SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1963:

Conchita in ecstasy

Awakened by a mysterious interior uneasiness, Conchita went to the church at around 5:30 a.m. with her mother. Before the church doors, she fell into ecstasy . . . The Blessed Virgin first "wished me a happy birthday," adding these profound words (almost identical to those said, in 1858, to Bernadette in Lourdes): "You will not be happy on Earth, but, yes, you will be in Heaven!" She also revealed to her other "future events" about which the visionary was told "not to make known" . . .
[Excerpt from 'Garabandal' Book, page 179]

Saint Bernadette Soubirous Image via Wikipedia

Those "words" of Our Lady to Bernadette have always stuck in my mind, "I can't promise you happiness here on earth, only in heaven." And I've repeated them to others when I thought they needed to hear them. Think about it. Are we ever really happy here? Sure there's moments of happiness, like a birthday party, a wedding, a new baby, etc., but the next day or even hours sometimes, comes some problem, some sadness, some trouble. In Heaven it will be total happiness for all eternity! Imagine that! I can't wait! In the meantime we can offer up our unhappiness to the Lord in reparation for our sins and the sins of the whole world.
God Bless
Deacon John

Uncorrupt Body of St. Bernadette Image via Wikipedia

WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 1963:

CHRIST'S FIRST LOCUTION TO CONCHITA.
TOWARDS THE "CONVERSION OF RUSSIA
AND THE WHOLE WORLD . . ."

The first of the two very remarkable locutions of Christ to Conchita occurred in the village church. Its content is so dense and transparent and of such quality, that we need only, at least for the moment, to read it very attentively:

"As I was giving thanks to God and asking Him for certain things, He replied.
"I asked Him to give me a cross, for I experience no suffering in my life, except that of not having any crosses. As I was asking Him for that, Jesus replied:
"Yes, I will give you a Cross."
Very moved, I kept on asking for other things and I said to Him:
"Why is the Miracle coming? To convert many people?"
And He replied: "to convert the entire world -Para convertir al mundo entero" - [Our Lord was thus indicating the importance of the events of Garabandal.]
"Will Russia be converted?"
"Yes, it will be converted; thus everyone - todos - will love our Hearts."
"Will the chastisement come after that?"
He gave no reply.
"Why do You come into my poor heart without any merit on my part?"
"Because I do not come for you; I come for the whole world."
"When the Miracle takes place, people will think I am the only one to have seen the Blessed Virgin."
He replied: "I let you be the one who, by your sacrifices and patience in trials, will intercede with Me to perform the Miracle."
And I said to Him, "Is it not better that I be with the four or that You take none of us for the intercession?"
And He said, "No."
"Will I go to Heaven?" And He replied, "Will you love our Hearts a great deal and will you pray to them?"
"When will you give me the cross?"
He did not answer me.
"What will I be?"
And He did not reply. He only told me that, wherever I am and whatever I am doing, I will have much to suffer.
And I asked Him, "Will I die soon?"
And He replied, "You must stay on earth to help people."
And I said to Him, "I am of little importance, I will be unable to help You in any way."
"Through your prayers and your suffering, you will help the world."
"When we go to Heaven, are we dead when we go there?"
And He said to me, "One never dies."
I thought that we did not go to Heaven before we rose up again.
I asked Him if St. Peter was at the door to greet us and He said, "No."
When I was thus in prayer or in a conversation with God, I felt I was outside this world.
Jesus told me that "Now more people love My Heart."
On the subject of priests, he told me that I ought to pray a great deal for them, so that they may be saints and fulfill their duty well and make others better. "May they make Me known to those who do not know Me and make Me loved by those who know Me and do not love Me."
[From 'Garabandal' Book, pages 175-176]

Dante and Beatrice Gaze upon the highest Heaven. Image via Wikipedia

Another amazing event in Conchita's life, and like Jesus said, "Through your prayers and your suffering, you will help the world." So many times we ask the question, "What is my life all about? Am I doing anything worthwhile? Will I Go to Heaven?" Conchita had those same questions for Jesus and she was still a child. Most of us have lived many years. We're still looking for the answers. It is good to reflect on Our Lord's words to Conchita, because He is speaking to each one of us. He wants to let us know how happy He is with each one of us as we try to offer all our prayers and sufferings for the conversion of the world. Keep up the good work! Remember we never die, just pass into a new life, a life of joy in God!
Deacon John

MONDAY, JUNE 3, 1963:

Cardinal Wojtyla (future Pope John Paul II) paid
his homage to newly elected Pope John Paul I.

