Saturday, December 13, 2014

The Garabandal News Top 10 – garabandalnews.overblog.com


FROM AVISO:
As Christmas is close and to reward you for your fidelity, according to my stats,The 10 most Popular articles of Garabandal News below, you were thousands around the world to read these articles, thank you again for your support and for your confidence :
1Garabandal Russia Breaking News :
2The Garabandal Pines Protected :
3A Synod before the Warning :
4. The Garabandal Eucharist Martyr :
5Pope or Antipope :
6The Years of Truth :
8A Pope in Moscow and A Pope in Rome :
9Who is like God in Garabandal :
10Your Last comments/My answers :
My Comment : Garabandal is still in life despite the years, thanks God, many still follow our Lady of Mount Carmel, for my part and with this blog, I tried to bring back Garabandal on the news with a new touch, of course sometimes with some speculation and controversy but I did it knowingly, as I said I am not alone and when I have a doubt or a question, I still know where and who to call.
And Now ? well now remain in state of Grace, live the Garabandal messages, it’s in my opinion the more important and for the rest don’t worry, everything is in the hands of God, thank you again.
Aviso

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

[Video] The Seers in Prayer

The Lord's Prayer (Padre Nuestro), Hail Mary (Ave Maria), Glory be to the Father (Gloria al Padre) in Garabandal from the girls in ecstasy (attached video) and the Garabandal messages :


Hat-tip to Aviso
http://garabandalnews.overblog.com/

Sunday, November 30, 2014

Garabandal - The Eyewitnesses [Video]



http://youtu.be/jlp2xFvuA3Y

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

A Great Program on the Apparitions at Garabandal | WHAT IS GARABANDAL?

A Great Program on the Apparitions at Garabandal | WHAT IS GARABANDAL?



Originally posted on Catholic Working Mom:
Garabandal video – You’ve heard a lot about the apparitions at Fatima.  What do you know about Conchita and the apparitions at Garabandal?

Monday, November 17, 2014

Rest in Peace Albrecht

Rest in Peace Albrecht | WHAT IS GARABANDAL?







It is with great sadness that I learned today the death of Albrecht Weber yesterday November 15, 49 years after his famous interview with Conchita in November 14, 1965, I was informed that Albretch will be buried at Garabandal, a great honor for this soldier of Our Lady of Mount Carmel as he will be only the second non-Spaniard to have this great honor after Mrs Bocabeille, the mother of my friend Bastiano who arranged my marriage in Garabandal, 
But how I cannot also see a sign from heaven with this sad news, having published on this blog few days ago only, surely some of the last words from Albrecht given to one of my readers last May in Garabandal.
Precisely, it is with Bastiano that I discussed before publishing this testimony, to get also the informed opinion of one of our greatest Garabandalist.
For your information, Bastiano will republish the book of his mother Mrs Bocabeille about Garabandal, he will add also his own opinion about the Church and with his authorization, I will publish the best part of this book on this blog but I already can tell that Albrecht was not walking alone.
Albrecht has always been an obedient son of the Catholic Church, he also had the great honor to have received few compliments words from Saint Pope John Paul II about his famous Garabandal book "the Finger of God".
Rest in Peace Albrecht and over there from Heaven, please Pray also for me my Brother.
Aviso

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Garabandal International Magazine: Oct – Dec 2014

Garabandal Int Mag OCT - DEC 2014The Garabandal International Magazine for October till December 2014 is now online for your reading pleasure.
Just click here to access it.
For anyone who is wondering what Garabandal is all about, please check it out at http://www.garabandal.com
Wishing one and all a wonderful and blessed day!

Thank you Suzanne & Tony, http://suzannetony.wordpress.com/2014/11/11/garabandal-international-magazine-oct-dec-2014/ for posting the lastest Garabandal International Magazine! May Jesus & Mary continue to bless both of you+

Monday, October 20, 2014

[Video] SEERS IN ECSTASY

Beautiful images of their faces as they see and talk to Our Lady at Garabandal.

Saturday, October 11, 2014

The Events of Garabandal [Video]

This 1971 documentary by Richard Everson marked the first groundbreaking attempt to depict the events of Garabandal in color 16MM film.

