PADRE PIO AND GARABANDAL

Tom & Susan sent me this so I thought I'd post it today. 

"I knew some of this but the entire story is very interesting.  Hope you enjoy."

Susan 

When Padre Pio is officially declared a Saint by Pope John Paul II, Conchita Gonzalez will be there. She is one of hundreds of thousands who met him while he was alive, and would never be the same again. However, Conchita Gonzalez did not only meet him; she became one of the dearest persons to Padre Pio's heart. And it all began with an apparition of Our Lady.

On March 3, 1962, a letter arrived in Garabandal addressed to all four visionaries. It was written in Italian, and had an Italian stamp, but wasn't postmarked. Nor was it signed. By the handwriting, and the style of the letter, it was clear it could have only come from Padre Pio. The letter said:

"My Dear Children,

"At nine o'clock this morning the Holy Virgin told me to say to you: 'O Blessed young girls of San Sebastian de Garabandal! I promise you that I will be with you until the end of the centuries, and you will be with Me during the end of the world and later, united with Me in the Glory of Paradise.'

Padre Pio continued:

I am sending you a copy of the Holy Rosary of Fatima, which the Virgin told me to send you. The Rosary was composed by the Virgin and should be propagated for the salvation of sinners and preservation of humanity from the terrible punishments with which the good God is threatening it. I give you only one counsel: PRAY and get others to pray, because the world is at the beginning of perdition.

They do not believe in you or in your conversations with the Lady in White. BUT THEY WILL BELIEVE YOU WHEN IT WILL BE TOO LATE"

The next time the Blessed Virgin appeared to the girls later that day, Conchita showed Her the letter and asked Her who it came from. Our Lady replied that Padre Pio had sent it. With the help of the new schoolteacher in Garabandal, Conchita composed a reply and sent it to the famous stigmatist. She asked him to come soon to visit her in her village. Another letter came to Garabandal from him in which he wrote: "Do you think I can just come and go by the chimney?" (Conchita did not understand what a cloister was and didn't know Padre Pio wasn't free to travel about.)
Conchita, on making her pilgrimage to Rome in February 1967 at the request of Cardinal Ottaviani, Prefect of the Holy Office (now called the Sacred Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith), had to wait a day to see the Cardinal. So, accompanied by her mother, a spanish priest, Father Luna, a spanish professor, Enrico Medi, and Princess Cecile of Bourbon, decided to see Padre Pio. They were told Padre Pio couldn't be seen until the next morning, after he said the 5 am Mass.

After the Mass the next day, Father Luna and Professor Medi met with the stigmatist in the sacristy. When the priest told Padre Pio that the Princess from Spain was there to see him, Padre Pio replied, "I don't feel very well and won't be able to see her until later in the day." Then Professor Medi said to him, "There is another lady who wants to see you. Conchita wants to see you."
Padre Pio asked, "Conchita of Garabandal?" The professor answered "yes." Padre Pio said, "Come at eight o'clock this morning."
"When we arrived," Conchita would recount later, "we were brought into a small room, a cell, which had one bed, a chair, and a small table. I ask Padre Pio if this were his room or whether he slept here or not, and he replied, 'Oh no, you cannot see my room. This is a rich room.' At the time I did not realize what a holy man Padre Pio was, as I know him to be now. I was very young at the time. I was only 16."
The only ones with Conchita were her mother, Father Luna, and a priest from Padre Pio's monastery who spoke Spanish and was taking alot of pictures. The priest then asked Padre Pio if he could take his picture, and the stigmatist replied, "You have been taking them since you came in."
Conchita had a crucifix kissed by Our Lady with her, and she told Padre Pio what it was, and asked him to bless it. He took the crucifix from her and placed it in his left hand, over the Stigmata. Then he took Conchita's hand and placed it on top of the crucifix in his palm, and then he closed his fingers over her hand. With his right hand he blessed first Conchita's hand, and then the crucifix. He did the same thing for Aniceta Gonzalez, Conchita's mother, who brought her rosary kissed by the Virgin. The photographs taken by the priest are still at the monastery, the friars reluctant to make them public because Garabandal is not recognized by the Church yet. Nevertheless these photos are important documents that verify Conchita's meeting with Padre Pio. Although Padre Pio is going to be canonized this summer by Pope John Paul II, the photographs are still not expected to be made public until after the Church approves the apparitions, or at least not until after the Warning and the Miracle have taken place.
When Conchita found out Padre Pio died in Sept. 1968, she met his close friend, Father Bernardino Cennamo, at Lourdes, and asked him, "How is it that Our Lady told me Padre Pio would see the Miracle and he has died?" Father Cenammo responded, "Padre Pio saw the Miracle before he died. He told me himself."The priest gave Conchita one of the three veils that covered Padre Pio's face during his wake, saying that the stigmatist had requested this before he died. He told her truthfully that he personally did not believe in the authenticity of Garabandal until Padre Pio requested this of him. Conchita also was given Padre Pio's rosary, and one of the gloves he wore, stained by his stigmata. She has these treasures preserved at her home in New York.
Padre Pio never ceased recommending pilgrims who asked him about Garabandal, to make a visit there. He told Joey Lomangino, (the next most significant individual in the story of the apparitions after the visionaries) that yes, the Virgin was appearing there, and yes he should go there. That trip would change Joey's life like he would never have believed.

POPE JOHN PAUL II, "THE END OF THE TIMES", AND THE MIRACLE

This is an older article, published before John Paul II's death but it has a few good points regarding "The End of the Times" prophecy.

Deacon John

Message from Garabandal International regarding Pope John Paul II and the prophesies of Garabandal

Many believers in the apparitions of Garabandal have been worried about the effect the death of Pope John Paul II will have in relation to the predictions of Our Blessed Mother. To make the matter as clear as possible, we offer these quotes from Conchita’s own diary.

Our Lady announces a Great Miracle and a Chastisement

“The Blessed Virgin advised me of a great miracle that God, Our Lord, will perform through Her intercession.
Just as the chastisement will be very, very great, in keeping with what we deserve, so too, the miracle will be extremely great, in keeping with the needs of the world.
The Blessed Virgin has told me the date of the miracle and what it will consist of. I am supposed to announce it to the people eight days in advance, so that they will come. The pope will see it from wherever he is, and Padre Pio also. The sick who are present at the miracle will be cured and the sinners converted. There will be no doubt in the mind of anyone who sees this great miracle which God, Our Lord, will perform through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin.
And now as we all await this great day of the miracle, let us see if the world changes and the chastisement is averted.”

