She Went in Haste to the Mountain (Page 52)

“The face turned completely upwards with a most beautiful expression”
CHAPTER SIX

He Came Unto His
Own, But His Own
Received Him Not.

In these words the last Gospel summarizes the most important event in history: God's coming down to mankind as one of them; and the result: mankind's rejection of His coming.

I would like to use those inspired words to caption Mary's coming among us at Garabandal.(1)

Although in His times Jesus came for all men and all nations, His coming was first of all to the people of His own country Israel. And how did that country, the first called and chosen, react to the coming of Emmanuel?(2) Some heard and accepted Him gladly; but others—the ruling classes in general, the priests and scribes—were obstinate in their hard-headed rejection. The first He filled with good things, As many as received Him, He gave power to be made sons of God. (John 1: 12) The others he abandoned to their emptiness and misery of soul, You
shall die in your sin . . . (John 8: 24) Here is a mystery in that He came unto His own, but His own received Him not.

As described in the last chapter, during the month of July, 1961, the extraordinary became a daily fact of life for the people secluded in those faraway reaches of the savage Cantabrian Mountain Range.

With the daily lavishing of exceptional graces, the Virgin—according to the words of her Magnificat— was filling whomever received her with good things, making them experience beyond others the marvel of being sons of God and her sons. She acted openly as a mother and teacher; but her actions did not extend to everyone in the same way. She instructed the multitude more in an indirect way, through phenomena that the people could not explain, but in the presence of which they felt a holy reverence. Through these phenomena many entered into living communion with a higher world that until then had but slight importance in their lives. However, to the four chosen girls she gave direct lessons almost every day, and frequently several times a day. Why only to them?

Had they merited more than others? Whoever asks this question I invite to question deeper. Why did Jesus choose only twelve apostles from the many who had been demonstrating themselves as fervent disciples? And why only to those twelve whose names we know today? The evangelist answers, And going up unto a mountain, He called unto Himself whomever He would, and they came to Him. And He appointed twelve that they might be with Him and that He might send them to preach. (Mark 3: 13-14) Whomever He would!

We do not know if they were worth more or if they merited more. It should never be forgotten that No flesh should glory in His sight, (Cor. 1: 29) but that everyone should say to himself, For who distinguished you? What have you that has not been received? And if you have received, why do you glory as if you have not received it? (Cor. 1: 7) But that all might know well then that it is not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, but of God that shows mercy. (Rom. 9: 16)

It would have been very inspiring and enjoyable to have heard first hand the lessons that the Heavenly Mother and Teacher began to give to her four privileged girls and disciples during the summer of 1961. However, as the girls were not capable of explaining these lessons, we will have to limit ourselves to presenting what others were able to capture indirectly and then transmit in testimony. (There are not many accounts concerning the month of July, 1961 that we are now describing.)(3)

Wings on Their Feet

As an example of what was happening almost every day in Garabandal, here is what occurred on July 16th. This was the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, elaborately celebrated throughout Spain,(4) which in that year fell on a Sunday.

I personally received the account from Andrés Otero Lorenzo from Santiago; he was both a witness and a participant in what he described.

On that July 16th, in the early hours of the afternoon, Mr. Lorenzo came by car to Garabandal together with Mrs. Zubiría and Carmen Herrero y Garralda, youngest daughter of the Marquese de Aledo.(5) They had left Ribadesella(6) several hours before and were arriving for the first time in Garabandal.

Like so many other strangers they soon came upon the home and café of Ceferino Mazón and began to ask questions. However, no one could say for sure that there would be an apparition that night. Loli, who was doing housework, soon appeared, and they learned from her that there would be an apparition—obviously she had already had a call. However, she was not able to tell at what time it would be.

Then they went out to stroll around and learn about the quaint and unusual town. They stopped at Conchita's house and had a talk with her. She confirmed what Loli had said. Yes, they were waiting for something, but much later. From the church tower the bells then began to ring out the first calls for the rosary in the church.(7)

The three travelers went out into the street again and made their way toward the church, strolling leisurely. They had not yet arrived at the plaza when they saw Conchita passing them swiftly, looking upwards as if transported. Mr. Otero, a strong man in his thirties, ran after her, attempting to stay at her side in order to observe her to his satisfaction.

