SIXTY-ONE YEARS OF HISTORY

Sixty-one years of human and “supernatural” history that took place in a small village called San Sebastián de Garabandal (Rionansa, Cantabria, Spain) and from this place to various parts of the world attracted by such an event that surpasses the human mind. The 2 July 1961 the words of Holy Scripture came true (Lc 1, 39-48). The great Mother approached all the children to bring us the message of Jesus Christ, blessed fruit of her womb, and today 2 July 2022, we want to celebrate from faith and from fraternity such an event. Hundreds or thousands of pilgrims have visited this simple and quiet place during this time. Thank you mother for your visit, for your presence and closeness among us. It is a date to give thanks to our Lady of "Garabandal", for so many thanks received, for so many pilgrims, servers, Priests, religious who have walked these paths, this alley, these pines, but, above all, the Church where the Lord is permanently.

We place ourselves again as sixty-one years ago in your hands to continue walking together in the faith of Christ in the hope that does not disappoint. ,and in the love that is made. In Our Lady let us put our hope in this world full of difficulties and challenges, to be faithful and humble witnesses to the Gospel of God's mercy and tenderness, knowing that Mary is the living Gospel of Christ. Garabandal does not need triumphalist defenders or fans who make us propaganda of the Virgin and her appearance, but there is an urgent need for humble and silent WITNESSES who with their coherent and sincere life, make us perceive the love of the Virgin and the truth of her apparition. Garabandal is not dead. The Virgin lives in the middle of the world and is the Mother of Jesus Christ and our Mother. we are not orphans. She wants to make this place, not a money bazaar, nor a place of rare confrontations that threaten the light and strength of the Holy Spirit. The Virgin wants to make this place a great family of brothers, who deeply live the Magna Carta of the Gospel-the beatitudes and in this way this place will be a garden of silence, of peace, of God, of Mary and of the united brothers, guided by the Holy Spirit in fraternal prayer with the Mother (Acts 2, 1-4). We must make a commitment where Garabandal does not become a "babel" where each one and each group invent their God, his Holy Spirit, his Virgin, his Church and his pastors. Let God be God and Mary be Mary.

At this time, it is necessary to harmoniously conjugate three words that Pope Francis has once mentioned:

1 )TO WALK in the midst of a difficult time, hurricane force winds, dark storms, communism, corrupt policies that threaten the culture of life and the dignity of the person, attacks against the original plan of God. But always wielding the stick of faith boldly, courage and poise. Knowing that Jesus Christ, the Son of Mary, he has told us: “Know that I am with you every day until the end of the world” (Mt 28, 16-20). Holding the "apron" of our Mother ,let's keep walking because she always accompanies us on this pilgrimage, for this he has come in haste to this mountain and so many mountains of Judah. 2 )BUILD with our dedication and evangelical tenacity the Church of Christ, not the “whimsical” Church of our minds. The Church of the Holy Spirit whose cornerstone is Christ and us the living stones. It is urgent and serious to build "Garabandal" on the truth of Jesus Christ, his Gospel and his Church with the light of the Holy Spirit, having the certainty that Mary is always invited to the weddings of this world (Jn 2, 1-11) to be light and guide of our events and our nights. It is imperative to build "Garabandal" on sincere silence, where the noise of money does not sound nor the scandalous confrontations that threaten ecclesial communion and therefore against the Virgin who is mother of the Church. It is disastrous in all respects to say that the bishops of Santander have persecuted, disgraceful, the apparitions of the Virgin of Garabandal. The diocesan Church has always acted prudently, good sense and respect for a reality that they know better than us in its connotations. A patient hope is claimed to see the end and fulfillment of the warning (whose date did Mari Loli know) and the miracle (whose date, week, mes, year and day he knows Conchita). It's about waiting in prayer, in conversion, in the Eucharist may the words of the Lord be fulfilled (Mt 24, 35-36). We are concerned about the morbid and tiresome obstinacy of so many faithful who demand that the Church "approve" it. (What hides behind all this desire?. set up camp, implant ecclesial ideologies, solve a future at the expense of the Virgin?. Etc…..).

3) From "Garabandal", emblematic place, the need to TO CONFESS with our sincere, accurate and converted testimony that God is the truth of man and man the truth of God. Confess in the “noise” of the current moment, political noise, religious, social, human, diabolical, that without God and his distance we walk into the void and build hell in this world. TO CONFESS, awake to the mentioned noises, but not distressed because He is by our side. TO CONFESS, attentive to so many dissonant voices that sound in this world today, but not desperate because our mother is the help of Christians, refuge of sinners, health of the sick and consolation of the afflicted. TO CONFESS, danger watchers, but not obsessed with him, because our Mother is Mother of conversion and Mother of the Eucharist. On this happy date 2 July 2022 (sixty one years) walk with her, edify a "Garabandal" without confusion or noise, but an open house with the mother at the door to welcome so many pilgrims with their hearts blocked by joy, hopes and sufferings. And confess word of Jesus Christ, blessed fruit of Mary is the Lord of man, of history, of the world and of all time.

With my affection and blessing Father Rolando.

____________________________________________________________________ RELIGIOUS ACTS FOR THAT DAY

11.30 a.m. until 18.30 p.m – ADORATION TO THE BLESSED (You can sign up for worship). 19.00 p.m Santo Rosario in the alley like other years. 20.00 h Solemn Eucharist in the Parish. ______________________________________________________________________