The Announcement about the Last Pope and "the End of the Times"

It was during the early part of June 1963, the bells of Garabandal started to ring.
Conchita: “The bells are tolling for the dead! It must be for the pope (John XXIII, 1958-1963) Now only three remain.”
Aniceta: “What nonsense are you talking about?”
Conchita: “It is not nonsense. The Virgin told me: After this pope there will only be three more.”
Aniceta: “Then what? Will it be the end of the world?”
Conchita: “The Virgin did not say the end of the world but the end of time.”
Talking to Mother Maris des Nieves:
Conchita: “One day I said to the Virgin, at the time of the future events (warning, miracle and chastisement) 'Will that be the end of the world?' And She answered me 'No, the end of time'.
Frs. Holstein and Ravier, S.J., in Jesus-Christ, Maitre de Pensée (Jesus Christ, Master of Thought), point out: “The end of time in no way signifies the end of all time: it designates that period of holy history which separates the two advents of Christ: His Coming on earth at Christmas, and His glorious return. Inaugurated by His birth in Bethlehem, it is still going on and will terminate at the Parousia (The Second Coming of Christ).”
Conchita told Fr. Marcelino Andreu: “When you see the warning you know we have opened up the end of time.”
Finally, Fr. Francois Turner, one of the most highly regarded authorities on the Garabandal apparitions, in Garabandal Magazine (Jan – Mar 1979) answered two of the questions so many ask today:

1. What is the meaning of “the end of the times" – el fin de los tiempos”?
2. Will there be other popes after John Paul II?

What is the meaning of “the end of the times" – el fin de los tiempos”?

In English, the translation is: “the end of our epoch”, or "the end of these times". It is also satisfactory to say: “The end of the present period.”

Will there be other popes after John Paul II?

According to Star On the Mountain, by Fr. M. Laffineur, this prophecy does not tell us whether or not there will be popes after John Paul II. It is possible that the role of the papacy will change in some of its modalities – indeed, some might be tempted to say that this is very likely if not already a fait accompli. But to say that the papacy will disappear does not seem to be in keeping with the teachings of the magisterium, or Pope Paul VI, who stated that the papacy is a permanent institution of the church – a tenet that is traditional in the Catholic Church.
In summary, Conchita’s startling pronouncement made at Garabandal may signify the coming of a great epochal event around the end of John Paul II’s reign which would coincide with the close of an era, but not of time itself.
Regardless, the death of Pope John Paul II brings us even closer the period of the warning and miracle. If anything, his death, coming when it has, has brought us closer to the brink of the fulfilment of the prophecies of Garabandal. It should be remembered, too, that John Paul II - as with St. Pio - yet can see the miracle from wherever he is, in Heaven or on earth, when it occurs.
Finally, a detailed treatment of the above questions may be found on the Garabandal International Web site at: http://www.garabandal.com/magazine/janmar2004_popes.htm
Believe in Our Blessed Mother, trust in Her Son and live the messages!
Kevin Sharpe, Workers of Our Lady of Mt Carmel de Garabandal

Rev. Fr. Joseph Alfred Pelletier (1912 - 1986)

Coach Laska nominated Father Joe to the Basketball Hall of Fame where his name is inscribed on the Hall's Founder's Wall.

Basketball Hall of Fame - Springfield, MA

Rev. Joseph, a.a. (Father Joe)Parents: Alfred Georges Pelletier, M.D. - Elizabeth Anastasia McGlincheyBorn: April 24, 1912 - Winchendon, Worcester, MA, USADied: August 31, 1986 - Worcester, Worcester, MA, USA
Father Joe's Biography
The following biography appeared in Garabandal - The Message of Our Lady of Mont Carmel. It appeared in the January-March 1987 issue, and was written by the Managing Editor, Barry Hanratty:He Always Loved Our Lady
On August 31, 1986, Fr. Joseph A. Pelletier, a.a., died in Worcester, Massachusetts, of a disease that attacked both his physical and mental faculties. He was 74 years old. Fr. Pelletier will always be remembered by those interested in Garabandal for the enormous contribution he made in furthering the cause mostly by his writings but in other ways as well. His best known book Our Lady Comes to Garabandal has gone through five printings and is one of the two most popular on the events. He is also internationally known for two books he wrote on Fatima, The Sun Danced at Fatima, a best-seller, and Fatima Hope of the World.On April 24, 1912, in Winchendon, Massachusetts, Joseph Alfred Pelletier first saw the light of day and was one of eight children (three died as infants) born to Elizabeth (McGlinchey) and Dr. Alfred Pelletier. Dr. Pelletier, a country doctor for more than 50 years was dearly loved by his patients. He would tell them that taking care of their soul was more important than their bodily health and would send them to see a priest. Every evening the family gathered around the dining room table to recite the rosary together. (on our knees - G. A. Pelletier)Young Joseph was a normal, healthy, well-adjusted boy with a lively sense of humor who enjoyed sports as well as his academic studies. He played basketball in both high school and college but his best sport was tennis. The Pelletiers had their own tennis court at home which gave him the opportunity to play often and hone his skills.At the age of 14, his mother died and Dr. Pelletier remarried. There would seven more Pelletiers (one again died in infancy) from this second marriage making a total of 15.Joseph went to Assumption Prep, the preparatory school to Assumption College in Worcester. In those days, all courses at the school were taught in French and while the Pelletiers did speak some French at home, Joe was tutored by his sister, Betty, in order to pass the rigid entrance examination. Later he would become proficient in Italian and have a more than adequate command of Spanish.Upon graduation from Assumption Prep, he entered the college and with the exception of a few years in the mid 50's when he was associate pastor at St. Anne's parish in Fiskdale, Massachusetts, while a reconstruction program was being completed at the college that had been severely damaged by a tornado in 1953, he was to spend his whole life associated with this one institution.



Father Joe in his senior year at Assumption College, age 20
Call to the Priesthood
Young Joe Pelletier was an altar boy for many years, but thought more about following in his father's footsteps and pursue a medical profession than enter the religious life. However, he did have a special devotedness that his college classmates noticed and they referred to his as “Holy Joe”.Then one weekend during his senior year, he came home and said he felt he had a vocation to the priesthood. He began to inquire and considered the Jesuits since he had had an uncle who was a Jesuit, the first American Jesuit to die in India. Another uncle (Rev. Monsignor Joseph McGlinchey, his mother's brother) who headed the Propagation of the Faith in the Archdiocese of Boston for many years, was a secular priest. He finally decided on the Augustinian Assumptionists, an Order that had its origins in France (and who founded Assumption Prep and College in 1904).In 1937, he was ordained priest in Rome where he received his Baccalaureate and Licentiate in sacred Theology at the Angelicum Pontifical Institute. He as lo received a Master's Degree in Sociology from Boston College. At various times during his tenure at Assumption (College), he taught Sociology and Religion, was athletic director, tennis coach, and dean of Students. (His name is also on the Founder's Wall at the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA, having been designated by Assumption College as the most influential individual in the development of Assumption College basketball)
Garabandal