«I was impressed by her face,»—he told me—«her total appearance. I had never seen anything like it before, nor have I seen anything like it since.(8) The face turned completely upwards with a most beautiful expression; the lips partially open—I don't know whether for praying or for speaking, or for both — the hands joined in front of her chest moving the beads of a rosary between the fingers. And then her walk! It was really unique in its grace and lightness; she appeared to take normal steps, yet one had almost to run in order not to be left behind.»

1. It will be readily understood by an intelligent reader that I am not attempting to put the coming of the Son of God into the world and the coming of the Virgin at Garabandal on the same plane. These two comings cannot be compared either in their physical or their spiritual reality, or in their meaning or in their relationship to the faith. The comparison given is only meant for illustration.

2. A Hebrew word signifying God with us.

3. Furthermore, in her diary, Conchita skips over almost all these dates in July.

4. Apart from devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel per se, among the reasons for this are the large number of women in Spain who are named María del Carmen, and the fact that Our Lady of Mount Carmel is the patroness of sailors.

5. Mr. Otero was at that time chauffeur to the Marquesa. The car that he took that day to Garabandal was a utility vehicle of Mrs. Zubiría that was better suited for the rugged ascent to the village.

6. A beautiful village in Asturias, very popular as a summer resort.
7. It was customary to recite the rosary at nightfall.

8. Meaning away from Garabandal, of course; since this man later made more visits to the village and viewed many of the girls' ecstasies that always left him amazed.

She Went in Haste to the Mountain (Page 51)

 
PRAYER — In the events of Garabandal, prayer has always been the most important thing. Very seldom would there be a vision in which the girls did not recite the rosary or pray a Station to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. The recitation of the rosary is frequently accompanied by song, at least during one decade. The girls are not seen counting the Hail Marys; nevertheless they never made a mistake in counting out the right number. they say that the Virgin advises them when it is time for the Gloria. The Virgin prays with them, it appears, the part that corresponds to the Gloria.(22) If sometimes they make mistakes or do not do it well, the Virgin nods her head a little to call their attention, though she remains smiling.

They ordinarily use the form that they learned from my brother and me: God salute you, Mary! You are full of grace. The Lord is with you. You are blessed among all women.(23) When they recite it singing, they employ another formula, the popular: The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among all women—which is what corresponds to the music. They recite the Station to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament many times with the ejaculation, Long live Jesus in the Blessed
Sacrament! Also they cross themselves many times; and always do so on their arrival at the church. At times they do this in a hurry, badly, and the Vision corrects them . . . On one occasion it was learned that she corrected them as to the way of placing their fingers in the form of a cross to kiss them on ending the sign of the cross.

The Virgin's style of prayer shows much similarity with Lourdes and Fatima; but in this case, besides the devotion to the rosary, it appears that she wants to bring out the attention that we owe the Blessed Sacrament.»

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And I would go on to add here that by this Garabandal comes to point out the great fall that the Church has undergone in the terrible crisis today: the setting aside of prayer, especially on the part of consecrated souls and the forgetting of the Sacramental Presence of Christ among us.(24)

As he continued, Father Ramón brought out another very remarkable matter that occurred in the early ecstasies at Garabandal:

«I myself have witnessed things that have given me reason to say that the girls spoke foreign languages while in their state of trance. Actually it isn't exactly that, at least not at the time I am writing these lines;(25) the fact is that the girls have spoken words in other languages. I have heard the following . . . (He gives some words in French, in Latin, in German, and the beginning of the Hail Mary in Greek.) The most interesting thing is not that they spoke these words in ecstasy, but that they corrected themselves when they spoke them badly, so as to come to correct diction and pronunciation. They gave the impression that they were hearing the words from someone, one after the other, and that they were simply repeating them.

OUTWARD APPEARANCE of the CONVERSATION —
From the second day of July, the date of the first apparition of the Virgin, the girls held their dialogues in ecstasy in the following ways or positions: on their knees, weaving back and forth, walking, and lying out on the ground. They have held these conversations singly (individual ecstasies), two together, in a group of three, or all four together.(26) When there are several together in ecstasy, everything about them is simultaneous and well synchronized; they speak and ask question at the same time, make the same exclamations of joy, and of fear . . . (27) and this, without there being—this is clearly seen—the slightest dependence of one upon the other. It appears unquestionable that they are corresponding to something that they are seeing and hearing at the same time.(28)

The sound of their voices varies. Sometimes it is almost inaudible, and other times it is heard normally. Ordinarily their speech is very low, something unusual, like a whisper. Their way of expression is the same as they use in ordinary conversations except for rare exceptions. In cases when they hear words whose meaning they do not understand—a frequent occurrence—they ask the vision for an explanation. And the vision either gives them the explanation requested, or—as occurred in the case of the word sacrifices—tells them to question the priests later on.

