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Why Joey Lomangino did not receive his eyesight

"You must cleanse your souls of all sin, mortal and venial.  Come to My Son in belief.  Believe what you see at Garabandal, and turn back from your ways that have been created by satan.  Return to the Father; do penance and atonement, for your chastisement will soon follow upon the great spectacle." - Our Lady of the Roses, December 24, 1973  

 

Joey Lomangino declined an invitation from Our Lady, that would have cured him

This is truly a sad story, but one that must be told. Many followers of Our Lady of Garabandal wonder why Joey Lomangino's eyesight was not restored before he died. Joey passed away on June 18, 2014, 53 years after the first apparition in Garabandal, Spain (June 18, 1961). June 18th is also the anniversary date of the first Rosary vigil and apparition of Our Lady in Bayside, New York.

When Joey Lomangino died without receiving his eyesight, some followers of Garabandal lost their faith in the apparitions because of the "failed prophecy":

"It is fair to say that this doubt persists in some quarters right to this day. In fact, one of the most common objections to the authenticity of the visions continues to be the 'failed' prophecy, especially since it concerns a person who was central to spreading devotion to Garabandal in the first place." https://catholicstand.com/20-20-vision-of-garabandal-with-marc-conza/

We would like to share information concerning Joe Lomangino, that we believe will provide the most plausible explanation of why Joey did not receive his eyesight.

This information should help to convince many that the Garabandal prophecy concerning Joey Lomangino did not fail but was rather conditional, because Our Lady wanted to cure Joey.

Simply put, Joey Lomangino was asked in faith to fulfill a small request by Our Lady of the Roses, but chose not to accept this invitation. Had he obeyed in faith, I personally believe Joey Lomangino would have received his eyesight again. Prophecy is often conditional upon man's response, as in the case of Nineveh. The prophet Jonah warned that Nineveh would be destroyed in 40 days (Jonah 3: 4), but the people of Nineveh repented and God withheld this punishment because of their response.

 

At least three requests were personally given to Joey Lomangino by Our Lady at Bayside, New York 

On May 19, 1970, Our Lady specifically told Veronica, "call Joey!" Grace Pera, Veronica's friend, gave testimony that this truly occurred. Joey Lomangino was asked, by Our Lady of the Roses in the vigil messages of March 24, 1972 and April 21, 1973, to "Gather the lilacs from the bush, and bring them to the Shrine", at St. Robert Bellarmine church in Bayside, New York. But the first and most significant invitation to Joey came on June 6, 1970 when Our Lady told Veronica Lueken to contact Joey Lomangino again and tell him, "gather the lilacs from the bush and bring them to the Shrine." At this early date, Veronica didn't even know there was going to be a Shrine in Bayside, New York. And it was through Our Lady's invitation to Joey Lomangino that Our Lady revealed to Veronica for the first time, God's plan for a Shrine and basilica to be built at the St. Robert Bellarmine church, in Bayside, New York.

Veronica Lueken was in contact with Joey Lomangino prior to the first apparition of Our Lady to Veronica, on June 18, 1970. In the months prior to the first vigil, Veronica related to Joey her numerous visions. Furthermore, Veronica received a large crucifix from Joey, which would become known as the "Shrine crucifix" because Veronica woud always bring this crucifix with her to the Bayside vigils. In many pictures of Veronica, you can see this crucifix, which came from Joey Lomangino.

 

A misinterpretation of the Garabandal prophecy concerning Joey

It would seem that there has been a misinterpretation of the prophecy that Joey would receive his eyesight at Garabandal, but Our Lady never said that specifically. This interpretation was an assumption of many Garabandal believers. But Our Lady meant something different, and it would take humility and faith in Our Lady for this gift to be received by Joey. Our Lady had providentially brought Loey Lomangino into contact with Veronica Lueken, the seer of Bayside and Joey's cure, providentially, was destined to come from Our Lady, but at Bayside, New York.  Our Lady extended this grace to Joey in several messages, but Joey did not respond to Our Lady's invitation. Had Joey responded to this very simple request, I personally believe he would have received his eyesight again. Humility, trust and great faith seem to be the common thread in those people who have been granted miraculous cures at Bayside.

