Garabandal

[Stone]

The following posts are imported from the old Catacombs site and republished here.




Dear friends,

There are few who would not agree that the issue of the visions at Garabandal has always been surrounded with controversy. I have heard good priests recommend it and just as many good priests advise against it, similar perhaps to how even some saints during the Great Western Schism were divided on which was the true pope when there were as many as three claimants to the papal throne.

After some research for my own benefit, it seems to me, in my humble opinion, that these 'visions' are not from Heaven. I will share some of the reasons for that conclusion here. But ultimately (and really, in the first place) these 'visions' have never once been approved by the local bishop of that diocese in which Garabandal has been located.

[NB: As established in the Council of Trent (1545-1563), the local bishop is the first and main authority in the judgement of the authenticity of apparition claims. Vatican approval is not required for an apparition to be considered authentic. After an episcopal approval, the Vatican may officially release a statement or give less explicit forms of approval such as a papal visit or crowning of the associated icon, a papal gift such as a golden rose, the approval of the construction of a basilica, the establishment of a feast day, or the canonization of the associated visionary.]

This is doubly significant because the 'visions' reportedly took place from 1961-1965, when arguably the bishops were not as widely infected with the modernism that was aggressively promoted in the aftermath of the Second Vatican Council.

So to begin, I include some of the formal documentation of the local bishops against Garabandal, beginning with Cardinal Ottaviani's note supporting the decision of the local bishop of that time to not approve the 'visions.' These letters and short commentary are taken from here.

Not only did the Bishop in 1965 condemn Garabandal, but five bishops after him have condemned it. Even Rome had to come into the picture to aid the Bishop.

"The question having been closely examined and a decision having been reached by Your Excellency, the Sacred Congregation has come to the conclusion that there is no reason to intervene in this affair.

- Cardinal Ottaviani

Cardinal Seper, Prefect of the Congregation for the Sacred Doctrine of the Faith wrote this letter to Archbishop Philip M. Hannan of New Orleans, Louisiana on April 21, 1970.

"Seal"

"This office has received you letter of April 1970 in which you expressed justifiable apprehension about the diffusion of the Garabandal movement in your Archdiocese and in which you asked for clear and reliable guidelines from the Holy See for dealing with this phenomenon.

"The Holy See share your perception about the manifest and increasing confusion due to the diffusion of this movement among the faithful and desires with this letter to clarify its position on the matter.

"This Sacred Congregation despite requests form various Bishops and faithful has always refused to define the supernatural character of the events of Garabandal. After the definitive negative judgment issued by the Curia of Santander this Sacred Congregation, after attentive examination of the proceedings forwarded to this office has often praised the prudence that characterized the method followed in the examination but has still decided to leave direct responsibility for the matter to the local Ordinary.

"The Holy see has always held that the conclusions and dispositions of the Bishop of Santander were sufficiently secure guidelines for the Christian people and indications for the Bishops to order to dissuade people from participating in pilgrimages and other acts of devotion that are based on claims connected with or founded on the presumed apparitions and messages of Garabandal. On March 10, 1996; this Sacred Congregation wrote a letter to this effect to the Bishop of Santander who had also asked for a more explicit declaration of the Holy See to the matter.

"However promoters of the Garabandal movement have tried to minimize the decisions and the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Santander. THIS SACRED CONGREGATION WANTS IT TO BE CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD THAT THE BISHOP OF SANTANDER HAS BEEN AND CONTINUES TO BE THE ONLY ONE WITH COMPLETE JURISDICTION IN THIS MATTER AND THE HOLY SEE HAS NO INTENTION OF EXAMINING THIS QUESTION ANY FURTHER, since it holds that the examinations already carried out are sufficient as well as are the official declarations of the Bishop of Santander. There is no truth to the statement that the Holy See has named an Official Papal Private Investigator of Garabandal and affirmations attributed to the anonymous personage to the extent that the verification of the Garabandal apparitions lies completely in the hands of the Holy Father Pope Paul VI and other such expressions that aim at undermining the authority of the decisions of the Bishop of Santander are completely unfounded.

"In order to reply to certain doubts that you expressed in your letter this Sacred Congregation wishes to assert: that the Holy See has never approved even indirectly the Garabandal movement, that it has never encouraged or blessed Garabandal promoters or centers. Rather the Holy See deplores that fact that certain persons and Institutions persist in formatting the movement in obvious contradiction with the dispositions of ecclesiastical authority and thus disseminate confusion among the people especially among the simple and defenseless.

"From what has been said so far you will easily realize that though this Sacred Congregation certainly agrees with the contents of the note of May 10, 1969 (as published in various countries and especially in the French magazine LA DOCUMENTATION CATHOLIC September 21, 1966, n:1547 p. 821) It must say that it is inexact to attribute the part of the text that deals with the lack of supernatural character of the events of Garabandal of the Sacred Congregation which has always striven to abstain from any direct declaration on the question precisely because it did not consider it necessary to do so after the clear and express decisions of the Bishop of Santander. This is the genuine meaning of the letter written on January 21, 1970 by the Most Reverend Paul Phillippe, Secretary of this Sacred Congregation to the editor in chief of LA DOCUMENTATION CATHOLIQUE.

"In order to contribute further to your pastoral action in this matter, this office is enclosing other essential documents already published in other countries such as Spain: The two official notices of the Bishop of Santander, two letters of the Sacred Congregation to the same Bishop and a letter to the Apostolic Delegate to Mexico. This office hopes in this letter to have clarified a question that concerns not just your Archdiocese but also other dioceses.

"With sentiments of deepest esteem and cordial respect

"I am devotedly yours

signed:  "Francis Cardinal Seper Prefect

also signed: "Paul Philippe , Secretary"

On October 11, 1996 the new bishop, Jose Vilaplana, again placed his prohibition on the alleged apparitions and said it is final:

"Some people have been coming directly to the Diocese of Santander (Spain) asking about the alleged apparitions of Garabandal and especially for the answer about the position of the hierarchy of the Church concerning these apparitions.

I need to communicate that:

1. All the bishops of the diocese since 1961 through 1970 agreed that there was no supernatural validity for the apparitions.

2. In the month of December of 1977 Bishop Dal Val of Santander, in union with his predecessors, stated that in the six years of being bishop of Santander there were no new phenomena.

3. The same bishop, Dal Val, let a few years go by to allow the confusion or fanaticism to settle down, and then he initiated a commission to examine the apparitions in more depth. The conclusion of the commission agreed with the findings of the previous bishops. That there was no supernatural validity to such apparitions.

