Philippine archdiocese dismisses devotees' plan to commemorate alleged apparition of Mary

In a circular made public on August 8, Lipa Archbishop Gilbert A. Garcera announced that the archdiocese does not encourage any activities commemorating the alleged apparition of Mary in a Carmelite monastery here in 1948.

The circular was issued following a proposal by the Confraternity of Mary, Mediatrix of All Grace, to hold activities marking the 75th year of the alleged apparition.

This group of devotees believes that there was an apparition at a Carmelite monastery here on September 23, 1948.

But the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith does not acknowledge this apparition.

According to the Vatican decree, "the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith first examined the matter of the alleged apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Carmelite Convent in Lipa, Philippines, in 1949."

"After a thorough study of the available evidence, including the testimony of the prioress of the convent, on March 28, 1951, the Congregation (then known as the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office) declared the events in Lipa to have no sign of supernatural character or origin. This decision was confirmed by His Holiness, Pope Pius XII, on March 29, 1951."

Luis Cardinal Ladaria, who headed the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, wrote to Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines Bishop Pablo Virgilio David, reminding him not to authorize the 75th celebration of the alleged apparition.

The CBCP president, in response, communicated the instructions of Ladaria to the bishops at the 126th Plenary Assembly in Kalibo, Aklan, on July 8–10, 2023.

"As archbishop of Lipa, I immediately informed our priests, the nuns at the Carmelite monastery, and the Confraternity of Mary, Mediatrix of All Grace, about the letter from the aforementioned dicastery," Garcera said.

Garcera has also established an ad hoc committee that will execute the instructions.

Despite the Vatican decree; the position of the CBCP on the alleged apparition; and the circular of the Lipa archdiocese; members of the Confraternity of Mary, Mediatrix of All Grace still hold that there was an apparition in 1948.

One member of the group even commented on the circular that the Vatican's findings were null and void.

Another said, "The apparition is true, period! " No one can take that belief in our conscience."

Lipa is a city in Batangas, about 80 kilometers south of Manila. - Oliver Samson