Followers of all Marian apparitions would know that wherever she has appeared, the Blessed Virgin Mary always left the visionaries with requests to pray for the good of mankind and peace in the world.
Garabandal
The messages of the Blessed Virgin Mary in her apparitions to four young children in San Sebastian de Garabandal, Spain during the years 1961 to 1965, can be read by clicking on Garabandal.
For all who are interested in the latest updates on this subject, just click on the July-September 2012 issue of the Garabandal International Magazine for your online reading pleasure. The “Garabandal International” is published quarterly, by the Australian Garabandal International Apostolate.
This latest issue also highlights the Penang Garabandal Centre on page 16.
The spectrum of apparitions all over the world
To outline all the apparitions of Our Lady over the years, would entail a lot of research and thankfully, it has been compiled into a book entitled …For the salvation of the World…..( A Love Story about Mary). Click here for more information.
I take this opportunity to remind all who believe in the power of praying the rosary, that 15 August 2012 is the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Till the next update, thank you for your interest in Our Lady’s messages to us.
Tony Lee
Director
Penang Garabandal Centre
Monday, August 20, 2012
Our Lady’s Messages to the World
Saturday, August 18, 2012
[Video] The Prophecy of Garabandal: The Warning, the Great Miracle and the Chastisement
Click here for this video:
http://en.gloria.tv/?media=321860
Read more about the
THE WARNING
(Garabandal) INTERVIEWS WITH THE SEERS
Monday, August 13, 2012
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Why I Wear A Scapular Gary Zimak.
On this day, the Church celebrates the Memorial of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Tradition tells us that Our Lady presented St. Simon Stock with the brown scapular in 1251. Just what is a scapular? According to the Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy:
The scapular is an external sign of the filial relationship established between the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother and Queen of Mount Carmel, and the faithful who entrust themselves totally to her protection, who have recourse to her maternal intercession, who are mindful of the primacy of the spiritual life and the need for prayer.
Even though I am a cradle Catholic and have always gone to Mass regularly, I used to think that people who wore scapulars were a little flaky. Rather than just be “normal” like me, I believed that those “scapular wearers” were oddballs who embraced apparitions and phony visions of the Blessed Mother. Why can’t they just be “regular” Catholics, like me instead of believing in something superstitious like the scapular? Most of all, I would never wear a scapular because someone might see it and think I’m weird.
How do I feel now? Every morning I kiss my brown scapular and say to Our Lady, “Blessed Mother, I am all thine and all that I have is thine!” I then put on the powerful sacramental knowing that Mary will help me to stay close to Jesus as I do battle with the forces of evil (and don’t kid yourself…they are all around us!) that threaten me constantly. I wear Our Lady’s scapular because it is a sacramental which better disposes me to receive the grace that I need to be a better Christian. I am proud that I wear the scapular and I hope people see it for what it is, a visible sign of my love for Mary and my trust in her intercessory powers. Most importantly, I wear the scapular because I am a comfort-loving, cowardly, self-centered sinner and I desperately need Mary’s help to keep me close to her Son and help me remain on the road that will lead to Eternal Life in Heaven.
That’s why I wear a scapular!
Thanks Gary!
I've been wearing the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel for over 40 years. The one I wear now was a gift from a friend in Australia, who hand made it and also inserted a kissed relic in it from Garabandal. That way, I know that besides Our Lady's promises regarding those who wear her Livery (Brown Scapular), I hope to serve my Purgatory here on earth (a promise from Our Lady at Garabandal for those who wear the kissed objects.). I always loved giving people Scapulars and years ago I received permission to install people in the Brown Scapular so that they could gain the indulgences associated with it.
Once I had offered a friend some Scapulars for his children, and he refused them, saying: "I don't want my children to suffer by wearing the Brown Scapular." That made me sad but I respected his opinion, but we all have to suffer in the life one way or another, whether it's sickness, poverty, loss of a love one, divorce, etc., but isn't it better to suffer for a cause, especially if that cause is to go to heaven ASAP! Each morning when I wake up, I too kiss my Brown Scapular, which I never take off, and pray the Morning Offering. Uniting my prayers and sacrifices and sufferings, with all the Holy Masses being said around the world, offering them to God through the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Isn't this what our Catholic Faith is all about? Saving our soul and all our brothers and sisters, all humanity, too!
