Garabandal (Spain)
18-6-1961 - 13-11-1965
The Story:
Garabandal is a small village in northern Spain, in the Santander province, near the Picos de Europa mountains, a rugged and beautiful setting. Its full name is San Sebastian of Garabandal. It is located 600 meters above sea level, some 57 miles from the capital of the province. To get there one must climb steep, poor roads. No more than 300 people live in Garabandal. The town is impressively quiet. There is no doctor in the town and no resident pastor at the parish church. The pastor from Cosio, the next town down the road, used to celebrate Mass there on Sunday. In the evening of June 18, 1961, four girls were playing on the outskirts of the town - Conchita Gonzalez, Maria Dolores Mazon Gonzalez (a.k.a. Mari Loli, or Loli), Jacinta Gonzalez and Maria Cruz Gonzalez (not related despite having the same name.) Maria Cruz was eleven, the others twelve, and all were from poor families. Suddenly they heard a loud noise, like thunder, and saw before them the bright figure of the Archangel Michael. On the following days the Archangel appeared to them again in the same place. He announced that on July 2 they would see Our Lady. This was the beginning of the Garabandal events.
The Garabandal seers
The next night, around 6:00pm, the girls went into ecstasy, or a trance while seeing the Virgin Mary. She appeared to them with 2 angels, both of which looked exactly like St. Michael, and over her right shoulder, the children saw a flaming red square with a triangle and an eye in it, with some Oriental writing in it. She spoke to them about everything from the village news to the beginning of the first warning. She also taught them how to pray the rosary. She appeared to them many times.
The messages:
Message of October 18, 1961
First Warning:
"We must make many sacrifices, do much penance. We must visit the Blessed Sacrament frequently; but first, we must be good, and unless we do this, a punishment will befall us. The cup is already filling and unless we change, a very great punishment will come."
While the Virgin was appearing to the girls, many physical hardships were witnessed by the people around them. The girls would drop to their knees, on the rocky terrain of the area, without any damaging effects. They would fall on the ground, in what was called an ecstatic fall, leaving no marks or wounds to be seen. The doctors would test them by pricking them with pins to no effect. The doctors would shine lights in their eyes, but the girls would not flinch. Their pupils remained diolated, and their heads remained in the upward position, staring at the sky. The psychiatrists and doctors that studied them said there was no evidence that anything was wrong with them mentally or physically. They couldn't explain why these girls weren't least mentally inept from these unexplainable visions, let alone physically damaged from hitting the ground with such
force when they fell to their knees or to the ground in ecstasy.
Miracle of The Host:
One of the really significant events to occure was the Miracle of The Host. On May 2, 1962, the angel told Conchita that God would perform a miracle so that all people would believe: they would see the Sacred Host on her tongue at the moment of Communion and that she should make this known fifteen days in advance. On July 18, 1962, the town was crowded with visitors. At midnight Conchita, who had remained in her home continually surrounded by visitors, entered into ecstasy and went out into the street. At a short distance from her house she fell down on her knees in the midst of the crowd. Lanterns were focused on her. Conchita put out her tongue upon which nothing was resting, as everyone could see. In a few moments, a white host appeared on her tongue and remained there for a few minutes. A businessman from Barcelona, Don Alejandro Damians, standing less than three feet from the girl, secured some very good moving pictures. In the film there appeared 79 pictures of the extraordinary scene.
Message of June 19, 1962:
The Virgin told us a message for the whole world and it is this: The Virgin has said to us that we are not expecting the Chastisement; Because we are disregarding her first message by the way we live but without expecting punishment, it will come. Because the world has not changed and now, with this message she has said it twice and we do not heed her, because the world is worse and must change much but has not changed at all.
Message of June 23, 1962:
The Virgin has told us: The world continues the same, that it has not changed at all. They are so few who have amended their lives that it hurts her very much, she said the chastisement is coming seeing as the world is not changing. The cup is filling up. She told us that we who are good should pray for those who are bad.
