She Went in Haste to the Mountain (Page 61)

The girls in Garabandal saw the Virgin at the same time
that Conchita was seeing her in Santandar

But how Father Odriozola and Dr. Piñal would have been surprised if they had known that while they were questioning and insulting Conchita in the church rectory at Santander, the people in Garabandal were completely aware of what was happening on Alta Street! And not by means of a telephone.
While Conchita's ecstasy was taking place, the other three girls still in the village had an apparition at the Pines; and during it the Virgin told them that Conchita was also seeing her at the same time. The girls told this then to the people, and the chief of the Civil Guard(55) was able to determine soon afterwards — by a telephone call from Puente Nansa — the complete exactness of his information.
For the Virgin had informed the girls at the Pines in Garabandal about what had happened at the same time ninety kilometers away. Father Valentín Marichalar, the parish priest, is one of the reliable witnesses who can guarantee the truth of this fact.
The next day they took me to the doctors( 56) to see if I was ill.
They took me to one whose name was Morales and several others.
And they all told me that I was well, and that these apparitions were a dream.
And they said that I should stay there in Santander to amuse myself, so that I could forget everything, and not go back to have more apparitions.
As can be seen, the Commission began immediately to observe and study the case of Conchita with close attention. But no matter how carefully they examined the constitution and psychology of the young girl, they could not find anything on which they could base a diagnosis of illness or abnormality. But they had to say something since they would not admit that the things that were happening were unexplainable. And also they had to do something. They said that things like these were unreal: fantasies, dreams, hallucinations. And they did do something: they made a plan of treatment. Conchita would remain in Santander and be exposed to an environment that would distract her so that soon those strange ideas would leave her head.
The attitude and the words of the consulting doctors impressed themselves on Aniceta's mind.

Then my mother, as she was so convinced that there was nothing wrong (with me) because everything that the doctors told her, left me (in Santander) and went away.The treatment to cure Conchita was very appropriate.
Some nieces and sisters of Father Odriozola came every day to pick me up at the house in order to go to the beach and the fairs, which up to then I had never seen.(57)
We can imagine the dazzling and disturbing effect of which up to then I had never seen, or even imagined and would cause in the young girl reared in the poverty of a secluded mountain village, at the beginning of adolescence, with her sensibilities stirred up after being suddenly uprooted from her native rural surroundings, so simple and austere. She had to be enticed by the resorts and beaches crowded with lounging, pleasure-seeking, semi-nude bathers, by the booths at the fair(58) and the shows, entertainments and novelties never seen in the mountain villages. A diocesan priest informed me in a letter that they even took Conchita to a fortune teller's booth.
How could the young girl from Garabandal not be overwhelmed when suddenly plunged in such pleasurable dissipation? Being hurled like this into so many and such unaccustomed experiences, it would have required a miracle to maintain her spirit serene and pure so as to be capable of receiving influences from on high. And it seems that a miracle did not come.
And neither did the apparitions . . .
If from this the Commission drew its conclusion that what the child had undergone before was not showing any guarantee of proceeding from God, this shows the measure, the poor measure, of their size as experts in mystical and spiritual theology.
The actions of God do not ordinarily come about with an easy plan that crushes all resistance; nor do the designs of God unfold independently of human correspondence and cooperation. Even God's grandest plans can fail if on the part of the recipients there is an obstinate lack of attention, openness or docility. Who has ears to hear, let him hear.
And since I went every day to the beach, the Virgin did not appear to me.(59)
Father Ramón Andreu wrote in the first edition of his notes:
«The girl mentioned to me that in Santander they showed her photographs and had her experience other things, without doubt a form of testing . . . The purpose of this seemed to be to remove her from the environment in which she had lived and which thus influenced her visions. Without my asking her especially about that period of her life, she told me in front of some other people, The Virgin stated that she had not come to see me more because I was going to the beach. But now I have confessed.»

55. On July 27th, the Chief of Police, Juan Alvarez Seco was in Santander, unaware of Conchita's trip. Before setting out, he assigned guards to observe carefully what happened that day in Garabandal in order to give him a report later. On returning in the afternoon, he called the two who had been on guard, and from them received the information that «at 1 o'clock in the afternoon, the angel had appeared to MariCruz, Jacinta, and María Dolores . . . that they had said that they were not very happy because that day, when the Virgin appeared, Conchita was not coming there to see her . . . and then the angel assured them that Conchita was also seeing the Virgin, at the same time in which they were seeing her in Garabandal.»

Juan Alvarez Seco quickly verified by an official telephone call to Officer Crescencio from headquarters in Santander, the truth of what the guards had informed him. The amazement had to be mutual . . . Someone reported that when the officer in Santander began saying Listen, do you know what this girl Conchita has done here? the officer in Puente Nansa answered, Yes, I already know.
—But who could have told you this?
—The Virgin!

56. The visits to the doctors must have lasted several days. On one of these days, the cutting of Conchita's braid took place. This is an interesting episode.
The Commission decided on this haircutting apparently for two reasons:
1. In order that the girl would not be easily recognized in the streets of Santander, since many persons had already gone up to Garabandal, and many others were familiar with the photographs of the visionaries.

2. To eliminate a possible cause of these unusual phenomena. It is hard to believe this last reason, but I have heard it and read about it several times. And here is the straightforward testimony of Father Julio Porro Cardeñoso, a Canon of Tarragona, one of the best-informed persons on the Garabandal events, in his manuscript The mystery of Garabandal in Catholic Theology: «Members of the Commission had aired their views that Conchita's braid was the origin of a mysterious fluid that held her companions in control.»

