@Live John Bishop Beitia Aldazabal was the local Ordinary in Santander from 1962 and resigned in 1965.
Santander (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy] Please can you show an OFFICIAL document to back up what you state - that he gave Garabandal
full ecclesiastical approval. It is very odd that all subsequent official statements from the Holy See and local Ordinaries never mention this - quite the opposite in fact, that the alleged apparitions are not approved. Your statement is actually incorrect. The pieces below come from a pro-Garabandal site, but they clearly show he never gave the alleged apparitions full approval. And yet
I am accused of spreading misinformation on this site.
FIRST OFFICIAL NOTE OF BISHOP BEITIA. OFFICIAL NOTE ON THE EVENTS OF SAN SEBASTIÁN DE GARABANDAL.
The SPECIAL COMMISSION, which hears the events which are occurring in the village of San Sebastián de Garabandal, has presented us the related report, dating October 4 of the current year. The commission affirms its anterior statements, judging that these phenomena lack all sign of supernatural nature and have a natural explanation.
Consequently, and in our desire that the members of our diocese to be duly informed and that all those who have any relation with the events be provided with sure guidance, in fulfillment of our pastoral duty and employing our given authority:
1. WE CONFIRM in their entirety the OFFICIAL NOTES of the Bishop’s Office of Santander, dating August 26 and October 24, 1961.
2. WE PROHIBIT ALL PRIESTS, both diocesan and extra-diocesan, and all religious still exempt, from visiting the mentioned place without the express permission of the diocesan authority.
3. WE REITERATE TO ALL FAITHFUL the warning that they should abstain from encouraging the atmosphere created by the development of these events and, therefore, should abstain from visiting with this motive the cited village.
In such a grave matter, we expect the timely compliance with these provisions by all of you.
In Santander, Feast of the Rosary, October 7, 1962.
EUGENIO, Bishop of Santander.
(From the Official Bulletin of the Bishop’s Office, November 1962, p. 242.)
SECOND OFFICIAL NOTE OF BISHOP BEITIA. OFFICIAL NOTE OF THE BISHOP’S OFFICE OF SANTANDER ON THE EVENTS OF SAN SEBASTIAN DE GARABANDAL.
We write this NOTE in accord with our Pastoral duty. The name GARABANDAL and the events that occurred during these years in this small village in the mountains of our diocese, have, through the media, spread outside our homeland and our European continent. International agencies have divulged graphic information and special reports about wishes of Our Lady the Blessed Virgin Mary and about spiritual messages. At the same time, we are asked to give an authorized opinion on these events which they wish to unite with other venerable Marian devotions which are universally known.
The Bishop’s Office of Santander has collected very extensive documentation during these years on everything that has occurred there. It has not the “file” on this subject. It will gratefully receive all evidence which is submitted. Up until now, three official NOTES have appeared attempting to guide the judgment of the faithful. This will be the fourth NOTE and, presently, its conclusion is the same as the preceding notes. The Commission implied in the classification of the events has found no reason to modify the already-issued judgment, opining NO CONSTA the supernatural nature of the phenomena, which it has carefully examined.
Consequently, this diocesan authority renews the relevant rulings so that an atmosphere of confusion is not fostered artificially, by means of massive propaganda, outside the confines of the letter and spirit of the sacred canons, and by means of news, newspaper or magazine articles, graphic reports, itinerary reports and other similar means.
All are reminded that according to canon 1399, number 5.0, “books and pamphlets which refer to new apparitions, revelations, visions, prophesies, or miracles, or which introduce new devotions, are prohibited if they are published without observance of the prescriptions of the canons.” We note that in the Diocese of Santander, no “imprimatur” has been granted for any book, pamphlet, article or review of this material. We extend to the full reach of our diocesan authority the same prohibition of this canon to all publication of articles or reports which have not been submitted to the censure of the Diocese of Santander.
We ask all the faithful to abstain from fostering, by their presence in San Sebastián de Garabandal, the atmosphere created around these apparitions and spiritual communication. We note, however, that we have not found any material worthy of condemning by ecclesial censure, neither in doctrine nor in the spiritual recommendations directed towards the Christian faithful, for they contain an exhortation to prayer and sacrifice, Eucharistic devotion, devotion to Our Lady in traditional praiseworthy forms and a holy fear of God, who is offended by our sins. They simply repeat the current doctrine of the Church in these matters. We recognize the good faith and religious fervor of those who come to San Sebastián de Garabandal, they deserve profound respect. We wish to count precisely on this same religious fervor, so that, fully trusting in the Hierarchy of the Church and in its Magisterium, they might comply, with the greatest possible exactitude, with our repeatedly published recommendations.
Concerning priests, because of the special importance which their intervention may have, both in their form of active participation and collaboration in the development of the events and by their simple presence as spectators, we explicitly and formally PROHIBIT their attendance without express permission of the diocesan authority on an individual and case-by-case basis. We declare that those who contravene our formal warning will have their faculties suspended in the Diocese of Santander “ipso facto.” The Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office has contacted the Diocese of Santander to obtain adequate information on this grave matter.
Santander, July 8, 1965,
EUGENIO, Bishop Current Administator of Santander.
(From the Bishop’s Office Bulletin, July 1965, pp 180-82)