4. At the time of the conclusions of the study, in 1991, I was installed bishop in the diocese. So during my visit to Rome, ad limina visit which happened in the same year, I presented to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith the study and I asked for pastoral direction concerning this case.

5. On Nov. 28, 1992, the Congregation sent me an answer saying that after examining the documentation, there was no need for direct intervention (by the Vatican) to take away the jurisdiction of the ordinary bishop of Santander in this case. Such a right belongs to the ordinary. Previous declarations of the Holy See agree in this finding. In the same letter they suggested that if I find it necessary to publish a declaration, that I reconfirm that there was no supernatural validity in the alleged apparitions, and this will make a unanimous position with my predecessors.

6. Given that the declarations of my predecessors who studied the case have been clear and unanimous, I don’t find it necessary to have a new public declaration that would raise notoriety about something which happened so long ago. However, I find it necessary to rewrite this report as a direct answer to the people who ask for direction concerning this question, which is now final: I agree with [and] I accept the decision of my predecessors and the direction of the Holy See.

7. In reference to the Eucharistic celebration in Garabandal, following the decision of my predecessors, I ruled that Masses can be celebrated only in the parish church and there will be no references to the alleged apparitions and visiting priests who want to say Mass must have approval from the pastor, who has my authorization. It’s my wish that this information is helpful to you.

My regards in Christ,

Jose Vilaplana

Bishop of Santander
Oct. 11, 1996

Never, has any apparition received so many [formal] condemnations as Garabandal.

Prophecy of Marie Julie Jahenny, Briton Stigmatist (1891): "During the time of the approach of the punishments announced at La Salette, an unlimited amount of false revelations will arise from Hell like a swarm of flies; a last attempt of Satan to choke and destroy the belief in the true revelations by false ones." Marie-Julie Jahenny is an approved mystic of the Church.

To be continued...

[Stone]

The following was adapted from here. All emphasis mine.

Without being a Fatima scholar, I will draw some simple comparisons between the behavior of the Children at Fatima and the Children at Garabandal throughout the commentary below. The images included were not a part of the original article but were randomly obtained by from an internet search.

The Alleged Apparitions at Garabandal, Spain

August 9, 2007

From 1961 until 1965 four teenage girls in Garabandal, Spain saw what appeared to be visions of the Virgin Mary, the Infant Jesus, and holy angels. These four children received “messages” about a coming chastisement, a warning that will precede the prophesied chastisement, and a future miracle.

The warning to come first and was promised to occur within a year prior to the miracle. The promised miracle was to manifest itself at a grove of trees near Garabandal. Proponents of the alleged apparitions at Garabandal explain, "It will be the greatest miracle that Jesus will have ever performed for the world.” They go on to explain that after the miracle a "visible supernatural sign will remain in sight until the end of time." They then warn that if the world does not convert from sin after the warning and the miracle, a great chastisement will follow.

A succession of bishops of Santander, the diocese in which Garabandal is located, have condemned the apparition.

Conchita [frequently referred to in various articles as the 'main' seer] and the rest of the children signed a document with the bishop agreeing with the findings of the Church and promising never to promote the apparitions again. Does that sound like the Church is open to the possibility that these visions are from heaven? The original visionaries have reportedly lived up to this signed document, but the Garabandal promoters have not.

All of the children have reportedly retracted all belief in the miracles. [Recall that the Children at Fatima were kidnapped and threatened to be thrown into boiling oil if they did not retract what they saw, but they never did, they would have rather died than retract the Visions of Our Lady at Fatima. Remember too, the Children of Fatima, particularly Fransisco and Jacinta were very young and at that age, more susceptible to being influenced by threats of death but they remained steadfast. - The Catacombs]

Arguments Against The Heavenly Character Of The Visions At Garabandal

All eight bishops of Santander have, from 1961 up to now, supported by the Holy See in Rome, publicly declared that there is no evidence that supernatural apparitions have taken place in Garabandal. This does not mean the Church is saying that nothing out of the ordinary, beyond the natural, or preternatural happened at Garabandal. It only means that the Church, through a succession of bishops and with the affirmation of the Holy See, has repeatedly insisted that there is no evidence that what happened at Garabandal was of a heavenly origin. What does that imply?


False Prophesies:

A locution told the children that Pope Paul VI would live to see the Great Miracle. This is problematic, because Pope Paul VI entered eternity on August 6, 1978.

In Conchita's diary one can read (p.164, Dutch edition) that Pope Paul VI knew the date of the Great Miracle.

The “Virgin” promised that St. Padre Pio would witness the miracle. St. Padre Pio entered eternity on September 23, 1968.

One of the locutions received by the children included the prediction that there would be only three more popes until "the end of the times." Pope John XXIII was the pope at that time. Since then, we have had Popes Paul VI, Pope John Paul I, and Pope John Paul II, [Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis].

Since Pope John Paul II was Pope John XXIII's third successor, Pope John Paul II, according to the prophecies associated with the visions at Garabandal, should have been the last pope. This is problematic, because Pope John Paul II entered eternity on April 2, 2005, there has been no warning and no miracle, and Pope Benedict XVI has been validly elected by the conclave of cardinals and has been the reigning pontiff since April 19, 2005.

[Compare these 'prophecies' to the Miracle of Fatima which came true on the date it was promised, the Miracle of the Sun on October 13, 1917. - The Catacombs]


More Red Flags:

In 1966 Conchita wanted to enter the Carmelite Convent in Pamplona. "Jesus" told her to go back to the world.

Conchita made a museum of her house in Garabandal. She has since sold that house and owns a house in New York and a flat in Fatima as well. Compare that with St. Bernadette in Lourdes [and Sr. Lucia of Fatima, Melanie of La Salette].

Conchita reportedly admitted to Father J. Pelletier that she herself had stolen the Host from the tabernacle for the so-called mystical communion.

Just before the visions in Garabandal the four seers had stolen apples. The first vision reportedly began when the girls decided to steal some apples from a schoolteacher's tree. An unseen force reportedly forced the girls to their knees. In this first apparition they saw what appeared to be a holy angel.

Conchita was reportedly often caught in contradictions.



Strange Claims:

Many of the visions reportedly involved the girls having conversations with the “Lady” about frivolous things, such as how the “Lady” liked their clothing.

The children were reportedly “given” the “Child Jesus” to pass around to one another in a manner very much like the way one would see children handling a toy doll. The children also claim to have touched the “Virgin” many times. However, they acknowledged that they could not feel anything during these occasions.