It appears more believable what Father José Ramón García de la Riva wrote me, after gathering information in the village, «They took her to a beauty shop. The beautician noticed something unusual in the braid, namely that it was difficult to cut. From this, they said the hair had an unusual force over the other girls.» The second edition of the story of Samson; and in this life surprises never end.

57. In treating Conchita by way of distractions, not only did the sister and nieces of Father Odriozola collaborate, but also Antonina González López, the sister of Father Luis.
I am sure that those women acted with good will, persuaded that they were doing a good work. However, I do not accept so easily the good faith of those charged with curing Conchita. One of the methods of treatment was to take the girl away from the practice of religion. Aniceta, who remained some days with Conchita in Santander, was worried and irritated in seeing that not even on one day—perhaps not even on Sunday—was the young girl given an opportunity to assist at Mass.

58. Santander had to be exceptionally wild on those days since, apart from the summertime in full activity, at that time the fairs of St. James were being held. The feast of St. James, a holy day of obligation in Spain, falls on the 25th of July.

59. This does not mean that going to the beach is a sin in itself. It means only that such an atmosphere, frequently so full of sensuality and stimulation, poses a serious obstacle to a special communication with a supernatural world.

With respect to Conchita, it appears that the selection of a bathing suit was not carried to the extreme of decency.

She Went in Haste to the Mountain (Page 60)

Conchita in an ecstatic fall.

During the whole vision — an hour at least — Mari Cruz was kneeling on top of a sharp stone, about 2 inches wide, without showing then or afterwards any sign of pain or discomfort.(45)
In their conversation with the apparition they were heard to ask why she had not brought the Infant, and then they began to talk about some priests that were then present,(46) especially about the one who had most attracted their attention.
Since we wanted so much to know who was the priest who had come in the white habit,(47) we asked the Virgin.
And the Virgin said nothing; she only smiled.
But we insisted again, and after a long time she said, He is a Dominican.
And I said a Dominicu?
And she said Yes.

More of the conversation was heard. They told the Virgin that the parish priest had given them plums in the sacristy, that the pulpit of the church was about to fall down, that Father Valentín had scolded Conchita for wearing her hair loose(48) like St. Michael, that Conchita's mother was very dark skinned and only had two teeth, that they had made a movie, and that they had never been to a movie theater, although they had passed in front of one in Torrelavega,(49) That it was a house . . .
And naturally Conchita did not forget her mother's request.

That same day I asked the Virgin if she would let me go to Santander.And she didn't forbid me.This is very expressive: She didn't forbid me. Not a definite approval, not even a warm one. On the part of the Virgin, this must have been like a shrugging of her shoulders, allowing Conchita to go — without forbidding her.
At the conclusion the closest spectators heard the girls say:
An hour already? . . . That has gone past! . . . A half minute . . . An hour and a quarter? . . . No, half a minute . . . But it is as you say since you don't lie . . . Oh! An hour and twenty minutes.
The spectators could determine by their watches the exactness of the time that was mentioned. The girls threw kisses in the air and opened and closed their hands with the gestures of waving good-bye. Abruptly, as sudden as turning off the electricity in a light bulb, the four girls lowered their gaze and heads at the same time, and returned to an absolutely normal expression. Let us go say the rosary, they said. And thus ended an eventful day in the extraordinary history of Garabandal.
We do not know if Conchita slept well that night.(50) Since the Virgin had not opposed it, Aniceta decided definitely on the trip to Santander; they would go on the following day. Her daughter had to be experiencing disturbing feelings; that place was far removed from the ordinary run of her daily life. She was going to finally know the beautiful and important city that she had heard so much about; she was gong to see things she had never seen. There some men were waiting who did not know what to make of her, and she could not imagine how they would treat her or what they could do to her. What she vaguely understood about the reason for the trip did not ease her mind.
They wanted to take me to Santander, because they said that I was the one who was influencing the others.
As dawn broke on July 27th, Aniceta quickly finished the most pressing household duties and packed the things that she had to take with her. Then she departed with her daughter at an early hour, wishing to find the streets of the village deserted so that it would not be necessary to make explanations.(51)
With the arrival of Conchita at Santander, the marvels of Garabandal would be extended to the capital, at the time basking in summertime frivolity. One of its streets, one of the most traditional and typical of them all,(52) would witness something that it had never before witnessed.

The first day that I went (to Santander), I had an apparition near the church of Our Lady of Consolation.
And there were many people there; so many people were there that the armed police (Policia Armada)(53) had to intervene.
That day they made various tests on me.
And when the apparition was finished, they took me to an office for a priest and a medical doctor to question me.
The priest was named Fr. Francisco Odriozola and the doctor was Dr. Piñal.
We can imagine the commotion that developed in the street's heavy traffic when the people saw such an unusual spectacle: a young girl bowed down on her knees, completely transfigured and absorbed in something that was happening above her, and at her side a poor peasant woman, nervous and upset, not knowing what to do. The gathering of the crowd and the shouting caused, as Conchita mentions, the intervention of the police whose station was right on the street.
There must have been all kinds of comments. Many people who had heard of Garabandal were finding to their amazement that one of its famous visionaries was in the middle of the street. Others who did not know anything about Garabandal or did not believe, felt indignation or pity toward the pair of village peasants who seemed to be either performers in a comedy or else victims of a tragedy.
Among the first to discover what was happening were the priests from the parish church, among whom was Father Luis González López — then a coadjutor, later a parish priest — who had arranged the girl's trip and assumed responsibility for watching over her. Immediately Father Odriozola and Dr. Piñal were notified. As soon as the ecstasy was over, Conchita found herself before them in an office of the parish rectory.
They told me: that since I had done these things . . . that I was crazy . . . that I was deceiving people this way . . .
We do not know if the members of the Commission spoke this way for simple tactics, or whether their minds were completely closed to the possibility that this could come from a higher cause. There are reasons — that will come out later — to think that it was the latter reason.
I do not know why this brings bad memories of a certain style of investigation and interrogation that has been employed extensively for important trials down through the centuries. (54)
After the interrogation and the insults came other things more amusing.
And he said to me, Straighten up.
Look at my nose. I am going to hypnotize you.
And when he told me, Look at my nose, I laughed.
And he said to me, Don't you laugh.
This is not a laughing matter!
And that day they didn't do anything more to me.
We do not know at which time this first session of Conchita's treatment ended, but it must have taken place on the evening that she arrived.