Toward the end of the trance the girls are frequently heard saying, Don't go away! Oh, don't go away! Thus they express their desire to remain in that state . . .

The words of St. Theresa in this regard are applicable: “The soul dares not move or stir, for it thinks that if it does so, this blessing may slip from its grasp: at times it would like to be unable even to breathe. The poor creature doesn't realize that, having been unable to do anything on its own to acquire that blessing, it will be still less able to keep it longer than the time that the Lord is pleased for it to possess it." (Autobiography of St. Theresa of Avila Ch. 15, Par. 1)

It is interesting also to read article 421 in the Theology of Christian Perfection by Father Royo Marín, who expounds upon the statement that No one can go into contemplation(29) on his own volition. This has been observed many times—in fact always—in the girls of Garabandal, who had to remain waiting, without the ability to hurry up the trance in spite of their desires. (I can name two single exceptions, in which they received a formal order to enter into ecstasy: one from the parish priest, and the other from me.)

Once they had received the third call, the girls were seen to enter, leave, and return to ecstasy without premonition or previous preparation, remaining in the trance with whatever they had in their hands—a flashlight, a glass, a dress, the hand of another girl—and there was no way to make them drop those articles . . . On the contrary at other times they had been prepared, ready, isolated from everyone, waiting for the Vision; and the wait had been in vain.

It was seen that it didn't depend upon them to have the ecstasy that they desired so much and that so drew their interest. From this their answer — full of humble sincerity — to the many questions from the people: Perhaps . . . When she wishes . . . When she says . . . On one occasion this question was put to them: Are you always going to see the Virgin? They answered, Oh! We don't know.»

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What else could they say? How could they understand the mysterious purposes and designs of God?

What was happening in Garabandal did not belong to them. They did not have a right to it, nor did they merit it, nor could they use it at their pleasure . . . They were there simply as instruments, nothing more: instruments in the hands of an exceptional divine action which would show God's fullness of love, beauty, and mercy; but which still would hide its full purpose and end; instruments each day for the extraordinary plan of God. He would know the reason!

In the face of all this that occurred, and in the hope of that which still can come, we conclude with the confident and laudatory thought of the apostle:

(Romans I 1: 33-36)

Oh the depth of the riches
Of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How incomprehensible are His judgments,
And how unsearchable His ways! . . .
For of Him, and by Him, and in Him, are all things:
TO HIM BE GLORY FOREVER!

22. According to what we have already learned from Conchita's diary, in the early times when the Virgin prayed the whole rosary with the girls, including the Hail Marys, it was to instruct them to recite the rosary more perfectly. Later she only recited the Gloria.
23. The form of the Hail Mary that the girls learned from Fr. Ramón is what is heard on the tape recordings during the girls' prayers in ecstasy.

24. The reality of this abandonment of prayer and the lack of devotion to the Holy Eucharist is so obvious that it is not necessary to give proofs. The amazing activities at Garabandal could well be an answer from heaven to this unfortunate attitude of many chosen.

25. September of 1961.

26. In the writings of Father Valentín, there is a note corresponding to Sunday, July 23rd, that reads this way: «Since yesterday the Virgin has appeared in distinct and separate places. Today she was at the Pines with Loli and Jacinta; Conchita and Mari Cruz saw her at the village fountain.»
27. In Cangas de Onís (Asturias), during the Holy Week of 1969, I heard from the venerable priest Father Alejo Martino, retired pastor from Corao:

«Sometimes I went up to Garabandal, too. I was present at an ecstasy of two of the girls: two angels in human flesh could not have had finer expressions . . . You would have to see it! And later, how the two made the sign of the cross at the same time in absolute concordance of movements!»