After seeing the children apparently passing some unseen object around, which was later said to be the Infant Jesus, people asked the girls if they actually touched the Infant Jesus.

The girls replied, “No, you cannot touch either the Blessed Mother or the Infant.”

“But how can this be?” the people asked.

The girls explained, “Well, you see what you hold, but you feel nothing; you feel no weight. If you stretch your hand to touch Our Lady, your hand can go no further because Our Lady is there, but you feel nothing.”

The girls reportedly claimed that they gave sweets to the Infant Jesus.

The “Virgin” asked that the girls not bring blessed sacramentals [rosaries, crucifixes, etc.], because she wanted to bless these objects herself. The vision is reported to have blessed and kisses hundreds of objects. This is troubling for two reasons: first, because only blessed sacramentals affect the devil and fallen angels; second, the Blessed Virgin Mary is not a priest and therefore she cannot confer a priestly blessing.

Conchita reportedly said the Blessed Mother played hide and seek with her.

The Blessed Virgin is also said to have helped find shoes which had been lost by some of the pilgrims.

The Blessed Mother was said to have told the children that she perfumed the brushes of her slippers.


More On The Character Of The Visions:

The visions caused the children to perform unnatural movements with their bodies. The girls were observed and photographed levitating and having ecstatic falls where they were frozen in unnatural positions from which those around them could not move them. On one occasion, one of the children was reportedly lifted over the top of a building. They were led up and down a rocky hill, walking backwards and forwards, with their heads tilted back in an awkward position while moving awkwardly and at an unnatural pace, hundreds of feet to meet the vision. During every vision, the children were forced to their knees in what has been described by some as a quick, undignified manor. Frequently the girls were forced with their heads tilted backwards in a position that appeared abnormal and uncomfortable. During the visions the girls were inspired (or compelled) to perform elaborately embellished versions of the Sign of the Cross that might be construed as a mockery of this simple and ancient act prayer. You may also notice that the the crucifix is not held upright by one of the visionaries during the video, but almost always at odd angles. The girls were also seen, photographed, and videotaped lifting one another other up above their shoulders to kiss the “lady”, whereas, on other occasions, three grown men could not lift them.

All of the children were heard to speak in languages they did not know. On one occasion the girls were heard praying the Lord’s Prayer in Greek.


There were reportedly “signs in the sky” seen by many people on many occasions: moving stars, hosts, images, etc. In one case a fire was seen and the “Virgin” claimed that she had come in this fire.

On one occasion the “holy angel” gave “communion” to Conchita and the host was visible to everyone. She had been instructed to hold out her tongue until the “Virgin” came. Conchita remained in the same position and with her tongue outstretched with the host on her tongue for an extended period of time. Many photographs were taken.

The Warning is supposed to be seen and felt by everyone in the world so that all people will know their sins, see their souls as God sees them, thereby having their consciences enlightened and repent. Were that the case we would have no need to be watchful and keep our lamp burning, since God will warn us in time to repent. Moreover, would this not occasion the conversion of everyone who survived the warning? How then would the rest of history, as prophesied in Sacred Scripture play out? How will it be that “the charity of many shall grow cold” as predicted by Our Lord? (Matthew 24:12) Why did Our Lord say, “But when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:8) How will many, if not most of the world be persuaded to follow the Antichrist as prophesied in the Book of Revelation?

If you read the official pronouncements about Garabandal, you will notice they all say the Church cannot say that the events there were supernatural. The supernatural is above all natures, and therefore proper to God alone. So these statements say that the Church cannot say these visions came from God. However, that does not rule out a preternatural influence. The term preternatural is used to distinguish from the divine (supernatural) while maintaining a distinction from the purely natural. The preternatural or praeternatural is that which appears outside or beyond (Latin præter) the natural. The angels, both holy and fallen, are endowed with preternatural powers. Their intellect, speed, and other characteristics are beyond human capacities, but still finite.

Since the prophecies associated with Garabandal, including prophecies attributed to the blessed Virgin Mary, have proven false, they can't have come from God, The Blessed Virgin, or holy angels, who cannot sin and therefore would not deceive people.


Sacred Scripture Teaches:

But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.' And if you say in your heart, `How may we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?' – when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word which the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously, you need not be afraid of him. (Deuteronomy 18:20-22)

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? So, every sound tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears evil fruit. A sound tree cannot bear evil fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will know them by their fruits." (Matthew 7:15-20)

[...] It's clear something beyond the natural realm caused the events at Garabandal. I just don't think it was from heaven.

Another point that is personally rather telling to me is the demeanor and facial expressions of the Children of the approved apparitions at Fatima and La Salette in comparison with the Children of Garabandal.

In La Salette and Fatima, we see the Children very serious, as if the gravity of what they had seen and heard impacted them deeply.

If one compares this to the many photographs of the Children of Garabandal, we see a striking difference. We would expect to see the same gravity and deportment if the 'messages' of Garabandal were true about a coming Warning, Chastisement, and a future Miracle...

To be continued...

[Stone]

The following is a straight-forward article [republished on several websites] for your review and consideration. Adapted from here. Once again, the images below are not original to this article but were easily found with a simple internet search and provided to give documentary evidence of what occurred at Garabandal. The inclusion of this article is not a promotion of every word of commentary. It's value is the encapsulation and listing of the various 'issues' that lead many to conclude these 'visions' are not from Heaven and are mostly like the 'ape of Fatima.'
All emphasis mine.

GARABANDAL
The Most Dangerous False Apparition in the World

From 1961 until 1965 four teenage girls saw visions of the Virgin Mary, the Christ Child, and angels. They received messages of the coming Chastisement, a coming Warning, and a future Miracle.

What is unique about this phenomenon is that almost all the games Satan plays were used with these girls. THIS WAS NOT A FRAUD. There is too much evidence of the other world here. It all started when the girls decided to steal some apples from the school teacher's tree. They were thrown to their knees by an invisible force. In this first apparition they saw an angel. [...]


SATANIC

Throughout the four years of the apparitions all the powers of Satan were used. The girls were taken into the air many times. One time one of the children was lifted over the top of a building. They were made to do ungodly movements of the body: taken swiftly above the ground, down the rocky hill hundreds of feet to meet "The Lady?". In every case the children were FORCED to their knees in a quick undignified manor. Many times they were forced with their heads backwards in a position that could not be done naturally.