45. See the conversation of Mari Cruz's mother on page 94.

46. «Where it concerned a priest, the girls always asked the apparition in a very special and intense way. It appeared that nothing concerned them more.» (Report of Father Andreu in the French publication of Conchita's Diary.)

47. In their dialogue, the girls did not talk to the Virgin only about the white habit of that Father, which they had never seen, but also of his «shoes with holes». (sandals)
48. At that time, Conchita had beautiful long tresses of hair, which ordinarily were tied in a braid. Soon we will see the fate of that long braid.

Title :es: Área metropolitana de Santander-Torrelavega :en: Santander-Torrelavega metropolitan area (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

49. The most important city in the province after the capital, known not only for its industry, but also for its cattle fairs. The girls would have been expected to have traveled there since the people from the west side of the Montaña did their business more at Torrelavega than at Santander which was much farther away.
50. On July 28th Father Valentín wrote down, «Conchita set out for Santander, in compliance with the bishop. She said that she wanted to stay, but if they took her, she would go peacefully.»
51. The travelers left the town about 12:30 in the afternoon, walking to get on a bus in Cossío for Polaciones-Pesués. In Pesués, a station of the Cantabrian railroad (a route joining Santander with Asturias), Father Luís González, who accompanied them, bought three first class tickets. And they boarded the train leaving for Oviedo that would bring them to Santander early in the afternoon.

52. Called Calle Alta (High Street) because of its location, and which has been immortalized by some pages of Santander literature. It is one of the few streets remaining from ancient Santander after the terrible fire of February 16th, 1941.

53. There are two police forces that maintain order in Spain: the Civil Guard (green uniforms) and the Policia Armada (gray uniforms); the latter is in charge of the capitals in the provinces and the larger cities.

We know that this ecstasy of Conchita was very beautiful; on her knees and with her head thrust very much backwards. Those that could view it were amazed. To end this spectacle on a public street, several men, taking her up by the arms and legs, brought her to the parish rectory.

This ecstasy occurred at nine on the evening of her arrival— the same hour on which the others at Garabandal had an apparition at the Pines.

A little after that hour, Aniceta, with her long experience with the nights at Garabandal, became anxious that something might happen to her girl. Father Luis calmed her down, assuring her that there in Santander nothing would happen, that she should not worry thus about Conchita. When Conchita came to herself — the girl having been in ecstasy —she was surrounded by curious people in front of the gates of the church!

54. This is a manner of investigation used very much in the past; a style that seeks to condemn. Questions are asked not to clarify the situation in search of the truth, but rather to find a base or justification for a negative opinion. It is assumed that whoever is judged is in the wrong; and cannot be in the right, since opposed to the ideas, the preferences and the interests of those who do the questioning and make the judgments.

She Went in Haste to the Mountain (Page 59)

“They said it was I who was influencing the others.”

Now let us return to the starting point, and continue our discussion of the members of the Commission and the days when they started their activity.

The Apostolic Administrator, Doroteo Fernández, must have had a very high opinion of them since in his first note about Garabandal that appeared in the Official Bulletin of the Diocese, dated August 26th, 1961, the Monsignor states,
«We have named a Commission composed of persons of well-known prudence and doctrine in order that they can inform us with a complete guarantee of objectivity and competence about these happenings.»
We are going to see their first activities. But before this, let us consider the situation.
And to do this, we will return to Conchita's diary.

Two months before the message (which was in October, as will be seen) they took me to Santander by means of a priest named Father Luis.
She refers to Father Luis González López, who years before had been a parish priest first at Garabandal, then at Celis in the same diocese of Rio Nansa, and finally had ended up at the parish of Our Lady of Consolation in the capital of Santander. Father López had connections with San Sebastián de Garabandal not only because of his years as a priest there, but also by family ties, since he was related to Conchita's mother through marriage between mutual relatives.

But why was it planned to bring Conchita to Santander?

They wanted to take me to Santander, because they said it was I who was influencing the others.

The Commission would have to think this and so would everyone else. Father López, who had been present at some of the events, and Father Valentín Marichalar saw the usefulness of making tests. Conchita's mother was not overly concerned since everyone had complete trust in Father López as a priest, and it was right in his house that the child would rest during her stay in the capital.

Everyone was very concerned about what was happening in the village, and the concern was increasing each day. Those who felt themselves responsible, while rejecting any possibility of bad faith on the children, had to ask frequently where this affair was going to end; and if there might be any means that might be taken to clarify what was happening so as to guide themselves in the right way. Could it be that Conchita, who was showing herself as the strongest personality and the leader, was influencing the rest of the group?

