Anything Under the Sun
Marian Apparitions (1)
The Apparitions
Due to the celebration of the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Lourdes, France last February 11, it is proper that we dwell on her various apparitions which are undisputed facts.
Here are seven of them: Two in France (La Salette in 1846 and Lourdes in 1858), one in Portugal (Fatima in 1917), and two in Belgium (Beauraign in 1931 and Banneux in 1933), one in Spain (Garabandal from 1961 to 1965) and one in former Yugoslavia (Medjugorje).
The Visionaries
The visionaries were all children or teenagers from poor and unschooled families. They proved to have some great strength of character and refused to be intimidated by the authorities - church and civil.
For instance, two of them were cattle herders, 11-year old Maximin and 11-year old Melanie. They were brought by the mayor of La Salette to the police where they were put in separate rooms and grilled for over 15 hours.
The police demanded that they reveal the secrets of "The Lady" or else they be jailed and accused as liars. But the two never retracted up to the time of their deaths.
In Lourdes, the chief police sent his men to bring Bernadette to the station and she went alone unafraid. The 14-year old shepherdess persisted in going to the grotto in spite of the threats of imprisonment because she promised "The Lady" that she would return to the grotto 15 more times.
In Fatima, the three shepherds--Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta who were 10, 8 and 6 years old, respectively, were not only ridiculed and rebuked but also received beatings from their own families and threats of imprisonment from both church and civil authorities. Despite all these, they did not change the story.
When their parents tried to dissuade them from going back to Cova de Iria by promising them lavish treats at the village fair, they refused to go. They said that "The Lady" asked them to be at the Cova de Iria every 13th month until October.
These children of Fatima, following the request of "The Lady" made sacrifices for the conversion of sinners. They gave their meager lunches to children, even poorer than themselves, postponed drinking water when the sun was at its hottest and prayed the Holy Rosary for hours on end while tending their sheep.
In Banneux, the 12-year old Mariette was not only ridiculed and mocked by her classmates, but she was also beaten by some boys. Yet she continued her nightly vigil in the courtyard and suffering bitter winter cold, constantly praying the Holy Rosary with knees on the snow.
The four peasant girls of Garabandal were 11 and 12 years old. Conchita, the eldest, was taken to Santander for questioning and medical examination. She was very outgoing and even asked the Archangel Michael to ask God to perform "a little miracle" so the people would believe them.
In Medjugorjie, the visionaries were all teenagers. They were brought to Cituk where the communist authorities investigated them and ordered them to return to Podbrido Hill. They and their relatives were also threatened to be jailed.