All of the children were heard to speak in LANGUAGES they did not know. On one occasion they prayed the "Our Father" in Greek. The girls were seen LIFTING each other up above their shoulders to kiss the lady. However, at other times, three grown men could not lift them.

Several times the girls were found SCREAMING. [Compare these to the calm though extremely serious actions and demeanor of the Three Children of Fatima after they were shown the most terrifying Vision of Hell. There was no screaming, no hysteria. - The Catacombs]

There were many "SIGNS IN THE SKY" seen by many people: moving stars, hosts, images, etc. In one case a fire was seen and the "Virgin" claimed that she had come in this FIRE.

In one very celebrated case the "angel" gave communion to Conchita and the host could be visibly seen by everyone. She was told to hold out her tongue until the "Virgin" came. She stayed with her tongue outstretched and the host on it for a long time. Many photographs were taken.

LANGUAGE

In almost all the apparitions the girls entered into dialogues with the "Lady" about all kinds of NON-SENSE things, like how the Lady liked their clothes. The children were given the "Child Jesus" to pass around to each other like a TOY. Never once in the thousands of true apparitions we have studied did Christ or Mary ever say a SINGLE WORD that did not have a salvation meaning for the soul.

In the study of true and false apparitions, we have found that Mary and Christ have a particular personality, and so does Satan. Today we can just read the messages and sense the truth by the words. In Garabandal the word "punishment" is used instead of "Chastisement". There are over 400 private revelations about the chastisement, never is the word "punishment" used. The use of "there must be" instead of "My Son desires", or "you must be very good", since the Bible says "only God is good", would not be used my Mary. Think about "spread the message" instead of "do what your superior tells you." Only Satan uses the word "Pope". Our Lady always refers to him as "Holy Father" or "Vicar of Christ".

The "Virgin" said that we should turn the wrath of God away from us by our own efforts. This is in violation of the Doctrine of the Faith, since we are not capable of any good without God's graces. She also said that if we ask God for forgiveness with a sincere heart, he will pardon us. No mention of the obligation to then go to the Sacrament of Confession.


BLESSING

The "Virgin" asked that the girls not bring blessed sacramentals [rosaries, crucifixes, etc.], for she wanted to bless them herself. And over the years she is reported to have blessed and kisses hundreds of them. Remember that only blessed sacramentals affect Satan. Keep in mind, that Mary is not a priest. She cannot give a priestly blessing. Never in Her life or in any apparition for two thousand years has Mary given a priestly blessing to anything.

ILLUSION

The children claim to have touched the "Virgin" many times, and of course, they passed Jesus around. However, they claim that they could not feel anything. Now, this is false except in the case of an illusion. God does not do illusions, He is real. His Mother is real. Mary and Christ have real human bodies. As St. Thomas in Acts actually touched Christ and as Christ actually ate with them, so too Catherine Laboure actually laid her head on Mary's lap and could feel Her.

After seeing the children actually passing something around, which was later said to be the Christ-child, the people asked if they actually touched Jesus.

"No, you cannot touch either the Blessed Mother or the Infant."

"But how can this be?" they asked.

"Well, you see what you hold, but you feel nothing; you feel no weight. If you stretch your hand to touch Our Lady, your hand can go no further because Our Lady is there, but you fell nothing."

Satan creates illusions, auto-suggestion creates illusions, a hypnotist creates illusions, but God creates the real thing.


PROPHESY

There are three prophesies in Garabandal: first a world-wide WARNING that everyone will see and feel; second, a MIRACLE at Garabandal that all will see and will remain there forever; and last, the PUNISHMENT. Twenty-five years later, nothing has happened.

But let us look at them. TheWarning is supposed to be seen and felt by everyone in the world so that we will know our sins and repent. That being the case we have no need to be watchful and keep our lamp burning, since God will warn us in time to repent. A priest, Father Lius Andreu, is reported to have seen a vision of the coming "miracle" but died without any known cause the next day. Conchita said that his body will be found incorrupt after the "Great Miracle". His body has since been exposed but he is not incorrupt.

This is the same trick Satan used in inventing "Rapture". The most important time in our life is "the moment of death". Satan wants us to think we have no reason to fear this moment; therefore, he invents things like the WARNING or the RAPTURE. The Holy Scripture tells us that Chastisements will come like a thief in the night when we least expect them. But if we have a miracle first, there is no need to be watchful.

Last, but not least, all chastisements are conditional. There is no condition in the punishment told of in the Garabandal prophesies.

There are other prophesies. The "Virgin" said that the pope and Padre Pio would see the miracle. Both are dead. She said that there would be only two more popes and that this would be the last one. Other prophecies make it clear that this is not the last one.

Conchita insists that this is the last pope. However, according to the list of St. Malachi, the next pope will be called the Glory of the Olives. Should we believe Conchita or a saint. In fact the last Holy Father will be named "Peter". Don Bosco prophesied that a Holy Father would die during a great chastisement and a new one would quickly replace him. That has not happened yet. There was also a miracle promised on October 18th of 1961. Nothing happened. And they were told this is the last warning to be given to the world. But since then hundreds of other apparitions around the world have been warning the world of everything under the sun.

[There is also the 'prophecy' that a blind man named Joey Lomangino will be cured of his blindness at the Miracle set to occur in Spain. Joey Lomangino passed away on June 18, 2014 without being ever cured of his blindness and obviously there was no Miracle that occurred before 2014.]


BISHOP

As we have stated many times, the only proof we need in any apparition is the decision of the local Bishop. He, and he alone, has the charisma of discernment in these matters. Not only did the Bishop in 1965 condemn Garabandal, but five bishops after him have condemned it.


LIES

In the past few years we have been to the Vatican and to San Giovanni Rotondo. It is claimed that the children went to Rome and received the Holy Fathers blessing on the miracles. It is also claimed that Padre Pio gave his approval to the messages of Garabandal. We can tell you [from our own visit to San Giovanni Rotondo and to Rome and from the above letter by Cardinal Seper] that these are both lies. To say "lie" is a strong word, but you can see that there was no foundation to the statement whatsoever. The Holy Father blessed the children without knowing who they were. Padre Pio did not approve of anything at Garabandal. This has been verified by Conchita.

Conchita and the rest of the children signed a document with the bishop agreeing with the findings of the Church and promised to never ever promote the apparitions again. These mystics have lived up to this signed document but the promoters have not. All the children retracted all belief in the miracles.