And furthermore was she not also staying in the surroundings created by the events? It appeared advisable to make a test, and take her away from those surroundings.
The initiative must have come from the Commission, and Father López would be the perfect intermediary . . . (37)
But Aniceta did not take to all these things. For the first time the daughter over whom she watched so carefully was going to be taken away from her side, and her maternal instinct sensed certain risks. Because of this she wished to have some assurance from above.

The night before going to Santander,( 38) there were many people (in the
village) and among them a priest with a white habit.
And it surprised me very much that he came with a habit of this color. I had never seen anything like it.
On that day my mother had told me to ask the Virgin if she should let me go to Santander, and I told her that I would ask her.(39)
In Sánchez-Ventura's book Apparitions are Not a Myth, Chapter VI, more details are given about what Conchita is starting to narrate. These details are given by an eyewitness who fills in from his observation the things the girl remembers from her personal experience.

It was July 26th, 1961.(40) In the morning the girls already had a vision, and then announced another for the afternoon. Before the day is over, they said.
Some six hundred persons had assembled in the village; among them six priests and a Dominican Father from the labor college in Córdoba.
It was 6:00 in the evening when the four of us had already received two calls.
A father had brought us a box of caramels; his name was Alfonso Cobián.(41)
He had given them to the four of us.
And when we were eating them, the third call came.
And we dropped the caramels on the road.
How we would have liked to eat them!(42) But we liked more, much more, to see the Virgin.
And besides the third call is a thing that takes us, and we don't know how.
We were going to the place called the Cuadro; but we did not have time to get there, and she appeared to us before we arrived there.

It was approximately eight o'clock in the evening, still daylight during the days of July. The girls began running toward the calleja; but before they were able to get inside the wooden barriers, they plunged on their knees, two in front and two behind. Conchita held her head upwards in an extreme position most of the time; the other three looked in front of them with their eyes firmly fixed up above. Mari Cruz was crying. The expressions on their faces were very gentle. At times they smiled, and at other times they laughed freely.
Then at the same time they all took the medals and rosaries that they wore around their necks in order to give them to the vision to kiss. One of them said, This is from a man who told me you should kiss it very hard.
Jacinta started one of those oscillatory movements which were to become, sometime later, one of the most striking phenomena in Garabandal— the ecstatic falls.(43) There are some very interesting photographs of these falls — especially with regard to Loli and Conchita. Mari Cruz, while in the trance, extended her arm to support Jacinta who had just fallen halfway to the ground.

Conchita said to Mari Loli, Cross my arms right, you have crossed them backwards.(44) (It can be recalled, as already has been mentioned, that during the ecstasies only the girls were able to easily move one another; to all other persons their arms and legs had such a rigidity that it was almost impossible to budge them. A similar thing occurred with their weight and the effect of gravity. They could lift each other up with the greatest ease; while two strong men could barely manage to move one of them.)

37. A reliable priest, Father José Ramón García de la Riva later informed me about this, writing «the voyage to Santander was a trick of the Commission (Father Odriozola) on Father Valentín and Aniceta. he assured them that it was solely a visit with the bishop. But it was already arranged with Father Luis to hold the girl in the capitol, well away from the atmosphere of the apparitions.»

38. That is, on July 26. There is something strange and unsolved from the previous day, July 25, a big day in Spain because it is the celebration of the feast of its patron, St. James the Apostle. «On that day»—said Juan Alvarez Seco—«I had stationed a pair of guards in the calleja, and another pair in front of Conchita's house. The four visionaries were playing in a field near by; it was a beautiful afternoon and the sky was completely clear of clouds. Suddenly, toward 6:30, a very black cloud gathered on top of Peña Sagra, and from it a striking ray of lightening shot out from on high to below. The girls fell on their knees extremely frightened. The thunder which followed shook us all. But they remained then with a look of ecstasy, gazing toward above . . . I remember that I had to calm down the shouting of Mari Cruz's mother. All remained several minutes in silence. Then there was someone who told me later, very seriously, although without giving it more importance, that he had seen on top of the cloud, one or two figures that looked like the Holy Father.»

39. Aniceta's question shows that, in spite of the doubts and fears that assailed her at times, deep down she was almost sure that her daughter was not inventing this or pretending.

40. I am almost sure that this is the date and not the 27th, as Sánchez-Ventura writes in his book.

41. Pastor of Ribadesella (Asturías), as already has been mentioned.

42. There is a significant revelation in Conchita's exclamation. Almost all young girls have good appetites, and we would expect this would be stimulated in those poor girls from the village, so little accustomed to fine things. Grace does not destroy nature.

43. The falls which are mentioned here, should not be confused with the falls of the girls on their knees in the beginning of the ecstasies or in the middle of an ecstatic march. These falls we are describing were a swaying of the girl in ecstasy, gradually increasing more and more until she was as though lying on the ground. They occurred rather often at Garabandal, and always the girls' falls drew attention by the decorum and the grace of their faces. The spectators could not but be brought to admiration and respect.

44. It seems to me more acceptable, because it is more understandable, what Father Valentín wrote in his notes: «Conchita was rigid, and with her arms held out forward, and Loli said to her,
—Put your arms down lower.
—You put them down, Conchita answered.
And Loli lowered one arm. Then I attempted to lower the other; but it was completely rigid. Following this, Loli lowered it.»

She Went in Haste to the Mountain (Page 58)

“The girls demonstrated a special predilection for priests and religious.”

