Padre Pio affirmed Garabandal to a Ph.D in confession.
Joachim Bouflet, Ph.D. went to Padre Pio for confession in July of 1968 [2 months before his death on 23 September 1968]. Padre Pio told him "Pray to the Madonna. Consecrate yourself to the Virgin of Carmel." "Yes, Padre, I pray to Our Lady of Mount Carmel. For that matter, I would like to become a Carmelite." He didn't comment on this but repeated with insistence, "Consecrate yourself to the Virgin of Carmel who appeared at Garabandal."
Bouflet:"So it's true?"
Padre Pio: "Certo e vero!" ("Yes, it's true!")
From the book “Our Lady comes to Garabandal” by Fr. Pelletier on page 219
“While he was living, the same Padre Pio guaranteed the authenticity of the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin. He met Conchita at San Giovanni Rotondo. Even during the last days of his life he talked about this to his brothers in religious life and left a personal message for the principle personage of the apparitions.”
From the book “The Final Hour” by Michael Harold Brown on page 141
On the topic of Padre Pio’s belief in Garabandal:
“Asked on another occasion about its authenticity, he answered curtly,”
“How many times must she appear there to be believed?”
From the book “Thunder of Justice” by Ted and Maureen Flynn on page 163: An incident which confirms Padre Pio’s belief in Garabandal occurred early in 1966. Conchita, who was only 16 years old, was visiting Rome with her mother and Fr. Luna. She had been invited by Cardinal Ottaviani, Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith. During the visit, Conchita met privately with Padre Pio. On this occasion, he took Conchita’s hand and her crucifix that Our Lady had kissed in Garabandal and held them both in his own two hands. The crucifix had passed through the hands of the Child Jesus, during the Apparition of November 13, 1965.
“He [Padre Pio] saw the Miracle before he died. He [Padre Pio] told me himself.” - Padre Bernardino Cennamo, OFM Cap.Padre Cennamo acknowledged that he did not believe in Garabandal at the beginning, but shared with Conchita that when
Padre Pio asked him to give her the veil that covered his face after his death, he changed his views. At Lourdes, on that day, “the veil and the letter were delivered to Conchita.” But something else interested her more. And so she immediately asked Padre Cennamo:
“Why did the Virgin tell me that Padre Pio would see the Miracle and he has died?” To which the Capuchin responded:
“He saw the miracle before he died. He told me himself.” That being so, then the saint of the stigmata has entered into a close circle of Garabandal protagonists who, just before their death, have seen the big announced Miracle. It links Padre Pio to Garabandal in a much deeper way than having a spiritual interest in its message, having supernaturally seen the Miracle, something not even the seers have experienced.
Luigina Sinapi de Tre Fontane, Italia and Conchita de GarabandalGarabandal, Padre Pio and the Servant of God !MORE ON THE PADRE PIO’S LETTER SENT TO GARABANDALMORE ON THE PADRE PIO’S LETTER SENT TO GARABANDALTHE ORIGINAL LETTER OF PADRE PIO TO THE SEERS OF GARABANDALTHE ORIGINAL LETTER OF PADRE PIO TO THE SEERS OF GARABANDAL
