Maria went to her reward on December 26, 2025, the feast of St. Stephen the Protomartyr. She died peacefully, having recently received the sacraments of Extreme Unction and Viaticum. A private Funeral Mass will be offered for her in the coming days.
She is survived by her son Jimmy and her daughter-in-law Diane. For many years they lived right next door, and in Maria's later years they were her constant companions and loving caregivers until the end. Her beloved husband Jimmy predeceased her.
Maria first visited San Sebastian de Garabandal in 1965 and was present for the last message. Over the next sixty years, she traveled to more than fifty countries, tirelessly spreading Our Lady's message on every continent - giving lectures, organizing pilgrimages, publishing The Vigil and distributing hundreds of thousands of medals, rosaries, and prayer cards, each containing a fragment of a missal kissed by Our Lady at Garabandal.
In the course of her apostolate, Maria met two Popes, countless bishops and priests, Mother Angelica, television and radio hosts, and many, many others. She led dozens of pilgrimages and was instrumental in the creation and worldwide dissemination of the first comprehensive, feature-length documentary, Garabandal: The Eyewitnesses.
But more important than any of this was that Maria truly loved Our Lady. This was obvious to anyone who spent more than two minutes with her. Maria was always speaking about "The Blessed Mother" - she loved that title - and even now I can hear her saying it in the New England accent she never fully lost, even after decades of living in California. When Maria spoke of the Blessed Mother, she did so as one speaks of a dearest personal friend. It was a disinterested love. She did not love Our Lady to obtain anything; she loved her simply because she was lovable.
On December 11, I happened to be present when Maria spoke the last words anyone would hear her say. It was surprising to hear her speak at all - by then her health had declined greatly, and it had been some time since she had spoken. We drew closer and heard her quietly praying:
"Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen."
Many years ago, when I was still a young boy, I went up to the Pines at Garabandal with Maria. Gesturing to the rolling hills and mountains surrounding the village, she said to me, "You see all this? It's a natural amphitheater. Someday, when the Miracle occurs, there will be thousands of people sitting there watching."
Looking out over the pasture, I strained my imagination, trying to picture what that might look like. Finally, I voiced my worries: "What if there are too many people? How will we get here? What if we can't find a spot? What if we can't see?"
With complete confidence, she dismissed my concerns with a wave of her hand. "DonÕt worry - youÕll see."
What she did not know was that she herself would be watching from the best seat of all.
- Francis Lafleur
December 28, 2025
PS: While we have every reason for confident hope that Maria is in heaven, we must be careful to not neglect her in prayer. Padre Pio once explained why he continued to pray for family members he knew to be in heaven:
"For the Lord, the past doesnÕt exist; the future doesnÕt exist. Everything is an eternal present. Those prayers had already been taken into account, and so I repeat that even now I can pray for the happy death of my great-grandfather."
De Profundis
Out of the depths I have cried unto Thee, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice.
Let Thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication.
If Thou, O Lord, shalt mark our iniquities: O Lord, who can abide it?
For with Thee there is mercy: and by reason of Thy law I have waited on Thee, O Lord.
My soul hath waited on His word: my soul hath hoped in the Lord.
From the morning watch even unto night: let Israel hope in the Lord.
For with the Lord there is mercy: and with Him is plenteous redemption.
And He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
Eternal rest give to them, O Lord.
And let perpetual light shine upon them.
May they rest in peace.
Amen.
V/. Lord, hear my prayer.
R/. And let my cry come unto Thee.
Let us pray.
O God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful; grant to the souls of Thy servants departed the remission of all their sins, that by our devout supplications they may obtain that pardon which they have always desired. Who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.
V/. Eternal rest give unto them, O Lord.
R/. And let perpetual light shine upon them.
V/. May they rest in peace.
R/. Amen.