Joey Lomangino, in the 43 years since he first received the invitation from Our Lady of the Roses to bring the lilacs to the Bayside Shrine (in June 1970), did not accept Our Lady's invitation. And this now appears to have been the manner in which Our Lady would have cured Joey Lomangino and returned his eyesight. In 1947, Our Lady had once asked Joey, "Do you want to see again?" To which Joey replied, "yes." Joey asked, "When will you be back?" Our Lady replied, "Soon."

Our Lady kept her promise to Joey. She did return to Joey Lomangino, and it was at Bayside, New York. Our Lady invited Joey multiple times to bring the lilacs to her, at Our Lady of the Roses Shrine.

So the prophecy concerning Joey would have been fulfilled at Bayside, if Joey Lomangino would have obeyed Our Lady's small request. That is the only reason Joey wasn't cured before he died: Joey didn't respond to Our Lady's request.

This reminds me of the leper Naaman who, when asked to bathe in the River Jordan by the prophet Eliseus, replied that they had better rivers in Syria, why bathe in the Jordan? (4 Kings (2 Kings) 5:12). But Naaman's servants pleaded with their master Naaman to obey the prophet Eliseus, and bathe seven times in the Jordan. Naaman overcame his prejudice through the faith and persistence of his servants, and was miraculously cured of leprosy.

(More details follow below, in an article we wrote while Joey Lomangino was still alive and how Our Lady extended an invitation to Joey, even before the first Rosary vigil on June 18, 1970):

 

******

Joey Lomangino

Joey Lomangino was born in 1928 in Brooklyn, New York in the Bay Ridge section to an immigrant Italian family of six children. In June 1947 Joey was helping his father when they got a flat tire on their truck. After pushing the truck six blocks to a gas station they began to fix the tire and pump air into the new one. Suddenly the tire exploded and the rim hit Joe in the temple crushing his forehead and leaving a three-inch fracture between his eyes, also severing his olfactory and optic nerves. In the hospital he laid in a coma for three weeks before awakening to complete blindness.

     He went to see Padre Pio, and when Joey was standing with a friend near Padre Pio, the friend pointed to Joey’s eyes. The Padre said in response: “I can’t give him sight for his eyes, but I can give him sight for his soul.” Joey asked Padre Pio the question:
     “Father is it true that the Virgin Mary is appearing to four girls in Spain?”
     “The answer was simply: “Yes.”
     But Joey still wanted an out, and so he asked:
     “Father, should we go to Garabandal?”
     The answer again was simply: “Yes.”

     Joey has also been promised by Our Lady that he will see the Miracle and he truly believes that time is close, very, very close. Our Lady, on the feast of St. Joseph in 1964, revealed to Conchita through a locution that Joey would have his vision completely restored on that great day when the Miracle is manifested. In 1947 Joey had a supernatural phenomena occur in which he heard a voice coming from the doorway to his bedroom that said, "Joey, do you want to see again?" He naturally answered "Yes." The voice said, "Then you pray. Say 17 Hail Mary's, seven Acts of Contrition, and five Our Father's three times a day." Joey queried, "When will you be back?" The voice answered, "Soon." He believes he will see someday, in God's time, because he also believes that voice was Our Lady. He also believes it was not a dream but an actual supernatural event that he cannot explain but believes with all his heart. Our Lady of the Roses mentioned these apparitions in at least three messages, including the December 24, 1973 vigil:

"You must cleanse your souls of all sin, mortal and venial.  Come to My Son in belief.  Believe what you see at Garabandal, and turn back from your ways that have been created by satan.  Return to the Father; do penance and atonement, for your chastisement will soon follow upon the great spectacle.  I bless you all, My children, as the Father blesses you with sad heart." (Our Lady, December 24, 1973)

Our Lady of the Roses and Joey

Veronica was instructed to contact Joey Lomangino, even before the first scheduled vigil on June 18, 1970. This fact was witnessed by Veronica's friend, Grace Pera:

Veronica - Now, since Grace is staying with me this week, I would like you to hear what Grace has to say about this because it's very important--at this time, that May of 1970, after this happened I called Joey Lomangino in Lindenhurst. Joey, of course, is the leader of the group of Garabandal apparition children, the apparitions that appeared to the children in Garabandal earlier--and I knew he would surely like to hear this, and of course, this has always been a very sore spot in my heart for Joey because actually I felt-- well, Our Lady told me to call him in the first place! That was in May of 1970, after this happened this voice, that I can't explain to you, I knew it was Our Lady, though it was like--they call it a locution, I guess--Our Lady when She told me to call Joey, I wasn't like unconscious or in a trance like during the vigils, I was just standing there when Our Lady said to me, "Call Joey!" So I called Joey Lomangino and I told him what had happened, and then I put Grace on the phone so she could tell him, and I remember at the time, that he asked Grace, "Do you believe what you see?" And she said, "Well, I saw it! I was standing there!" (May 19, 1970: Testimony of Veronica Lueken)

