AGE OF MARIAN APPARITIONS: Ecuador from volume 10, nos. 58 and 63
Series on Purported Apparitions in Ecuador. Author: Michael Cain, editor of The DAILY CATHOLIC
     
High in the cold and rainy Andes Mountains of Ecuador, the Blessed Mother reportedly appeared in the remote farming village of El Cajas to a former model named Patricia Talbot whom her countrymen affectionately referred to as "Paci". Here, like in her messages to Father Don Stefano Gobbi, Our Lady spoke of the pivotal next ten years and the fact "the third world war is near."
The following account of the purported apparitions to Patricia "Paci" Talbot is taken mainly from the book "I am the Guardian of Faith" by Sister Isabel Bettwy, (Franciscan University Press) and reprinted with permission from A Call To Peace. The events in Ecuador are yet another example of how Our Lady reaches her children even in the most remote regions of the world and El Cajas, high in the Andes Mountains of Ecuador is truly remote. God, in His Wisdom and Mercy, has taken a former fashion model and fashioned her to be His Messenger through the Guardian He has sent - His very Own Mother.
No matter the age, Our Lady has been imparting the same message: "Pray! Pray! Pray!" It is only through constant prayer, taken as a bouquet in loving, motherly intercession before the Throne of God, that the hearts of mankind will eventually be softened and all her little ones brought into accord with the Will of God. This continuing in-depth series on the grace-filled mystical phenomena of Our Lady's appearances through the ages and the meaning of her messages will open eyes and hearts because she is the mother of us all and her words of wisdom and warnings must be taken seriously...very seriously! Ecstasy in EcuadorOn August 28, 1988, in Cuenca Ecuador the Blessed Virgin Mary first appeared to a young woman named Patricia "Pachi" Talbot. Our Lady identified herself, saying: "I am the Guardian of the Faith".These apparitions continued until March 3, 1990. Patricia, twenty-seven today, was sixteen years old when the Blessed Mother chose her as an instrument to spread her messages to all Her people. Patricia was a model, a student, and throughout the apparitions, she continued with her studies. She has since married Andres Vega and they live in Cuenca. Here Patricia continues to strive to fulfill the particular mission the Blessed Mother gave her-service to the poor. The apparitions began in Patricia's bedroom and continued in various churches, chapels, and her home until June of 1989 when they were moved to a Garden spot in El Cajas, high in the Andes Mountains. When moved to the Garden Spot in El Cajas, the Mother of God's visits normally occurred on Thursdays and Saturdays, often accompanied by phenomena such as bright lights in the sky, the sun "dancing", and on more than one occasion people's hands and faces sparkled with a golden glow, as if from glitter, which could not be rubbed off. Yet here, as in Medjugorje and in other reported apparition sites around the world, the importance was not the supernatural phenomena, but the interior conversion of heart and the abundant graces God was offering to His people, through His Most Holy Mother. The messages of the Mother of God are very similar in content to those of Medjugorje, i.e., consecration to the Immaculate Heart and Merciful Heart of Jesus; the Rosary, the Scapular, penance and fasting with prayer, Holy Mass and visits to the Blessed Sacrament; uniting all suffering and penances with Jesus, and Peace…God's peace! With these as the platform of her messages, Our Lady also gave Patricia words of warning, coming catastrophes, both natural and man-made, possible world war, suffering in our Church and in the world. The importance here, as in all other reported messages from the Mother of God is to live the Gospel, to be one with God, united to the Passion of Jesus. We should not focus on the sequence of events, which are to unfold in our world, but to prepare ourselves diligently for the reign of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Patricia Talbot was not particularly religious, being a typical young woman interested in how she looked. A very attractive young woman, she was especially engaged in modeling, i.e., promoting her country by modeling modern clothing made after the traditional clothing of the country of Ecuador. This involved many shows throughout the world, which excited Patricia who loved to travel. The apparitions were not confined to Patricia's bedroom or her immediate community. In October of 1988, Patricia traveled to Mexico City via Costa Rica. Once in Mexico City Patricia and her friend Bernardita Jerves made a visit to the Cathedral in Zocalo Square. Patricia separated from her group and knelt to pray before Our Lady of Guadalupe. Later, having left the church, Bernardita caught up with Patricia and found the latter crying. Patricia had seen the Virgin again, only now even more beautifully, and the Blessed Mother said to her: "My little one, I am happy to see you. Don't be afraid." Our Lady tenderly held Patricia's hands in Her own. Again, she spoke: "Pray much for the peace of the world, because it is now that it needs it more than ever. My little child, I am detaining the hand of my Son. Change and convert. I love you very much. Adios, my little daughter." Already Patricia began to experience dramatic changes within herself. Normally she'd have spent her free time shopping for new clothes. Now she spend her time in church, in prayer. Three days after seeing Our Lady in the Cathedral, Patricia went to the church on Tepeyac Hill as Our Lady had requested of her. Again the Blessed Mother appeared to her and said: "My little daughter, you do not know how much it gladdens me that you are here. Now, daughter now I will reveal to you my great secret, which corresponds to the one, revealed to the other visionaries. This secret you cannot write nor tell to anyone until I permit you." Thus was given to Patricia Talbott the great secret and afterwards Our Lady continued: "I put into your hands the great mission of the conversion and turn about of the world. I am now holding back the hand of my Son with the message that I have given you and if my children convert, the Heart of My Son will soften and the intensity can be diminished or be lost forever; if not, the great trial will come." Patricia at this time discovered that miraculously she had received the Sacred Host upon her tongue. With this great Love poured into her and the Blessed Virgin's promise to be with her, Patricia had to bear the knowledge of the great secret.