"To His Own . . ."
The Official Stance:
Negative

We have seen how the parish priest, Father Valentín Marichalar, from the very first days had proposed to go as soon as possible to the diocesan capital in order to inform the bishop about everything that was happening.

It cannot be verified on what date he completed this project; although it was obviously before the middle of the month of July, since during the last half of that memorable month a group of persons from the mountain capital of Santander were already acting as if they were the Commission named by the bishop to study the Garabandal Affair.(32)
According to our information, this group consisted of three priests as experts in ecclesiastical disciplines and two laymen as experts in medical science. The priests were Juan Antonia del Val,(33) Francisco Odriozola,(34) and José María Sáiz,(35) the latter being the best theologian of them all according to the opinion of numerous priests from the Santander area. The canon of Tarragona, Father Julio Porro, also listed Agapito Amieva, the Provisor of the bishop of Santander as a member of the Commission; but this cannot be proven. The medical men were Doctor Morales, a well-known psychiatrist and Doctor Piñal, an anesthesiologist; both lived and worked in the Santander capital.(36)
In order that the reader might have a better point of reference about the bishop's Commission — and even though this will in part go ahead of our story — I would like to insert here some information that has come my way. On the 8th of May, 1968, the same year of the tragic death of Puchol Montís (the bishop who declared a No against Garabandal that appeared definitive), two reputable priests signed a confidential report destined to the cardinals, archbishops and bishops of the French language. These two priests were the parish priest Alfred Combe (a Frenchman of the District of Ródano) and Father José Laffineur (a
Belgian who had settled in France and who was to die on November 28th, 1970).

Fr. Laffineur with Conchita

The fourth part of this report deals with Garabandal and Canon Law with affirmations such as these:

The Commission has never been a tribunal, nor has it ever acted or judged as an ecclesiastic tribunal according to regulations. For example, it has never required an oath from those who were summoned and interrogated.

This Commission was composed of two laymen and three priests. The laymen were a psychiatrist (Morales) and an anesthesiologist (Piñal), which does not constitute, it is noted, a great amount of expertise.

And in what concerns the priests of the Commission, one of them, the abbot (Odriozola) rapidly led the others into the dark, acting as if to him alone belonged all the functions: secretary, counsel, arbitrator, judge, etc . . .

This priest wished to obtain for himself evidence of the reality of the apparitions, although in this regard evidence could only be given to the visionaries; others would have to satisfy themselves with motives of credibility.

On top of all this, this priest, and likewise the doctors mentioned, have not gone to see the facts on location except in rare instances; and then they conducted themselves, according to witnesses, with a lack of seriousness.

As if seeking to gather only arguments unfavorable to the cause of Garabandal, they have avoided interrogating the visionaries themselves, their families, the irreproachable witnesses that they knew were favorable to the apparitions.

__________

Here we are before extremely serious accusations. It is no pleasure to have these things come to me for they are saying these things against persons whom I esteem. But we urge everyone to clarify the matter once and for all; we have the right to know the truth about what has happened at Garabandal. If the Commission's way of acting has been so clear, objective, and conformed to truth as the Santander chancery would have us believe, and their negative pronouncements so well founded as they say, then let us see the evidence so as to finally disperse the clouds of suspicions, doubts, and comments that disturb everybody so much.
Christians of today, so mature as it is said, are not satisfied with simple official declarations.

* * *

32. It appears that this Commission was organized more by the initiative of the Reverend Father Francisco Odriozola than by the will of the diocesan bishop. In the beginning the Commission had taken the matter of Garabandal as of little importance, not worthy of giving it official attention and hoping that this fever or hysteria would soon pass.

Furthermore, this bothersome affair was coming at the wrong time, while Bishop Doroteo Fernández was entrenching himself in the diocese, since he sought to remain in Santander as the Diocesan Bishop. He avoided this annoying difficulty until the time came when Father Francisco Odriozola convinced the bishop about the necessity of dealing with the affair. It appears that His Eminence, Bishop Fernández told Father Odriozola to choose some competent people and to proceed . . .

With regard to the Commission, its methods of action, its foundation, the reason for its position, etc., a profound study would be required. However, the actual Bishop of Santander in 1970, Bishop José María Cirarda set down insuperable difficulties for this by saying «The affair is already well studied and judged.»
Time will tell.

33. José María Cirarda became bishop of Santander in the summer of 1968. A short while later he named Juan Antonio del Val Gallo as Vicar General of the diocese. Bishop del Val did not remain long in this position since several months later he was designated auxiliary bishop of Seville, with residence in Jerez de la Frontera. Cirarda and del Val were classmates in the University of Comillas (Santander). Finally in December of 1971, del Val was named Bishop of Santander. Six bishops in this diocese in less than eleven years!

34. It was already mentioned that this was a priest of the city of Santander, a Professor and a Canon.

35. Also Professor and Canon at Santander. He died suddenly on October 22, 1964, while celebrating Holy Mass in the chapel of the Slaves of the Sacred Heart in Santander.

36. From his father Mariano, Doctor Luis Morales had inherited a psychiatric clinic, well-known in Santander. Doctor José Luis Piñal Ruiz Huidobro then was working as an anesthesiologist, although it appears that he had also worked during a short time with a psychiatrist named Aldama. Recently a letter from another doctor from Santander, Doctor Celestino Ortiz, informed me that a third doctor was a member of the Commission: Doctor Peláez; but it seems that this Doctor Peláez de Valladolid, rather than being a member of the Commission, was an expert that the Commission used at times. Anyhow he was in Garabandal on the night of August 22nd as will be mentioned later.