God bless us all+
Deacon John
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Fr. Ramon Andreu's Notes: Part Two, Post 35
In 1962, in order to reaffirm the faith of the believers, the prodigy of Mr. Damians happened. Following history, we saw that from October 18, 1961 to July of 1962, on the day of Conchita’s miraculous communion, the prodigies, visions, ecstasies, and marches continued in the same rhythm.
The public, certainly, did not do what the message said, without beginning a movement to spread the message, but more to have it known than to do it. Apart from individual reactions not known publicly, they did not organize pentitential acts or visits to the Most Holy. To be perfect according to the spirit of the message and the Bishop of Santander’s notes, they should fulfill the message in the temples and cities they go, those who believe are obligated to do so. Our Mother in Heaven, in Lourdes and Fatima asked for concrete acts where she appeared. Here, through the message, she is asking for a popular movement of devotion to Jesus in the Sacrament in the whole world and to each person in their parish or city.
The public action gives understanding to that which has not fallen in the accounting of the principal, as Conchita has not tired of proclaiming, is to fulfill the message. In contrast, the attention has centered in awaiting the warning and the miracle, so that people will convert almost by force. They do not make sacrifices as has been demanded of us. Of course, this is how we are established, but we certainly work to be established.
The rhymn of the happenings of the four girls, with light variations of intensity lasted until January of 1963. (December 1962).
Friday, August 10, 2012
PRIESTS By Father Francois Turner, O.P.
According to Conchita, Our Lady stressed above all “devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and prayer for priests.” There is a correlation between the Eucharist and the priesthood, both in themselves and in the Messages of Garabandal.
The Council teaches that the fundamental function of the priest is to be minister of the Eucharist (Presb, Nos. 2 & 5).
The Blessed Virgin often spoke about priests to the visionaries. She said that if they met an angel and a priest, they should salute-venerar-the priest first, because he consecrated, while the angel did not.
The priests are also responsible for instruction, and that is why she told the girls to ask them the meaning of the word “sacrifice” which they did not understand (Memor, p. 23;G I, p. 164). This suggests that the Blessed Virgin was perhaps also hinting that a good priest is sacrificed, consecrated, “eaten”, as the Cure’ of Ars would say. If such is the case, we can understand why she so often talked about them, encouraging the girls to pray frequently for priests. She expressed a special concern for priests, notably in the Second Message, because if they do not give a good example and demonstrate qualities of leadership, some of the faithful might be tempted to venture on “the road to perdition.” Their task is to help us to live saintly lives, each of us in our own individual state of life and calling.This special concern of the Virgin, and of God who sent her, is absolutely positive. On July 20, 1963, Our Lord told Conchita, “May they make Me known to those who ignore Me, and may they make Me loved by those who know but do not love Me.”
The Second Message recommends us all to pray for priests, bishops and cardinals.
It is well known that the Virgin gave the visionaries the power to recognize priests in lay or military attire, thereby hinting that they were marked with an invisible “character” or “seal” as taught by Catholic theologians.
We are now able to understand why the visionaries treated priests with a special consideration, even thought some treated them badly or questioned them indiscreetly. For example the girls questioned the Blessed Virgin about them with an eagerness close to anxiety. No subject seemed to preoccupy them more, except their own vocation. Conchita once asked the Virgin if all priests were good, and she was quite surprised to receive a negative answer (G II, p. 57). Mari Loli often prays for them, especially for those who wish they were no longer priests. She went so far as to ask the Virgin in a locution, for a cross to carry for them. Whence came these thoughts and feelings of Mari Loli? She confided once to a priest, “The Blessed Virgin told me to make sacrifices for priests, because if there are
many saintly priests, many more souls are led to Christ and to love God.She told me to pray especially for those who want to abandon the priesthood…that a priest continue to at least celebrate Mass, because he is priest forever.” The notion of the indelible “character” of the priest is found anew in these last words.
In order to let guests use her beds, Conchita’s aunt, Maximina, had put her two boys-aged five and four, on a straw mattress laid on the floor. In order to hide it, she had surrounded the mattress with chairs covered with sheets. Conchita entered the house in ecstasy, crossed the beds, and left. She went down a few steps, her head drawn way back, her hand holding the crucifix. She began to laugh, seemed to speak to someone, then came back,
walking up the steps backwards, reached the spot where the children were hidden, removed a chair, knelt and, without looking at the little boys, uncovered their feet, crossed them and said to one of them: ”Oh! … This one will be a priest?” This was seen and heard by many people amongst whom was Maximina who does not hide the confusion she felt at that time, whenever she narrates this episode (LVP, p. 122).