28. As a further illustration, Mr. Miguel González Gay, a lawyer from Santander, gave us this episode:

«Don Tomás, an indiano from Cossío, who owns a popular bar in Santander, recounted that one day, while walking through the Pines in Garabandal, he came upon Mari Cruz by chance — alone — kneeling in ecstasy. He knelt down at her side, trying to hear what she was saying, Dear Virgin, why have you called me so late, since the others have already started the second mystery of the rosary?

"I didn't stay to hear more; with all my might I ran down to the village, and I asked where the other girls were. They told me that the girls were next to the church. In a few steps I was there and I could verify with tremendous amazement that at that exact moment they were finishing the second mystery. How can such a coincidence be explained, if there were not someone who at the same time was in the company of the girl alone at the Pines and the two girls in the village?"»

29. This refers to supernatural contemplation, a higher form of prayer that is studied in courses on mystical theology.

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Contents of the Ecstasies

«We have large fragments of dialogue from the girls in ecstasy. In general the speech is simple and to the point, with childlike expressions, and gives the appearance of dealing with the happenings of the day or the previous days. Similar to what happened at Lourdes with Bernadette Soubirous, some of those that heard the conversations took them lightly; that is to say, they considered them trivial.
The extremely simple and transparent souls of the girls could be seen by their conversations. They made exclamations like these: How nice it must be in heaven! Take me even if it would be to bring me down another time. They were heard alluding to sacrifices, to the sins that they had committed, to persons there who didn't believe . . . From which it came that they asked frequently for cures and miracles in order that the people might believe. But the normal topics
in their conversations were simple things that corresponded mostly to their everyday life.
Frequently in their ecstasies they sang the popular song:

St. Michael the Archangel,
Great warrior
Who in the fiery battle
Vanquished Lucifer
Who is like God?
There is no one like God! (19)

The girls said that the Virgin requested that a chapel to St. Michael be built on a site at the Pines. I myself heard this said in their state of trance and also in their normal conversation.
On other occasions the girls in ecstasy composed verses. Generally these corresponded to what are called ballads in poetic literature. They accompanied these with music, that is, they recited them while singing.
As the ecstasies continued into September, 1961, verses formed part of the nightly rounds that the girls in ecstasy made to the other girls sleeping in their homes since they had not been called by the Virgin. Some corresponded to well known songs like Noche de Paz; others were spontaneous and only had a meaning in the circumstances in which they were recited. I remember only three of these ballads, although there were more that they sang; but they could not be written down at the time that they were recited, and besides they were not always heard clearly.

The night on which the feast of the Assumption began (August 14-15), the youngest of the girls, Mari Cruz, was sleeping in her home. The other three together sang to her, without previous rehearsal, some stanzas that began this way:

Get up, Mari Cruz:
Don't you smell the lilies?
That the Virgin brings you
So that you will be good.

On another night Loli was by herself singing to the other three who were in their homes since they were not having a vision. I could only hear what was said to Conchita:

Get up, little Conchita,
For the Virgin is here,
With a bouquet of flowers,
To give a present to you.»

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Isn't this exceptionally charming? What nights, the nights at Garabandal in those days! The peace, the grace, and the favors of God rained down — by the intercession of the Virgin Mary, through the four girls — onto all those who were either still up or had gone to sleep in the humble village, so close to the clouds, so far from the baseness and vileness of the big cities. Paris, la nuit! Madrid, con sus noches! There so much dissipation and empty frivolity. On the contrary, what nights were those in Garabandal on that summer of 1961. It is not surprising that those who lived there and the pilgrims from afar frequently called that town a little piece of paradise, and some did not hesitate to declare, There I experienced the most unforgettable moments of my life.

· · ·

We have already mentioned the part that the little stones, the medals, the rosaries, the crucifixes, and the marriage rings played in the ecstasies at Garabandal. And there is more to be said on this subject. Let us listen again to Father Ramón:
«THE KISSES — During the visions it was seen that the girls kissed something . . . Their gestures were evident, and they said later that they had kissed the Virgin, the Infant, St. Michael. And they were kissed in return. The motions of kissing, being kissed, receiving the Child, and taking the crown came across perfectly clear, and all could recognize them.
In the numerous trances that I witnessed, I never saw in a simultaneous action the girls kissing together but always one after the other. I only saw the simultaneous action when it was clear that the kiss was not given directly, but instead given from afar—what is called throwing a kiss . . . Frequently on terminating a vision, the girl or girls having it would receive a kiss on the
cheek—or two kisses, one on each cheek—and they would give only one in return.

