1-6b) Mother and Teacher

Reprinted with kind permission from St. Joseph Publications

from the book She Went in Haste to the Mountain (Book 1)

NOTE: All excerpts from Conchita's Diary will be in extra-bold type

God is a spirit (John 4:_:24), and the presence and action of a spirit can only be known through its effects. So also through their effects we are able to know the presence and the actions of the Virgin in Garabandal, and discover what these actions were and what she desired during the times of instruction with the children.

Much of what she has done still remains a mystery. It is as if the spirit, like the wind, breathes where He wills; you hear His voice, but you know not from where He comes, nor where He goes. (John 3:8) Things of God always proceed like this. There is never a sudden complete unveiling. If there were, men — who are always immature and dull of heart — would probably not be able to endure or comprehend it. The style of God toward His creatures is to act in a gradual way, through stages, according to a rhythm that He alone knows — and which so many times we do not understand — without hurry, but without pause.

The most immediate effects of the presence and actions of the Virgin could be seen above all in the childrens' way of thinking and acting. There was no denying that their way of thinking and acting had changed.

Father Ramón Maria Andreu in his much quoted report, as fruit of personal observation and direct experience, wrote:

«From the beginning of the visions, up until August 25th — some two months — there were various counsels and recommendations received by the children. The order in which they are placed here probably does not correspond exactly to the chronology, but it is not possible for me to name the dates precisely, and furthermore, many of the counsels were repeated frequently.

1. At first the girls avoided the public that came up to see them. We ran away. The Virgin told them that they should not run away, and that if they were asked a question, they should respond to the things that they knew and could talk about. After that, they did not hide from the people. [Since the Virgin was not coming for them alone, they knew they had to reveal these things to others, telling them what was able to be told. Although many people asked questions only out of frivolity or curiosity, there were many who needed aid, and who sought to strengthen their religion and faith.]

2. Another counsel, often repeated, was that they should be modest.[Modosas. This word is in current use in some regions of Spain and is used precisely in the sense that the girls used it with Father Andreu. It is equivalent to have good conduct, to be a person of good manners. Naturally its meaning is not limited to external actions alone. To say that a girl or adolescent is very modosita is a compliment, not only of a person's external comportment, but of all his conduct in those things that are related to discretion, modesty, education, manners, etc..] They interpreted this in the sense that they should not be vain, that they should dress with simplicity, and that they should show attitudes of modesty and humility.

3. Probably even more often they had repeated to them the counsel to be obedient.[Fr. Valentin has this recorded in his notes of July 16th, a Sunday, and the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel:

«When I went up at five in the afternoon, I met Conchita and Loli wearing two or three chains and medals, two or three rosaries, watches, bracelets, etc.. I was slightly angry with them, and I took everything away; I left them no more than a rosary and a chain with a scapular medal. And I told them that they should obey the pastor and their parents. Later they told me that they had mentioned this to the Angel, and they could bring the medals, but that they had to obey the priest and their parents, and to live always like children.»

Some parts of the dialogue with the apparition were recorded on the first day that Conchita had an ecstasy at the Pines:

«One day I could not see you, since they would not let me come up . . . Yes, I know that we have to obey; but you first of all. . . good, but we have to obey you too . . .»

It should not be difficult to fill in the pauses with the answers from the Apparition, which the spectators naturally could not hear. At the time of these happenings no one said that this reminder to obedience was improper or unnecessary.]

4. And also that they make sacrifices. They did not understand the meaning of this word. At the request of the Virgin, they questioned priests about it. [We suppose that they did not go to ask those priests who now say that all this matter of sacrifice, mortification, self-renunciation, etc. has nothing to do with our renewed and open Christianity. To this type of priest this matter, belongs to the old and stupid asceticism of monastic times, ' which is now fortunately passé, according to the rhetoric of the new prophets.] I myself had to give them explanations.

5. The Virgin inspired in them a horror of sin.[How could the Virgin come to these mountains with this matter of sin? Don't we want a moral code without sin? Everything that's in man, doesn't it have value? Such ideas cannot exist in an adult Christianity! Aren't we all saved, regardless of what happens?