UPDATING OF THE EXTRAORDINARY
PROPHETIC REVELATION OF THE
"LAST THREE POPES YET TO COME
AFTER JOHN XXIII, AND BEFORE THE
END OF THE TIMES" - ALSO, A PROPHETIC
ANNOUNCEMENT OF "THE COUNCIL,
THAT WILL KEEP GOING ON UP TO
ITS PERFECT CONCLUSION."

Image via Wikipedia

On this Monday of Pentecost, at the moment when the bells of the village church were ringing announcing the death of Pope John XXIII, the Blessed Virgin confirmed interiorly to Conchita that "henceforth, there were only three Popes remaining before the end of the times."

The death of the Bishop of Rome was to give rise to many stirs and, apparently, it even questioned the very future of the Council. But "it will go on and reach its normal and full conclusion," Our Lady assured Conchita during that very locution.

The Blessed Virgin prophesied here (unless it was on December 20, 1962) that "one of these three last Popes would have a very short Pontificate." No doubt, this was to be John Paul I, as revealed also to Blessed Padre Pio and to Sr. Lucia (of Fatima), among others . . .

[From 'Garabandal' Book, page 174]

I don't remember much about Pope John XXIII, but I remember Paul VI. As a young motorcycle courier for a local TV station in New York, I stood next to Pope Paul VI and Cardinal Spellman on the steps of St. Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan when the Pope visited New York in the 1960's. I even went to the Mass he celebrated in Yankee stadium and received a holy card from the Mass. Guess what? I wasn't a practicing Catholic at the time, but I must of received a special grace from being near the Holy Father, cause a few years later I converted and went back to church! What a miracle!

I remember the short reign of Pope John Paul I and also how happy we were when John Paul II was elected Pope in 1978!!! There was so much modernism running rampart through the Church at that time and we all felt sure that he would stop it!

Now we have Benedict XVI, and again we are hoping for a re-newal of the Church, especially the Liturgy! And if the prophecy is correct, all the events promised by Our Lady at Garabandal are supposed to happen during his reign. Time is getting short. It's not the end of the world, just the "End of the times!", as Our Lady said . . .
Deacon John

HOLY THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 1963:

"AN AMAZING "SENAL" ("SIGN") WILL
REMAIN AT THE SITE OF THE PINES,
IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE GREAT
EVENTS OF THE "D" DAY . . . UNTIL
THE END OF TIMES"!

On this Holy Thursday, probably, Conchita learned about the future "Senal," the Sign which, right after the events of the "D" day, "will stay at the site of the Pines until the end of times, in the form of a luminous column, a kind of cloud by day and fire by night." This phenomenon will symbolize, through its obvious biblical, ecclesial and eschatological connotations, the presence of God in the midst of His people, so enlightened and guided in its worldly journey towards the "Promised Land." Who then would not see also that such a Sign will doubtless represent for the Jews themselves, at the beginning of this 21st century, as it were, a powerful and astonishing reminder of the Sinai Covenant and of its profound exigences? For "they are beloved (of God), for the sake of their ancestors; for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable" (Rom 1:28-29). Indeed, in this way, Garabandal will reveal, in a broader prophetic scope, the richness of what we call the "mystery of the Carmel" . . . of which we are still too unaware. That mystery, with its obvious link with the huge figure of the prophet Elijah, so dear to the Jews, obviously refers to the "mystery of the people of Israel" with whom Yahweh had concluded an

Image via Wikipedia

alliance in the past, but also to the whole People of God, the eschatological Israel."

At the very spot where this prodigious "Senal" will emerge, a sanctuary will eventually be built in honor of the Archangel St. Michael, "Protector of the People of God." We may also note that this great "Sign" will necessarily have a profound affinity with the very nature of the Miracle to come. It will not only be visible for everyone, but it will even be possible to photograph and televise, but not touch, such an extraordinary supernatural phenomenon.
[From 'Garabandal' Book, page 172]

Wow! I just learned something new! Of course I knew about the Great Sign and that is will be like the column of fire that led the Israelites across the desert, but I didn't realize its connection with the possible conversion of the Jews and their acceptance of Jesus as the Messiah!