Grace Pera - Hello. This is Grace Pera and I want to give testimony of seeing Our Lady at the home of Veronica, Bayside, in May of 1970. I was at Veronica's, and earlier in the day Veronica was telling me of her experience of seeing Our Lady through the window. At that moment I went to the window and I couldn't believe my eyes! There floating through the air was a ... [words unclear], with the cross on top, and as it was moving along the cross dispersed into the outline of Our Lady. Veronica was then directed by Our Lady to call Joey Lomangino in Lindenhurst to tell him of what we have just saw. Joey was very happy to hear the news and said that "It was surely a miraculous sign," and that Veronica should write down everything about it and send it to him. I thank God every day Jesus and Mary for giving me the privilege of seeing what I saw, and I know that this experience will remain with me for my entire life. (May 19, 1970: Testimony of Grace Pera)

Veronica asks Our Lady, “Will you cure Joey?”

Veronica - On June the 6th, 1970, at approximately 10 p.m., I asked Our Lady, "Will you cure Joey?" Our Lady said, "I cannot tell you now, as you are [not] wont to keep a secret. Your love of sharing makes your heart open for all to read, so patiently watch the signs.” I had to look up the word "wont" W-0-N-T, and I read that, "You are not used to." So I really had to laugh, Our Lady knows me exactly! Because I do find it difficult to keep a secret!

Veronica’s vision of Our Lady of the Roses putting Her hands around Joey

     Veronica - I think I also would tell at this time that previously I had a vision in which I saw Joey and Our Lady, and Our Lady of the Roses placed Her hands on Joey's shoulders from behind as he was kneeling in front of what appeared to be a Shrine. I was watching in the vision from the rear so I couldn't see what he was kneeling in front of, but I'll never forget how beautiful it was when Our Lady raised Her hands--but I just couldn't see where She had placed them, around his head, or something--and then as I watched, She moved over to Joey's left side, and placed Her right arm around his right shoulder, and it was so affectionate and loving, it was so beautiful to see.
     Veronica - I also was given a message for Joey by Our Lady, and I did give it to him over the telephone, and I believe in writing. Our Lady had said, "Gather the lilacs from the bush and bring them to the Shrine." And this I told Joey, though in Heaven's plan sometimes I believe that these messages are for future use, but it was through this way that the lilacs and the mention of the Shrine, that Our Lady revealed to me about the coming of the Shrine to St. Robert's and gave me the drawing of what the Shrine will look like, and also the name, "Our Lady of the Roses, Mary, Help of Mothers." It's quite a long, involved story, but I've only given you--let's say, a small part of it--but perhaps later on in the future tapings I will be more full in the explanation. (June 6, 1970)

"Gather the lilacs from the bush and bring them to the Shrine."

Veronica - Well, we have all the arrangements, oh the days became so exciting waiting for the 18th. Oh, I didn't explain to you, I was quite surprised that Our Lady picked the date "18th". In fact when I asked Our Lady what day She was going to come to New York, when the roses bloomed, She said, "June the 18th." Well, I was quite surprised. I wondered why not July, August, or September. Well, right now I was surprised because it was through talking to Joseph Lomangino, by telephone, that he asked me one time when I told him that Our Lady said She would come on June the 18th. He says, "Well, do you know what June the 18th is?" And I says, "No." And he says, "Well, that's the anniversary date of Our Lady's arrival at Garabandal in Spain." Well, gee, I was just as shocked to hear that but I wondered why Our Lady had picked the 18th here in New York. Well, Heaven has its reasons which we will find out in the future.

