On June 18th, 1961, in the small, remote mountain village of San Sebastian de Garabandal, Spain, four girls between the ages of 11 and 12 were visited by St. Michael the Archangel. St. Michael visited them 7 more times over the next 12 days, until July 2, when the Blessed Mother visited, the first of nearly 3,000 visits, ending on November 13, 1965. The girls: Conchita Gonzalez, Mari Cruz Gonzalez, Jacinta Gonzalez, and Mari Loli Mazon, received public messages, as well as an announcement that will be released when the Blessed Mother directs, at a time when God deems is correct for the world’s benefit. Mari Loli died in 2009; Conchita married, and lives on Long Island, NY; Jacinta married, and lives outside of Los Angeles, CA; and Mari Cruz married and lives in Aviles, Spain. Many amazing and unusual things transpired during those four years, events that were meant to demonstrate that these visits were of supernatural and genuine origin. The Vatican has not ruled on the nature of Garabandal, although it has never been disputed, and the local Bishop has not ruled against it. Also of note, St. (Padre) Pio, St. Pope John Paul II, St. Teresa of Calcutta, and Malachi Martin all believed in the veracity of the apparitions.

Flynn does a good job of carefully reviewing Our Lady’s messages, the writings and reportage, and interviews with the girls. He documents others who witnessed events at that time. He compares messages received there with the Blessed Mother’s other visits at Fatima, Portugal and Medjugorje, Bosnia; these are the most similar to Garabandal. Flynn places the messages in historical context, making the reader more aware of the dangers and mistakes we must correct, and giving us the means to do so.

The four events that are predicted by Our Lady are: 1. a world-wide Warning, also known as an Illumination of Conscience, where each person on Earth will receive a communication from God showing us all our lifetime’s sins, of commission and omission; 2. a Great Miracle, taking place within one year after the Warning, and its origin will be obviously from God; 3. the Permanent Sign, something indestructible that has never before been seen on Earth, remaining forever at the nine pines, located on a hill at Garabandal; and 4. a Chastisement, a conditional punishment, dependent on mankind’s response to the prior three events. The seers are aware of when these events will occur, but have kept them secret, at the direction of Our Lady. Conchita will announce the Miracle eight days before, and plans to travel to Garabandal to be there. It will be visible via television. Conchita said the Warning will come when the world most needs it, when conditions have gotten very bad, and when Communism dominates the world.

Flynn wrote this book at this time since he is of the opinion that these events will come soon. Conchita is presently 78 years old, in good health. The first message of the Blessed Mother called for sacrifices, penance, and visiting the Blessed Sacrament, to avoid a very great chastisement. The last message states, “Many cardinals, many bishops, and many priests are on the road to perdition and are taking many souls with them. Less and less importance is being given to the Eucharist. You should turn the wrath of God away from yourselves by your efforts. If you ask for His forgiveness with sincere hearts, He will forgive you. I, your Mother, through the intercession of Saint Michael the Archangel, ask you to amend your lives. You are now receiving the last warnings. I love you very much and do not want your condemnation. Pray to us with sincerity, and we will grant your requests. You should make more sacrifices. Meditate on the passion of Jesus.”

Flynn includes the testimony of two individuals who have experienced illuminations of conscience, and how it impacted their lives, how they chose to live as a result. Conchita said that it will be very hard to take, and some may die from the shocking nature of it. Others who have commented on this future event say that priests will be overrun with the demands for the sacrament of confession, and many will convert. Unfortunately, I think most of us can predict that the government and the media will try to spin this as some sort of solar effect, explaining away what we know deep down is a call for repentance and amendment of life. It will be the greatest act of mercy from God, meant to correct our view and draw us back to Him.

We all have observed how our culture leans into atheism, how western governments have moved toward socialism, a soft version of communism, and how many generally place their own needs and desires above any other demands or requirements, such as a call to serve others. In these ways and many others, we are a world in need of divine intervention, a correction from Heaven. I hope this awakening, this act of great mercy, comes very soon.

There is a useful two-page brochure, prepared by author Christine Watkins, who wrote The Warning: Testimonies and Prophecies of the Illumination of Conscience, which I hope to review next. The pdf provides guidance about the Illumination, to help people know what happened to them, and how to best respond. I hope it proves useful to those who are not aware, have not learned of how God chooses to operate in our lives. Feel free to email me (go to my Contact tab) to receive a copy, or visit https://www.queenofpeacemedia.com/wp-content/uploads/After-the-Watning-Brochure-BW.pdf to download it directly. We live in exciting times!