OBEDIENCE

The Bishop of Garabandal has refused permission for any outside priest to come to Garabandal and say Mass. In spite of this, hundreds are still going. Publication of material on Garabandal is forbidden. We still have monthly magazines promoting the messages. We have a privately distributed book called "The Warning," written by a priest. Newspapers and newsletters are sent everywhere. All of this was with Conchita's approval. Not anymore!

In the magazine, GARABANDAL, October-December 1987 Issue, it was claimed that the bishop of Garabandal, Joan Antonio Del Val Gallo, lifted the ban on priest visiting and celebrating mass in Garabandal. This also was not true. Bishop Gallo did make a suggestion to Rome that he might lift the ban on people coming to Garabandal because they were coming anyway, and this was causing them to sin. Rome replied that no change in the previous bishops rulings would be appropriate. The matter was dropped forever.

We know that the followers of Apparitions will not believe anything any bishop says, since they take their orders directly from God via the mystics. "I would rather believe in God than man." Of course, what they really mean without knowing it, is that they place their faith in the mystics instead of the Church. But this is not what Christ has said in Scripture and to true and approved seers. What the Church says, using Scripture as it’s guide, is that obedience is the first test of any miracle. (Romes 13:1) "Let everyone be subject to the higher authorities, FOR THERE EXISTS NO AUTHORITY EXCEPT FROM GOD. And those who exist have been appointed by God. Therefore he who RESISTS THE AUTHORITY RESISTS THE ORDINANCE OF GOD; AND THEY THAT RESIST BRING ON THEMSELVES CONDEMNATION."

Of course, this Gnostic generation of spiritualists will not believe the Church or the Bible, but maybe they will believe the approved mystics.

Listen to the words of Christ to Josefa Menendez: (Page 72, The Way of Divine Love, Tan Books and Publishers, Inc.)

‘Know for certain that if I ask you one thing and your Mother (Superior) asks another, I prefer you to obey her rather than Me."

And on Page 51, "I trust in you fidelity and obedience to Myself and to Reverend Mother, WHO REPRESENTS ME."

Page 99, "--- You must first submit to the will of your Superior, even before you do what I, Myself, ask you."

Taking Christ at His word, Josefa said this to Christ the next time He appeared to her. "If you are really He, whom I believe You to be, Lord, deign not to take offense if I am made to ask leave every time, before listening to You and following You."

Christ answered, "I am not offended, on the contrary, I want you always to obey, and I, Myself, will obey."

Mary, the Sword of discernment, taught Josefa how to know whether the apparition was of God or of Satan, because not only Christ and Mary were appearing to her, but Satan was also appearing as Christ or Mary, and Josefa could not tell the difference. (Page 87)

"My daughter, I will give you a lesson of VERY GREAT IMPORTANCE. The devil is like a mad dog, but he is chained, that is to say, his liberty is curtailed. He can, therefore, only seize and devour his prey if you venture to near him, and that is why his usual tactics are to make himself appear as a lamb. The soul does not realize this, and draws nearer and nearer, only to discover his malice when in his clutches. When he seems far away, do not relax your vigilance, child. His footsteps are padded and silent, that he may take you unawares."

(Page 98) "Pay no attention to the artifice of the devil, who tries to persuade you that the confidence you have in you Mother (superior) subtracts something from your tenderness for Jesus. If he is able to master you in this matter, he will have gained everything."

(Page 108) "Listen, Josefa, now is the time to SUBMIT YOUR JUDGMENT TO OBEDIENCE, and so you will be expiating the pride of that soul .

(Page 60) "My child, never be afraid of suffering or of sacrifice. Such are Gods ways. If you are to come out victoriously from the assaults of the devil, PAY GREAT ATTENTION TO TWO THINGS: First, HUMBLE YOURSELF, for you are nothing and deserve nothing. Everything comes to you as a grace from God. Second, when you feel lonely and given up to temptation, when your soul is cold and you have no courage to go on, do not give up prayer. Pray humbly and confidently, and GO AT ONCE TO SEEK GUIDANCE FROM HER WHO GOD HAS GIVEN YOU FOR THAT PURPOSE. BELIEVE ME, CHILD, IF YOU DO THIS, YOU WILL MAKE NO MISTAKES."

Satan appeared often to Josefa as Christ or Mary, she could not tell by looking or talking who it was, so she asked the vision to repeat after her the Divine Praises, and her vow of obedience and virginity, Jesus, Himself, His Immaculate Mother, and Saint Madeleine Sophie [who also appeared to her], all repeated after her.

(Page 129) "But the Devil with his polluted lips was never able to utter such words of praise and benediction, for he can no longer love. When unmasked thus, his furious violence was redoubled."

Compare the obedience of Josefa to the promoters of Garabandal.



PROMOTION

Do they have a right to promote Garabandal based on Pope Paul VI’s doing away with the Index? No!

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith

November 1996

Regarding the circulation of texts of alleged private revelations, the Congregation states:

The Interpretation given by some individuals to a Decision approved by Paul VI on 14 October 1966 and promulgated on 15 November of that year, in virtue of which writings and messages resulting from alleged revelations could be freely circulated in the Church, is absolutely groundless. This decision actually referred to the "abolition of the Index of Forbidden Books" and determined that --- after the relevant censures were lifted --- the moral obligation still remained of not circulating or reading those writings which endanger faith and morals.

In should be recalled however that with regard to the circulation of texts of alleged private revelations, canon 623 #1 of the current Code remains in force: "the Pastors of the Church have the … right to demand that writings to be published by the Christian faithful which touch upon faith or morals be submitted to their judgement".

Alleged supernatural revelations and writings concerning them are submitted in first instance to the judgement of the diocesan Bishop, and , in particular cases, to the judgement of the Episcopal Conference and the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

But they will say, "Look at the Fruits." The real fruits will be shown in the 20,000 people who flew to Garabandal for the Warning, but first let’s look at basic fruits.


FRUITS

Conchita entered a convent but received a message that she should not become a nun. She is now married to a much older man, who was married before and had children from a former wife or wives. Not one of her relatives went to her wedding. She is now living in the United States. She had a home in Garabandal which was a pilgrim stop but sold it and bought a condo here in Fatima where she stays several months a year. If the miracle is going to be in Garabandal, why is Conchita living in the United States? I have met and talked with her several times. She claims to have no memory of the apparitions but this could be just a way to obey the Bishop. If not, it is much more proof of the false.

