Abbey-Roads2

Have you ever noticed that many people mistake pleasure for happiness?

Serial apparitions.

Roman Catholic Blog has a very reasoned exposition on the events at Garabandal, the place in Northern Spain which purportedly hosted apparitions of the Blessed Virgin in the late 1960’s.  These apparitions bear similarities to the ongoing apparitions at Medjugorje, especially as regards the decisions of the local Bishops over the events:  Conclusions that there is nothing supernatural about the events. 

I have known many priests and nuns who give credence to each set of apparitions, either accepting both, or one over the other.  I visited Garabandal on my way to Compostella.  I found the area peaceful, yet uneventful.  RCB points out many of the promises made by the Virgin have not come to pass.  While the seers claimed John Paul II would be the last Pope before the end of the era, and he would also see the promised miracle.  JPII is dead and we have a new Pope.  (Although adherents say Pope John Paul II, as well as Padre Pio may have seen the events in a vision before they died.)  These facts, along with a few other confusing details sheds more than a little doubt as to the authenticity of the apparitions.  

What has always bothered me about both Garabandal and Medjugorje is the promise of a “permanent sign” after the warnings.  A miraculous sign is to be left, visibly present on both mountain tops.  I find it odd, since the preeminent sign already given to the Church and the world is Christ’s abiding, real presence in the Holy Eucharist.  Why would Heaven attempt to trump that?  At Garabandal the seers insist it will be the result of the greatest miracle Christ ever performed - yet I always thought that was the Incarnation.

Photo: The ecstatic visionaries of Garabandal.