¿ Garabandal ?

Mother, our consolation and hope.

To the 60 years of history we want to thank you for your visit to this mountain of Judah, San Sebastian de Garabandal (Rionansa - Cantabria - Spain), on 2-VII-1961, to bring Jesus Christ to this place and the world, blessed fruit of your womb and through Him a message of love and conversion. A beautiful and provocative event, spectacular and framed between the human and the divine, what arose ago 60 years in the mountains and villages of a simple town, in the figure of four village girls, whose names are Conchita González ( 12 years old ), Mari Cruz González ( 11 years old ), Jacinta gonzalez (12 years old ) and Mari Loli Mazón ( 12 years old ). This extraordinary event has as its portico the appearance of the Archangel Saint Michael the 18 - WE - 1961, who prepares them for the epicenter and mystery of that event, the appearance of the Virgin of the 2 – VII – 1961, under the invocation of Our Lady of Carmen, whose appearances last 5 years old. This fact revolutionizes the place, the Shire, Spain and various parts of the world. An annual average presence of almost three thousand pilgrims a year from different parts of the world and different cultural environments is calculated.. The official church of the diocese mobilizes in the face of such phenomena with different study teams. During this time, several bishops have passed through the diocese. The official ruling of the church is "there is no evidence of the supernatural nature" of the alleged apparitions; the "no record" leaves the door open to different interpretations, that they do not stop being that, interpretations.

The wealth of ecstasies and captivating appearances, encrypted these in a 3000 according to scholars, they arouse impact and interest in so many people, giving rise to numerous studies. Perhaps the simplest and clearest book is that of P. Fishery: "He hurried to the mountain". Countless books have been written, brochures and articles on the subject, with different purposes that are now irrelevant.

Now upon reaching this stage of 60 years old, the urgency to revive is imposed, refresh and objectively pose the analysis of so many years and the reason for this time: THE VIRGIN. We can divide this time into three sections:

A) POSITIVE:

An event that revolutionizes many parts of the world and the truthful testimony of the residents of the town, real witnesses of such events to this we add the testimonies of many pilgrims who frequented the place during those dates. Most of the "pilgrims" come looking for light to your faith, comfort and hope for their lives before the figure of the VIRGIN, claiming their help as children, his mercy and his refuge in those most favorable moments and in these turbulent moments, we would say in this valley of tears. Arriving, they unload their "crosses" before the Mother and as they leave they pick them up again, but they weigh less or they don't find it anymore. Some who come out of curiosity take the loving gaze of the Virgin. This is the beautiful panorama that can be discovered, sometimes overshadowed by little pious or ecclesial behavior. Padre Pio and Paul VI are mentioned as involved in these events, all this can be verified in the different books and magazines and the internet.

B) NEGATIVE:

Others who have arrived, of which "some" have settled in the town, turning the place into a powder keg or Babel, where traditionalist trends mix, we integrate, serious confrontations that threaten ecclesial communion, struggles of ideological behaviors that alter the serenity of the peace of the place and of the Church, some poor devil who feels like a seer and protagonist of personal and religious illusions. Some have turned the Virgin's mantle into a skirt to keep dollars and euros, Others try to make of said "mantle" different flags of groups of all systems, putting on the lips of the Virgin what she would never say, because every charism in the Church is at the service of the Community. if sells, buy yourself, properties are hoarded for the day of the "miracle". Apartments for rent for sordid profit, bags and tents are offered online for the day of the "miracle". In social networks there are very discouraging youtubes on the issue of Garabandal and excommunicated bishops and priests come, grated people who riot space and become traveling preachers. The "Garabandal cache" is listed and a mobster always comes up. But this is possible because the devil is there where the Virgin is. We must fight so that the devil does not steal the heart of man from God, did not succeed in removing the human being the heart of God as it did with Adam and Eve (Give 3, 1-24). The weapons to beat this GUY (Devil) son:

• Reading and meditation on the key word of God for conversion that fills us with the grace of the Holy Spirit.
• The Holy Rosary to meet the Virgin, who the devil especially hates.
• Sincere Confession in the Sacrament of Penance.
• The participation of the Holy Mass. (All of it is from Pope Francis). In this section we should review a somewhat confusing statement from one of the visionaries Mª Cruz.