A pious, ascetic priest was Conchita’s first confidant regarding the miracle of the Host, and she notes his name in her Diary: Fr. Jose’ Ramon Garcia de la Riva. Another priest who was reputed to be saintly, Fr. Luis Andreu, S.J. was the only person to see the great Miracle beforehand, except Padre Pio, and the only one except the visionaries to see the Blessed Virgin at Garabandal.
At the time of the apparitions they often counted the priests who came to Garabandal and looked at the friars’ habits. When they were asked whom they would prefer to see coming, they answered “the priests”. Many came from the villages of the district. At the beginning, Pepe’ Diez counted as many as fifty. They discussed the events heatedly, even in public. They were far from seeing eye to eye. The girls were very sensitive to the way the priests celebrated Mass, and they noticed that the Andreu brothers said it very well.
After the time of the apparitions it was possible to observe that this lesson on priests had been fully assimilated by the visionaries.
At Burgos in 1966-67 Conchita often spoke of the priests and would pray that they try to be saintly. During her holiday at Garabandal on July 29, 1967, Conchita jotted down for a priest from Melun in France, on three pages of her notebook, what we consider is a little charter for the priests of our time. Rather than a revelation from Heaven, we see it as the fruit of her
reflections on the priesthood.
What the Blessed Virgin wants from the priest first of all is his own sanctification.
He should fulfill his vows through *love of God, and lead many souls to Him through example and prayer, for in our time it is difficult otherwise.
May the priest be sacrificed through love of souls in Christ!
May he retire from time to time in silence to listen to God who speaks to him continually.
May they think a lot about the Passion of Jesus so that their lives be more united to Christ the priest and thus invite souls to penance and sacrifice, and also make more tolerable to them the cross that Christ sends to us all.
To speak of Mary who is the surest one to lead us to Christ, and also speak about and cause people to believe that there is a heaven, so too there is a hell.
I believe that is what Heaven wants of the priests.
----Conchita
*The author has a facsimile of the original, from which the translation was made;Conchita underlined the word love.
At Burgos, Conchita wrote: “Let us pray much for priests who are the salt of the earth and the beloved of Christ.
---Conchita Gonzales, November 15, 1967”
A year later in October 1968, she was asked by a theologian if she still thought that “many priests were on the road to perdition.” She answered that she did, and that to those priests she would say: Imitate Christ in the Eucharist. This sounds theologically excellent, as Jesus in the host is perfectly consecrated to God and entirely eaten by men.
Of the many things the Blessed Virgin said, Jacinta remembers most vividly her words about priests: “I think that this was what impressed me most of all, and it leaves in my soul an esteem and a veneration for them that I am at a loss to explain.”
On November 21, 1968, a group of visitors was taking leave of Mari Loli. They told her that they were going to pray for her at the pines. She protested and told them to pray first for priests.
In December 1968, Conchita was operated on for appendicitis. While under anaesthetic she was heard to say, “We must pray for priests…let us pray for priests…how we must pray for priests!” which shows it was one of her major preoccupations.
In the Autumn of 1969, in an answer to a question sent to her, she explained that Our Lady asked her and her companions to pray for priests…because the faithful would follow their example.
In 1970 Mari Loli wrote to an author of books on Garabandal that she would “ask the most Holy Virgin that you be a holy priest.”
The frequent visits to Conchita by the Virgin, her numerous retreats, her life of prayer, her deep intuitive intelligence, perhaps a special charismatic gift, gave her the ability to provide profound and judicious answers. Mr. Walter J. Kushion and a group of Irish visitors asked her on September 13, 1970, “Why are priests leaving the Church today?” She replied, ”Because they do not have a love for the Blessed Virgin.” Whoever loves Mary faithfully, loves her Son faithfully and the Church that He loves (Eph. 5:25). Conchita considers that we are all responsible: “Let us pray a lot for priests. We ourselves are to blame for many priests who are on the road to perdition, because we do not pray enough for them, because we do not sacrifice ourselves, and also because we should be giving an example to those priests who are consecrated to the Blessed Virgin… We have to help those priests…that they may rise and pursue their course” (message of August 7, 1971 to American Garabandal workers, in OL, p. 221). Other such words and writings could be quoted.
