Hey friends! I'm probably going to be taking a blogging hiatus for February. Don't worry, I am fine, not burned out or nothing like that (if anything, I've got more writing ideas swirling in my head than ever before). I have some professional matters I need to clear off my plate and some writing commitments for other platforms I need to attend to, so I'll be busy with that for awhile.
Take it easy, folks. Catch up with you mid-Lent.
Monday, February 05, 2024
February Hiatus
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8 comments:
Dear Boniface:
Pax! You're on hiatus, but I decided to write you now anyway and just wait for your reply. I know you don't believe in the Garabandal apparitions. I have had serious doubts myself. However, Padre Pio was a big supporter and promoter of the apparitions and that is the only reason I'm holding on to the possibility that it may be true. What are your thoughts?
God bless,
Br. David Anthony
Hi Br. Anthony!
Thanks for the message, I will tackle this when I get some more time, just check back in periodically.
Boniface
Just my 2 cents: the postures of the children and there expressions were odd, and they spoke about a night of screams, which is really off putting, and 3rd one of them married. So, I am highly sceptical.
Dear Boniface:
Although "your" Feast Day for St. Boniface, Apostle to the Germans, isn't until June 5, happy Feast Day for St. Boniface, martyr, May 14.
Anyway, I know you must be pretty busy, but have you been able to check into the compelling claim that Padre Pio was an enthusiastic supporter of Garabandal? As I said in my previous email, his alleged support is the only reason I'm holding on to the possibility that Garabandal may be true, especially since I'm a Franciscan.
The reasons for my doubts: The seers' awkward positions and walking backwards when in ecstasy, which to me seem demonic; unfulfilled prophecies (e.g. Joey Lomangino not receiving his sight, as was promised); playing hide and seek with the children, which I find very odd, because it's not in keeping with Our Lady's decorum and dignity when compared with her approved apparitions; the sheer number of apparitions (about 3,000); Our Lady talking about trivial matters; and sending St. Michael to give the final message, instead of coming herself, because it was so bad, even though she's the Queen of Martyrs.
I, of course, do not believe in Međugorje or Bayside, which are obviously false. But there's this nagging doubt as to whether Garabandal is true.
God bless,
Br. David Anthony
Hi Br. David Anthony~!
I have looked into this, but it has been a long time, to be honest, and I cannot remember the details. But I do remember coming away with the conclusion that *maybe* Padre Pio supported Garabandal; as I recall, the evidence he truly supported it was far from certain and seemed inflated.
But even if he did, we must hold out the likelihood that he was simply wrong. And even if he did support it, I doubt he would have supported the way the apparition is continually promoted in spite of the Church's negative evaluation of the apparition. Pio was holy but not infallible, so he could have simply been wrong/duped. But from what I recall, it's not 100% certain that Pio was completely on board with it. We should also remember that Pio likely didn't have access to all the information we now have about it. So idk...the whole thing still seems sketchy to me, for all the reasons you listed, regardless of what Pio thought.
Thank you for your prompt reply. That's the way I've been looking at it, that Padre Pio isn't infallible. That he could have made a mistake.
In any event, after I sent you the last email, I found a website that claimed that Joey Lomangino did receive his eyesight supernaturally and saw the miracle on his deathbed, which was supposedly verified by witnesses and would, thereby, fulfill the prophecy and that Fr. Luís Andreu's body was exhumed, but that his coffin wasn't opened, so his corpse may actually be incorrupt. Take it for what it's worth. https://casorosendi.com/2023/08/01/in-defense-of-garabandal/
Anyway, thank you once again. May almighty God bless you and Our Lady keep you.
Br. David Anthony
I personally do not buy the Joey Lomangino story, for this reason:
I have been following Garabandal since about 2001-ish. I read a lot of literature on it during that time and *everyone* promoting Garabandal was interpreting the prophecy to mean that he would literally have his physical blindness cured before he died. Even Joey himself believed that. Everyone asserted this and everyone believed it. This was supposed to be the miracle that convinced everyone.
After Joey died in 2014, it took a few days for them to change their story: some said he did receive his physical sight in the moment of death (unverifiable), or that he received some sort of "spiritual" vision.
It is clear that this was a post-mortem cope to save the veracity of the apparitions. First, this is simply not how the Garabandal people were saying the miracle would happen; nobody was arguing it would be spiritual or something in the instant of death.
But more importantly, this miracle was supposed to be the sign for everyone to believe Garabandal. How can a miracle that is unverifiable or purely mystical fulfill this purpose? It can't.
It's clear, to me at least, that this is a cope retcon of the promised miracle to hide the fact that it simply didn't happen.
Thank you for your insight and candor. If people studied their Catholic faith and stopped traveling around the world running after every sign and wonder, they might not be led astray by all of these false apparitions. Besides, we have Jesus' Real Presence in the Blessed Sacrament of the altar at our local churches that we can visit 24/7/365. And where Jesus is, so is His Mother.
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