She Went in Haste to the Mountain (Page 57)

“The children received Communion every day and heard all the Masses.”

PURITY OF SOUL—Often they questioned me about specific things like songs, some words that they said, replies that they had received(27) — whether or not it was a sin. They did not have a well-formed conscience, and so they did not readily distinguish what was a mortal sin, a venial sin, or no sin at all. But I observed the desire they had to be instructed and learn—for this reason the questions that at times were heard in the trances.
The horror of sin was causing in them a desire to atone for the sins of mankind. But the sins of mankind did not hold for them a concrete meaning, only a vagueness about things that sorrow God and the Virgin. It should be taken into account that, due to the isolation in which they lived, their twelve years of age represented much less than twelve years for children in a city.
The modesty of the girls in their manner of walking, of running, of looking, of conducting themselves in general was a close following of the advice repeated by the Virgin that they 'Be modest.' And they were not pleased when the people came with improper dress. I already mentioned the girl who did not want to be photographed with a lady because her dress was very low-cut. Nor did it please them that women smoked.(28)
PATIENCE — Having lived in the village, I saw right away that the patience of the girls had to be very great. The people, when they saw them, touched them — even to cutting off locks of their hair. They gave them rosaries, medals, marriage rings to give the Virgin to kiss. They requested kissed objects; they sought to take photographs. I never saw the girls angry. When they were worn out by such an avalanche of people, who even followed them into their homes, they limited themselves many times to keeping quiet and smiling.
One time I asked them, Why don't you get angry? They answered, The Virgin has told us that we should be modest and answer what they ask us if we can.

However, they showed anger against those who had at times prevented the visions by their songs, dances, and drinking parties.

ENVY — In spite of this being a defect so feminine and so frequent, I did not observe the least trace of it in the children with regard to their visions. Some had more visions than others; however, those that were outside of the vision did not envy those who appeared more favored, and they limited themselves to asking those in the vision to speak to the Virgin so that she would soon come back to appear to them. And I noted a charming suppleness and humility in their desire.(29)
ATTITUDE TOWARD PRIESTS — In the beginning of the events the girls demonstrated a special predilection for priests and religious. Frequently they counted those who had come, observing their habits. And in their trances they always spoke about them with the Vision. If they were asked, Whom do you want to come the most? They always responded, Priests.
Speaking about obedience, which the Virgin inculcated in a special way, they mentioned that they owed it to their parents and to priests.
Several times the children said in the state of trance that there were priests when none could be seen — since they had come dressed as civilians — and that there were a greater number of them than there appeared to be.
One case among many: A small group of priests was about to leave. Father Valentín remained alone with a sizeable number of lay people. The children went into ecstasy in the church and mentioned that there were two priests there: Father Valentín and another. On hearing this, Father Valentín began looking around him to discover a possible companion; but in vain. A little later a man approached him, and after greeting him, declared himself a priest who had come dressed as a civilian in order to come on a motorcycle.
Another case: One day several priests in civilian dress were walking about San Sebastián. During the ecstasies they heard that the girls were speaking of their presence; and then, for fear of being publicly discovered, they hurried to leave.»(30)

__________

It appears unquestionable to anyone observing these things with an open mind that an extraordinary mother and teacher was journeying in that summer of 1961 to the village of Garabandal and mingling with its people. Almost no one understood what was going on; but the affair was there before everyone's eyes: an ensemble of things whose true dimension and significance still remained a mystery, but with a series of effects and incidents that indicated their origin. By their fruits you shall know them, Jesus has said, and by what could be seen in many people from the village, in numerous pilgrims, and above all in the children, there were good reasons to believe what the children were saying: that the Virgin had come and was walking through the village. Yes, the Mother of God and of all men had come to her own. But not all comprehended or wished to receive her.(31)

27. The girls had been brought up and lived in an atmosphere of rough speech, sometimes very rough. Farmers and herdsmen are not noted for the decorum of their language. And Garabandal was not an exception. The girls had heard, since their infancy, a good number of words—including blasphemies—and some expressions had struck them.

28. It is not said that smoking is exactly a sin; smoking by women was not pleasing to the girls favored by the Virgin.

29. Father Andreu's observation applies to the time that his report begins; we will see later on that there is something more to be said about this matter.

30. The inhabitants of San Sebastián de Garabandal can certainly recall a great quantity of information—that added onto Father Andreu's—leaves a well-illustrated history of these summer days of 1961.

31. I am not accusing anyone of bad faith; if someone has this, only God knows. What I mean is that without having bad faith, one can lack a certain good disposition, necessary for accordance with the Lord above.

She Went in Haste to the Mountain (Page 56)

“HUMILITY–This was shown. . . by the lowly work
that they continued to do in front of everyone.”

It is not easy to judge the spiritual progress of a soul, unless it is judged by a spiritual director who constantly deals with it. The spiritual progress of the girls should be estimated more by the interior than by the exterior; however, it undoubtedly would be reflected in the exercise and practice of the virtues.
HUMILITY—This was shown by the children in various ways: by their manner of dressing, by their manner of speaking, by the small things that they did for the public that came to see them, by the lowly work that they continued to do in front of everyone, by their docility to suggestions from their parents and priests, etc . . .