How many falsehoods and absurdities like these are spoken day after day to a confused people of God!] One time while alone in ecstasy Conchita said, And that, what is it? Oh! The sight of sinners. How ugly! Take me away front it! Yes, I don't want to see it. No! (crying) Another time? The sight of sinners? Ah, yes! Sacrifices!

On another occasion Loli was in an ecstatic position for about twenty-five minutes without saying anything. Finally she said, Mercy, mercy! while tears ran down her cheeks.

6. With regard to piety, the girls were requested to pray often, especially the rosary and the Station to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Each day, besides the rosary that they said in the village, they recited others with the vision.[No one can deny that this fact is very significant, taking into account the new attitude of certain clergy and laymen toward these practices of piety.]

The Virgin also taught them religious songs. And she corrected them when they performed defectively any religious practice, like making the Sign of the Cross, the recitation of the new form of the Act of Contrition, etc..

7. Formation of conscience. Frequently the girls were heard asking questions while in a state of trance. Here are some of these questions:

— To sing the song 'Esperanza', [This refers to a song that was very popular at the time; a frivolous song, vulgar and imbecile like so many other songs that have been successful. For example some of its words were:

The music carried in the summer air of the villages, and more than once the young girls of our story had heard it. But undoubtedly in their homes they had heard that they should not sing it — the upbringing in those homes of Christians of old like those at Garabandal was strict — and it was for this reason that they asked the Virgin about this.] is that a sin?

— To say "I don't want to eat", is that a sin?

— For women to smoke, is that a sin?

8. Significant actions: One day a woman wanted to have her picture taken with one of the visionaries, but the girl walked away from her saying, The Virgin doesn't want us to take pictures with those who wear low-cut dresses.

9. Attention is called to the simple and confident way that the girls had with the Virgin; certainly they had learned this from her.

It is not easy to judge the spiritual progress of a soul, unless it is judged by a spiritual director who constantly deals with it. The spiritual progress of the girls should be estimated more by the interior than by the exterior; however, it undoubtedly would be reflected in the exercise and practice of the virtues.

PHOTO (Left): "HUMILITY—This was shown. . . by the lowly work that they continued to do in front of everyone." (Right): "The girls were imbued with a spirit of obedience."

HUMILITY — This was shown by the children in various ways: by their manner of dressing, by their manner of speaking, by the small things that they did for the public that came to see them, by the lowly work that they continued to do in front of everyone, by their docility to suggestions from their parents and priests, etc..

On various occasions the Virgin has indicated that when they would come to see her, they should not wear either bracelets or earrings. The only one who had the habit of wearing earrings was Conchita. But in a trance at the door of the church, she was heard asking, What did I do bad? Oh, good! And returning to normal, she went to her home, took off the earrings and a bracelet and returned to the door of the church, where she went into ecstasy again. I myself have noticed several times that when they felt the third call, they immediately began to take off any ring or bracelet that they had on their hands and which belonged not to them, but to some other person who had given them to the girls to look at and examine.

OBEDIENCE — As a consequence of the apparitions, the girls were imbued with a spirit of obedience, and not only showed this with works, but also with words. They said that the vision had recommended this very much, and that the Virgin had told them to obey above all their parents and priests.

The mother of Mari Cruz one day told her daughter that she should stay home; and she did stay, while the other three went to the Pines for an apparition. When it was mentioned to Mari Cruz that she should not lose the occasion to go with the others, she answered,

— But isn't it better to see the Virgin than to remain at home?

— The Virgin told me to obey.

The bishop (Apostolic Administrator) ordered the church closed during the states of trance in order to avoid the lack of respect that the public — without bad will — was committing in its desire to see the girls close up. This measure pleased the parents and the villagers, since they were not looking for sensationalism. The first day that the recommendation was put into effect, the girls approached the church in the state of trance as usual; but on seeing it closed, turned around and then suddenly said, Ah! That is good. On coming out of ecstasy they said, We wanted the church open, but the Virgin told us that what the priest did was right.