Fr. Pelletier was always interested in Marian apparitions, especially Fatima and through his writings and research became an authority. He was also Diocesan Director of the Blue Army in Worcester. His involvement in Garabandal started around 1968-1969 when he first heard of the events. He immediately began to make an in-depth study, carefully examining all the documents he could lay his hands on and interviewing the visionaries and other key people associated with the events. He soon became convinced that the apparitions were authentic and with encouragement and financial support from Joey Lomangino and the New York Garabandal Center, he published God Speaks at Garabandal in 1970, followed by Our Lady Comes to Garabandal in 1971. He was also a major contributing writer for NEEDLES magazine (now GARABANDAL) and authored leaflets and booklets on the events. In addition to his writings, he lectured on Garabandal and for many years accompanied Joey Lomangino on his annual tours of Ireland and other countries.From 1970 to 1972, he was spiritual director for The Workers of Our Lady of Carmel yearly pilgrimage to the shrines of Europe which always included a visit to Garabandal.In 1974, Fr. Pelletier's active involvement with Assumption College ended and devoted most of his time to writing and research. He managed to complete the manuscript for another book on Garabandal, which was not published.In 1975, he suffered a heart attack and from then on his health was never the same again. In the early 1980's, he began to decline and in 1985 was hospitalized on six different occasions suffering from fainting spells (twice he passed out while celebrating Mass). In June, 1986, he took a turn for the worse and was admitted to St. Vincent's Hospital where he remained, with the exception of a short period at a nursing home, until his death.........Fr. Joseph Pelletier will best be remembered as an author and anyone who has ever read any of his works....sensed the mark of a true scholar who knew his subject well. .............====================================George A. Pelletier's AddendumAfter Garabandal, Father Joe became aware of and keenly interested in the apparitions at Medugorje, in Yugoslavia, which first occurred in 1982. Father Joe, with his customary thoroughness, researched the events exhaustively, despite his failing health. In 1985, he published The Queen of Peace Visits Medugorje, and had a second manuscript in preparation at the time of his death.Among the many other publications written and published by Father Joe are the following:- A New Pentecost - Renewal in the Holy Spirit, 1974- Exciting Fatima News - recently Revealed in Sister Lucy's Letters, 1975- The Immaculate Heart of Mary, 1976- I Am the Bread of Life - Healing through the Eucharist, 1977
Father Joe was an avid sports fan as well as being an excellent tennis player. In college, he was captain of the tennis team and later, as a faculty member, coached the high school and college tennis teams.
At one time Father Joe was named the college's Director of Athletics. During his tenure, he hired Andy Laska, a Holy Cross basketball star and Bob Cousy team mate, as Assumption College's full-time basketball coach. Previously, basketball coaches were professors who did the coaching as an added duty. As a result of Father Joe's decision, Assumption's basketball fortunes changed dramatically for the better. Coach Laska brought Assumption to the finals of the NCAA's Division Two Men's Final Four on a record number of occasions.



Founders' Wall - Basketball Hall of Fame - Springfield, MA


Father Joe's name on the Basketball Hall of Fame's Founders' Wall
Note Robert (Bob) Cousy's name (as Boston College coach) below Father Joe's

Assumption College has instituted the Rev. Joseph Pelletier, a.a. Memorial Award which is presented in memory of its former Director of Athletics. It is presented to a person outside of the Athletic Department for service to the Department above and beyond.

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The Apparitions of Our Lady at Garabandal Page 2 of 2

Written by Fr. Joseph A. Pelletier, A.A.

Page 2 of 2 Kissed Objects and Prodigies The kissing of objects started early in the apparitions, but it was considered so vital by the Blessed Virgin that she made it the principal object of her very last visit at Garabandal on November 13, 1965, and she told Conchita in advance that she would come for that purpose. "It was to be a special apparition," Conchita writes, "to kiss religious objects that would be distributed afterwards, for they have great importance." Conchita has written a report of this apparition. The following are the significant parts of the report. She said to me: "You will recall what I told you on your patronal feast (the Immaculate Conception, December 8), that you would suffer much on earth. Well, have confidence in us and offer your suffering generously to our Hearts for the welfare of your brethren. In this way, you will feel how close we are to you." And I said to her: "How unworthy I am, dear Mother, of the numerous graces I have received through you. And yet, you come to me today to lighten the little cross that I now carry." She replied: "Conchita, I have not come for your sake alone. I have come for all my children, so that I may draw them closer to Our Hearts." Then she said: "Give me everything you have brought so that I may kiss it." I gave her everything. I had a crucifix with me. She kissed that also and said: "Place it in the hands of the Child Jesus." This I did. The Child did not say anything to me. After having kissed everything, she said to me: "Through the kiss I have bestowed on these objects, my Son will perform prodigies. Distribute them to others." "I will be glad to do this," I replied. She asked me to tell her about the petitions that people had requested I transmit to her. And I told her about them. Then she said: "Talk to me, Conchita, talk to me about my children. I hold them all beneath my mantle." "It is very small, we can't all get under it," I replied. She smiled: "Do you know, Conchita, why I did not come myself on June 18th, to deliver the message for the world? Because it hurt me to give it to you myself. But I must give it to you for your own good, and if you heed it, for the glory of God. I love you very much and I desire your salvation and your reunion here in heaven with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. We can count on you, Conchita, can we not?" "If I were to see you continually, I would say, yes. But, if not, I don't know, because I am so bad," I answered. "You do everything that you can, and we will help you." She stayed only a very short while. "This will be the last time you see me here—Sera Ia ultima ves que me vea aqui. But I shall always be with you and with all my children," she said. She also said to me: "Conchita, why do you not go more often to visit my Son in the tabernacle? He waits for you there day and night." I told the Blessed Virgin: "I am happy when I see both of you. Why don't you take me now to heaven with you?" "Remember what I told you on your patronal feast day," she replied. "When you present yourself before God, your hands must be filled with good works done for your brothers and for His glory. But at the present time, your hands are empty." It is all over now. The happy moments when I was with my heavenly mamma and my best friend (an expression frequently used by Conchita) and the Child Jesus, have passed. I have ceased seeing them, but I have not stopped feeling their