On various occasions the Virgin has indicated that when they would come to see her, they should not wear either bracelets or earrings. The only one who had the habit of wearing earrings was Conchita. But in a trance at the door of the church, she was heard asking, What did I do bad? Oh, good! And returning to normal, she went to her home, took off the earrings and a bracelet and returned to the door of the church, where she went into ecstasy again. I myself have noticed several times that when they felt the third call, they immediately began to take off any ring or bracelet that they had on their hands and which belonged not to them, but to some other person who had given them to the girls to look at and examine.
OBEDIENCE—As a consequence of the apparitions, the girls were imbued with a spirit of obedience, and not only showed this with works, but also with words. They said that the vision had recommended this very much, and that the Virgin had told them to obey above all their parents and priests.

I have personally noted several cases of this:
The mother of Mari Cruz one day told her daughter that she should stay home; and she did stay, while the other three went to the Pines for an apparition. When it was mentioned to Mari Cruz that she should not lose the occasion to go with the others, she answered,
— No, my mother didn't let me go.
— But isn't it better to see the Virgin than to remain at home?
— The Virgin told me to obey.
The bishop (Apostolic Administrator) ordered the church closed during the states of trance in order to avoid the lack of respect that the public— without bad will—was committing in its desire to see the girls close up. This measure pleased the parents and the villagers, since they were not looking for sensationalism. The first day that the recommendation was put into effect, the girls approached the church in the state of trance as usual; but on seeing it closed, turned around and then suddenly said, Ah! That is good. On coming out of ecstasy they said, We wanted the church open, but the Virgin told us that what the priest did was right.

In the face of the agitation and disorder from the numerous visitors, the girls' parents decided to keep the girls at home with the doors closed when they felt the calls, and not to let them go out. After a trance, they mentioned that the Virgin had said that if their parents told them this, it was right, and that they would see her inside their homes. And so it happened. Obedience in everything, even when opposed to the vision itself or contemplation, is one of the things that the masters of mystical theology have always presented as the best of signs.

We have further evidence that Garabandal followed the most sensible pattern of obedience.
The parish priest, Father Valentín, was at Conchita's house one day and he said to her,
—Look, it isn't possible for all of us to wait at this hour. I will give you a quarter of an hour. In that time, I am going to give you three warnings and if nothing occurs before the last warning, you go to bed. This is the first warning.
And he walked off. After ten minutes he returned to give the second warning.
—If nothing happens in the next five minutes, as I said, go to bed. It is already very late.
Two minutes after Father Valentín walked away, Conchita went into ecstasy.(21)

That same day, and without Loli and Jacinta knowing about what had happened with Conchita, I had the same experience with them. They were waiting for the vision since they already had two calls. I said to them, We can't wait any longer since it is very late. I will give you five minutes time. If nothing happens in those five minutes, go to bed.
When there was yet a minute remaining, I came back to talk to them, A minute remains. Count to sixty, and if nothing happens before you get to sixty, go to bed.
They started to count in a loud voice, chanting as in school. When they came to sixteen, without being able to say the word 'sixteen,' they were drawn into ecstasy with the typical snap of the head upwards.
PIETY — from the beginning of the events, the children received Communion every day and heard all the Masses that were celebrated— unless they were in the pastures.(22) As we have seen, they prayed several rosaries a day.

At times the visitors' attention was attracted by the children speaking in the church and smiling. This drew my attention too and one day I told them about it.
—But, is it bad to talk in church?
—It is a lack of respect toward the Lord . . .
—Then why do the priests talk so much?
I told them that the things the priests were talking about in the church were important things. (It is to be noted that more than a dozen priests were gathered together in Garabandal at the time).
Well, when we are with the Virgin, we also talk. But if you say we should conduct ourselves better, we will try to do it.

On August 8th, Mari Cruz was overheard in a vision: Now I know that it is better to pray; before I thought it was better to play.

FRATERNAL CHARITY—Apart from the detachment that was evident in the girls—for example, in giving away their things, caramels, candy, etc. up to the
point of not keeping anything for themselves(23)— they showed charity in a thousand ways. They served so many visitors with water and the other things they requested so frequently . . . the care of Loli for her grandmother,(24) of Conchita and Mari Cruz for a blind man,(25) the amiable patience with so many inquisitive people, the desire that all would believe and be saved . . .
PENANCE—From the time they learned the significance of the word sacrifices, they practiced it. For them, making sacrifices was to do what I don't like and to omit doing other things that I like.(26) Among these: helping others . . . obeying, giving away the things that they received, and not wearing the bracelets and other jewelry that they had received . . .

21. The Virgin yielded to the will of those who had spiritual authority over the girls, to confirm in them the duty of subjection to their superiors. This episode seems to have occurred on the 25th of August at 1:00 in the morning following a plan made by Father Valentín in association with the pastor from Ribadesella, Father Alfonso Cobián, and another priest.
22. It has already been mentioned that some of the pastures of San Sebastián de Garabandal were several kilometers away from the village. When it was necessary to work in these pastures, the villagers had to set out early in the morning, without time to give to other matters.

23. The repudiators of Garabandal have advanced this reception of gifts by the girls as an argument against it. This report throws some light on this matter, but later on we will present other explanations.
24. The paternal grandmother who died in July of 1971.

25. This refers to Jacinta's grandfather.

26. A definition both simple and magnificent.

She Went in Haste to the Mountain (Page 55)

“They should be modest.”