In the face of the agitation and disorder from the numerous visitors, the girls' parents decided to keep the girls at home with the doors closed when they felt the calls, and not to let them go out. After a trance, they mentioned that the Virgin had said that if their parents told them this, it was right, and that they would see her inside their homes. And so it happened. Obedience in everything, even when opposed to the vision itself or contemplation, is one of the things that the masters of mystical theology have always presented as the best of signs.

We have further evidence that Garabandal followed the most sensible pattern of obedience.

The parish priest, Father Valentin, was at Conchita's house one day and he said to her,

— Look, it isn 't possible for all of us to wait at this hour. I will give you a quarter of an hour. In that time I am going to give you three warnings and if nothing occurs before the last warning, you go to bed. This is the first warning.

And he walked off. After ten minutes he returned to give the second warning.

— If nothing happens in the next five minutes, as I said, go to bed. It is already very late.

Two minutes after Father Valentin walked away, Conchita went into ecstasy.[The Virgin yielded to the will of those who had spiritual authority over the girls, to confirm in them the duty of subjection to their superiors. This episode seems to have occurred on the 25th of August at 1:00 in the morning following a plan made by Father Valentin in association with the pastor from Ribadesella, Father Alfonso Cobián, and another priest.]

That same day, and without Loli and Jacinta knowing about what had happened with Conchita, I had the same experience with them. They were waiting for the vision since they already had two calls. I said to them, We can't wait any longer since it is very late. I will give you five minutes time. If nothing happens in those five minutes, go to bed.

When there was yet a minute remaining, I came back to talk to them, A minute remains. Count to sixty, and if nothing happens before you get to sixty, go to bed.

They started to count in a loud voice, chanting as in school. When they came to sixteen, without being able to say the word 'sixteen', they were drawn into ecstasy with the typical snap of the head upwards.

PIETY — From the beginning of the events, the children received Communion every day and heard all the Masses that were celebrated — unless they were in the pastures, [It has already been mentioned that some of the pastures of San Sebastian de Garabandal were several kilometers away from the village. When it was necessary to work in these pastures, the villagers had to set out early in the morning, without time to give to other matters.] As we have seen, they prayed several rosaries a day.

At times the visitors' attention was attracted by the children speaking in the church and smiling. This drew my attention too and one day I told them about it.

— It is a lack of respect toward the Lord . . .

— Then why do the priests talk so much?

I told them that the things the priests were talking about in the church were important things. (It is to be noted that more than a dozen priests were gathered together in Garabandal at the time.)

Well, when we are with the Virgin, we also talk. But if you say we should conduct ourselves better, we will try to do it.

On August 8th, Mari Cruz was overheard in a vision: Now I know that it is better to pray; before I thought it was better to play.

FRATERNAL CHARITY — Apart from the detachment that was evident in the girls — for example, in giving away their things, caramels, candy, etc. up to the point of not keeping anything for themselves [The repudiators of Garabandal have advanced this reception of gifts by the girls as an argument against it. This report throws some light on this matter, but later on we will present other explanations.] — they showed charity in a thousand ways. They served so many visitors with water and the other things they requested so frequently . . . the care of Loli for her grandmother, [The paternal grandmother who died in July of 1971.] of Conchita and Mari Cruz for a blind man,[This refers to Jacinta's grandfather.] the amiable patience with so many inquisitive people, the desire that all would believe and be saved . . .

PENANCE — From the time they learned the significance of the word sacrifices, they practiced it. For them, making sacrifices was to do what I don't like and to omit doing other things that I like.[A definition both simple and magnificent.]

Among these: helping others . . . obeying, giving away the things that they received, and not wearing the bracelets and other jewelry that they had received . . .

PURITY OF SOUL — Often they questioned me about specific things like songs, some words that they said, replies that they had received [The girls had been brought up and lived in an atmosphere of rough speech, sometimes very rough. Farmers and herdsmen are not noted for the decorum of their language. And Garabandal was not an exception. The girls had heard, since their infancy, a good number of words — including blasphemies — and some expressions had struck them.]— whether or not it was a sin. They did not have a well-formed conscience, and so they did not readily distinguish what was a mortal sin, a venial sin, or no sin at all. But I observed the desire they had to be instructed and learn — for this reason the questions that at times were heard in the trances.