For many years, this film opened Joey Lomangino's conferences on Garabandal. I was one of the volunteers who operated the projector. Dick Everson was a great friend to Joey and the New York Center and we present this film respectfully as a tribute to his original work on behalf of Our Lady of Mount Carmel de Garabandal.


Garabandal Breaking News/The Pre-Warning Signs -

Garabandal Breaking News/The Pre-Warning Signs - garabandalnews.overblog.com





Garabandal Breaking News/The Pre-Warning Signs


Garabandal Breaking News

The Pre-Warning Signs

September 26, 2014

"La Madre Nieves nos habló, con mucho cariño, de Conchita González, a quien conoce muy de cerca. Y también del Aviso (anunciado por la Virgen) y de las señales (pre avisos) que, según parece, anunciarán la proximidad de esa manifestación extraordinaria de Dios, para que los hombres nos convirtamos.
Pueden resumirse en tres: 1) la crisis mundial (crisis de fe y
aparición de graves sucesos: guerras, enfermedades…), 2) la muerte de
Joe Lomangino, y 3) la realización de un sínodo en la Iglesia (la Madre
Nieves se preguntaba a sí misma: ¿será este próximo?, ¿será el del
próximo año?......"


http://ecosdegarabandal.blogspot.fr/

My Translation :

Mother
Nieves talk to us, with great affection about Conchita Gonzalez, whom
she knows closely. And about the Warning (announced by the Virgin) and
signs (pre-Warning) which, apparently, will announce the proximity of
this extraordinary manifestation of God to convert men. It can be
summarized as follows:


1) A global crisis (crisis of faith and occurrence of serious events: war, disease....)

2) the death of Joe Lomangino

3) The realization of a synod in the Church (Mother Nieves asked herself: will it be the next one (she means the current one) ? (or) the one of the next year ?

My
Comment : What a wondeful news, Mother Nieves, known by all of us as
one of our greatest Garabandalist, close to the seers since the
beginning of the Apparitions of Garabandal, superior of the school in
Burgos where Conchita studied during the years 1966 - 1967 and having
with her but known by few only
(I was personnally aware),
what we called the second diary of Conchita, given to her by the main
seer when she was student in her school and full of first hand details.



Mother Maria de las Nieves Garcia, asking herself, if the warning could
occur after the current Synod or the next one ? It's a terrific news
and maybe many of you could not understand yet and time will tell only,
but in my opinion, it's an important and first hand news as the opinion
of Mother Nieves means a lot, so after having indicated the pre-warning
signs and according to the Mother, The Warning of Garababandal could
occur at the latest after the next Synod, what can we expect more ? so I
am pleased today to share this news with all of you, Garabandalist stay
strong, today we have another confirmation that we are almost there.


Aviso



Tuesday, September 30, 2014

NEW GARABANDAL INFORMATION CENTER

Information Center

With the influx of thousands of people, from different parts of the world, who come on pilgrimage annually, either individually or in a group to San Sebastian de Garabandal, and there being in place, a center where they can receive, report, and address their needs The ASSOCIATION OF PILGRIMS "VIRGIN OF CARMEN GARABANDAL" considered absolutely necessary, installation and commissioning of

information INFORMATION CENTER

PILGRIM AND CARE

SAN SEBASTIAN DE GARABANDAL

Email: peregrinosgarabandal@gmail.com
The Information Center is located in the ancient schools of San Sebastian de Garabandal: Church Square s / nº- San Sebastian de Garabandal (Cantabria-Spain-Rionansa).
Picture 002 Picture 006
We are undertaking the refurbishment and available shortly Please Zone Area Outreach and Conferences as well as access to the service area of ​​the pilgrims.
IMG_5455 IMG_5459
The work of the Center for Information and Service Peregrino and the lease payment from the local and monthly maintenance, will be held by the Association of Pilgrims "Virgen del Carmen de Garabandal," and DONATIONS we can get from all those help us to work together for this reality so necessary as privileged as San Sebastián de Garabandal place.