presence. Once again, they have left my soul filled with peace and joy and a great desire to overcome my faults and to love with all my strength the Hearts of Jesus and Mary that love us so much.... P.S. (This is something that I am affirming on my own—Esto lo digo yo). There is no use believing in the apparitions, if we do not comply with the message, or rather, if we do not comply with what Holy Mother Church asks of us. The miracle is going to take place so that we will fulfill the message and also to confirm these apparitions. However, if we fulfill the message, it doesn't matter if we don't believe in the apparitions. Abundance of Favors The kissing of objects with the resulting favors, both temporal and spiritual, was meant by God to be one of the principal means for developing and maintaining faith in the apparitions during the wait for the great miracle. These favors, temporal and especially spiritual, have been very numerous and this is certainly one of the reasons explaining the phenomenal growth of the Garabandal movement throughout the world, notwithstanding the negative attitude of the various bishops of Santander. Message of Love The most significant thing about the November 13, 1965, vision, is that the apparitions of Garabandal closed on a warm note of love: "I have come for all my children, so that I may draw them closer to my heart...Talk to me about my children. I hold them all beneath my mantle.... I shall always be with you and with all my children." It was a love backed by a promise of prodigies that would be continual proofs of that love. But the purpose of Mary's love and concern for us is to draw us to love her Son, who proves His love by staying in our tabernacles, where He waits for us day and night. Conchita Like Lucia of Fatima Of the four girls involved in the events at Garabandal, Conchita is by far the most important. Her leading role can be compared to that of Lucia at Fatima. Not only is she, like Lucia, God's main agent among the visionaries, but she, too has given us an historical document that will have to stand as the basic core of any account of the Garabandal happenings. Lucia wrote her Memoirs and Conchita has written her Diary. Both documents are simple and unpretentious. Conchita's Diary was started in 1962 when she was 13 and concluded in the last part of 1963 when she was still only 14. This spiritual journal has a directness and lack of sophistication that give it a real ring of authenticity, not to mention a very special charm. Various Degrees of Involvement There are other interesting points of similarity between Fatima and Garabandal in regard to the visionaries. In both cases there were several children involved, which assures the authenticity and accuracy of the message transmitted. Also, in each instance there is a difference in the degree to which each of the visionaries is involved in the event. At Fatima, Lucia did all the speaking to the vision and Francisco never heard the Lady's voice. At Garabandal, Conchita saw Our Lady more frequently than any of the other three girls and she was the one most involved in the locutions, which are something quite peculiar to this contemporary Spanish event as compared to Lourdes and Fatima. Loli is next in importance and she enjoys considerable more prominence than either Jacinta or Maria Cruz. We really know very little of Jacinta, who is silent and reticent by nature, and even less of Maria Cruz. Mission of Suffering In the early days of the apparitions, Our Lady foretold that there would come a time of denials and contradictions on the part of the visionaries and their parents. These predictions have been fulfilled and have brought great moral suffering to all concerned and particularly to Conchita. Our Lady and Our Lord had told Conchita that she would have much to suffer for the world as part of her mission in life. Views of Doctors and Theologians In the summer of 1962, a Spanish theologian prepared some notes on Garabandal for Doctor Ricardo Puncernau, a neurologist and Assistant Professor at the Medical School of Barcelona. (The theologian's name is withheld because of the private nature of the document.) Here are some of the more pertinent observations made by this theologian. A study of the information given by the doctors (Dr. Ortiz of Santander, a children's specialist, spent 22 consecutive days studying the girls) convinces me, that any normal or abnormal psychological explanation is unthinkable. (Author's note: Doctor Puncernau is himself one of the top medical authorities on Garabandal. He saw the girls in ecstasy some twenty times and examined them very thoroughly both in and out of ecstasy. He concurs that there is no natural, either normal or pathological, explanation for the happenings at Garabandal.) The rules suggested to us by the great masters of the spiritual life for the discernment of spirits gives us no indication, in the case of San Sebastian de Garabandal, of possible diabolical possession. There is no trace of worldly spirit, vainglory, desire for money, or pride. Numbers of religious men, wise, prudent and virtuous, who have visited San Sebastian de Garabandal, are inclined towards a supernatural interpretation. Among them are some of the outstanding theologians that we have in Spain today... I believe that there is a serious and more than sufficient foundation for belief in the reality of the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary to the four little girls at San Sebastian of Garabandal. Attitude of the Church There have been several statements from the various bishops of Santander since the start of the apparitions—all have refused to admit the divine origin of the events at Garabandal. Although Rome has steadfastly left the matter of the apparitions in the hands of the local Bishops, it has nevertheless shown a personal interest in them. Conchita was called to Rome by Cardinal Ottaviani and went there in January of 1966. She visited the Holy Office and spent two and a half hours there in a very cordial interview. A few days after this visit, she was received privately by the Pope, who during his conversation with her said: "I bless you, and with me the whole Church blesses you." This cannot be interpreted as approval of Garabandal, but it is not without significance. Also, there have been a number of private statements relative to Garabandal that have emanated from high places in the eternal city. Although none of them would warrant saying that Rome has approved the apparitions, they do indicate that Church authorities there are much more open to Garabandal than Santander has been up to now, and that they do not consider the matter closed because of statements that have been issued by Santander. Apparitions Still Under Investigation ...A formal approval of the Garabandal event, either by Santander or Rome, would not appear likely until we have had the great miracle, which precisely was promised by heaven to authenticate irrefutably this most unusual and fascinating series of happenings that God has provided for his Church in crisis. The late Fr. Joseph Pelletier studied theology in Rome where he received a Baccalaureate and Licentiate in Sacred Theology. Later he obtained a Master's degree in Sociology from Boston College and was  associated with Assumption College, Worcester, Massachusetts for most of his priestly life. A noted authority on Marian apparitions, he wrote extensively on Fatima and Garabandal. This article was republished with permission from Garabandal Journal, PO Box 1796, St. Cloud, MN 56302-1796, U.S.A.