You know that St. Paul wrote about this in Romans Chapter 11, verse 25. He says: "Brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery lest you be conceited; blindness has come upon part of Israel until the full number of Gentiles enter in, and then all Israel will be SAVED."

How about that! So the way I see it, after the Miracle, when everyone of us Gentiles are converted and safely in the Roman Catholic Church, the Jews, seeing the Great Sign of God, will also enter the Church as followers of Christ! Amen to that! This I've got to see!!!
Deacon John

SUNDAY, JANUARY 20, 1963:

Amazing photo of Conchita levitating!

END OF THE ECSTASIES (EXCEPT VERY SPORADICALLY, FOR CONCHITA)

For Conchita as well, the great period of the apparitions came to an end on that day. She would have no more ecstasies, except in a very sporadic way. On this Sunday, also the Feast of San Sebastian, Patron Saint of the village, Conchita, in ecstasy, visited the last house of Garabandal that had not yet been visited! Doctor Jean Caux, who then was present, said that this ecstasy lasted more than two hours. for him it was one of "the most beautiful ecstasies I ever witnessed!"

[From 'Garabandal' Book. page 163]

And so this stage of the "Events" of Garabandal has ended, and a new time begins, as we shall see in further posts that some of the girls started to receive locutions, where Jesus and Mary talk to them interiorly, privately. This is like a one to one conversation with the supernatural. Many Saints experienced locutions and wrote volumes of books on their revelations . . .

Conchita said once that she would rather have a locution over an apparition, cause then she has God inside her talking. Very interesting!
Deacon John

MONDAY, JANUARY 14, 1963:

CONCHITA "LEARNS" THE DATE OF
THE GREAT EVENTS OF "D" DAY.

The Archangel St. Michael finally gave the exact date of the future "D" day to Conchita alone. She would eventually say to Maria Herrero de Gallardo of Santander, that "by Year 2000, everything will then be near . . . "

In Garabandal, whether it be about the Message or about the so-called numerous prophetic announcements, we note that their revelation and clarification always occurred in a progressive way and in a significantly established order, "D" day being no exception to this "procedure." Thus Conchita learned first about the "very great Church event" that must take place, even before being notified of the Miracle as such: a legitimate respect, also, for the Church Hierarchy action, the dimension of Faith taking over that of "signs," as it should, and as was always the case in Garabandal proper.
[From 'Garabandal' Book, page 163]

God and Our Lady respects order and the Church! So when the Church gives an order, like when the local bishop forbade the visionaries from entering the tiny Garabandal church in ecstasy, Our Blessed Lady stopped them at the door and did not allow them to enter when She was with them. Mother Mary said, "Obedience to the Church gives great glory to God!"

If we mortals only believed and acted so. Imagine how holy the Church would be. Imagine how beautiful the Liturgies would be. Imagine how holy and devout all the priests and people would be! Obedience and humility are the keystones to all the virtues and the pathway to heaven! If only we could all walk that path! It's not easy being obedient to the Church! I've struggled with it myself. But thanks to excellent spiritual advice, I see the wisdom of obedience, because then we are doing God's Will, not our own, and on the road to heaven, not hell! I have to always keep in mind the words of Jesus in the Garden: "Father, if it be possible, take this chalice from me; but yet not my will, but thine be done." (Luke 22:42) [Douay-Rheims Bible]
Deacon John

SUNDAY, JANUARY 13, 1963:

Mari-Loli's last ecstasy (two months later she, as well as Conchita, will enter into the phase of her locutions). For some time already (Fall 1962), the visionary had known the very year of the future Warning, and also that "the Aviso will come less than a year before the great Miracle," furthermore that "both of these future great events might occur the very same year . . ." (Mari-Loli first public declarations, 1975).
[From 'Garabandal' Book, page 162]

Like I said before, I think it's too late for the Miracle this year of 2010, but the Warning could come any day now. Just when it looks the worst for mankind, it will happen. The whole world will come to a dead stop, suspended in time for a few minutes as we all see our sins flashed before our eyes, all the bad we have done and all the good we have failed to do. It will be a mini-chastisement! There will be sufferings and some may die from having a heart-attack! Those who love God, will love Him even more! Everyone will know and believe that this supernatural event is from God!

All I can say is: Why wait? Go to confession now if you need forgiveness. Be in a state of grace so that your sins will be few, if any. Then we will get through all this peacefully, and will be able to help others in their agony!!!
Deacon John