BLESSING OF MAY 6^TH  2006. FIRST SATURDAY OF MONTH.

AT PRADO NUEVO OF EL ESCORIAL (MADRID)

OUR LADY:

Raise all your objects; all will be blessed with a special blessing for all homes.
I bless you, my children, as the Father blesses you, through the Son and with the Holy Spirit.

XXV ANNIVERSARY OF  FIRST APPARITION OF OUR LADY OF SORROWS TO AMPARO CUEVAS AT “PRADO NUEVO” OF EL ESCORIAL  

                On June 14^th 2006 we celebrate the twenty fifth anniversary of the first apparition of Our Lady of Sorrows to a humble, simple and hard working woman, wife and mother of seven children, Luz Amparo Cuevas de Barderas.

SETTING

                That day the family and some friends went down to the small orchard they grew and which belonged the council of El Escorial (Madrid). When they finished the lunch, some of them came back home and others- her husband Nicasio, her son Pedro and Marcos, a friend of the family-  went to wash the dishes to the adjoining land where there was a spring.

                When she was next to the trough, which still exists today, Luz Amparo was strongly attracted to a near ash tree; suddenly, they smelled an intense fragrance of roses and incense and they watched a cloud,  like cotton, going out from that tree and spreading over its top.

                Amparo knelt down before the special ash tree remaining stiff and motionless for over half an hour. During this time, she saw the Virgin appearing on the cloud; She was wearing a garnet tunic and, over a white lace veil, a loose black cloak covered her head. Tears were falling down her cheeks, a beautiful sweetly- grieving countenance, She was holding her hands together in a praying attitude.

THE MESSAGE

                Our Lady gave Luz Amparo this message, " I am Our Lady of Sorrows. I want a chapel to be built in this place in my honour. I want people to come here from all over the world to meditate on the Passion my Son endured, because it is forgotten. If they do, people will be cured. This water will cure. I will bless all who come to say the holy rosary everyday. Lots of people will be sealed with a cross on their foreheads. Do penance. Pray"

THE MESSAGE NOWADAYS

                The aim of the apparition is the chapel in honour of Our Lady of Sorrows where the Passion of Jesus Christ will be meditated, "because it is forgotten". In fact, we have to admit sorrowfully and humbly that it is true.

                Consumerism makes us think only of satisfying our senses and enjoying materially: the car, the television, the internet, etc. Weekends are not the refuge of a tired spirit after daily tasks but they are used to give free rein to our senses and satiate our bodies with emotions and sensations that make us feel sad and dry our hearts. This environment is not suitable to meditate the Passion.

                Sermons and catechesis often talk  about the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, which is the basic truth of our religion but they forget or undervalue Jesus' Passion and Death, as if there could be resurrection without passion and death. They insist in the fact that we all have resurrected in Jesus Christ but they omit we have to die really and supernaturally in Christ and with Christ.

                Consequently, the meditation of Our Lord's Passion has been an important characteristic of the spirituality of Prado Nuevo since Our Lady asked for it on that June 4th 1981. It is worth quoting a classic author who explains the greatness of this pious practice,

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                "Meditating upon the Passion is good for everybody and for every state. It is powerful to root vices out and wake those who start the path of sorrow and hatred of their sins. It is the encouragement to those who make good use of it and the most perfect example of virtues. It is an effective incentive of love (...) . All the examples of Jesus Chris's virtues along his life shine greatly in his Passion; all his sermons, all his doctrine and great advices are preached in his passion; all the deepness of the works one can endure and the most terrible miseries one can suffer for following justice are in his Passion; each disappointment and the knowledge of truth are in his Passion; the celestial science, understanding and wisdom are in his Passion" (1) .

                Besides, penance and the sacrament of Confession have also been forgotten, which Our Lady reminds us of. We endure sacrifices and sufferings to hoard riches, conquer the power and enjoy our lives but we reject suffering to follow the path Jesus shows us and Our Lady tell us now.

                In other messages, The Blessed Virgin asked us to worship the Blessed Sacrament night and day and, this way, She completed the aims of the chapel, "The Blessed Sacrament must be exposed for all those who want  come to this place, but Jesus Christ must never be alone, my child" ( August 14th 1984)

                On June 7th 1997, She said again , " That is why I'm repeating I want a chapel in honour of my name, of the Pure Virgin of Sorrows, Mother of the Redeemer and Co-redeemer of Humankind. These times when men abandon God I want them to put me next to the throne of my Son and worship My Son night and day; I have asked for this lots of times, my children, and I'll give lots of graces to all of you"

THE TRUTH OF THE APPARITION

Along these twenty five years, thousands of souls, of every social class, come here no matter whether it is hot or cold, rainy or snowy, which shows the truth of the apparitions. They endured the pursuit for years; they have persevered in spite of the long silence of the hierarchy and the difficulties and obstacles lots of priests and consecrated souls have placed on this way.

                Our Lord says, "You will recognize them by their fruits" (2), and the fruits are there: thousands of converted souls, from the most hard- hearted sinners to the pious renewal of souls of weak spiritual life.

                However, the Hierarchy of Madrid has the last word. We hope it will confirm the truth f the event of the "Apparition" of Our Lady of Sorrows to Luz Amparo.

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