 apparitions and compiled them in a book. I have published that book here page by page. Check out the archives for this blog.

Our Lady said in one of her apparitions that she prayed for the coming of the Missiah before she found out that she was to be the Mother of God at the Annunciation. We can do the same, pray daily for the fulfillment of the Message of Garabandal, the Warning, the Miracle and Great Sign, and the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary! Pray also for the final Dogma of Our Lady as Co-redemptrix, Mediatrix of all graces and Advocate will be proclaimed by the Church!

God Bless
Deacon John

TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 1961:

Doctor Celestino Ortiz Perez, taking Conchita's pulse.

FIRST CLIMB TO SAN SEBASTIAN DE GARABANDAL
BY A PEDIATRICIAN FROM SANTANDER,
A GREAT WITNESS OF THE "EVENTS"

A major scientific witness, Dr. Ortiz was the first physician to study the Garabandal phenomena seriously. Author of a report dated October 1962, of which a part was published, the pediatrician would spend about fifty days observing the visionaries. He always affirmed
that they were "normal from every point of view."
[Excerpted from 'Garabandal' Book, page 91.]

Doctor Celestino Ortiz Perez was an excellent pediatrician from Santander. The picture above shows him taking Conchita's pulse while she was in ecstasy, on her knees, her head way back and looking straight up to her vision. These photos are quite good and very valuable in regard to the history and truth of the apparitions. We will hear more about this doctor later on . . .

Deacon John

TUESDAY, AUGUST 1, 1961

THE CREED: A ONE, HOLY CATHOLIC,
APOSTOLIC AND . . . "ROMAN" CHURCH!

On this day, the girls in ecstasy recited the Creed, quite notably the Nicea-Constantinople one, for the first time apart from the rosary. This was a unique case in the public Marian apparitions, even in the whole history of apparitions. This particular performance would be repeated in twelve distinct and most relevant days the last of them significantly corresponding to the precise point of junction between the 1st and 2nd of November. Quite notable also is the strong biblical and ecclesial symbol of the number "12."

To this "profession of faith" always recited, it seems, in honor to the "Heart of Jesus" (al "Sagrado Corason"), the visionaries added an element of prime importance, of a truly prophetic nature, saying: "I believe in the one, holy, catholic, apostolic and Roman Church . . ."! The addition of these last words is most certainly linked to the future "reunification of the Churches" predicted at San Sebastian de Garabandal, and to which we will eventually return. Concerning this "addition" to the article of faith of the Church, . . . precisely about the Church, we must point out that, at a close examination, it did not reveal anything revolutionary: the "new" expression used by the visionaries in ecstasy was, in fact, only echoing the Ecumenical Councils of Trent and Vatican I, whose respective "professions of faith" had already included, in their own manner, the "addition": ". . .and Roman."

On this August 1, 1961, Feastday of the Holy Martyrs Maccabees, such a recitation of the Creed by the seers then in ecstasy was indeed remarkable: it was bringing together the believers of the Old and the New Covenants in a kind of joint celebration of their new common Faith. It also underscored the fact that they both belong to this one Redeemer's plan of universal salvation.

On this same day, during another ecstasy, Loli and Jacinta were also heard for the first time reciting the Ave Maria with this beautiful addition: "Holy Mary, Mother of God" 'and our Mother' pray for us . . .", an addition the Blessed Virgin asked the visionaries not to use before the Church allowed it, in clear distinction to the previous addition "and Roman Church"!
[Excerpted from 'Garabandal' Book, page 74.]

WOW! Talk about prophecies . . . Here is Our Lady teaching and proclaiming something that was already on the lips and in the hearts of the faithful! I always use the term 'Roman Catholic' when explaining to someone what Church I belong to. How about you?

One day I was in Manhattan looking for a church to attend Mass. I passed by a beautiful, Gothic one near Times Square. There was a noon Mass scheduled, so I went in. Inside was a beautiful altar with a tabernacle and vigil lamp but the church was empty. Then I found the Mass which was being celebrated in a side room. I entered and took a seat. As I listened to the prayers of the priest, it all sounded strange to me, so I asked the man next to me if this was a Catholic Mass. He said yes. I said "A Roman Catholic Mass?" He said, "No, Anglican!" I ran out of there, bewildered. I said to myself, "How did I make that mistake?" By the way, the name of the church was "St Mary, the Virgin." I learned the hard way, that there are many catholic churches out there, but not all are Roman or united with Rome.

As far as the change to the Hail Mary that Our Lady asked the girls to hold off saying, the popes have allowed some changes in the Rosary since these apparitions in the 60's: There is the Scriptural Rosary, where a verse of scripture relating to the Mystery is inserted between the ten Hail Marys; and another way to pray, which was approved by Pope Paul IV, is to add something about the Mystery during the Hail Mary. Here is an example I use most of the time: Second Sorrowful Mystery, the Scourging: Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus (who was scourged for us).

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. This way of praying helps keep your mind on the Mystery that we are supposed to meditate about. It works great if you are driving and praying! 