The Apparitions of Our Lady at Garabandal Page 1 of 2

Written by Fr. Joseph A. Pelletier, A.A.
Page 1 of 2 Garabandal is a quaint hamlet of three hundred souls isolated in the gorgeous Cantabrian mountains of northwestern Spain. It lies about sixty miles southwest of the provincial capital and episcopal see of Santander. Some seventy solid rustic stone houses stand huddled together on a narrow strip of land overlooking the delightful wooded valley which stretches north Image by garabandal archives via Flickr ward toward the plain below. The story of Garabandal opens on June 18, 1961, on a Sunday at eight-thirty in the evening. Four simple, unsophisticated girls were playing in a sunken lane, called the calleja, at the southern extremity of the village. The sound of thunder was suddenly heard and later a brilliant angel appeared, first to Conchita (Maria Concepcion) Gonzalez and then almost immediately afterward to Loli (Maria Dolores) Mazon, Jacinta Gonzalez and Maria Cruz Gonzalez. Notwithstanding the identical family names, none of the girls were closely related. The first three girls were twelve years old and the other only eleven. However, because of the backward village environment, their mental and psychological age was considerably less. The angel came bac Image via Wikipedia k eight more times during June. Our Lady Comes The first time he spoke was on July 1st. He said: "Do you know why I have come? It is to announce to you that tomorrow, Sunday, the Virgin Mary will appear to you as Our Lady of Mount Carmel." The angel's mission was to prepare the children for Our Lady's coming and to be her messenger. He returned with her the next day but came back much less frequently after that. However, the Blessed Virgin began appearing almost every day and occasionally was accompanied by the Infant Jesus whom she carried in her arms. A Mother and Her Children The four girls talked with the Blessed Virgin with great simplicity. They talked about their everyday life, about going out to the fields to make hay and about getting bronzed by the sun. Our Lady delighted in their childish talk. A charming and almost disarming spontaneity marked the apparitions. In her Diary, Conchita mentions that the angel and Our Lady smiled profusely and that they laughed at some of their childish remarks. She says that several times the Blessed Virgin kissed them. On a few occasions when she came with the Infant Jesus, she allowed them to take him in their arms. They also did simple little things to amuse and please him, such as hiding pebbles in their sleeves and in the tresses of their hair. Once, Our Lady took the crown of small golden stars from her head and permitted them to hold it in their hands. Many have seen in all this an indication of the childlike attitude we should have in our relationship with Christ and his Blessed Mother. First Formal Message On July 4th, Our Lady gave the girls what has come to be known as the first message. This message affirmed that it was important to make many sacrifices, to perform much penance and to visit the Blessed Sacrament often. It said that first, people should lead good lives, and that if they did not do this, a chastisement would befall them. It warned that the cup was already filling up and that if men did not change, a very great chastisement would come. This message had been inscribed on a sign that had appeared under the angel's feet in June, but the children had not understood the inscription at the time. Our Lady told the girls to announce the message publicly to the people on October 18th, which they did. Second Formal Message The second message was given much later toward the end of the apparitions. The Blessed Virgin told Conchita on January 1, 1965, that the archangel Saint Michael would appear on June 18th, and would deliver a message in her name. Through Saint Michael, Our Lady complained that her first message had not been complied with and warned that this message would be her last. She said that the cup which previously had been filling up was now flowing over. She stated that many priests, bishops and cardinals were on the road to perdition and taking many souls with them. She deplored the fact that less and less importance was being given to the Eucharist. She said that we should turn the wrath of God away from us by our efforts and that God would pardon us if we asked forgiveness with sincere hearts. She affirmed that if we asked with sincerity, our requests would be granted. Her final words were to exhort us to make more sacrifices and to reflect on the passion of Jesus. Message Doctrinally Sound Bishop Eugenio Beitia, one of the former bishops of Santander, issued a decree on July 8, 1965, in which he refused to recognize the supernatural character of the apparitions at Garabandal. However, in that same decree, he acknowledged the doctrinal integrity of the Garabandal message: "we point out, however, that we have not found anything deserving of ecclesiastical censorship or condemnation either in the doctrine or in the spiritual recommendations that have been publicized as having been addressed to the faithful, for these contain an exhortation to prayer and sacrifice, to Eucharistic devotion, to veneration of Our Lady in traditional praiseworthy ways, and to holy fear of God offended by our sins. They simply repeat the common doctrine of the Church in these matters." Rosary Message and Renewal of Private Prayer Bishop Beitia mentions "an exhortation to... veneration of our Blessed Lady in traditional praiseworthy ways" as part of the spiritual recommendations of Garabandal. He is apparently referring to the rosary message of Garabandal. Now this is not part of what could be termed the official or formal messages, those given by the Blessed Virgin, either directly, as in 1961, or through Saint Michael, as in 1965. But the broader message of Garabandal definitely does involve an exhortation to that traditional Marian prayer, the rosary. The Blessed Virgin took the pains to teach the girls how to say it properly, that is, very slowly and attentively. She also made them recite it during every apparition and she commanded them to recite it daily. It is interesting to note that Our Lady taught the girls how to say other vocal prayers in the same deliberate manner. Her first lesson in private prayer was given on August 8, 1961, to Maria Cruz, who at the time was in ecstasy in the village church. Here is how Conchita describes this in her Diary: "…She started to say the Credo very slowly with the Blessed Virgin. Maria Cruz said that the Blessed Virgin took the lead and recited the prayer first, in order to teach her how to pray slowly. After the Credo, she said the Hail Holy Queen and then she made the Sign of the Cross very slowly, very properly." Tape Recordings Informative Tape recordings of the children saying the rosary and other prayers in ecstasy reveal two features of these "very slow" prayers. Each word is pronounced very, very slowly and there are distinct pauses between each grouping of two or three words, for example, H-a-i-l M-a-r-y..... F-u-l-l o-f G-r-a-c-e..... t-h-e L-o-r-d-….. i-s w-i-t-h T-h-e-e ..... Image by garabandal archives via Flickr Renewal of Rosary and Private Prayer Our Lady was teaching us the renewal of the rosary and of all private or vocal prayer. She was telling us that all these prayers must be slowed up enough to allow us to think and love as we pray. When we have put our mind into our prayer, our heart will follow. This slow, meaningful and affective praying of the rosary and other vocal prayers adds a whole new and rewarding dimension to them. Informal Message These specific instructions for the renewal of private prayer, and many other things which the Blessed Virgin told the children during the numerous apparitions and locutions (interior voices or messages communicated interiorly and without any accompanying vision), comprise what could be called the informal, but truly authentic message of Garabandal. Private Messages Many of the messages delivered by Our Lady were of a purely private nature. Some were words of enlightenment or comfort directed to people who came to the village with personal problems. Others were statements that revealed the hidden thoughts or actions of visitors, some of whom were doubting priests. The Blessed Virgin told Conchita that the great American apostle of Garabandal, Joey Lomangino, would recover his sight on the day of the great miracle. She also told Conchita and her three friends other things of this kind. Divine Commands in Times of Spiritual Crisis The messages given on the occasion of apparitions do not involve new doctrine. The content of our faith can know no increase. Divine revelation came to a close with the death of the last apostle. The messages of apparitions are divine commands telling us what to do in times of spiritual crisis. In this regard it is interesting to note that the message of Garabandal warned us in advance of the things that we should hold to and that were soon to be the object of direct or indirect attack in the Church: Mary, the rosary, the Eucharist, sin, penance and repentance, meditation on the passion (which gives us our insight into sin and the role of penance and reparation). Her request for prayers for priests and members of the hierarchy who are on the road to perdition is particularly prophetic and significant. Image by garabandal archives via Flickr Great Miracle Yet to Come The Garabandal event is not yet over. Its climax will be a great miracle that shall convince everyone of the authenticity of Our Lady's visits to this remote Spanish mountain town. Conchita tells us about this in her Diary in the following words: The Blessed Virgin advised me of a great miracle, saying that God, Our Lord, would perform it through her intercession. Just as the chastisement will be very, very great, in keeping with our deserts, so too, the miracle will be extremely great, in keeping with the needs of the world. The Blessed Virgin has told me the date of the miracle and what it will consist of. I am supposed to announce it eight days in advance, so that people will come. The Pope will see it from wherever he is, and Padre Pio also. The sick who are present at the miracle will be cured and the sinners will be converted. There will be no doubt in the mind of anyone who sees this great miracle which God, Our Lord, will perform through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin. And now as we await this great day of the miracle, let us see if the world changes and the chastisement is averted. Padre Pio is reliably reported to have seen the miracle before he died. This should not astonish us, as we know that another person, Father Luis Andreu, S.J., also saw the miracle, as well as Our Lady, on August 8, 1961, six hours before he died. And Pope Pius XII saw the miracle of Fatima, the dancing sun, four times in the Vatican gardens thirty years after the original event took place in Portugal. Conchita's manner of describing the greatness of the miracle is interesting. It "will be extremely great, in keeping with the needs of the world." Many feel that the world is in need of some great heavenly event to shake it up and bring it back to God. It should be noted that the chastisement is conditional. It can be averted "if the world changes." Additional information concerning the miracle is given by Conchita in her report of a locution which she had with Our Lord on July 20, 1963. "Why is the miracle going to take place? To convert many people?," she asked Our Lord. "To convert the whole world," He answered. "Will Russia be converted?," she enquired. "Yes, she will be converted, and thus everyone—todos—will love Our Hearts." He replied. Conchita is the only one with whom the Blessed Virgin discussed the miracle. It will coincide with an event in the Church and with the feast of a saint who is a martyr of the Eucharist and it will take place at eight-thirty on a Thursday evening. It will be visible not only to all those who are in the village but also to those in the surrounding mountains. It will be the greatest miracle that Jesus has performed for the world. There won't be the slightest doubt that it comes from God and that it is for the good of mankind. A sign of the miracle—un señal del milagro—which it will be possible to film or televise but not touch, will remain forever at the pines. The Divine Warning Conchita was advised by Our Lady at the pines on January 1, 1965, of a divine warning that would precede the great miracle. It will be seen and experienced by all men all over the world and will be a direct work of God. It will be very awesome. However, if men die from it, it will be only from the emotional shock of seeing it. It will take place before the miracle at a date unknown to Conchita and its purpose will be to give people a chance to amend their lives before the great heavenly sign. Miracle of the Visible Host A miracle to confirm the apparitions was requested by the girls early in the apparitions. One was given to them, one that Conchita called a "little miracle," un milagruco, using a diminutive proper to the Santander region. A visible host appeared suddenly and mysteriously on Conchita's tongue at 1:40 in the morning on July 19, 1962. This precise miracle was announced fifteen days in advance by Conchita at the bidding of the archangel Saint Michael, who gave her the Communion. Many people were on hand for the event and one man, who was standing inches from Conchita, took some pictures of it. Sufficient Proof Already Given Other unusual things, for which there is no human explanation, also took place along with the apparitions or visions. These, particularly taken all together, constitute a powerful argument in favor of the authenticity of the event. The three calls or llamadas which preceded and announced Our Lady's coming, the ecstatic marches, oscillations and falls, the children's excessive weight to others and exceptional lightness to each other in ecstasy, their humanly unexplainable knowledge of what people totally unknown to them had done or were thinking, and the kissing of objects by Our Lady and the amazing way they were distributed to people during the apparitions, these are some of the exceptional and humanly unexplainable phenomena encountered at Garabandal.