Monday, September 29, 2014

Monday, September 22, 2014

Memoirs of a Spanish Country Priest (Chapter XXV)


CHAPTER XXV
Conclusion
1. Reflexions
For a long time Garabandal has made its way among those who believe that it is a direct intervention of God. The diffusion of the message and the facts that support them is world-wide. All this, in spite of the blind and obstinate opposition from a Commission that, charged with a very serious matter, commits the unpardonable levity of not giving to it the importance that it deserves. Because of understanding nothing about it — and it is the Commission’s own fault — it has judged superficially and with a disturbing outspokenness, that the apparitions were not objectively supernatural. Their spokesman, Bishop Puchol, has even ventured to call it an innocent “game of children . . ."
I think back to the letter that Padre Pio wrote to the visionaries in 1961:
— “When they believe, it will be too late . . .”
***
Furthermore, it would happen that the visionaries would come to doubt, contradict each other, and they themselves would deny.
Actually, I had the incredible opportunity to witness certain ecstasies in which the Virgin predicted to the girls in 1961 these future events that were so painful to them. I heard with my own ears their response to this startling warning from their Vision.
— “How can we say that we haven’t seen you, since we are seeing you at this very moment?”
***
— Yes, that would happen.
We Catholics, do we not feel ourselves corrupted by an absurd spirit of ‘false humanism’ that we dare to call Christian?
Some believe that our position in favor of the historical facts at Garabandal is destroyed when they affirm — what none of us dispute — on the contrary, accept — that Public Revelation has ended, that Jesus Christ has said the last words necessary for salvation. Yes, that is their attitude at the present time, when they brazenly choose to accept from Public Revelation what is convenient for them, and reject the rest!
The locution of Jesus to Conchita at Pamplona on February 13, 1966 might be recalled: “Yo lo hare todo.” (I will do everything.)
One could foresee the failure of those members of the Commission on that celebrated night in August, 1961 which I have reported accurately since I saw and heard it myself in the village church. Today the failure and misunderstanding of the “learned” are clear to me.
2. First Message
Conchita has repeated many times that the most important thing is to accomplish the messages of our Lady of Mount Carmel. Allow me to repeat them.
(Message of October 18, 1961)
It is necessary to make many sacrifices, perform much penance.
It is necessary to visit the Blessed Sacrament (mucho).
But first of all we must be very good.
And if we do not do this, a punishment will come upon us.
The cup is already filling up.
And if we do not change, a very great punishment will come upon us.
These words were pronounced by the Virgin before the start of Vatican II, at a time when already much more value was given to the “human” than the supernatural.
***
On October 18, 1961, the spectators were disappointed and returned home discouraged. Actually, they had expected to see at Garabandal a miracle, which the visionaries had never predicted. For that day, they had only spoken of the public revelation of a message directed by the Virgin to her children on earth. Was not that enough?
The Miracle? It will come on a day determined by God, and only a few persons on earth know the exact date.
And the Message itself? It is there for us to accomplish in the soonest and best way possible.
Certainly it does not tell us anything that we do not already know. But do we not need to be reminded of the evangelical truths?
The test? Does the world practice the ancient faith? And we ourselves, even though we believe in Garabandal, what are we doing?
There can be nothing new here beside what was there at Fatima and Lourdes and the other apparitions.
Has not Public Revelation been completed? We know that as well as our adversaries. We only ask that whatever one does, one should remember it in all circumstances.
***
Sometimes one hears it said, “Garabandal. It is finished! Actum est!”
But “Roma non locuta” (Rome has not spoken) must be understood in response to this erroneous and fallacious statement.
A poorly informed bishop can err. A congregation such as the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith does not err. When the latter speaks, it will be to say, “Yes. Yes.” or “No. No.”
3. Second Message
Now let us go on to the second message. This is the one from June 18, 1965, which is certainly, in my opinion, a message of the “last warnings.”
Predicted by Conchita 6 months in advance, she wrote it down on June 19 and signed it with the pen that I have in front of me on my work table. I cannot express the gratitude due to her for this inestimable gift.
The message that the Most Holy Virgin has given to the world through the intercession of the Angel St. Michael.
The Angel said:
As my message of October 18 has not been complied with and has not been made known to the world, I am telling you that this is the last.
Before the cup was filling up; now it is overflowing.
The priests: Many are on the road to perdition, and with them they are taking many more souls.
The Eucharist: It is being given less and less importance.
With your own efforts you should avoid the wrath of the Good God.
If you ask pardon with a sincere heart, He will forgive you.
I, your Mother, through the intercession of the Archangel St. Michael, want to tell you to amend your lives.
You are in the last warnings!
I love you very much, and do not want your condemnation.
Ask us sincerely, and we will give you what you ask.
You should sacrifice yourself more.
Think of the passion of Jesus.
Conchita González June 18, 1965
4. The Hour of God
I do not know the reason, but I had the good fortune to stay awake and remain until the end in Conchita’s kitchen on the night of October 10-11, 1962. Though all my companions succumbed to sleep or retired, I was able to realize my plan to see at what time in the morning on October 11, 1962, Conchita’s ecstasy would begin.
On the previous evening, on October 10, a “Nota” had appeared in the Spanish press from the Bishop of Santander, Dr. Beitia Aldazabal. He had signed it on the preceding October 7, Feast of the Holy Rosary.
Conchita went into ecstasy exactly at 8 in the morning on that October 11. At the same time the radio blared out the ringing of the bells at St. Peter’s basilica as in Rome began the procession of thousands of bishops from all parts of the world there present, headed by the Roman Pontiff John XXIII. The bells resounded throughout the universe. The ecstasy in which I was one of the few witnesses lasted some 10 minutes…
I heard the conversation — at least part of it — that the young girl had with her Vision.
Without waiting to be questioned, Conchita talked to us first.
— “I asked the Virgin why the bishop published yesterday a Nota on Garabandal.”
— “And what did she answer?”
— “She didn’t answer, she just smiled . . .”
I don’t know if this matter has been published. But for my part, I find it very striking.
If the Virgin of Garabandal smiled at the hour of the opening of the Council, it is because she knows well the hour of Providence, which has not yet come, but which will come… the hour of God and her hour
Father J. R. G. de la Riva.