This prayer for priests became contagious, particularly in the village when Conchita’s aunt and godmother, Maximina, began to pray daily for priests.
Since she learned that the Blessed Virgin asked us to pray for priests, Señora Julia Mazon, Mari Loli’s mother, has never spent a day without praying for them, for their sanctification, while milking the cows or when she takes the animals to graze. She declared this to Mrs. Maria Carmela Saraco who published it in her periodical The Vigil.
This example is followed to a great extent in the United States where friends of Garabandal promote vigils of prayer for priests, and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. The Holy Father [Pope Paul VI] knew of and approved them.
Through his sacerdotal prayer (John 17), Jesus meant to consecrate his apostles for a ministerial priesthood:
“Consecrate-hagazio (set apart for a sacred purpose)-them through Thy truth: Thy word is truth. As Thou has sent Me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I consecrate Myself, that they also may be consecrated through the truth” (John 17:17-19). As underlined in a note on these verses in the Ecumenical Translation of the Bible into French, to ‘consecrate’ or ‘sanctify’ a being is tantamount to separating it from the profane to introduce it entirely and forever into God’s sphere of existence.
The apostles were thus fully conformed to Jesus, Priest and Victim of the new cult of the New Covenant, “in truth” (John 4:23-24), that is to say in conformity with the divine revelation given by Jesus. That is also to say: in Jesus, Truth (see John 14:6), through the operation of “the Spirit of Truth who will guide them into all truth” (John 16:13).
This consecration of the apostles to the ministerial priesthood of the New Covenant receives a compliment at the end of the gospel: “As My Father has sent Me, even so send I you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said: ”Receive ye the Holy Spirit. Whose ever sins you remit, they are remitted unto them” (John 20:21-23) 1
These ministerial priests will have successors who receive “a gift-charisma-of God by the laying on of hands” (II Tim. 1:6), conferred by the College of Presbyters:
“Reading, preaching, instruction, let these be thy constant care” wrote St. Paul to Timothy. “Do not neglect the gift that is within thee, which was given to thee by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery…Continue in these things: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee” (I Tim. 4:13-16).
The priests are “ministers of Jesus Christ, with God’s gospel for their priestly charge, to make the nations an offering worthy of acceptance, consecrated by the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 15:16). This verse indicates the end, the goal of the ministry of the New Covenant.
Such is the teaching of the Council: “God … wanted … to consecrate priests who would share Christ’s priesthood in a special fashion… Through the celebration of Mass, they offer sacramentally Christ’s sacrifice” (Presb, No. 5).
This ministerial priesthood differs in essence and not only in degree from the common priesthood of the faithful (LG,No. 10).
“Set apart for God’s gospel (Rom. 1:1) …, they are totally dedicated ‘to the work to which’ the Lord ‘calls them’ (Acts 13:2)” (Presb, No. 3).
1.Cf A. Feuillet, Le Sacerdoce du Christ et de ses Ministres, Edit. De Paris
1971, pp. 177-188.
2.That is to say by those possessing charismatic gifts speaking in the name
of God under the guidance of the Spirit (see Bible of Jeruselum, Note on
Acts 11:27).
DO NOT MISS THE MIRACLE FOR THE WRONG REASONS by JOHN M. HAFFERT
Immediately one must wonder: But why did He not EXPLAIN at least to His "own" what He meant?
Moved by THE HOLY SPIRIT, as Jesus pointed out, Peter gave the answer of faith: "You alone have the words of eternal life." (St. John 6:68)
The fact that we do not always understand is a poor reason not to believe in something we otherwise perceive to be true.
Approval of the Church
One should not doubt Garabandal just on the grounds that "it has not been approved by the Church."
During the second Vatican Council in Rome the then Bishop of Fatima asked the Bishop of Santander how he "felt" about the Garabandal events. And the Bishop ( who was responsible for the events of Garabandal) answered:
"We must wait for the miracle."
The Second Vatican Council, assembled in St. Peter's Basilica.
No one could understand the dilemma of the Bishop of Santander better than the Bishop of Fatima. But that is another whole story.
The ultimate reason why the Church CANNOT approve Garabandal at the present time is because Our Lady has announced proof yet to take place: A MIRACLE to be seen by thousands.
The Church cannot give approval before the proof.
Do Not Miss Out!