The horror of sin was causing in them a desire to atone for the sins of mankind. But the sins of mankind did not hold for them a concrete meaning, only a vagueness about things that sorrow God and the Virgin. It should be taken into account that, due to the isolation in which they lived, their twelve years of age represented much less than twelve years for children in a city.

The modesty of the girls in their manner of walking, of running, of looking, of conducting themselves in general was a close following of the advice repeated by the Virgin that they 'Be modest'. And they were not pleased when the people came with improper dress. I already mentioned the girl who did not want to be photographed with a lady because her dress was very low-cut. Nor did it please them that women smoked. [It is not said that smoking is exactly a sin; smoking by women was not pleasing to the girls favored by the Virgin.]

PHOTO (Left): "A desire to atone for the sins of mankind."(Right): "Close following of the advice repeated by the Virgin that they Be modest"

PATIENCE — Having lived in the village, I saw right away that the patience of the girls had to be very great. The people, when they saw them, touched them — even to cutting off locks of their hair. They gave them rosaries, medals, marriage rings to give the Virgin to kiss. They requested kissed objects; they sought to take photographs. I never saw the girls angry. When they were worn out by such an avalanche of people, who even followed them into their homes, they limited themselves many times to keeping quiet and smiling.

One time I asked them, Why don't you get angry? They answered, The Virgin has told us that we should be modest and answer what they ask us if we can.

However, they showed anger against those who had at times prevented the visions by their songs, dances, and drinking parties.

ENVY — In spite of this being a defect so feminine and so frequent, I did not observe the least trace of it in the children with regard to their visions. Some had more visions than others; however, those that were outside of the vision did not envy those who appeared more favored, and they limited themselves to asking those in the vision to speak to the Virgin so that she would soon come back to appear to them. And I noted a charming suppleness and humility in their desire. [Father Andreu's observation applies to the time that his report begins; we will see later on that there is something more to be said about this matter.]

ATTITUDE TOWARD PRlESTS — In the beginning of the events the girls demonstrated a special predilection for priests and religious. Frequently they counted those who had come, observing their habits. And in their trances they always spoke about them with the Vision. If they were asked, Whom do you want to come the most? They always responded, Priests.

Speaking about obedience, which the Virgin inculcated in a special way, they mentioned that they owed it to their parents and to priests.

Several times the children said in the state of trance that there were priests when none could be seen — since they had come dressed as civilians — and that there were a greater number of them than there appeared to be.

One case among many: A small group of priests was about to leave. Father Valentin remained alone with a sizeable number of lay people. The children went into ecstasy in the church and mentioned that there were two priests there: Father Valentin and another. On hearing this, Father Valentin began looking around him to discover a possible companion; but in vain. A little later a man approached him, and after greeting him, declared himself a priest who had come dressed as a civilian in order to come on a motorcycle.

Another case: One day several priests in civilian dress were walking about San Sebastian. During the ecstasies they heard that the girls were speaking of their presence; and then, for fear of being publicly discovered, they hurried to leave.» [The inhabitants of San Sebastian de Garabandal can certainly recall a great quantity of information — that added onto Father Andreu's — leaves a well-illustrated history of these summer days of 1961.]

It appears unquestionable to anyone observing these things with an open mind that an extraordinary mother and teacher was journeying in that summer of 1961 to the village of Garabandal and mingling with its people. Almost no one understood what was going on; but the affair was there before everyone's eyes: an ensemble of things whose true dimension and significance still remained a mystery; but with a series of effects and incidents that indicated their origin. By their fruits you shall know them, Jesus has said, and by what could be seen in many people from the village, in numerous pilgrims, and above all in the children, there were good reasons to believe what the children were saying: that the Virgin had come and was walking through the village. Yes, the Mother of God and of all men had come to her own. But not all comprehended or wished to receive her. [I am not accusing anyone of bad faith; if someone has this, only God knows. What I mean is that without having bad faith, one can lack a certain good disposition, necessary for accordance with the Lord above.]