Friday, September 19, 2014

Memoirs of a Spanish Country Priest (Chapter XXIV)


CHAPTER XXIV
Eucharistic Sign
One day in August of 1962, having finished Mass, I went out from Cosío to Garabandal. I was carrying on my person the Blessed Sacrament in a way that was not visible. My intention was to obtain proof that Satan had no part in the events which were taking place in the village.
Mentally, I petitioned the Virgin, “If these events were supernatural and of divine origin, that when the girls would fall into ecstasy on that day, they would not make any sign of adoration, although they would know that they were before the Blessed Sacrament. Likewise, that they would not show toward me any sign of predilection, such as making me kiss the crucifix, genuflecting, or any other sign of reverence.”
I made this reflection. “If the devil is taking part in this affair and the girls pass in ecstasy in front of me carrying the Blessed Sacrament, that without doubt he would make some particular gesture that would manifest his presence.” For if Satan flees before the cross or holy water, how much more would he flee before the Blessed Sacrament?
On that day, Conchita had an ecstasy and I noticed something abnormal on her face when she passed by several times close to me. Everything happened as on other occasions, except that she had none of the usual gestures of reverence for me that she ordinarily had for priests. In the course of her ecstasy, she did not give me the crucifix to kiss, though she did give it for other persons.
This matter might be added to other experiences that have been made by other persons more experienced and more knowledgeable than I.
I think that no one would dare to qualify as diabolic that which other very qualified persons have studied so thoroughly and so many times. These events were manifest to everyone for a long time, a very long time.

Monday, September 15, 2014

Memoirs of a Spanish Country Priest (Chapter XXIII)