C) PRESSING DEMANDS OF THIS PLACE WITH ITS 60 AÑTHOSE OF HISTORY:

1. Inner silence that helps us to reflect and to meet Jesus Christ, blessed fruit of the womb of Mary, that we know how to master our language to control our whole being (Santi 3, 5-6; 3,2). We will be held accountable for every bad word. May our "language" be at the service of truth and love (Mt. 12, 34-36). Only from inner and outer silence can we receive the strength of the Holy Spirit, that gives us light to discern the signs of the times, to be vigilant with boldness and poise by standing firm in the faith.
2. Do not forget the two messages of the Virgin to girls and to the world, to us and to all, not just cardinals, bishops and priests… no, no, to all (18 October 1961 and 18 June 1965). And the most important thing is to go to the Eucharist but first be very good. The messages in Garabandal in all their reality and material seriousness invite us to CONVERSION AND THE EUCHARIST. Let's not forget and lose sight of the fact that "Garabandal" is a cry for Conversion., but a conversion that touches the heart and makes us say the words of the Psalm 51: "Oh God create in me a pure heart, renew me inside with a firm spirit ". The two sacraments of Garabandal, like any admitted church appearance, they are the sacrament of Confession and the sacrament of the Eucharist. She, as Mother wants us to be clean and fed. A sacrament of confession other than a make-up to remove wrinkles from the heart, but a sacrament that looks at our soul to meet God the Father, with ourselves and with others. And the sacrament of the Eucharist, We receive it as the Bread of Life and Eternity, to transform our life and make our world more human and more of God. We must take care of the details but go to the depth of the sacrament. These sacraments impel us to be branches united to the vine that is Christ, help us to be a Community, Parish and universal Church. That we do not wander around different parishes to find the Eucharist as a refuge for our religious whims that have nothing to do with the seriousness of the Eucharist..
3. Garabandal nos urge to make the place of the "supposed" apparitions a house of fraternity, where we feel brothers under the mantle of the Mother. Make this place a constant Pentecost where, from the fraternity, prayer and Mary we receive the strength of the Holy Spirit to be witnesses in word and deed of the Risen Jesus Christ, blessed fruit of Mary ( Acts. 2, 1-13 ). May the Holy Spirit grant us the grace to read and reread the Scriptures to make active memory, loving and acting of the events of Christ.
4. Garabandal drives us to make the place a school of prayer with a noble and generous heart, contrite and humiliated. That it is not a venue for shows and subtle "dimes and tell" that prevent us from growing as Christians and as people.. May Mary be the Star of the new Evangelization, so that we know how to read and live like She the Word that saves us (Jn.2, 5). May Mary be the great doctor who helps us to read and live the truth of the Gospel, whose Gospel we must carry in the pocket of life, making him the norm of life leaving aside the possible teachers on duty.
5. Garabandal launches us to make the place a workshop where we work to grow in faith, hope and love (Lc.2, 5). A workshop where we work not to adulterate the figure of Christ and the figure of Mary, the Gospel and our Church. Do not repeat the harsh words of Jesus Christ when he entered the temple in Jerusalem: "Do not turn my Father's house into a den of thieves" (John 12, 5-6). Let's not turn this place in Garabandal into a one-hundred-dollar market, but in a space where the truth of Mary does not lend itself to speculation and ideologies, but it is a LIGHT that guides us towards Eternity.
6. Garabandal is a call to be THE CHURCH OF CHRIST, not the one we invented as if it were a bazaar of opportunities. A church that demands fraternity from us, We cannot celebrate the Eucharist under the gaze of the Virgin and be faced for ideas, we integrate, euros and other factors that may displace us. A church that claims our belonging to us and does not look for churches of refuge or whim. When we reject our pastors- servers, starting with the Holy Father on duty, today Pope Francis, we are disfiguring the face of Christ, of Maria, our Mother and the Church. We must accept from love and sincere prayer the weaknesses of our mother the Church, understanding that Christ is the blessed fruit of your womb, Mary..
7. Garabandal is a light of faith, hope and love that invites us to patient hope. If we say that Garabandal only God knows, why this insistence that the Church approve it, Well, it only remains for us to let God be God and the Virgin to be the Virgin.. There is a danger that behind this obfuscation that the Church approves it, other interests are hidden that respond to ideologies and pockets. Say it's a torrent, Well, let God and the Virgin dominate that torrent. And a question, Why are there people and groups who claim and ask that the official church approve?, (What is hidden behind that desire?, personalities, ideologies, achieve goals, money, business…). This is not the time to kick. We can bore the Virgin. Our official Church years ago, speaks of "alleged appearances" and that "does not appear" word that lends itself to many interpretations. Let's respect and be prudent.

If approved by the Church, Are you going to be better?. Convert now and wait no longer.

The purpose of this long reflection is to put in order a reality under study that clarifies the moment and reassures the place and the pilgrims.. Let the Virgin continue repeating those words of the wedding at Cana: "Do what He tells you" (John 2, 1-11), that will fill us with love, hope and truth our lives.

8. As a culmination I allow myself to invite you to a sincere and deep reflection of an evangelical quote from Mt 6, 24-34: "No one can serve two masters, for he will despise one and love the other, or he will love one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and wealth ". (In colloquial terms we cannot serve God and money - the Virgin and money). May this evangelical phrase awaken in our hearts and our behaviors in this disconcerting moment. Thanks for your understanding.

With my affection and blessing. Father Rolando.