Message of June 18, 1965
Second Warning:
"As my message of October 18 has not been complied with and has not been made known to the world, I am advising you that this is the last one. Before, the cup was filling up. Now it is flowing over. Many cardinals, many bishops and many priests are on the road to perdition and are taking many souls with them. Less and less importance is being given to the Eucharist. You should turn the wrath of God away from yourselves by your efforts. If you ask His forgiveness with sincere hearts, He will pardon you. You are now receiving the last warnings. I love you very much and do not want your condemnation. Pray to us with sincerity and we will grant your requests. You should make more sacrifices. Think about the passion of Jesus."
Message of June 23, 1962
The Virgin has told us: The world continues the same, that it has not changed at all. They are so few who have amended their lives that it hurts her very much, she said the chastisement is coming seeing as the world is not changing. The cup is filling up. She told us that we who are good should pray for those who are bad.
On November 13, 1965, Conchita saw the Blessed Virgin for the last time at Garabandal.
The Warning:
First, a World-Wide Warning that will happen in the sky...like the collision of two stars that do not fall down... it will frighten all humanity regardless of where one happens to be at the time... it will be a thousand times worse than earthquakes... like a fire that will not burn our flesh ... it will last a very short time, although to us it will seem to be a very long time ... no one can prevent it from happening ... It will be recognized as coming from God... it will resemble a punishment ... it is meant to be a purification ... like the revelation of our sins and what we will feel in our hearts will be worse than sorrow. It will not kill us, if we die it will be caused by the emotion within us. The date was not revealed only that it will happen before the announcement of the miracle.
The Miracle:
The visionary Conchita says, Our Lady has promised a greater miracle in Garabandal so that all may believe the apparitions and be obedient to the message. "As the punishment which we deserve for the sins of the world is great, the miracle must also be a great one, for the world needs it." It will occur on a Thursday on the feast day of a saint devoted to the Eucharist, at 8:30 in the evening, and will last for about one quarter of an hour. It will also coincide with a great event in the Church. The sick who come to Garabandal on that day will be cured, unbelievers will be converted. There will remain a permanent sign at "The Pines" as a proof of Our Lady's tremendous love for all her children. "The sign that will remain says Conchita, "will be able to be seen, photographed and televised but it will not be able to be touched. It will appear clearly that it is something not of this world, but of God."
Conchita has been granted permission by Our Lady to announce the date of the miracle eight days in advance. With the present means of communication and travel, eight days are sufficient for people around the world to gather. The day of The miracle may be the last opportunity given us by God and may be also Our Lady's last effort to save the world from the punishment already threatened.
Some time ago Conchita wrote, "The Blessed Virgin will not allow me to reveal the nature of the miracle although I already know it. Neither can I reveal the date of it, which I know, until eight days before it is to happen." Before The miracle takes place Our Lady has said that all mankind will receive a warning from heaven.
The Prophecies/The Punishment:
The relatively few messages of Garabandal contain prophesies of supernatural events that will affect the entire world. In addition, the visionaries claimed that they were given a series of frightening warnings about the future. Each of the girls stated that Mary told them about a series of four extraordinary events which would reflect God's concern for the state to which humanity had fallen. These events were reported to be:
A worldwide warning to be experienced by everyone on earth. Its purpose will be to call humanity to amend its behavior and return to God.
A great miracle that will occur in the late winter or early spring within one year after the warning.
Permanent signs that will remain for all time at a pine grove near Garabandal and other selected locations of Marian apparitions.
A terrible chastisement during which many will die. Other prophecies indicate that this chastisement will eliminate up to two-thirds of humanity. The chastisement depends upon the response of humanity to the warning and the miracle.
Especially Blessed:
The only other person to see Our Blessed Mother at Garabandal was 38-year old Spanish Jesuit Priest, Father Luis Marie Andreu. On August 8, 1961, Father Luis was among the pilgrims at The Pines. He was heard to say, Miracle! Miracle!" He saw The Blessed Virgin and was shown the forthcoming Great Miracle. The children in ecstasy understood Our Lady to say to him: "You will soon be with me." Although, he had no history of serious illness, he died that same night of complete joy. His final words were:
"Oh! What a sweet and lovely mother we have in heaven...how happy I am... what a favour The Blessed Virgin has bestowed on me. How fortunate we are to have a mother like her in heaven!. There is no reason to fear the supernatural life. The girls have given us an example of how we must act with the Blessed Virgin. There is no doubt, in my mind that the things involving the girls are true. Why should the Blessed Virgin have chosen us? This is the happiest day of my life". With those words, Father bowed his head and died. Our Lady has said, "that on the day AFTER the Miracle his body will be found to be incorrupt."
