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The apparitions of

GARABANDAL

BY
F. SANCHEZ-VENTURA Y PASCUAL

Chapter Ten

SOME POINTS TO CONSIDER

Page 137

60.—There is no moral obligation to believe in private revelations. But, this generic affirmation does not mean to say that in certain cases there is not an acquired obligation to believe in them with supernatural faith, on account of the very special attendant circumstances. As the Revd. Fr. John Francis Maxwell says, there have sometimes been facts which have not at first been approved by the Church, and yet God has revealed them to a small minority of people in such clear and conclusive circumstances that these in all conscience prevent them being rejected.

   This leads one to the conclusion that, although Christians as a whole are under no obligation at all to believe in the phenomena at Garabandal, which have not for the moment received ecclesiastical approbation, it is none the less true to say that certain people may feel themselves under an obligation to believe them, because Heaven has made them see their reality under conditions that are morally incompatible with doubt.

   In this case, the pastoral recommendations should be observed in a spirit of obedience. If the Bishopric recommends priests to abstain from going up to Garabandal, then, those who have obeyed their superiors' orders in exemplary fashion from the very first, regardless of their specific links with these phenomena, are, I think, to be highly commended for their attitude. But, to my mind, this does not mean that those who have been privileged spectators of supernatural happenings should twist their judgement round in order to cease believing in "their truth", the gift so generously given them by God, in the light of which doubts that are perfectly licit and just in another would be morally censurable in their case.

   I have a sincere admiration for the approach of those who have managed to fulfill their delicate mission showing both a spirit of obedience and prudent zeal, submitting to ecclesiastical discipline and offering God not only their firm faith in Our Lady of Garabandal, but the sacrifices of their silence, of their renunciation and of the not always pleasant remarks that have been made about them.

   May the merits of these anonymous heroes reach Heaven, and serve as a lever to hasten the divine seal of confirmation that we are sure will be forthcoming to clear up this mystery.

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