CHAPTER XXIII
Mari Cruz

Here I would like to make particular mention of Mari Cruz, since the opinions about her have not always been very fair.
She has suffered very much. She is very obedient and very virtuous. Outside of the ecstasies, her modesty conferred upon her special attractiveness; all the more, during the ecstasies did she have a special charm. She was very humble. In July, 1969, Conchita was still telling me that she was very good, extremely good . . . “Oh yes, very good!”
For my part, I can state that what could be said of her kindness and Christian charity only reflects partially the truth. And what could be said of her moral suffering, since even in her name she carries the cross!
She was as childlike as she was withdrawn. And how gentle, humble, courteous! Extremely courteous. She was especially obedient to her mother, Pilar, whom she had to obey more than once with tears in her eyes. Was she not observed sometimes, through obedience, prevented from seeing the Virgin? The Virgin had advised the young girls to obey their parents and their ecclesiastical superiors before obeying She Herself.
Let us mention this particular episode. If the parents told their children to go to bed, even though the Virgin had announced her visit for an early hour in the morning, the child would ask for permission to stay up. However, if this was refused, she cried, but went to bed. The desire to see the Virgin was great, but the child obeyed and offered up the sacrifice.
If at the time foretold by the Virgin the child was in bed, but awake, the Virgin came to her and the girl fell into ecstasy. Sometimes she stayed in bed in ecstasy, or else, still in ecstasy, she got up, got dressed, went out into the village, conversing with the Virgin or reciting the rosary.
If, at the time foretold the girl was asleep, the Virgin respected her sleep and did not wake her up.
On numerous occasions, Mari Cruz was not able to attend the rendezvous set by the Virgin because of obedience to her mother. The father of the family stayed in the pastures and the mother was alone to watch over her daughter. She acted thus to preserve the health of her daughter, who worked in the fields according to her strength.
***
With regard to the religious spirit of the Mari Cruz’ family, a fair judgment should be made in order not to fall into inconsiderate exaggeration. That would actually be lack of charity and also lack of justice.
It cannot be said that it was a family that seldom practiced; let us say that it was above all a poor family where it was necessary to work much in order to support the household.
It was a practicing family, no less. The father, being ill, could not come down from the pastures because of his state of health; instead he used the hours of work to the maximum, since there was no abundance of workers in the family.
But if he happened to come down to the village on Sunday, he was seen at Mass, also were his wife and daughter.
These opinions are not mine, they come from Aniceta, Conchita’s mother, but I willingly second her point of view.

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

The Pope Emeritus A Garabandal Faithful

The Pope Emeritus A Garabandal Faithful – garabandalnews.overblog.com.
The Pope Emeritus A Garabandal Faithful


” Ratzinger has a devotion to the Virgin that is almost as deep as John Paul’s. Ratzinger is an enthusiastic supporter of the theology of Han Urs von Balthazar, who professed that he took much of his theology from his mystical friend Adrienne von Speyer (1902–1967), who was “frequently visited by the Blessed Virgin (whom she had first seen in 1917).” And throughout the 1970s Ratzinger gave regular summer conferences to a group of Marian devotees in the Black Forest who live by the prophecies the Virgin delivered to four children in Garabandal, Spain, from 1961 to 1964″
From “A Tale of Two Cardinals” (2001, Gary wills) Paragraph 2
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2001/apr/26/a-tale-of-two-cardinals/
” In its early days there was a stong undertone of millenarian speculation at the Siewerth Hauss, fueled especially by the Marian Prophecies at Garabandal, from 1961 to 1965, four children in Garabandal, Spain, claim to experience a series of visions of the Virgin Mary in which she spoke of the Great Miracle to come, followed by a warning, and then by a “Great Chastisement” if humanity did not repent. The Garabandal prophecies have subsequently formed the hardest edge of an apocalyptic Marian subculture within Roman Catholicism. One Ratzinger graduate student who visited the hourse during the laste 1960s said the people there “lived like a quasi-religious order” and developed a fascination with these Marian end time scenarios…….Another Ratzinger graduate student said it was rumored while he was at Tubingen that both Ratzinger and von Balthasar took seriously the notion that the world might be ending soon and that preparation should be made, apparently a reflection of the climate of end time speculation at the Siewerth house.
From “A Biography of Joseph Ratzinger” (2000, John Allen, P. 119)
My Comment : As I said already on this blog, Father Joseph Ratzinger, Professor of Theology in Germany who became later Archibishop of Munich, Cardinal, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Dean of the College of Cardinals, Pope Benedict XVI and today Pope Emeritus since his resignation, has been always interested and linked to Garabandal from the beginning as confirmed again in these 2 Books from 2 different authors who are not known to be linked to Garabandal, confirming also the testimony of Father Turner, one of our Greatest Garabandalist below :