[To be Continued . . .]

The Church’s Position on Garabandal

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Written by Colin B. Donovan, S.T.L.  

The following articulation of the Church’s position regarding Garabandal is taken from the Frequently Asked Questions section of EWTN’s questions and answers forum. – Ed.

The history of all approved apparitions shows that the Church requires unequivocal evidence of supernaturality. This can be cures, as at Lourdes and Beauraing, or a supernatural prodigy, as at Fatima. The reason from the Church's mystical theology is that most mysticism (as both St. Thomas Aquinas and St. John of the Cross teach) is mediated by the angels (who have a created angelic nature). What the good angels can do the bad angels can imitate, so that many so-called "supernatural" phenomena are merely preternatural (above human nature, but not above the angelic nature). At Garabandal this would include the ecstasies, the ecstatic walks, the returning of rosaries and medals to the proper owners and so on. None of these things, much less the miraculous photos, rosaries turning gold etc. of more recent alleged apparitions, proves anything to the Church about the divine origin of a phenomena. In the absence of some clear supernatural proof neither the local bishop or Rome is likely to approve an apparition.

While two commissions convened by bishops of Santander, Spain, have stated that there were no phenomena which would authentic the events as certainly supernatural they did not condemn the message. In this regard, the first commission stated, "we have not found anything deserving of ecclesiastical censure or condemnation either in the doctrine or in the spiritual recommendations that have been published as having been addressed to the faithful." The bishop who called the second commission, Bishop del Val, upon retiring from office stated in an interview that the message of Garabandal was "important" and "theologically correct." Indeed, some of the prophetic elements of the message can be found in private revelations which have been approved since the initial decision on Garabandal in the 1960s. For example, the concept of a worldwide warning can be found in the Diary of Saint Faustina (Diary n.83), and both the message of Divine Mercy given to her (Diary n.1588), and that of Akita (approved by the local bishop), speak of chastisement if mankind does not ultimately repent. Similar prophetic content can be found in the writings of Elizabeth Canori-Mora and Mary of Jesus Crucified, both of whom were beatified by Pope John Paul II, as well as in prophecies given by God to Blessed Anna Maria Taigi and St. Caspar del Bufalo. Finally, the principal promoter of Garabandal, Joey Lomangino, testifies that it was Saint Padre Pio who told him the Blessed Virgin was appearing at Garabandal and he should go.

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It seems, therefore, that notwithstanding the decisions of two commissions accepted by the bishops of Santander, that there are reasonable grounds for individual Catholics to find Garabandal credible. The children themselves predicted that the message of Garabandal would be approved with difficulty, but in sufficient time to spread it. Perhaps this means that the "warning" (a clearly supernatural event) must occur first for approval to be given. Given the seriousness of the times we do well to heed the message of conversion, whether proposed by Fatima or some other source such as Garabandal, Medjugorje or another, without fear, that is, with complete confidence in God's providence for us and the world. The future will take care of itself if we remain spiritually prepared for anything. This has always been the advice of the saints, anyway.

Colin Donovan is Vice President for Theology at EWTN. A layman, he has the Licentiate in Sacred Theology, with a specialization in moral theology, from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in Rome.

Garabandal Forum

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Question: 
I was wondering what is the position of Benedict XVI, if Our Lady said that there would be two more popes after Paul VI? 

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Answer:
On the death of Pope John 23rd in June 1963, Conchita told her mother, Anicita, that "there will be three more popes till the end of time." On the death of John Paul II, we have entered the end times. 
Benedict XVI, as Cardinal Ratzinger SJ. received copies of all Fr. Benac's files on Garabandal. Fr. Benac SJ. was a renowned world expert on the Garabandal apparitions. We can confidently assume that Benedict XVI is well acquainted with the Garabandal story.
From Garabandal International Magazine 

Catholic Prophecy

"The times are grievous. The whole world is in turmoil because it has become worse than at the time of the deluge! Everything is in suspense, like a thread; when this thread breaks, the justice of God will (strike) like a thunderbolt and will complete its terrible course of purification."
(Prophetic Vision of Sr. Elena Aiello, Foundress of The Sister Minims, December 8th, 1958 A.D.)




The Three Days of Darkness


Excerpts from Yves Dupont (1922-1979 A.D.)


THE ACT OF GOD


The most spectacular aspect of the Act of God will be the three days of darkness over the whole earth. The Three Days have been announced by many mystics, viz., Bl. Anna-Maria Taigi, Padre Pio, Elizabeth Canori-Mora, Rosa-Colomba Asdente, Palma d'Oria, in Italy; Father Nectou, in Belgium; St. Hildegard, in Germany; Pere Lamy, Marie Baourdi, Marie Martel, Marie-Julie Jahenny, in France. (This list is not exhaustive; many more mystics have announced the Three Days.)

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Padre Pio and other Catholics eminent for sanctity, have for centuries prophesied the dreadful coming chastisement of the
Three Days of Darkness; where at least half to three quarters of the world's population will be killed by God's Just Wrath.


The Church does not oblige us to believe in any particular prophecy as a matter of faith [de fide], but we are indeed obliged to believe that prophecies may be made even in our own times, for this is in the Gospel [Evangelium]: the Holy Ghost will speak to many in the Latter Days.


Moreover, when an identical prophecy has been made by widely separated people in time and space, when this particular prophecy was accompanied by other predictions which have already come to pass, and when the holiness of the mystics in question has been recognized by the Church, we would be foolish indeed not to believe that the prophecy must come to pass.


Such is the case concerning the Three Days of Darkness. How else could we explain that an illiterate peasant woman of Brittany is describing the very thing that another mystic in, say, Germany or Italy is also describing?