One of the leading men of the messages of Fatima has become so involved in Garabandal he has left the Fatima Apostolate and promotes Garabandal full time. He has been successful in mixing the messages of Fatima with the Satanic messages of Garabandal, and thousands of Catholics have followed his example. Priests have died, out of communion with the Church, because of their disobedience to their superiors.

Garabandal is the an aping of Fatima. Attention has been drawn away from Fatima or all mixed up in the false messages of Garabandal. Satan has mimicked and exaggerated Fatima at Garabandal. Any priest or layman who promotes Garabandal publicly or privately is sinning against obedience and love. Any priest or layman, who does not openly support the local bishop in this matter, is sinning against love by his silence.

These are the fruits: disobedience to the bishop of Garabandal and to Rome; disrespect of authority; diffusion of Fatima; worship of Satan; promotion of Satan; and infidelity to the Doctrine of Christ.

As we told a leader of the movement for Garabandal [who told us to hold our decision in the matter until we see if there is a miracle]: "If there was a warning that the whole world saw and felt, and if there was a miracle that the whole world could see, we still would not believe in Garabandal, for Christ warned us of just such things."


THE 'WARNING' FLIGHT

The 101 Foundation - Queen Peace Flight to Moscow was brought about by "alleged" messages from certain mystics. These messages claimed that by bringing the Official Fatima Statue and the mystics (six) to Moscow, the great conversion would take place. It was besides the fact, that Lucia of Fatima said the Consecration was completed in 1984 and Mary would keep Her promise. The flight was a fiasco in many ways, even causing $20,000 damage to the greatest sacramental in the modern world. [We have a report on this flight that everyone should read and never forget.]

Apparently, they did not learn. Before this flight [101] was even off the ground, these same mystics were saying that the "Great Warning" of Garabandal would take place on Holy Thursday, April 13, 1995.

They packed many many airplanes at over $2000.00 per seat. In Garabandal there were between 15,000 and 20,000 people packed on the little mountain against the orders of the bishop. Over one hundred Spanish policeman were needed.

Fourteen days later, they published an apology.

"I wish to apologize to any and all for the inconvenience caused by an erroneous prediction of the great miracle on Holy Thursday, April 13, 1995."

People were screaming for their money back. There was no miracle, there were no accommodations, everything was a mess, almost as bad as Jim Jones. They assured people that they still had there money but they went on to say how many financial problems they had, and asked that they have mercy. They went on to say that Mary has asked us to perform acts of penance, and they quoted "Garabandal, San Damiano, Medjugorje, Akita, Venezuela, Rwanda,, and Father Gobbi."[All but Akita are false.

To justify there mistake they state,

"It becomes obvious , based on current apparitions, that all of us have been praying for the "new heaven and new earth" (Rev. 21:1). This Kingdom is for the faithful who survive tribulations and the chastisement (Rev. and seers). Note the scripture says "the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of Heaven" Rev. 21:2) will replace the first earth that disappeared. A further revelation establishes "Here God lives among men. He will make His home among them. etc.". (Why this justified not giving back the money I do not know.)

We will answer the "New Heaven and New Earth" below, but regarding Revelation 21:2, the New Jerusalem coming down out of Heaven is Mary conceived in the mind of God before the world was created and adorned with all graces as the Bride of the Holy Spirit. [Revealed to Mary Agreda in City of God]. It is also the Catholic Church adorned with all graces as the Bride of Christ. Here (in the Catholic Church) God lives among men. Here (in the Catholic Church) we travel through the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth, then through the purifying door, then into the Holy of Holies where God will wipe away every tear. Once Baptized, we are in God’s Kingdom. It is the doctrine of our faith. And finally this earth will never "disappear" until Christ comes in the sky on the last day. He will not set His Foot on this earth. But in the twinkling of an eye He will send all those who have failed into Hell. Those left will rise up into the sky to meet Him. Then He will wipe away the earth with the wave of His Hand.

In there final plea they state: "Tribulation and the Chastisement are in our immediate future to eliminate all evil people which will leave God’s chosen people to inhabit the earth. It is only then that God’s love impregnates those remaining on this earth. Then the new heaven and new earth will be established.

Yes! There will be a "Chastisement". Over 110 true and approved mystics have said this for 1500 years. Even the Bible shows it. But it will not be only the bad that die, the prophets say the good and the bad will die. The true prophets say that 75% of the world will die. Those remaining will be converted for a time, about 40 years, but only for a time. Then will come the Antichrist.

There will not be a new heaven and a new earth. We received a New Heaven and a New Earth when Christ died on the Cross. It became a New Heaven because all the humans from Adam to Christ were let in. It became a New Earth because Christ would live amongst us in all the Tabernacles throughout the world until the end of time. And finally, God’s Love impregnates us now if we allow it.

But let us look at why we say "stupid" when referring to the promoters of Garabandal. They promoted 15-20,000 people to a remote mountain to see "The Warning", and yet, Conchita statement of June 19, 1965 was that, "The Warning that the Blessed Virgin will give us is like a chastisement." And on September 13, 1965, in an interview with Joey Lomangino and some other Americans, Conchita said,

"The Warning is a thing that comes directly form God. It will be visible all over the world, in whatever place anyone might be."

That being the case, why did those "stupid" promoters send thousands of people to Garabandal? Again on October 22, 1965, Conchita said, "The Warning will be very fearful, a thousand times worse than an earthquake." Why then go to an earthquake?

"All nations and all persons will experience it in the same way. No one will escape it. Even the non-believers … " Again we ask, why the trip to Garabandal?


CONCHITA

Conchita lives in the United States and in Fatima a few months a year. She is a very nice girl. She works with the Daughters of Charity. She has a family. If asked about the things that happened to her, she will say, "Yes, they happened." If you ask her if those things were from God or Demons, she will say, "The Church is the one who makes those decisions." Although she sometimes wonders, in general she does not believe Garabandal was from God. She does not promote anything to do with Garabandal. Why do you think she was not invited on the flight to Garabandal? If there was going to be a "Great Warning", why didn’t she go, taking her family? In fact, she was not even invited, because the promoters know she does not believe.

She obeys the Church, the Bishops, and the Holy See. Why is it that the rest of those uncautious, (and we are sorry) stupid people do not do the same as the seer who all these things happened to. Yes, they did happen. No, it was not from God. No, there will not be a "Warning". Yes, there will be a Chastisement where 75% of the world will die. No, there will not be a warning in the hearts of every person on earth. It will come as a thief in the night, have your lamps ready with the oil of grace at all times, and then you will have nothing to worry about. "The Day of the Lord" is "the moment of death" for each and every person, no matter how it happens, naturally, by accident, at the Chastisement, during the Antichrist, or at the end of the world. It’s all the same. It does not matter how, if you are ready to meet Your Lord.