“The event of Garabandal is important in his eyes. Mr. Hubier has seen my book [“O Children, Listen to Me”] on Cardinal Ratzinger’s desk, so Ratzinger certainly must have looked for it. He wouldn’t need more than a few minutes to glance at the table of contents to get an idea of what the book is about. People with his type of mentality and his clear intelligence will be able to discern very quickly, in just a few moments, if it’s worth considering or not”
http://garabandalnews.overblog.com/little-known-stories-about-garabandal-5
We also know that when he was still the Prefect of the Congregation of the Faith, Cardinal Ratzinger received from Bishop de Val Gallo in 1991, the Bishop who removed all the restrictions that the previous Bishops imposed on the Priest, the latest study of the Appartions of Garabandal (study which lasted 6 years), confirming again that the Pope Emeritus has been always well informed about Garabandal, he even met one of the main seer, so when Pope Benedict XVI from Fatima in 2010 says:
“May the seven years, which separate us from the centenary of the Apparitions (2017) hasten the prophesied triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the glory of the Most Holy Trinity.”
We must understand that these words are given from Fatima to the Faithful and to the world from a Pope well informed about Fatima as about Garabandal.
Aviso

Monday, September 8, 2014

Memoirs of a Spanish Country Priest (Chapter XXII)



CHAPTER XXII
Light in the Darkness
(Conchita’s spiritual martyrdom)

The penances of Conchita — even though she was still a child — were not limited to mere external acts . . . Conchita passed through the test of the “Dark Night” — as St. John of the Cross describes it — a test of true anguish which had, as a consoling balm, the sweet presence of the Virgin herself, as we shall see shortly.
In the year 1962, at the Piedrajita that I have just mentioned, I had the occasion to share the terrible spiritual test that Conchita was undergoing. She confided to me then the true martyrdom that was tormenting her virginal soul.
Expressionless, without raising her eyes from the ground, as we mowed the dry hay, the child revealed her affliction little by little.
— “I have profound doubts concerning the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist,” she told me. In addition, “I often ask myself how God could exist for all eternity . . . These and many other doubts are for me a real martyrdom.”
Persons who read this and have some experience in these things know that those souls, who are undergoing such a moral martyrdom, are incapable of understanding the reasons that one can give them to lead them out of the darkness into the light. One can only suffer with them, and await the day the Lord has reserved for the fall of the veil that darkens the peace of the soul. One day the storm will calm; the Lord will do everything.
On that same day Conchita revealed to me that the Virgin was aware of her doubts. During her visits, her first words were: “Conchita, how are your doubts?” This gave her consolation and peace, which only lasted as long as the Virgin was with her.

Thursday, September 4, 2014

A Synod before the Warning UPDATE –

A Synod before the Warning UPDATE – | WHAT IS GARABANDAL?



A Synod before the Warning UPDATE

A Synod Before the Warning

08 June 2014
I was aware few years agabout an information confirming an Important Synod before the Garabandal Warning, a week ago Raymond one of our readers, sent to me this video in Spanishbelowhere we can listen Mother Maria de las Nieves Garcia, who was the superior of the School in Burgos where Conchita studied during the Year 1966 to 1967 and they are still close today, confirming also this information, this official testimony from Mother Garcia is to be taken seriously, in my opinion as Garabandal first of all is Eucharistic and about the Holy Eucharist, if an Important Synod has been indicated to the main Seer of Garabandal as a Pre-Warning sign, I will not be surprised that this Important Synod could be linked also to the Holy Eucharist but since the Apparitions, we had already many Synods, so this Synod could be particularly and very important, different from other, otherwise our Lady would not have spoken about it, a Synod which could create a Schism ? as a Schism is also indicated as another Pre-Warning sign and this could explain why our Lady talked about ? that’s the question.
Aviso

More About The Next Synod

04 September 2014


Now Back to Garabandal, if our Lady had indicated a Synod before the Warning, it must be for a good reason as for the number of Popes then the end of Times, we are also aware of a Schism before the events, the travel of a Pope in Moscow, as of an invasion (or a war) in which Communism played a great part which wilcause persecution and it will be very hard for priests to say Mass or for people to open the doors of thchurches, even the Pope will have to hide like everbody else, so below and as a reminder again, the Pre-Warning signs :
1. A Synod
2. A Schism
3. A War or an invasion in which Communism played a great part and persecution
4. A Pope in Moscow
5. The Warning
So we must live these events before the Warning.