Bl. Anna-Maria Taigi Image by Stephen, O.Cist. via Flickr

Blessed Anna-Maria Taigi (19th Century) After the Three Days of Darkness St. Peter and St. Paul, having come down from Heaven, will preach in the whole world and... Designate a new Pope A great light will flash from their bodies and will settle upon the cardinal who is to become Pope Russia, England, and China will come into the Church
"After the three days of darkness, St. Peter and St. Paul, having come down from Heaven, will preach in the whole world and designate a new Pope. A great light will flash from their bodies and will settle upon the cardinal who is to become Pope. Christianity, then, will spread throughout the world. He is the Holy Pontiff, chosen by God to withstand the storm. At the end, he will have the gift of miracles, and his name shall be praised over the whole earth. Whole nations will come back to the Church and the face of the earth will be renewed. Russia, England, and China will come into the Church."
(Prophecy of Blessed Anna Maria Taigi (1769-1837 A.D.) who was Beatified by Pope Bendedict XV in 1920.)
THE PROXIMATE SIGNS


Here are the proximate signs in their probable order of occurrence. This, to be sure, is only my own opinion, and I may be wrong for I am no prophet myself; but, after studying a large number of prophecies, this order appears to me to be the most likely:


Flouting of church laws, irreverence and immodesty in church, fall in attendance at church.
Lack of charity towards others, heartlessness, indifference, divisions, contentions, godlessness, pride in human knowledge.
Breakdown of family life: immorality, adultery, perversion of youth via the media (e.g. homosexuals giving lectures in schools), immodest fashions (e.g. mini-skirts, bikinis, see-throughs), people concerned only with eating, drinking, dancing and other pleasures.
Civil commotions, contempt for authority, downfall of governments, confusion in high places, corruption, coups d'etat, civil war, revolution. (The first four proximate signs have already come to pass, at least partly; for we are yet to see civil war and revolution in the West. But the sequence of events is not strictly chronological; there is room for some overlapping. Thus, the 5th proximate sign seems to have begun also.)
Floods and droughts, crop failures, unusual weather, tornadoes, earthquakes, tidal waves, famines, epidemics, unknown diseases (e.g. new strains of viruses).
THE WARNING


This will take place between the proximate and the immediate signs. It will be a supernatural occurrence.


During the Warning, everyone will be made aware of his/her own sinfulness, and many will wish to die, but the Warning itself will be completely harmless.


The Warning must be viewed as the last act of mercy from God, a final appeal to mankind to do penance before the three days of darkness and the destruction of three-quarters of the human race. At a time when the murder of unborn babies and the sin of Sodom and Lesbos have become respectable and sometimes legal, we should not wonder why God is going to punish mankind.


By that time, war and revolution will have already caused a high deathtoll, and Communism will be victorious, but all this will be as nothing compared with the deathtoll caused by the Three Days.






The Three Days of Darkness
THE IMMEDIATE SIGN


It will be a bitterly cold winter night in the Northern hemisphere. (Presumably, a very cold summer night in Australia or, by contrast, a torrid night.) The wind will howl and roar. Lightning and thunderbolts of an unprecedented magnitude will strike the earth. The whole earth will shake, heavenly bodies will be disturbed – (this will be the beginning of the Three Days). Every Demon, every evil spirit will be released from hell and allowed to roam the earth. Terrifying apparitions will take place. Many will die from sheer fright. Fire will rain forth from the sky, all large cities will be destroyed, poisonous gases will fill the air, cries and lamentations everywhere. The unbelievers will burn in the open like withered grass. The entire earth will be afflicted; it will look like a huge graveyard.


As soon as you notice that bitterly cold night, go indoors, lock all doors and windows, pull down the blinds, stick adhesive paper on vents and around windows and doors. Do not answer calls from outside, do not look at the windows, or you will die on the spot: keep your eyes down to make sure you do not see the windows; the Wrath of God is mighty and no one should attempt to behold it. Light blessed wax candles; nothing else will burn, but the candles will not be extinguished once lit. Nothing will put them out in the houses of the faithful, but they will not burn in the houses of the godless. Sprinkle holy water about the house and especially in the vicinity of doors and windows: the devils fear holy water. Bless yourself with it and anoint your five senses with it: eyes, ears, nose, mouth, hands, feet, and forehead. Keep on hand a sufficient supply of drinking water and, if possible, food also (but you can live without food for three days.) Kneel down and pray incessantly with outstretched arms, or prostrate on the floor. Make acts of contrition, faith, hope, and charity. Above all say the Rosary and meditate on the Sorrowful mysteries.


Some people, especially children, will be taken up to Heaven beforehand to spare them the horror of these days. People caught outdoors will die instantly. Three-quarters of the human race will be exterminated, – more men than women. No one will escape the terror of these days.


Blessed Anna-Maria Taigi stated in regards to this terrible Three Days of Darkness Chastisement
:
"God will send two punishments: one will be in the form of wars, revolutions and other evils; it shall originate on earth. The other will be sent from Heaven. There shall come over the whole earth an intense darkness lasting three days and three nights. Nothing can be seen, and the air will be laden with pestilence which will claim mainly, but not only, the enemies of religion. It will be impossible to use any man-made lighting during this darkness, except blessed candles. He, who out of curiosity, opens his window to look out, or leaves his home, will fall dead on the spot. During these three days, people should remain in their homes, pray the Rosary and beg God for mercy."
"All the enemies of the Church, whether known or unknown, will perish over the whole earth during that universal darkness, with the exception of a few whom God will soon convert. The air shall be infected by demons who will appear under all sorts of hideous forms."


But, when all seems lost and hopeless, then, in the twinkling of an eye, the ordeal will be over: the sun will rise and shine again as in springtime over a purified earth.


Some nations will disappear entirely, and the face of the earth will be changed. There will be no more "Big Business" and huge factories which sap men's souls. Craftsmanship will revive, and assembly lines will give way to the working bench.


People will return to the land, but food will be scarce for about three years. Married women will bear many children, for it will be regarded as a disgrace not to have children, – no more "career women" addicted to the "pill". Unmarried females, – there will be many, will enter the religious orders and form large congregations of Nuns within the reborn Church. Disease will decrease dramatically, and mental illnesses will be rare, for man will have retrieved his natural environment. It will be an age of faith, true brotherhood between neighbors, civil harmony, peace, and prosperity. The land will yield crops as never before. Police will have little work to do: crime will disappear almost entirely. Mutual trust and honesty will be universal. There will be little work for lawyers, either. All the manpower which is currently taken up by the wickedness of the modern world will be released and available for the production of useful commodities. Thus, prosperity will be very great. This wonderful period will probably last 30 years approximately.


As soon as you see the sun rise again at the end of the Three Days, drop to your knees and give thanks to God.


Be warned, SPREAD THE MESSAGE, but do not fear: it would be an offense to God to show lack of confidence in His protection. Those who spread the message will be protected, but the scoffers, the skeptics, and those who dismiss the message because they are frightened, will not escape the chastisement.


WHAT TO DO NOW


SPREAD THE MESSAGE; Remain in the state of grace. Go to Mass (Note: this is not possible for the majority of true Catholics during this prophesied (by Our Lady of La Salette) "Eclipse of the Church". See imperative information on how to fulfill your Mass obligation and about valid Confessions here. -ED) Say your rosary every day. Obtain some bees wax candles and have these blessed by a True (approbated) priest connected to Pope Gregory XVII and his Successors. Do not buy ordinary white candles; they are not made of wax. Pray for the liberty and exultation of the True Church. Say the prayer to St. Michael which His Holiness Pope Leo XIII composed after witnessing a terrifying vision of Satan's power. Wear the Brown Scapular and the miraculous medal. Deny yourself some legitimate pleasures and entertainment; many of the holy individuals who have predicted this chastisement, insist on this. Eat sparingly, frugally, to sustain life properly - think of food as you would medicine. When the proximate signs are over, i.e., war and revolution culminating in the victory of communism, when you behold the Warning, then store up food, drinking water, blankets and other necessities.