But God does not take it lightly when you disobey His Church, for the Church, not you, is the pillar and the foundation of the truth. (1 Tim. 3:15). The Church is the final arbitrator. (Matt. 18:17) "And if he will not hear the Church, let him be to thee as the heathen and publican. Amen I say to you, whatsoever you shall bind upon earth, shall be bound also in heaven."

It has been pointed out as well that another proof that these visions of Garabandal are not from Heaven is the great emphasis on the physical impacts of the Warning, the Chastisement, the Miracle. But all the while, there is a 'blackout' on the real spiritual Chastisement:  the destruction caused by Vatican II, which ironically began at the same time as these visions. It is my understanding that all four seers of Garabandal have remained in the Conciliar Church, another 'fruit' of these visions?

[Stone]

THE APPARITIONS IN GARABANDAL
By Waterinckx Mark

Introduction

I, the undersigned, have been three times to Garabandal, namely in the early seventies, eighties and most recently in October 2000. The belief in the apparitions is very delicate and controversial. There are claims that the Pope, Padre Pio and Mother Theresa believed in the apparitions. If they did, they have been misled by one-sided information. Is this possible? Yes, it is possible.

Pope Gregorius XI (14th century) warned on his deathbed against false seers by whom he had been deceived himself. This can be read in the book "De servorum Dei beatificatione et beatorum canonisatione" written by Prospero Lambertini, the later pope Benedict XIV.

Also the present pope John Paul II warns in the Observatore Romano dd. 18.09.96 against the confusion created by the multiplication of supposed apparitions and visions. Personal experience?

Padre Pio has been beatified, in 2002 he will probably be canonized, but so is the parish priest of Ars [St. John Vianney], who for eight years did not believe in La Salette. Even a saint is not infallible.

Mother Theresa believed in the apparitions of Medjugorje. Her informer was Mgr. Hnilica, a doubtful figure, who has ever been condemned to three and a half years of imprisonment by a court in Rome.

Everything depends on the personal attitude (Marian, pious, naive, looking for a support, for help from heaven, for miracles) and on the source of information. Very often it is well meant but subjective. Not the stories but the naked facts and decisions of the bishop are of primary importance.


NEGATIVE ARGUMENTS AGAINST THE SO-CALLED APPARITIONS OF GARABANDAL

1. All eight bishops of Santander have from 1961 up to now, supported by the Holy See in Rome, publicly declared that no supernatural apparitions had taken place in Garabandal.

2. The parish priest of Garabandal told me during my third visit there on 03/10/2000 after Mass, that the so-called apparitions merely caused problems in the Spanish Church.

3. He handed me over the document with the definite, negative, final judgment of the present bishop of Santander, Mgr. Villaplana.

4. Conchita said the pope (at that time Paul VI) as well as Padre Pio would still see the miracle. Both have been dead for a long time.

5. In Conchita's diary one can read (p.164 Dutch edition) that Paul VI knew the date of the great Miracle.

5. On 13/04/1995 almost 20,000 pilgrims were present at Garabandal. Many from the USA who had paid $2000 American dollars for their air-tickets. Once more the date was false.

6. Prof. Rutten, the retired economist from the Netherlands, now foretells this miracle is going to happen on 11/04/2002. This fantasist was just as sure of the fact that the pope would proclaim the fifth Marian Dogma (via Amsterdam) on 31/05/2001 ...

7. According to Conchita the present pope (John Paul II) is the last pope on earth. Many other false seers suggest the next pope might well be the Anti-Christ. This way the good faithful are soaked off from the local bishop. Because the latter does not recognize the apparitions, he is a bad bishop without faith. Afterwards they are incited against the next pope and so there appears a schism with Rome and in the end Satan is the winner.

8. The leader of the Garabandal center in the Netherlands, Mr. Wim L., said during the Dutch TV Program, Crosspoint on 20/05/01 that he himself did not know if Garabandal came from Satan or from God.

9. In the same program they showed one of the Van der Maazen brothers, who keeps a souvenir-shop in Garabandal. The other brother who thought he would be cured on the day of the miracle, has already died. Wim L. told me over the phone that Barry Hanratty of the Garabandal center in New York had discovered that the Van der Maazen brothers cheated with the sale of medals containing little pieces of the so-called missal of Jacinta or Loli, that the text on the little pieces appears to be a Dutch text! Yet the same organizer Wim L. permitted Mr. Jef Van der Maazen to claim on T.V. the Miracle would happen in 2002. (in imitation of Rutten, the other fantasist)

10. Already in 1966 Conchita wanted to enter the Carmelite Convent in Pamplona. "Jesus" told her to go back to the world. In 1973 she married the much older Patrick Keena, divorced from his first wife, whom he had previously married before the law. According to some people he had two children from this first marriage or even two children from two different women. Not one family member was present at Conchita's wedding.

11. The same main seer, Conchita, made a museum of her house in Garabandal. She has since sold that house and owns a house in New York and a flat in Fatima as well. Compare them with Bernadette in Lourdes.

12. The same Conchita admitted to Father J. Pelletier that she herself had stolen the Host from the tabernacle for the so-called mystical communion.

13. Just before the so-called apparition in Garabandal the four seers had stolen apples.

14. Conchita was often caught in contradictions.

15. All four seers have already denied the apparitions really took place.

16. Not one of the seers still lives in the Garabandal-village.

17. The whole Garabandal story bursts with sensation.

18. Many of the so-called mystic phenomenons point out satanic influence. Remember the backwards running parties with the head bend back. Which theological value has such a thing? Conchita's convent vocation hot lost and she married a divorced man. She even said the Blessed Mother played hide and seek with her. On the other hand she even helped find shoes which had been lost by the pilgrims. The seers gave sweets to little Jesus and were allowed to take him into their arms. The Blessed Mother told the seers she perfumed the brushes of her slippers .... This Pope would be the last Pope. The un-Biblical Warning, the ever postponed Miracle are pure deceit and passion for the sensation. Satanic?

19. Typical too: the Garabandal - fans always try to undermine the local bishop's authority as well as that of the next pope. Once again dangerous phantasm. Who incites to disobedience? God or Satan? [...]


- Waterinckx Mark, Weinebruggelaan 49, B 8200 Brugge (Sint-Michiels), Belgium, Tel: 0032 (0) 50-38-50-29
[Emphasis mine.]