THE MIRACLES — After Father Valentín told the girls to ask the Virgin for a miracle in order to be able to demonstrate a sign and be able to believe, they requested this many times. In the beginning, the Virgin smiled.(20) Afterwards, it appears that she became serious . . . When the girls told her that many did not believe, that no one believed, she answered on several occasions, They will believe.
Actually the girls stated that they had heard from the Virgin that there would definitely be a miracle,(21) although they did not know when, or in what it consisted.

19. This is a song that was well-known in the towns and regions of Spain, at least in the northern provinces.
In Garabandal, as in all the other sectors of Santander, this song is a residual of a mission or retreat.
What is said here about St. Michael does not need explanation, if one has followed the train of this story with attention.
20. This request for an actual miracle, to serve as a sign for everyone, began very early, undoubtedly because the people were continually asking for it. On July 15th, a Saturday, Fr. Valentín wrote down:

«They were there at a quarter before nine; they were some seven minutes in this state as usual and they were talking in a low voice. I got up close and I heard the following: Perform a miracle for us! Let the night be changed to day. (Mari Cruz said this.)
And Conchita said: Yes, perform a miracle for us even though it's only a little one.

And the following day, a Sunday and the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, they said, We saw the angel smiling. When we asked him to give us a sign, he became serious.»
21. This miracle to come is part of the immense mystery of Garabandal. Later on we will give more details about the Great Miracle.

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Sari, on the right of Conchita, one of the ‘child witnesses’

Concerning the spectators in Garabandal we can add this curious bit of information that Father Ramón gives us:

«In the beginning, during the first month and a half after June 18th, something happened three or four times that presented a characteristic of great originality.
On coming out of the trance, the girls said, The Virgin said that Sari and Mari Carmen(17) should come together with us; the others should be far away so that they don't hear what we say. Then the visionaries went up to the Pines(18) and went into ecstasy in front of the young witnesses who were able to move as they pleased among the visionaries. These witnesses were six years old.

On one occasion the people sought to change one of these for another older girl about twelve years of age. But the Virgin told them not to do so — they were to be the ones that she had mentioned. We were able to ask these child witnesses what the visionaries were saying, but they were barely able to repeat some of the words that they had heard, much less understand their significance. It seems that all this corresponded to the days in which the Virgin was manifesting a secret to the girls. Only concerning one of these ecstasies was a young witness able to explain anything to us. They said that she shouldn't tell us bad things (meaning what frightens or terrifies). That she shouldn't make us cry, that the things are sad. The little children didn't understand anything more. At times they became bored and came to us saying, They're crying.»

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Father Ramón attempts to give a probable explanation of these episodes, as striking as they are obscure:

«The interpretation of this seems to be that Father Valentín, the parish priest, should have a control from afar — through the witnesses — of what was happening in the trances, without hearing what the children were saying.»

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I do not know what to say about all these things; but it gives me much to think about. And this strengthens my conviction that Garabandal is still covered with a formidable mystery whose enormous scope will be revealed to us only with time, according to the plans of God and according to how we merit to understand the mystery.
We have desired to measure things too much by reason, too much by the light of human science in that which is far above our understanding, and which can only be obtained by humility and simplicity of heart. For it is written:

I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and the prudence of the prudent, I will reject . . .
Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world ? . . .
But the foolish things of the world has God chosen
that He may confound the wise.
And the weak things of the world has God chosen,
that He may confound the strong,
And the base things of the world
and the things that are contemptible has God chosen;
and things that are not,
that he might bring to naught things that are.
That no flesh should glory in His sight. (1 Cor. 1: 19-29)

17. Sari is Loli's sister; her complete name is María Rosaura. Mari Carmen is Jacinta's sister.

18. The Pines are one of Garabandal's holy places. There are nine pine trees without other trees in the area; they are on a high plain above the city, and are the first thing that is seen, together with St. Michael's chapel, when one comes up the road from Cossío to San Sebastián.

The nine Pines of our history are what remains of the small planting of pine and oak trees that had been done many years ago on the slope of Mount Hormazo. This was brought about by an agreement between the pastor of the village, Fr. Angel Cossío Vélez and the mayor, Serafín González, Conchita's paternal grandfather. It seems that the occasion was theFirst Communion of the children from the parish, and that the priest gave the Church's blessing to this small planting of trees. The trees were planted by the children from the village, and the affair took on a festive air even to the composition of verses which the children sang; one of these is:

Come you little children to plant the trees.
And let each one of us plant here.