"The apostasy of the city of Rome from the vicar of Christ and its destruction by Antichrist may be thoughts so new to many Catholics, that I think it well to recite the text of theologians of greatest repute. First Malvenda, who writes expressly on the subject, states as the opinion of Ribera, Gaspar Melus, Biegas, Suarrez, Bellarmine and Bosius that Rome shall apostatise from the faith, drive away the Vicar of Christ and return to its ancient paganism. ...Then the Church shall be scattered, driven into the wilderness, and shall be for a time, as it was in the beginning, invisible hidden in catacombs, in dens, in mountains, in lurking places; for a time it shall be swept, as it were from the face of the earth. Such is the universal testimony of the Fathers of the early Church."-Henry Edward Cardinal Manning, The Present Crisis of the Holy See, 1861, London: Burns and Lambert, pp. 88-90 (Click to view this tragic reality)






Ven. Elizabeth Canori-Mora (d. 1825)
"St. Peter then chose the new pope. The Church was again organized..."


"... the sky was covered with clouds so dense and dismal that it was impossible to look at them without dismay... the avenging arm of God will strike the wicked, and in his mighty power he will punish their pride and presumption. God will employ the powers of hell for the extermination of these impious and heretical persons who desire to overthrow the Church and destroy it's foundation. .... Innumerable legions of demons shall overrun the earth and shall execute the orders of Divine Justice... Nothing on the earth shall be spared. After this frightful punishment I saw the heavens opening, and St. Peter coming down again upon earth; he was vested in his pontifical robes, and surrounded by a great number of angels, who were chanting hymns in his honor, and they proclaimed him as sovereign of the earth. I saw also St. Paul descending upon the earth. By God's command, he traversed the earth and chained the demons, whom he brought before St. Peter, who commanded them to return into hell, whence they had come.
"Then a great light appeared upon the earth which was the sign of the reconciliation of God with man. The angels conducted before the throne of the prince of the Apostles the small flock that had remained faithful to Jesus Christ. These good and zealous Christians testified to him the most profound respect, praising God and thanking the Apostles for having delivered them from the common destruction, and for having protected the Church of Jesus Christ by not permitting her to be infected with the false maxims of the world. St. Peter then chose the new pope. The Church was again organized..."
(Prophecy of Ven. Elizabeth Canori-Mora (d. 1825) as recorded in Fr. Culleton's book The Prophets and Our Times 1941 A.D. Imprimatur)

PROPHECIES OF GARABANDAL X

A MATTER OF EMPHASIS
by Connie Hoebich

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Are we focusing on prophecy or on sanctification? Prophecy has a mysterious power with men. Some shrink from it, others thrive on it. All, it seems, are roused by it. Perhaps the reason is deep in our nature for, in truth, the human schematic is rooted in prophecy. Regarding a certain tree, Adam was told: “On the day you eat of it … you shall surely die.” After the fall, even as the prophetic words of condemnation were being pronounced, Adam heard also that the privileges he had abused woud one day be restored; and for centuries. God’s Chosen People were nourishe
d in hope by this prophecy of the messiah to come. Throughout scripture and secular history, From Abraham to John the Baptist, Nostradamus to Jeanne Dixon, men have rallied ‘round the soothsayers. Or they have stoned them. Indifference to a prophet is rare. Prophecy provokes.

Case in point: the Garabandalists—you and I. How often have we heard, “Tell me more about the miracle,” or “The warning-what will it be like?” or “The punishment, will it come in my lifetime?” Sometimes I fret that men have absorbed nothing else about Garabandal except Warning, Miracle, and Chastisement—and this without perspective. Prophecy has intrigued them. They will toss the Garabandal prophecies around for a while, then tuck them away in some cerebral recess with yesterday’s horoscope. If, after I’ve presented Garabandal, men walk away thinking only Warning, Miracle, Chastisement, then I have failed in some way.

Fr. J.M. Laffineur, who, for nine years before his death in 1970, championed the cause of Garabandal in writings and lectures around the world, often said in his holy zeal: “We must announce the warning of Garabandal everywhere, incessantly, assiduously.” This is, of course, our mission—but only part of our mission. We must just as assiduously make clear the correct sequence of emphasis’ Our Lady comes with a message from God: the warning, the miracle God provides so that men may believe the message. Spectacular as they will surely be, the warning and the miracle are subordinately cast in the drama of Garabandal. It is the message—

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and the active fulfillment of it—that must permeate the world.

What God asks of men in the message of Garabandal will sanctify them. What He does through the warning and the miracle is to put His signature on this call to sanctification. That signature, written also in the phenomena of the ecstasies and the graces and cures already manifest, ratifies the message. It says: “See, I show you that the words of the little girls in Spain are My words spoken through My Mother. I have appealed to you. Heed My words.” For us, who have been called by Our Lady to announce these words, the dramatic wonders God works are a reward for our persevering work—and an inspiration, that we may ever more tirelessly proclaim the message. Indeed, when the memories of the warning and the miracle have been etched in our hearts, and with the glory of God’s permanent sign resplendent before our eyes, our work will have only just begun.
Eagerly as we look forward to the miracle, these days of waiting are something of a luxury for us. We don’t as yet feel the pressure of time. The chastisement looms—but way off. We must have the miracle first. Ah, but after the miracle … It will be you and I – racing the clock. And whether or not God’s arm is restrained will depend on just how well we have done our work in these years. If Garabandal has held people by prophecy alone, where will the people be when two thirds of the prophecy is complete? To them, the show—all they wanted to see of it—will be over. But if we have preached reform of heart and spiritual growth, God will have worked many miracles of grace in men’s souls, and we shall have armies of recruits to do the work that must follow th

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e great miracle.

This is what Conchita means when she says repeatedly: “Fulfill the message!” She has even said people don’t have to believe in the apparitions—“but they must fulfill the message!” Think of it. She has seen the Mother of God some 2,000 times, but this is not what she would impress you with. Rather: fulfill the message! “My food is to do the will of the One Who sent Me and to complete His work.”

Are we, the believers, putting the emphasis where it must be? Are we focusing on prophecy or on sanctification? Are we fulfilling the message? “First, we must lead good lives,” Our Lady said. OK, chalk that up for us. But what about the rest—which the Virgin, in fact, listed first:
“We must make many sacrifices,
perform much penance,
visit the Blessed Sacrament frequently.”
And her closing words:
“Think about the passion of Jesus.”
This is Garabandal. Not alone prophecy and the spectacle of phenomena. Prophecy does not sanctify, but the quiet, moment-to-moment activity of prayer, penance and Christ crucified in our hearts does. This is God’s appeal at Garabandal, and it must bear fruit in individuals first and eventually, through them, the world.
Is the message of Garabandal fulfilled in us as individuals? Good! Then we are worthy promoters. And our Heavenly Mother is blessing our work.