PURPOSE

The purpose of this brief document is to clarify the position of the Bishop (or Administrator) of the Diocese of Santander since the time of the apparitions in the year 1961 until now, Spring of 2012.


INTRODUCTION

In the Spring Issue of 2012, the fine magazine Garabandal Journal, published in the U.S., appeared a brief, but detailed, summary of the position of every Bishop or Administrator of the Diocese of Santander.  We think it appropriate to give this information world wide exposure through our pages since many lies have been promoted regarding Garabandal, its Ecclesiastical condemnation being the key one.

In a Nutshell: The manifestations of Garabandal have not been condemned. Let us now review their progression through the Ecclesiastical channels.



DETAILS

Bishop Doroteo Fernandez, May 1961 to January 1962 (Apostolic Administrator)

Based on the findings of a commission he appointed to examine the events occurring in Garabandal that summarily dismissed the happenings as "child's play" after only two or three visits to the village, he issued two notas advising priests and faithful to abstain from going to the village.

Bishop Eugenio Beitia Aldazabal January 1962 to January 1965.

He placed restrictions on priests going up to the village without diocesan permission but did not condemn the events (see quote on page 14). He authorized a private investigation by three doctors whose findings did not coincide with of the official commission.

Bishop Vicente Puchol Montis July 1965 to May 1967.

After declarations by the seers in which they denied everything (fulfilling a prophecy of Our Lady in 1961 that they would do so) he tried to put an end to Garabandal. He died in an automobile accident on May 8, 1967.

Bishop Enrique de Cabo May 1967 to July 1968 (Titular Bishop).

Nothing is know of his position on Garabandal

Bishop José Cirarda Lachiondo July 1968 to December 1971 .

He was strongly opposed to Garabandal and managed through Cardinal Jean Villot, Vatican Secretary, to circulate a letter to all the bishops of the Church discrediting Garabandal. This letter can still be found in chanceries throughout the Church.

Bishop Juan Antonio del Val Gallo, December 1971 to August 1991 .

Although an unbeliever in Garabandal when he first took over as bishop, he showed a spirit of openness in contrast to his two predecessors. As a canon of the cathedral in Santander in 1961, he was a member of the original commission but resigned because of the way they went about their business. He was the only Bishop of Santander to have seen the visionaries in ecstasy.

Around 1981, he became a believer in the events. In 1983, he gave Dr. Luis Morales of the original commission, who also became a believer, permission to lecture in Santander's largest conference hall defending the Garabandal events. In 1987, he instituted a new inquiry of the apparitions and lifted the ban on priests going up to the village, allowing them to celebrate Mass in the village church with the permission of the pastor.

Bishop José Vilaplana Blasco August 1991 to July 2006 .

Showed his disbelief in Garabandal in his 1993 letter to Ramon Perez, while at the same time, keeping in place the policies of Bishop del Val.

Archbishop of Oviedo Carlos Osoro Sierra July 2006 to September 2007 .(Apostolic Administrator)

Bishop Vicente Jimenez Zamora September 2007 to date.

He has not issued any formal statement on Garabandal, but his actions speak loud enough of the new positive approach to the Garabandal events by the Santander Diocese.

CONCLUSION

The above does not affect or influence our position about the Manifestations in Garabandal which we consider - spiritually speaking and scientifically speaking - Acts of God Almighty.