At the time who would imagine the phenomena to which that location and those trees would serve as a backdrop!

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As many as 3,000 spectators a day came to see the ecstasies and participate in them.

The Spectators

«In the beginning the spectators did not take any part in what was happening. But later they took a certain participation. The girls not only spoke about the spectators whom they knew, but also located them and touched them during the ecstasies. As the girls explained it, they didn't see them but they felt them by touch. (Although they didn't feel it when they were touched by the spectators.)
They came to localize spectators in two ways; either by pointing in various directions until the Vision would tell them where they were, or by allowing their hand to be taken by the Vision to the place where the spectators were. This occurred mainly when they were returning the medals and rosaries.(14)

When they went to put a rosary or a gift kissed by the Virgin over someone's head, they were accustomed to say, Take my hands and place them since I do not see the person. At those times the movement was much more rapid and more exact, and they placed the rosary or gift without touching the head. These cases have been very numerous.

There has also been participation by the spectators as a group. One day the Virgin advised the girl to pray the rosary in the church after the apparition; but she found the church locked. So she started to pray at the door, and entering again into ecstasy, was told by the Virgin to pray louder so that the people could answer her. It was a beautiful rosary through the streets of the village; the girl in ecstasy marching ahead leading in a loud voice, and the people answering. The girl did not count the Ave Marías that were being said but she did not err on the number for any mystery, for the Virgin told her when it was time for the Gloria. This occurred on many other occasions.»

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On the pages of his history Father Ramón put down many details about this relationship between the visionaries and the spectators. Let us read some of them:
«On one occasion the girls in ecstasy fell down on their knees before each person present and said the Act of Contrition. But when coming in front of a young child—without seeing him—instead of saying the Act of Contrition, they prayed a Salve.»

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The example is forceful and nothing could make us more aware on the one hand of the dignity of every son of God with a baptized soul, and on the other hand of the realization that we are all sinners and in need of a continual practice of repentance. And beyond that, it points out the permanence of the state of grace brought on by baptism in those who still have not committed personal sins.

«Another time one of the visionaries made the Sign of the Cross on all the persons around them except one . . . We can imagine that person's dismay. The parish priest asked the girl later why she had not made the Sign of the Cross over this person. And the girl responded that the Virgin had said that this person was the only one of those present who had made the Sign of the Cross on getting up in the morning. On questioning all those involved, it was learned that it had indeed been like that.»

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A good lesson concerning the necessity of not starting our day without prayer. There are few things so advisable for a Christian Life as to mark the start of each day with the raising of the heart toward Our Father Who art in heaven.
«A very concerned woman requested the visionary to ask the Virgin if her husband believed in God. After the ecstasy she learned the answer. In God he believes; in the Virgin, very little; but he will believe.»

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This became clear on learning—the visionary did not know—that the husband was a Protestant.(15)
«A man on his knees prayed mentally for the conversion of his son-in-law. As he was thus in prayer, known only to himself, a girl in ecstasy approached and spoke into his ear the word Yes, which some of those nearest to him were able to hear also. When I asked the girl later why she had said this Yes, she answered, The Virgin told me: Here is a man: Tell him "Yes." I insisted on knowing to what this "Yes" referred. I don't know, the Virgin only told me at the time that I should say "Yes" to the man.

On August 15th one of the girls prayed with a rosary that I had given her; when returning it later I saw that the cross was gone. It had come off and been lost. It was useless to search in those streets, alleys, and trails. After twenty days, on the fifth of September, it occurred to me to mention it to the girls, who asked the Virgin for the cross from my rosary. I was able to hear myself the dialogue in which they asked and how the exact location was indicated. At the end of the vision, we went without hesitation to the place mentioned and there the crucifix was found in the mud under a stone.

Another time five holy cards were given to the children for the Virgin to kiss. The visionary was holding them up one by one to the Vision, all except one which it appeared she did not wish to take. The owner of that holy card, shaken, then came to me crying and saying that she wanted to confess her sins. Later she returned to give her holy card to the girl in ecstasy and the girl, after she had listened to the Virgin and smiled, offered that holy card first of all to Her to kiss. The person to whom this happened in front of me gave me permission to mention it.
Here is another case concerning the state of conscience. I saw one of the girls in ecstasy suddenly fall on her knees in front of a woman. The woman drew back very deliberately as the girl, holding her glance fixed on high, corralled her in a corner. There the girl smiled very gently for a few moments and then left her.