     Veronica - And then at this time Our Lady of the Roses gave me messages also for Joseph Lomangino and about, Our Lady had said, which I didn't understand, but I just passed it on, to tell Joseph to "gather the lilacs from the bush and bring them to the Shrine." Well, I told Joseph this by telephone, and I was so happy, because I knew that he--at that time, he did believe me, and it was kind of, being worldly still, I haven't lost enough of my own feelings that I could stand alone, and it was wonderful to know that there was someone who believed me. And I thought that Joseph did, until some time later, but I think someone had really come to him and kind of talked him out of believing in me, I don't understand that, but of course, that's also one of the crosses that I've learned to live with. But anyway, Our Lady did give that message for him to me, to give to him, "gather the lilacs from the bush and bring them to the Shrine." For when I told Joseph, three days later, I think it was, I called him up again, and I asked him if he knew what Our Lady meant by that, gather the lilacs from the bush. And also, where was the Shrine? Well, he didn't seem to know, so that evening--I was quite depressed--and when Our Lady was talking to me I asked, "Dear Mother, where is the Shrine? I don't understand." And Our Lady said, "The Shrine is at St. Robert's." And I said, "Oh no, I don't know of any Shrine at St. Robert's." And Our Lady said, "Oh yes, there will be!" And then that is the time that Our Lady gave me the drawing for the Fathers and also have a copy in my notes, Our Lady says the Shrine will be called Our Lady of the Roses, Mary, Help of Mothers. And Our Lady drew, had me draw this picture, it looks like a round oval type of concrete background for a statue. And Our Lady of the Roses said, "There are to be gold letters saying 'Our Lady of the Roses,'" and it appears to be a statue of Our Lady's holding a Rosary in each hand, it's very pretty looking and then at the side is another plaque and it says, "Mary Help of Mothers."

“When the flowers are in bloom and the heather on the hills, then gather the lilacs and bring them to the Shrine.” (Our Lady of the Roses, March 24, 1972) 

Rose Notes from Veronica:  Veronica was to print this message, “When the flowers are in bloom …” to pass on. It will be received by a certain J.L. This part of the message is a mystery at this time to Veronica. This is also to be passed on: “The hill on the meadow is a holy place. ‘C’ will be there with the holy light, a flaming cross in sword-like formation.” (March 24, 1972)

On the June 18, 1970 Vigil, Veronica held a crucifix given to a friend by Joey Lomangino

Veronica - I can remember back in 1970, we were to start the vigils at 9 a.m. I knelt from 9 a.m. in the morning of June 18th until after 1 a.m. the following morning—that would be June 19th—and for three days I had to lie in bed, as I’m lying now, unable to walk, having knelt so many hours.
     But at my side at that time—I don’t know if it was ever known to many that Padre Pio sustained me. An individual from a Padre Pio, promoting a group, I believe it was Joey Lomangino at Garabandal, who had given a friend a crucifix, a small brown crucifix that I’ll never forget. I wore that crucifix the whole time on June 18th, 1970. And every time I felt I was weakening (because there were times when I came out of that—oh, state of being out of myself, like in a coma or something, or—not a—I don’t like to use the word “trance,” because that sounds like something in the occult or something. But actually I was in a state of being absolutely unconscious. But when I came out of it, after a few hours, after the message was given, I felt like I was slumping. But I knew that I had to remain on my knees, because it was so important. Our Blessed Mother depended on me to remain on my knees. There was so much at stake, so many souls that had to have this penance, Our Lady of the Roses said, that I would then clutch this crucifix about my neck, given to me—a small brown wooden crucifix—and I, immediately I noticed that I was renewed, and I felt vigorous and fresh, and I could go on and continue praying the Rosary until Our Lady then, or Jesus appeared, and then I had to blank out, sort of, again and repeat, as a voice-box, what Our Lady of the Roses and Jesus had to say. (June 18, 1982 vigil) 

"Many miracles of cures and conversions will go forth through the world from these hallowed grounds. The cause of Heaven shall not be stopped. The well of curing will arise, and man will not stop the waters from flowing. Know well, man, that you cannot defy the Father, for it is in the will of the Father that this land be claimed for the salvation of souls. All who come to these hallowed grounds, My child, will receive graces in abundance, graces of cure and conversion. The crippled shall walk, the blind shall see. Those in darkness shall come forward into the light." - Our Lady of the Roses, February 1, 1974

 

Directives from Heaven

D43 - The Warning / Miracle   PDF LogoPDF
D51 - Cure and Conversion  
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D384
- Our Lady of the Roses Shrine, Part 1  
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D385 - Our Lady of the Roses Shrine, Part 2   PDF LogoPDF

 


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Revised:
April 06, 2022