If you do not believe, well and good. But it is to be hoped you will not miss out on this great wonder in progress at this very moment, perhaps coming soon to its great climax, for the wrong reasons.
There is much evidence that the apparitions of Garabandal are authentic, backed by the findings and opinions of Bishop Del Val who clearly asserted that Garabandal "had not been condemned," and the first Bishop of Santander who said: "We must wait for the miracle."
We do not have to believe in any private revelation even AFTER it is approved by the Church. But we must believe in what we perceive to be true. And in light of all the evidence we should not dismiss that Our Lady of Mount Carmel has appeared at Garabandal just because we must wait for a promised miracle or we cannot understand the meaning of all She has said.
Bishops Against Bishops
The statement which seems to have raised most doubts about the events of Garabandal is that Cardinals, Bishops and priests would be in opposition. Bishop Del Val, who conducted the last investigations of Garabandal (which was in his diocese) said that this was the one difficulty he found, and that it was a question which still bothered him.
Indeed it bothers us all. For that reason it is helpful that we hear almost identical words used by Our Lady in Her apparitions in Akita, Japan, apparitions which despite the seriousness of the messages given has been approved by the Church.
Infiltrate Into the Church
At Akita Our Lady said: "The work of the devil will infiltrate even into the Church in such a way that one will see cardinals opposing cardinals, bishops against other bishops. The priests who venerate Me will be scorned and opposed by their confreres , , ,"
John Paul II "Last Pope"
Another statement in the messages of Garabandal which many find "difficult" is that after Pope John XXIII there would be only three more Popes. That would make John Paul II the "last Pope" of these times. There are several possible explanations.
First, Our Lady could have been speaking of THESE TIMES as distinguished from the era of Her great promise, after the chastisement. Indeed, how can we imagine what it is going to be like in that time when "My Immaculate Heart will triumph and an era of peace will be granted to mankind"? ( This is the promise of Our Lady of Fatima.)
Second, Our Lady could have been referring to a time when a conclave would not be possible, such as a time of world wide disturbances. Then there would be a prolonged vacancy of the Chair of Peter, which has already happened in past history.
Third, (and this is what many Christians outside the Church are saying), Jesus might manifest Himself to unite all into one flock, of which He is the One True Shepherd.
At Fatima and in other apparitions Our Lady is saying that the times are grave and that great changes are coming. They will come by Grace or by Fire, or both. But they are coming. And as to the exact meaning of all Her words, we just do not know. But not knowing the meaning is no reason for denying or doubting what She said. There is an element of mystery.
When Pope John Paul II, after a leg fracture finally came out of the hospital and spoke for the first time in four weeks on May 29, 1994, in St. Peter's Square, His Holiness said that he had been suffering, as he had 13 years before when he was shot in that same square. He added:
"At the beginning of my Pontificate he (cardinal Wyszynski) said to me: 'If the Lord called you, you must lead the Church into the third millennium.' I understood that I have to lead Christ's Church into the third millennium by prayer, by various programs, but I saw that this was not enough: she must be led by suffering."
Repeatedly throughout his Pontificate the Pope has exhorted the Church TO BE IN ADVENT WITH MARY for the third millennium. Just stop and think: What does "advent" mean?
All the World Will be Communist
Another statement at Garabandal which might cause wonder is that all the world will be communist. But if we enter into the mind and into the Heart of Our Lady we find the explanation in Her prophecy of Fatima:
"If my requests are not heard, Russia will spread her errors THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE WORLD . . ." Her requests were not heard. And the SPIRIT OF ATHEISM has permeated the ENTIRE WORLD. It has already happened.
Lucia said Her collegial consecration (necessary condition for the changes in Russia), which was made March 25, 1984, was "too late" in the sense that it had not come in time to prevent the message and spirit of atheism to permeate into every nation on earth.
Several generations of the millions in Eastern Europe were raised in atheism. Joined to those in Asia we are speaking of two BILLION actually raised as atheists. But think what has happened in the rest of the world, for example in the "Christian-Judaco" United States where now the name of God cannot be mentioned in schools.
Not For the Wrong Reasons!
Many missed the miracle of Fatima because the events of Fatima had not then been approved by the Church, overlooking the fact that they could not be approved BEFORE the proof Our Lady promised.
If there is to be another great miracle, there are many reasons we might miss it. But they should not be the wrong ones.