The effect that this caused in the person was very great. And afterwards I learned that she had come to Garabandal very distraught with the thought that her confessions had not been made properly. For that reason she had prayed to God and the Virgin, If my past confessions have been made properly, let the girl come clearly to me. She had barely formed mentally this prayer when the girl—from the other end of the street—advanced on her knees toward her without paying attention to any other person. The answer had been wonderful.

The capacity that the girls in ecstasy possessed to know hidden things about the spectators has been shown on many other instances. But attention is called particularly to the facility with which they discovered some of those around them were priests.
Many times they said that priests were there when no one could have suspected it. Or that there were more priests than there appeared to be (due to their disguises), and it was always proven that it was indeed so.»(16)

14. It should not be lost from view that the girls, when entering into ecstasy, were taken away from the normal world of the senses; taken up into a supernatural light, which blinded their normal vision, breaking their contact with everything that physically surrounded them.

15. Now he is a Catholic, and definitely as a fruit of the child's play of Garabandal. His story will be brought forth later on.

16. It is beyond doubt that particular attention has been accorded priests at Garabandal. Proofs of this are innumerable. In this regard, these events point out the tremendous crisis in the Church that soon would come out in the open.

She Went in Haste to the Mountain (Page 47)

“The falls in the state of trance increased.”

Besides this medium of questions and answers, it was usual to have another manner of intercommunication. The girl in ecstasy was accustomed to remain rigid — as if paralyzed — at times. It was useless then to try to move or change the position of her face, hands, arms, etc. The effect was like dealing with a statue. But it didn't result that way for any of the other visionaries in the normal state. She could change the position of her companion in ecstasy, at which time the tremendous rigidity that existed for other persons appeared to change into a great flexibility for her.(12)

Many reflexes disappeared during the ecstasy; others remained only deadened. Thus the eyes appeared as if dead, without sight; but in proportion as the visions increased, the eyes appeared to acquire a brilliance in the pupils. The children cried at times with tranquil tears that ran down their faces. These tears corresponded with the times in ecstasy that they learned things and must have been the consequence of what they had heard and seen, since they were then heard to say, Oh! Pardon, pardon. Mercy. Ah! Let's not do that again! Yes, let's tell them about it.»
On one occasion they returned to the normal state with tears in their eyes and said that the Virgin had complained that the people were acting with irreverence in the church.
Another time the same thing occurred while in the street and the children declared that Father Luis had told them that there was little order among the public; that they were climbing one on top of the other; that they should advise the pastor and his brother(13) to try to establish order, arranging the young men of the village in a large circle. And the girls said that—because of the disorder—the Virgin was leaving soon.

12. The chief of the Civil Guard, Juan Alvarez Seco, who lived nearby, remembers this case.
«One day María Dolores was on the second floor of her house where she had apparitions many times. Her father Ceferino had said that, when they came down from there to the floor below where the tavern was, they would unscrew the light bulb since there was no switch to turn it off. Loli, while putting her hand on the bulb this time, fell into ecstasy, and she didn't take away her hand. We all feared that if she continued like this, holding onto the lit light bulb, she would burn her hand. Her mother said, Heavens, take away the light bulb!

However all our efforts were useless. Then we called Mari Cruz who wasn't in ecstasy, and she—with the greatest of ease—made Loli let go of the bulb. Then the girl went down the stairs and continued her ecstatic march.»

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

13. Fr. Luis: Father Luis Andreu, who will be discussed later. The Pastor: Fr. Valentín Marichalar The brother: Fr. Ramón María Andreu (brother of Father Luis), the author of these writings, who was spending some time in Garabandal.

She Went in Haste to the Mountain (Page 46)

“We go as though we are in the air”

In spite of the very difficult positions in which they held themselves, in spite of the long marches, in spite of being on their knees on top of sharp stones, their impression was always that the vision had lasted only a brief time; and when it ended, they remained with a sensation of having rested. All their appearance seemed to confirm this since they showed no sign of fatigue or of exertion. Their complection had a light pallor, but felt fresh to the touch.