"I am the Guardian of the Faith"In November of 1988, back in her town of Cuenca, the Blessed Mother revealed to the visionary Patricia "Paci" Talbot the date of the great chastisement, telling her that again she could not reveal this to anyone.Something of this magnitude could not help escape the attention of the media, and church officials. Patricia, obedient to the Church, went to the Curia on the fifth of December to seek the authorization of the Bishop that the people might gather in an open place to pray the Rosary as Mary had requested. The Bishop's help came in a way Patricia had not expected, for he told her that he would not sanction such a gathering, and would recommend that all priests and nuns in the diocese not attend. However, the "lay" people were free to come and pray without sanction of the Church. This was difficult for Patricia, but obedient to the Bishop, she followed his instructions. In December of 1988, those family and close friends who were with her noted during an apparition something different. This time, Patricia began to speak, but without her, Cuencano accent. Later, to their amazement, they realized that it was not strictly Patricia speaking, but the Blessed Mother through her. When her ecstasy ended, Patricia was totally unaware of what had happened, and did not remember the words she had spoken. From the beginning Patricia had made a small altar or shrine in her bedroom where she arranged pictures and statues. In January 1989, these pictures and statues began exuding oil, and droplets of blood formed on the crucifix. Regarding this phenomena, Our Lady told Patricia on February 1, 1989:
In 1989, Patricia and Bernardita Jerves de Ugalde, an older model who had been entrusted by Paci's mother to take her under her wing, began to look yet again for the place pleasing to the Blessed Mother where her little ones might gather. They traveled to El Cajas, high in the Andes Mountains at an elevation of 11,000 feet. Finding a place where there was a rock, they knelt in prayer, seeking a confirmation that this would be the place where Our Lady wanted the people to come. In prayer, Patricia felt the wind on her face, and looking up beheld the Blessed Virgin and was immediately in ecstasy. Our Lady said to Patricia:
Our Lady asked that the area be fenced off and that "the Garden" be reserved as a holy place, a sanctuary. She said the garden would be a little piece of Heaven, and only those she invited should come into it. On August 5th, Jesus appeared to Patricia, which was not the first time. He said:
All of the Blessed Mother's messages to Patricia exhort us to prayer and to conversion of heart. Over and over, Our Lady tells us that the secrets, the great chastisement which is set to befall the world, can be mitigated, part of it even stopped, but that this depends completely on our response to Her messages. God will never overstep our free will. Are we then willing to respond? Are we willing to review in our hearts where we stand? Are we willing to stand for the truth, to be true followers of Jesus Christ, or are we going to stand by mocking the apparitions and the messages, thus causing great sorrow to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary? The many messages given through Patricia by the Blessed Mother are a clear, concise account of the sinfulness of our world, and the sure remedy to off-set satan's rule. They are the same messages as given to the visionaries in Medjugorje and to others throughout the world. Pray, fast, sacrifice and do penance. Convert our hearts. Receive the sacraments. Pray the rosary. The messages are straightforward examples of the infinite Love of God for all of His children, and the love of His Mother for all mankind and of Her desire that we be united to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Her Son. Over and over she pleads for us to return to the right path, and she weeps because we reject Her messages, scoff at the apparitions and at the chosen instruments of her words to all her children. Many signs have been given to authenticate the apparitions such as the scent of incense and roses, and the particularly striking change in Patricia's voice as the Blessed Mother speaks through her. The apparitions in Ecuador are particularly striking for the content of the messages, the "thoroughness" of Our Lady's words conveyed through Patricia to all her children. While Patricia has signed a"vow of silence" as asked for by the Bishop, and is therefore unable to speak publicly about any of the messages, she is a living example of the very presence of Our Blessed Mother among us, and of the infinite Love and Mercy of God, for this beautiful young woman with a successful worldly career clearly awaiting her, has given her life to marriage, and to the service of the poor. Her life has changed completely. She is intensely spiritual and devoted to living the messages in her own life, being therefore an example to all of what Our Lady is asking and why. The state of our world is such that those who are open to the Holy Spirit can surely see those grave dangers, which threaten us, and the growing evil, which spreads upon the earth. We must put aside the transitory things of this earthly life and concentrate on our souls, on eternal life with God in Heaven. Mary, our Mother, has come to lead us back into the Light, that we might be saved. Yet as Our Blessed Mother has said so often, "the choice is ours." We recommend you read "I AM THE GUARDIAN OF THE FAITH" by Sister Isabel Bettwy from Franciscan University Press (from where the photos in the graphics version of today's front page were taken) and then make your choice once again, for this superbly written book clearly sets forth the urgency of our times and the need we all have to convert our hearts.
From volume 10, nos. 58 and 63
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