Deacon John

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.
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, pages 59; 61]

It's amazing how "stiff-necked", as the Bible calls certain people, witnesses to the supernatural can be. Even at the "Miracle of the Sun" at Fatima, where hundreds of thousands of people experienced the signs and wonders, there were a few who refused to acknowledge it as a supernatural event. Perhaps because they were atheists or agnostics, maybe Freemasons, the "Commission" couldn't see the intervention of the supernatural. Of course this all could have been a vision of the devil, but I don't think they believed in Satan or hell either. Like certain leaders in Israel, who accused Our Lord of working miracles by the power of Satan, these "Commission" members were blind too!
Again, at Fatima, certain theologians said that Lucia made up all that she reported Our Lady said, especially regarding devotion to her Immaculate Heart. They blamed it on Lucia's traditional upbringing, saying her mother put all these thoughts in her head or she made it up after the fact. Incredible! You could expect this from the secular media, but from the clergy you expect some faith and common sense. Dr. Morales recanted later on and became a good spokesman for Garabandal, but the damage was done early and many shrugged off the visions as unbelievable.
Deacon John

TUESDAY, JULY 4, 1961:

Many priests witnessed the ecstasies

THE BLESSED VIRGIN GOES STRAIGHT TO THE ESSENTIALS: A SUPERNATURAL "MESSAGE"

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, page 55.]

Unlike Fatima, Our Lady here instructs the girls to reveal the Message so there is no secret. And as we shall see, they did reveal it to a disappointed crowd, who wanted a more spectacular One. But, look at this Message! To me it's a powerful call to conversion! It also reminds me of the admonition of the Angel of Fatima who told the three children to pray and offer sacrifices to God for the sins of the world, for He was already offended too much! Here Our Lady asks us to pray, offer sacrifices, do penance, visit the Blessed Sacrament, but above all, we must be very good. See, Mother Mary is telling us, Her children, to be good, as any good mother would tell their child . . . And if we aren't good, what does a good mother do? Well, some punishment, of course, till we behave. Here Our Lady is warning us: If you are not good, the Father will definitely punish us, to correct us and then, maybe, we will be good.
Deacon John

TUESDAY, JUNE 20, 1961: VISION OF A MYSTERIOUS "SHINING CLOUD"

Possible Shekinah Image via Wikipedia

Image via Wikipedia

After school and the homework being done, the girls, as on the previous evening, wanted to go to the calleja. In spite of the worry caused by the situation, their families let the girls go. They almost sneaked their way out of the village to the site of the mysterious rendezvous. When they finished the rosary, the Angel had not yet showed up; the girls were about to go down to the village. . . "when, suddenly, we saw a very bright light that hid us from one another. We were completely dazzled by this light, and we started to scream for we were terrified ('asustadas', an adjective here that describes a sort of sacred fear). But this shining light had already disappeared" (Conchita's Diary, p.25). In this context, it is impossible not thinking about the biblical theme of the "(shining) cloud," which, following the apparition of the Angel on the previous 18th of June, denotes the second of the four manifestations of the Shekinah. As was the case in the Transfiguration of Christ, the cloud is also the sign of the tangible presence of the Glory of the living God. It thus recalls, thanks also to the famous "pillar of smoke and fire", the pilgrimage, the crossing of the desert, in other words, the exodus of the Jewish People, more, of the People of the New Covenant, the "eschatological Israel" towards the ultimate "Promised Land." This is also the basic structure of the Apocalypse (Book of Revelation). . . [Excerpted from 'Garabandal' Book, pages 30, 31.]

Shekinah means Divine Presence. At Fatima, the Angel appeared as a white light, Lucia said his garments were "white as snow"! And the three children were filled with the 'Divine Presence' that left them almost paralyzed, unable to even speak. It took about three days for them to get back to normal. It's interesting that Lucia's parents were against her going to the apparition site, whereas the girls of Garabandal were immediately allowed to go back again! 'Different strokes for different folks', as they say . . .
Deacon John

TUESDAY, JUNE 20, 1961: VISION OF A MYSTERIOUS "SHINING CLOUD"

After school and the homework being done, the girls, as on the previous evening, wanted to go to the calleja. In spite of the worry caused by the situation, their families let the girls go. They almost sneaked their way out of the village to the site of the mysterious rendezvous. When they finished the rosary, the Angel had not yet showed up; the girls were about to go down to the village. . . "when, suddenly, we saw a very bright light that hid us from one another. We were completely dazzled by this light, and we started to scream for we were terrified ('asustadas', an adjective here that describes a sort of sacred fear). But this shining light had already disappeared" (Conchita's Diary, p.25). In this context, it is impossible not thinking about the biblical theme of the "(shining) cloud," which, following the apparition of the Angel on the previous 18th of June, denotes the second of the four manifestations of the Shekinah. As was the case in the Transfiguration of Christ, the cloud is also the sign of the tangible presence of the Glory of the living God. It thus recalls, thanks also to the famous "pillar of smoke and fire", the pilgrimage, the crossing of the desert, in other words, the exodus of the Jewish People, more, of the People of the New Covenant, the "eschatological Israel" towards the ultimate "Promised Land." This is also the basic structure of the Apocalypse (Book of Revelation). . . [Excerpted from 'Garabandal' Book, pages 30, 31.]

Shekinah means Divine Presence. At Fatima, the Angel appeared as a white light, Lucia said his garments were "white as snow"! And the three children were filled with the 'Divine Presence' that left them almost paralyzed, unable to even speak. It took about three days for them to get back to normal. It's interesting that Lucia's parents were against her going to the apparition site, whereas the girls of Garabandal were immediately allowed to go back again! 'Different strokes for different folks', as they say . . .
Deacon John