We have already mentioned some of the things that were said by Mari Cruz' mother. Pertaining to this is the following:

«One day a man from Madrid was here and he said to my daughter, If you will repeat now the things you were doing, I will make your home into a chalet and I will buy you a car. She shrugged her shoulders.
But I said, How is she going to do that? Really it is impossible for her to do that thing again.
And there is no one who can do it. Do you think a person is going to stay in the position that she was in one time for two and a half hours? Who is going to stay two and a half hours the way she stayed?
And who will fall on their knees on top of a sharp stone and not hurt their knees, as she did one time without anything happening? Mr. Emilio del Valle took that stone. She was on it about three quarters of an hour and Emilio said it is not possible to stay in that position. I can assure you that Mari Cruz is not faking this.»

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Escolástico put in his part:

«Candido and I were in the stable one day and we were laughing at them and we were asking them, "What are you accomplishing with this?" And they answered us, "You are laughing? Well, some day you will see."»

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Mari Cruz' mother added:
«Why doesn't the Virgin act in these apparitions the same as she has acted in the others?»

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Men rule the affairs of earth, but not the affairs of heaven . . .

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Continuing the report of Father Andreu:
«Faced with the intrusion of curious and devoted people who were coming in great numbers, the parents determined to close the doors of their homes and keep the children inside. The Virgin told them to obey and that she would continue to come in spite of everything.

Beginning on August 3rd, the falls in the state of trance increased considerably; sometimes the four together; sometimes several of them; sometimes only one. The position that they adopt in these falls is truly like a sculpture of great beauty.
It was not remembered — I certainly have not seen it — that they even one time took a position the least bit indecent or incorrect.(10) They could be on the ground a moment or several minutes. The fall, when several of them were involved, was accustomed to be admirably synchronized; and without the least preparation, they formed groupings that were on the whole truly extraordinary.»

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Father Arintero, in his book The Mystical Evolution mentions, "In the false ecstasies, the convulsive movements that usually occur are uncoordinated and unseemly, and the person is exposed to great dangers; while in the divine ecstasies an admirable modesty and composure is kept, and there is no risk of danger, even though the person should happen to fall into fire."(11)

«In the Garabandal phenomena two groups or camps can be distinguished. One group consists of the spectators and the other of the young girls. The spectators could see the girls and their manner of comporting themselves, their movements, laughter, words, anesthesia, etc.; but they could not see the apparition. The girls viewed the apparition, being in its light, hearing its words; but they did not see nor were they aware of the public, although they knew that the public was there since the apparition told them of this many times.
The girls in their vision saw each other; however if one of them came out of the ecstasy and the others did not, the ones in the ecstasy no longer saw the one who was not in it. If she went back into ecstasy they would see her.
There existed also an intermediate zone. From the first days of September it was observed that the girls who were in ecstasy were able to establish contact with the other visionaries who were not; but only with them. Thus, for example, if Jacinta went into ecstasy, she could communicate with Mari Cruz, Loli, and Conchita who were near to her and out of ecstasy, that is, in the normal state. This contact was established through questions which could only be made mentally.

10. Donna María Josefa Herrero y Garralda, a woman from León who went up to Garabandal in July and August of 1961, assured me about this, marveling over the perfect modesty that the girls demonstrated during their ecstatic falls. Not only was their bodily posture really beautiful and dignified, but also their clothes always fell in a proper way, even to sliding in a direction that appeared contrary to the law of gravity: «It was as if an invisible hand was there not to permit anything bad to happen; everyone felt a great respect in front of these scenes.»

11. Andrés Otero Lorenzo was present during these days of July and August in 1961 at an extraordinary spectacle of which there were many witnesses: a mysterious game of the girls in ecstasy in the choir loft of the parish church. Repeatedly with their faces looking up and listening to someone invisible, they mounted on top of the railing of that choir loft without looking where they were putting their feet and walked along the outside edge, in continuous danger of falling and hurting themselves. And they jumped down to the floor of the church and then went back up to jump down again.

The first time that he saw them on the choir loft railing, or outside of it, the man ran to give possible help, saying very fearfully, They will fall and be killed! And he could not understand the calmness of Ceferino, Loli's father, who unexcitedly said, Don't worry, nothing is going to happen.