The Works of the Mother
and Teacher

God is a spirit (John 4: 24), and the presence and action of a spirit can only be known through its effects. So also through their effects we are able to know the presence and the actions of the Virgin in Garabandal, and discover what these actions were and what she desired during the times of instruction with the children.
Much of what she has done still remains a mystery. It is as if the spirit, like the wind, breathes where He wills; you hear His voice, but you know not from where He comes, nor where He goes (John 3: 8) Things of God always proceed like this. There is never a sudden complete unveiling. If there were, men—who are always immature and dull of heart—would probably not be able to endure or comprehend it. The style of God toward His creatures is to act in a gradual way, through stages, according to a rhythm that He alone knows—and which so many times we do not understand—without hurry, but without pause.
The most immediate effects of the presence and actions of the Virgin could be seen above all in the children's way of thinking and acting. There was no denying that their way of thinking and acting had changed.
Father Ramón María Andreu in his much quoted report, as fruit of personal observation and direct experience, wrote:
«From the beginning of the visions, up until August 25th—some two months—there were various counsels and recommendations received by the children. The order in which they are placed here probably does not correspond exactly to the chronology, but it is not possible for me to name the dates precisely, and furthermore, many of the counsels were repeatedly frequently.
1. At first the girls avoided the public that came up to see them. We ran away. The Virgin told them that they should not run away, and that if they were asked a question, they should respond to the things that they knew and could talk about. After that, they did not hide from the people.(14)
2. Another counsel, often repeated, was that they should be modest.(15) They interpreted this in the sense that they should not be vain, that they should dress with simplicity, and that they should show attitudes of modesty and humility.

3. Probably even more often they had repeated to them the counsel to be obedient.(16)

4. And also that they make sacrifices. They did not understand the meaning of this word. At the request of the Virgin, they questioned priests about it.(17) I myself had to give them explanations.
5. The Virgin inspired in them a horror of sin.(18) One time while alone in ecstasy Conchita said, And that, what is that? Oh! The sight of sinners. How ugly! Take me away from it! Yes, I don't want to see it. No! (crying) Another time? The sight of sinners? Ah, yes! Sacrifices! On another occasion, Loli was in an ecstatic position for about twenty-five minutes without saying anything. Finally, she said, Mercy, mercy! while tears ran down her cheeks.

6. With regard to piety, the girls were requested to pray often, especially the rosary and the Station to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Each day, besides the rosary that they said in the village, they recited others with the vision.(19)

The Virgin also taught them religious songs. And she corrected them when they performed defectively any religious practice, like making the Sign of the Cross, the recitation of the new form of the Act of Contrition, etc . . .

7. Formation of conscience. Frequently the girls were heard asking questions while in a state of trance. Here are some of these questions:
—To sing the song ‘Esperanza,'(20) is that a sin?

—To say "I don't want to eat," is that a sin?
—For women to smoke, is that a sin?
8. Significant actions: One day a woman wanted to have her picture taken with one of the visionaries, but the girl walked away from her saying, The Virgin doesn't want us to take pictures with those who wear low-cut dresses.

9. Attention is called to the simple and confident way that the girls had with the Virgin; certainly they had learned this from her.

14. Since the Virgin was not coming for them alone, they knew they had to reveal these things to others, telling them what was able to be told. Although many people asked questions only out of frivolity or curiosity, there were many who needed aid, and who sought to strengthen their religion and faith.

15. Modosas. This word is in current use in some regions of Spain and is used precisely in the sense that the girls used it with Father Andreu. It is equivalent to have good conduct, to be a person of good manners. Naturally its meaning is not limited to external actions alone. To say that a girl or adolescent is very modosita is a compliment, not only of a person's external comportment, but of all his conduct in those things that are related to discretion, modesty, education, manners, etc . . .

16. Fr. Valentín has this recorded in his notes of July 16th, a Sunday, and the feast of our Lady of Mount Carmel:

«When I went up at five in the afternoon, I met Conchita and Loli wearing two or three chains and medals, two or three rosaries, watches, bracelets, etc. I was slightly angry with them, and I took everything away; I left them no more than a rosary and a chain with a scapular medal. And I told them that they should obey the pastor and their parents. Later they told me that they had mentioned this to the Angel, and they could bring the medals, but that they had to obey the priest and their parents, and to live always like children.»

Some parts of the dialogue with the apparition were recorded on the first day that Conchita had an ecstasy at the Pines:

«One day I could not see you, since they would not let me come up . . . Yes, I know that we have to obey; but you first of all . . . good, but we have to obey you too . . . »

It should not be difficult to fill in the pauses with the answers from the Apparition, which the spectators naturally could not hear. At the time of these happenings, no one said that this reminder to obedience was improper or unnecessary.

17. We supposed that they did not go to ask those priests who now say that all this matter of sacrifice, mortification, self renunciation, etc. has nothing to do with our renewed and open Christianity. To this type of priest this matter belongs to the old and stupid asceticism of monastic times, which is now fortunately passé, according to the rhetoric of the new prophets.

18. How could the Virgin come to these mountains with this matter of sin? Don't we want a moral code without sin? Everything that's in man, doesn't it have value? Such ideas cannot exist in an adult Christianity! Aren't we all saved, regardless of what happens?

How many falsehoods and absurdities like these are spoken day after day to a confused people of God!


19. No one can deny that this fact is very significant, taking into account the new attitude of certain clergy and laymen toward these practices of piety.

20. This refers to a song that was very popular at the time; a frivolous song, vulgar and imbecile like so many other songs that have been successful. For example some of its words were:

What can one know about women?
and the refrain is repeated:
Oh what trouble you have caused me!
Esperanza. Heavens!
You don't know a thing except dancing!
Cha. Cha. Cha.

The music carried in the summer air of the villages, and more than once the young girls of our story had heard it. But undoubtedly in their homes they had heard that they should not sing it—the upbringing in those homes of Christians of old like those at Garabandal was strict—and it was for this reason that they asked the Virgin about this.