The Catholic Defender: The Virgin Mary Reportedly Goes to Garabandal, Spain in 1961

The Virgin Mary is reported to have appeared to four young schoolgirls in the Spanish village of San Sebastián de Garabandal in 1961

The Garabandal apparitions are reported apparitions of Saint Michael the Archangel and the Blessed Virgin Mary that are claimed to have occurred from 1961 to 1965

Garabandal is unique in the history of reported Marian apparitions, with the Blessed Virgin Mary appearing over 2000 times from July 2, 1961 until November 13, 1965. Our Lady gave two important Messages for the world. The first message was on the 18th of October 1961 and the second on the 18th of June 1965.

On July 1, 1961, St. Michael the Archangel announced to the girls that the Virgin Mary would appear as Our Lady of Mount Carmel the following day.

On July 2, 1961, the Virgin Mary appeared to the girls in an alleyway leading to nine pine trees. She was accompanied by two angels, one of whom was St. Michael.

According to the seers' accounts, the Virgin Mary appeared to them with messages of love, repentance, and the need for prayer and sacrifice. During the apparitions, the Virgin Mary conveyed numerous messages to the girls, urging them to pray the Rosary, make sacrifices for sinners, and seek the conversion of hearts.

Garabandal is unique in the history of reported Marian apparitions, with the Blessed Virgin Mary appearing over 2000 times from July 2, 1961 until November 13, 1965. Our Lady gave two important Messages for the world. The first message was on the 18th of October 1961 and the second on the 18th of June 1965.

If we answer the call of Our Lady, personally turn from sin and back to God, live deeper lives of prayer (especially the Rosary!), and go out through authentic friendship to help others, we can change world events and save souls.

The miracle would occur on June 18th, 1962. On this day at 1:30 am, Conchita entered into ecstasy and a visible host suddenly and mysteriously appeared on her tongue. A person present with a camera took the picture of this miracle. The Sacrament of the Eucharist is one of the basic pillars of the message of Garabandal.

Joey Lomangino a blind man asked Padre Pio if it is true the Virgin appeared to four girls in Spain. Padre Pio responded: “Yes.” Joey then went to visit Garabandal and returned there many times.

Joey Lomangino was born in Brooklyn on June 27th, 1931. In June 1947, while inflating a tire, it blew up and a 10 inch fracture between his eyes resulted. , his optic nerves and olfactory senses were divided. The same year of the accident, through the help of his friends, Joey converted. One night soon after he was sleeping when a voice woke him up and asked him to pray the rosary.

Joey then went to visit Garabandal and returned there many times. In one of Conchita’s ecstasies the Virgin blessed Joey’s Miraculous medal with a kiss on March 19th, 1964, the feast day of St. Joseph. Conchita had a locution and the Virgin said to her that Joey would receive new eyes the day of the Great miracle . . . that he will see the same day of the Miracle . . and the voice he heard in 1947 was her voice, the Blessed Virgin Mary’s.

The Sacrament of the Eucharist is one of the basic pillars of the message of Garabandal. The Virgin calls us to visit Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, and in some messages she told Conchita that she was sad because Conchita did not spend time with Jesus. “Why don’t you go more frequently to visit my Son in the Blessed Sacrament? Why are you driven by your laziness, not going to visit Him when He is waiting day and night?” (last message of the Virgin to Conchita, Nov. 13th, 1965). The Blessed Virgin reminds us that Jesus waits for us to speak with Him, to repair, and to console his Pierced Heart.

On July 8th, 1963, the Bishop of Santander, Mons. Beitia Aldazaba, declared: “we have not found any material for ecclesiastical censure or condemnation, neither in doctrine or in the spiritual recommendations promulgated. They contain exhortations to prayer, sacrifice and devotion to the Eucharist, devotion to Our Lady in traditional forms, and to holy fear of the Lord, offended by our sins

Pope Paul VI granted the Apostolic Blessing to the work of diffusion or promulgation of the Garabandal messages on June 12th, 1967.

The Virgin loves us and desires to present us to the Merciful Father. The warning, the miracle, and the punishment were revealed, but our Mother does not want us to live in fear. On the contrary She desires that we truly live the messages. Praying (especially the Holy Rosary), fasting, wearing the scapular, frequent Eucharist, confession and reflection on the Passion of Christ will obtain the graces from God we need to avoid sin and be converted into true Christians, holy Christians on the path to Eternal Life.

Finally, Mary spoke to the children about the consequences mankind would bring upon itself if it did not turn from fear and hatred to trust and love of God and neighbor

On October 18, 1961 the children placed in writing the message Mary gave them:

“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 befall us.”

The warning will be like a revelation of the state of our soul as it stands before God, an interior revelation of all the good we have done or failed to do; and all the sins we have committed and the further consequences of those sins. It will be like our particular judgment at the moment of death. But it is a gift from God to all before death and judgment, an opportunity for conversion, grace and mercy.

If we answer the call of Our Lady, personally turn from sin and back to God, live deeper lives of prayer (especially the Rosary!), and go out through authentic friendship to help others, we can change world events and save souls.