The apparitions of Our Lady in Cuapa were officially approved by the Church in 1982. Bernardo was born in 1931 and has always been a simple peasant, poor and humble. He was sexton, took care of the chapel and prayed the Rosary with others. The apparitions took place in the woods near a river. When the apparitions took place in 1980, Bernardo was 48 years old and lived alone. He was ordained in 1995 and died with holiness on October 30, 2000, at age 69. See the messages of Our Lady of Cuapa:
First apparition on 5/8/1980: Bernard fished in the afternoon and prayed the Rosary. Our Lady appeared as beauty young woman near a river and on a tree. She had a seamless white dress and also a white veil on Her head. Her hands were clasped together. She said: “I come from Heaven. I am the Mother of Jesus. I want the Rosary to be prayed everyday. I don’t want it prayed only in the month of May. I want it to be prayed permanently, within the family, including the children old enough to understand, to be prayed at a set hour when there are no problems with the work in the home. Love each other. Fulfill your obligations. Make peace. Don’t ask our Lord for peace because if you do not make it there will be no peace. Renew the Five First Saturdays. You received many graces when all of you did this. Nicaragua has suffered much since the earthquake. She is threatened with even more suffering. She will continue to suffer if you don’t change. Pray! Pray, my son, the Rosary for all the world. Tell believers and non-believers that the world is threatened by grave dangers. I ask the Lord to appease His Justice, but if you don’t change, you will hasten the arrival of a Third World War.” Bernardo told that her friend Consuelo also wanted to see Our Lady. Our Lady said: "No. Not everyone can see me. She will see me when I get her to the Heaven. But she must pray as I asked." Bernardo told her: ‘Lady, I don’t want problems. I have many in the Church. Tell this to another person.’ She said him: “No, because Our Lord has selected you to give the message.” Our Lady rose and disappeared. During 8 days, Bernardo did not disclose the message of Our Lady. She appeared on 8/16/1980 and told: “Why have you not told what I sent you to tell?” He answered: “Lady, it is that I am afraid. those, who will not believe this, will laugh at me. They will say that I am crazy.” She said: “Do not be afraid. I am going to help you. And tell the priest.” Then, Bernardo disclosed the message to the people and priest.
Second apparition on 6/8/1980: Our Lady showed visions for Bernardo. He saw the first Christians singing and marching towards Heaven. They were dressed in white singing and marching, their bodies glowing with light, and also another group of people also dressed in white. They held illuminated Rosaries in their hands. The leader read from a book, and after meditating on the reading they prayed an Our Father and 10 Hail Marys Mary told: “They are the first ones to whom I gave the Rosary. That is the way that I want all of you to pray the Rosary.” Bernardo saw a group of men dressed in brown robes. Mary explained that these were the Franciscans: “These received the Rosary from the hands of the first ones.” Bernardo saw a large group in normal dress all holding Rosaries. He wanted to go join them, but Mary said: “No. You are still lacking. You have to tell the people what you have seen and heard. I have shown you the glory of Our Lord and you people will acquire this if you are obedient to Our Lord, to the Lord’s Word. If you persevere in praying the Holy Rosary and put into practice the Lord’s Word.”
Third apparition on 7/8/1980: Bernardo saw an Angel. The Angel told him some events about a woman of the city, his brother and some anothers. Everything happened as the Angel said. The events were confirmed by witnesses.
Four apparition on 9/8/1980: Bernardo was with other people. He asked Our Lady to appear to them. She said: "It is enough that you give the message to them. For the one who believes this will be enough. And the one who does not believe, even if he sees me, he will not believe." Bernard spoke about the construction of the church to Our Lady. She said: "The Lord does not want material churches. He wants living temples, which is yourselves. Restore the Sacred Temple of the Lord. In you, is God's pleasure. With a community group, meditate about the Beatitudes, away from all the noise.”
Fifth apparition on 10/13/1980: Bernardo says: “It was 3:00 in the afternoon. One could feel a small breeze that moved softly. Pleasant, like a fresh shower, but which did not wet us. While we observed this, we were silent and continued seeing that circle of light which gave off colored lights from the exact center, where the sun is at twelve noon. All of a sudden a lightning flash, the same as the other times; then, a second one. I lowered my eyes and I saw the Lady. Bernardo asked her to appear to all. She said: "No. Not everyone can see me." He asked again and she anwered: “No.” He spoke about those that did not believe in her apparitions. Her face became pale and her cloths grey, appearing as Our Lady of Sorrows, and she said: “The hardness of hearts of those persons saddens me. But you will have to pray for them so that they will change. Pray the Rosary. Meditate on the mysteries. Listen to the Word of God spoken in them. Love one another. Love each other. Forgive each other. Make peace. Don’t ask for peace without making peace, because if you don’t make it, it does no good to ask for it. Fulfill your obligations. Put into practice the world of God. Seek ways to please God. Serve your neighbor as that way you will please Him. They ask of me things that are unimportant. Ask for Faith in order to have the strength so that each can carry his own cross. The suffering of this world cannot be removed. That is the way life is. There are problems with the husband, with the wife, with the children, with the brothers. Talk, converse, so that problems will be resolved in peace. Do not turn to violence. Never turn to violence. Pray for faith in order that you will have patience. You will no longer see me in this place.” Bernardo cried out: “Don’t leave us, my Mother!” She said: “Do not be grieved. I am with all of you even though you do not see me. I am the Mother of All you sinners. Love one another. Forgive each other. Make peace, because if you don’t make it, there will be no peace. Do not turn to violence. Never turn to violence. Nicaragua has suffered a great deal since the earthquake, and will continue to suffer if all of you don’t change. If you don’t change you will hasten the coming of the Third World War. Pray, pray, my son, for all the world. Grave dangers threaten the world. The Mother never forgets Her children, and I have not forgotten what you suffer. I am the Mother of all of you sinners. Invoke me with these words. I am your Mother, the Mother of all sinners.”