Joey Lomangino:
Joey Lomangino, who is blind, was deeply moved by the events at Garabandal and decided to inform others of Our Lady's apparitions there.
He returned home to New York, and recruited some volunteers to help spread the Message of Garabandal. Soon the public talks became conferences and
extended to other parts of the United States and eventually worldwide to most major countries on all the continents. An organization was then
established which would fulfill another prophecy given to Conchita Gonzalez by Our lady in 1964: "The house of charity that he (Joey) will establish in New York will bring great glory to God." The Blessed Virgin also told Conchita that on the date of the Miracle, Joseph Lomangino would receive new eyes.
Joey Lomangino
The Catholic Church has not yet approved the Apparitions of Garabandal. There has also been no condemnation of it by the Vatican. The bishops of Garabandal conclusions were there was no "supernatural validity" to Garabandal. However private trips to Garabandal are still allowed by the Church and Padre Pio, who believed in Garabandal, said before he died: " I pray to the most Holy Virgin to comfort you and guide you towards sanctity, and I bless you with all my heart." Garabandal has divided the Church in much the same way that Medjugorje is now doing. We will not know if it is really true unless such things come to pass. If it is true there is very little time left. The Local Bishop has criticized this apparition, but the Church has not yet reached a decision.
JUNE 18, 1965-JUNE 18, 2005 - THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SECOND MESSAGE OF GARABANDAL
A message from Joey Lomangino:
Forty years ago I was a witness for the Second Message of Garabandal on June 18, l965. I had previously visited the village and was trying to spread the Message and the story of Padre Pio in New York with my book of photographs and Braille captions when I received a letter at home from Conchita telling me to come to the village for the Second Message. Conchita alone received the Message, it was read to the crowd, and this is what I heard:
"June 18, 1965 - As my Message of October 18 has not been complied with and has not been made known to the world, I am advising you that this is the last one. Before the cup was filling up. Now it is flowing over. Many Cardinals, bishops and priests are on the road to perdition and are taking many souls with them. Less and less importance is being given to the Eucharist. You should turn the wrath of God away from yourselves by your efforts. If you ask His forgiveness with sincere hearts, He will pardon you. I, your Mother, through the intercession of Saint Michael the Archangel, ask you to amend your lives. You are now receiving the last warnings. I love you very much and do not want your condemnation. Pray to us with Sincerity and we will grant your requests. You should make many sacrifices. Think about the Passion of Jesus."
I left Garabandal determined to do even more to spread Our Lady's Message. I met priests with courage and devotion who assisted me through the first tough years and remained life-long friends. I believe, as they did, that the Message of Garabandal was for the whole world.
Spreading the Message has, for all these many years, been a joy and a suffering. The words were too hard for many to hear, especially among the clergy. But the thousands worldwide who accepted and who spread the Message as Our Lady requested, saw real conversions and a deepening of their faith. Like the Story of the Pearl (www.garabandal.us/gara_pearl.htm), once they had received the grace they couldn't stop. Many who worked with me have since gone on to their eternal reward. Others have taken their place and continue the work.
From that time, in America in the l960's, we have seen the return of devotion to the Blessed Mother and the rosary and more recently the return of devotion to the Eucharist and Eucharistic adoration. John Paul II in his final years gave us the Luminous Mysteries, declared the Year of the Rosary and the Year of the Eucharist, stating in his great encyclical that the Eucharist is the "Source and Summit" of Christian life. His words seem to strongly echo the theme of the importance of the Eucharist in the Message of Garabandal. With the death of Pope John Paul II and the "change of the era", we now look to Pope Benedict XVI to continue the work of his predecessor in fostering Eucharistic adoration, Marian devotion, working for the unity of the churches and strengthening the priesthood. We pledge him our loyalty and obedience and ask everyone to join us in union of prayer for him each day.
The message continues to spread:
- Instant internet communication at the time of the death of Pope John Paul II showed the value of our website for future Garabandal Events.