[Stone]

For your review and consideration, from this site.

!? St. Padre Pio 'Letter' to Conchita Garabandal (1962)

STATUS – No proof it is from St. Pio. This attribution is a forgery / hoax.

In March 1962, Conchita of Garabandal received an anonymous typed letter dated March 3, 1962 from the Capuchin monastery of San Giovanni in Italy.

It has been automatically assumed St. Padre Pio sent the letter, but other than the fact it was typed using one (or two) of the typewriters and bears all the proper stamps from San. Giovanni, there is absolutely NO PROOF St. Pio sent this. It was just assumed.

Since it was typed after 1924, we automatically know it was not from St. Pio.

St. Padre Pio was ordered by his superiors in 1924 he was not to write to anyone, and he obeyed his superior, never writing a letter after that date as Fr. Charles Mortimer Carty writes:

“Letters supposed to have been written by him after 1924 are AUTOMATICALLY SPURIOUS (i.e automatically known as a fake) by the very fact that Fr. Pio scrupulously and reverently obeyed his superiors who forbade him to write after that year.” (Source: Rev. Fr. Charles Mortimer Carty, “Padre Pio: The Stigmatist”, TAN, 1973).

St. Pio would never have sent even an anonymous letter as this would still be disobeying his superiors.

Also, the letter is very strange – the first part with the message is in Italian as would be expected, but the second part is with smudged lettering/ink and in Spanish – which looks like an addition typed on a different typewriter. If the writer could get a Spanish translator, why do the first part of the letter in Italian in the first place?

Also, the letter attempts to promote new mysteries tacked on to the Rosary that are based on the visions of Fatima. This is a major red flag as these 'new mysteries' are not doctrinal or Biblical based, as the true mysteries of the Rosary are, and therefore sounds like an attempt to distract from the real Church approved mysteries of the Rosary.

For instance, in the 'Fourth Mystery' we're supposed to mediate on Our Lady giving the “Secret of Fatima” - the meditation is: “In this fourth mystery we see how the secret of Fatima is the greatest secret of all that she has said” - which is not doctrinal. We are not even required to believe in the visions of Fatima for salvation.

And, why would this 'anonymous' person send Conchita this 'Rosary of Fatima' - when Garabandal is a completely different apparition event, unless someone was trying to force Garabandal into acceptance by linking it to Fatima? If Our Lady wanted new 'Fatima mysteries', why not reveal them at Fatima, or to Sr. Lucia all those years?

People are still angry that [...] John Paul II added the actual Gospel-based Luminous Mysteries to the Rosary, but seem okay with this non-Scriptural addition of an anonymous writer based on an apparition we're not not obliged to believe in instead? Something is definitely wrong.

One site says St. Pio did promote this 'Fatima Rosary' among the prayer groups, but I have found no proof of this. I have no doubt St. Pio encouraged the Rosary and mentioned Our Lady of Fatima, but as to encouraging people to say these new 'Fatima Mysteries' is only hearsay, which is not proof.

Looks like someone was up to devilish tricks at the San Giovanni post room and got their hands on their stationary and two of their typewriters in order to try and make Garabandal look credible. The devil can do awful damage in a monastery as we have seen from the lives of saints and mystics.

This letter attributed to St. Pio is an obvious hoax.

[Emphasis mine.]

[Stone]

Spanish bishop makes statement on alleged apparitions at Garabandal



Parish Church of San Sebastián de Garabandal (Spain). | Credit: Lourdes Cardenal (CC BY-SA 3.0)

CNA ACI Prensa Staff | Oct 20, 2022


The bishop of Santander, Manuel Sánchez Monge, has stated regarding the extraordinary events of Garabandal that “my position, like that of my predecessors, is that Rome’s assessment remains valid: ‘There are no signs of supernaturality.’”

In addition, he acknowledged that he contacted the San Pablo Center of University Studies (CEU) to express his displeasure because they had not consulted him before hosting an event of devotees of the alleged apparitions.

“I only let those at the CEU know, not Cardinal Osoro, that I did not like that they had not consulted me before authorizing that event,” the prelate told ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language sister news agency.

The bishop of Santander was addressing the controversy surrounding an event titled “Madrid with Garabandal,” which took place in the restaurant of a sports club near the Spanish capital.

The organizers, who had planned for the event to be held at the San Pablo CEU, announced the change of venue pointing out that it was “for reasons beyond the control of the organizers.”

Some information in the days prior suggested that the bishop of Santander had called the archbishop of Madrid, Cardinal Carlos Osoro, to put pressure on the CEU for the event to not be held at the university founded by the Catholic Association of Propagandists in 1933.

In a statement to ACI Prensa, the Archdiocese of Madrid denied its participation in this controversy and specified that “neither Cardinal Osoro nor anyone from the archdiocese has contacted the CEU or the organization in relation to this event.”

At the beginning of his address at the event on Garabandal, Jorge Fernández Díez, Spain’s former minister of the interior, made mention of  the fact that the venue had been changed for reasons beyond the control of the organizers.

The causes for transferring the event, he said, “are the same causes that have been torpedoing for 61 years that the truth of what happened might be rigorously investigated.”

“We have the right to petition, to request, and to pray for a serious and rigorous investigation to be carried out out of respect for the faithful and out of respect for the Virgin,” he stressed.


‘Grave responsibility to study these facts’

Álvaro de Cárdenas, a priest of the Diocese of Getafe, present at the event, told ACI Prensa that “it’s a grave responsibility of the Church to study the events of Garabandal.”

In his opinion, “if the Church of Santander ignores its serious obligation, the Church of Rome should take on the investigation” in order to “rule on its origin” and offer a concrete response to the people of God. [This is contrary to the Church Teaching that it is the local bishop who rules on authenticity of apparitions. - The Catacombs]

Through the initiative Garabandal está vivo, more than 2,000 people have signed a petition that calls on the bishop of Santander to promote “a rigorous study under the light of the Holy Spirit of everything that happened in San Sebastián de Garabandal.”


What happened in Garabandal?

The alleged extraordinary events took place in the small village of San Sebastián de Garabandal between 1961 and 1965. There, four girls — Conchita, Jacinta, Mari Loli, and Maricruz — claimed to have witnessed apparitions of St. Michael the Archangel and the Virgin Mary.

Those events attracted crowds who claimed to witness the girls (around 11 years old) in ecstasy, levitating, and other phenomena.