Saturday, August 30, 2014

Memoirs of a Spanish Country Priest (Chapter XXI)



CHAPTER XXI

The Girls’ Penances
“It is necessary to do much penance…”
(First message of October 18, 1961)
“The Most Holy Virgin wants us always to do penance.”
(Conchita’s Diary)
Here is a chapter which will forever remain incomplete. Who can completely describe all the little girls’ penances? We well know that they were performed, that they were many, but how many? Of what type? Many remain forgotten, hidden to mortal view. God alone knows the number and the details…
I want to relate here the history of a “cilice” (a wire girdle with sharp metallic points to irritate the skin) of which Conchita was the heroine, and of which I was the eyewitness.

This was a part of the story of Garabandal that was totally spontaneous. Conchita, in her love for the Most Holy Virgin, inspired by a desire to follow her counsels, went on to perform this type of penance to the point of blood.
In the summer of 1962, I was passing some time in Garabandal, and I was lodged with Maximina, the aunt and godmother of Conchita.
In the morning I got up and went to the bathroom. Maximina thought that I had left for church and went into my room to clean it. On the night table, I had placed a cilice — made up of metallic points — which is worn around the waist. Maximina had never seen or held in her hand such an object, but she had heard it spoken about. She was somewhat surprised. About the same time, Conchita came to the house of her aunt, who said to her, “Look Conchita, this is what one must do to become a saint…”
I was unaware of all this conversation. I finished washing, returned to my room, and then left to accompany Conchita to the pastures. I used to accompany the girls — one day one, another day another, and the members of their families — to help them as I could, in the gathering of hay.
That day, I had to go with Conchita to a place called “Piedrajita” located about 5 kilometers northeast of Garabandal. Over a small bridge we crossed the Vendul river and began the ascent to the Piedrajita. Conchita carried on her shoulders a wicker basket as the mountain people are accustomed to use in the valley of Pas (province of Santander). She was carrying lunch for all those who worked in the fields that day.
To me it seemed somewhat ungallant to permit a 13-year-old girl to carry 20 to 25 kilos of food and dinnerware, so I asked her to hand me the basket. She was about to give it to me without any discussion, when she laughed and said to me:
— “No, you can hurt your waist…”
At that time I didn’t know the reason for this remark, but Conchita’s words got me thinking. We took some rest on the way, for the pasture was rather far away and the sun was beginning to be felt. I don’t remember any more the exact words of our conversation; but I know that Conchita tried very skillfully during the course of it to lead me to the subject which interested her. Thus she was talking to me about certain priests who performed penance by wearing around their waists types of belts made of iron wire with protruding sharp points, doing this for mortification. She said to me then:
— “You want to carry the basket?”
Gladly I answered affirmatively, but she:
— “No, you will hurt your waist.”
I knew then that she was aware of something and I asked her:
— “Who told you about it? The Angel, the Virgin, or your aunt Maximina?”
Very surprised, she answered, “My aunt Maximina told me.”
Then she recounted to me how she had learned about it, as I have previously described. Then she asked me in a very confidential way to give her the cilice. But I told her that I would bring her a new one on my next trip to Garabandal. She insisted on having the same one that she had seen. On returning to the village, I gave it to her and she was very happy.
On the first trip I made after that to Garabandal, I brought several new cilices with me. My intention was to take back the one Conchita wore, to keep it as a souvenir, but it was not easy to obtain. Conchita showed a very unusual intuition and it turned out to be very difficult to fool her.
I asked her to make an exchange of the new cilice for the one which she was wearing, but she responded that she preferred the former one. Then I made the remark that it was desirable, for reasons of hygiene, that she have a new one. She told me that she cleaned it every day with alcohol…
I was about to admit myself defeated, and I did not know what more to say to achieve my aim, when she decided suddenly to give me the cilice without more problems.
From this cilice, there only remain a few fragments, which I conserve carefully. The remainder has been distributed in France for souvenirs.
I am certain that Mary Loli also used the cilice that I gave her. Jacinta’s mother forbid her to wear one. I did not give any to Mari Cruz since she was younger, smaller, and in less robust health.
I pointed out to Conchita that these penances were not the best, that interior penances were preferable. Nevertheless, she afflicted herself often with this type of mortification in her desire to obey the Most Holy Virgin because She “wants us always to do penance” as Conchita reports in her diary.