- In response to the need for clarification of the prophecy of the three popes, over 1.3 million hits registered on the Prophecies page in the first weeks of April. Fr. Turner's article on that page "John Paul II- Is He the Last Pope?" taken from the l979 back issue of GARABANDAL Magazine, helped to alleviate the confusion.
- The video, After the Visions, was downloaded continuously. The New York Center was flooded with emails. The classic books, Our Lady Comes to Garabandal by Father Pelletier and She Went in Haste to the Mountain by Eusebio Garcia de Pesquera, O.F.M., CAP, were accessed for research purposes daily. For this reason, attempts to update or edit these books are misguided. These classics have passed the test of time. Written by priest-scholars, aided by the young visionaries themselves and witnesses present for the apparitions, their work cannot be posthumously revised or rewritten. Our website assures instantaneous access to these original books, articles and photographs for personal use without a fee or subscription. We will continue to issue information by email as the need arises.
- New centers are opening. We heard by email from a diocese of 1,000 Catholics in Izkuk, Turkey with requests for medals, rosaries, Message videos, holy cards and books. Mission rosaries, generously donated to the New York Center, went to Pakistan and Brazil. Message videos and holy cards in Ukrainian were shipped to two major cities and a seminary in the Ukraine. Leaflets and holy cards in Tagalog went to the Philippine Islands. Message videos in Cantonese continue to enter China by courier each month. Garabandal books were mailed to U.S. prisons. Polish Message videos and holy cards were distributed to immigrant communities on Long Island, New York.
- Project Africa: Certainly Christian Africans know the meaning of sacrifice and penance. Once again this summer we will be shipping Garabandal packages into many parts of Africa. Over two hundred priests and laypeople wait for these supplies. Religious materials are scarce and in some areas the only religious materials received gratis are from the Workers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in New York. Priests who receive these packages express their gratitude in Masses offered on the 18th of the month for Workers and benefactors. Last summer, we asked the priests to write back and tell us the particular month they could offer a Mass. This year, Masses will be said on the 18th of every month by African priests.
- Our Lady's Kiss: The use of the Kissed Objects has increased and graces and conversions continue to be reported by email. It was the request of the Blessed Mother to have her Kiss distributed. Medals received from the New York Center today contain a small piece of Conchita's missal kissed by Our Lady during the apparitions. The Promises made by Our Blessed Mother and the Message of Garabandal are printed on the folder holding the medal. Requests by post or email for Kissed Objects will be honored until the supply is exhausted. Please remember to include your address and zip code with your request.
- Forty years have passed since that day in 1965 in the village of Garabandal. Padre Pio is now Saint Pio. Conchita (Concepción González) s a grandmother, born February 7, 1949. From time to time, I receive emails from people anxious about the date of the the Miracle. I want to assure you that I understand, and remain confident that on the day of the Miracle I will get my new eyes and as Our Lady said, "They will be for the Glory of God". Until then we wait and pray and look forward to the coming Events of Garabandal.
- In union with your prayers and support, we hope to continue to spread Our Lady's Message throughout the world.
Mari Loli, Seer From Marian Appartion at Garabandal Dies
Maria Dolores Mazon Gonzalez, better know to many as Mary Loli, one of the four Garabandal visionaries has died at the age of 60. Joey Lomangino, the founder of the U.S. based apostolate for Garabandal issued a brief statement on April 21 announcing her death. No specific date of death was given in this announcement but from the text in appears to have been on April 20th.
Joey Lomangino
The passing of Joseph Lomangino on the anniversary of the first apparition and also the last public message of Garabandal 6/18/2014- Lindenhurst, New York. June 18, 2014 has marked the passing of Joseph "Joey" Lomangino, precisely 53 years ago to the day of the first alleged heavenly apparition (June 18, 1961) to four young girls in Garabandal, Spain. After the first initial appearance of St Michael the Archangel on this date, the Blessed Virgin Mary would allegedly appear on numerous occasions to the children until the final public message, once again on June 18, 1965. And for this reason, June 18th is the primary feast day of the events of Garabandal, since it marks the date of the first apparition to the children in 1961, and also that of the last public message of the Blessed Virgin Mary on that same date in 1965. And so it is that also on this very significant same date that Joey Lomangino died of a heart attack in his home at 10:30AM, lovingly surrounded by his family.
