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Philippine bishops admit to Marian apparition 'failure'

Bishops' leader says they failed to address contradictory views about an alleged Marian apparition
Catholic Bishop of Kalookan Pablo Virgilio David answers questions during a press conference at the Commission of Human Rights headquarters in Manila on September 14, 2017

Catholic Bishop of Kalookan Pablo Virgilio David answers questions during a press conference at the Commission of Human Rights headquarters in Manila on September 14, 2017. (Photo: AFP)

Published: May 30, 2023 08:49 AM GMT
Updated: May 31, 2023 04:59 AM GMT

The head of the Catholic bishops’ forum in the Philipines has admitted the bishops’ failure in addressing contradictory views about an alleged Marian apparition, which recently led to the arrest of a priest.

Bishop Pablo David of Kalookan, president of the national bishops’ conference told UCA News that bishops should have facilitated dialogue to clarify confusion continuing about the alleged Marian apparition in Lipa Batangas, south of the capital Manila.

“We humbly beg forgiveness for this shortcoming,” David said in a May 29 note to UCA News.

A former Carmelite postulant named Teresita Castillo claimed the Virgin Mary appeared to her inside her convent room in Lipa in 1948. People began to venerate Our Lady of Mediatrix of All Graces in Lipa, but after an initial investigation, in 1951 the Vatican officially declared it “non-supernatural.”

Philippine Catholics continue to be divided on the apparition, with thousands venerating Our Lady of Mediatrix of All Graces in Lipa.

On May 13, Father Winston Cabading, OP, from Manila Archdiocese was arrested for allegedly “offending religious feelings” when he purportedly called the apparition in Batangas “demonic.” 

The 57-year-old Dominican exorcist priest remained in custody up to May 21. He was arrested after a Catholic, who venerate Our Lady of Mediatrix accused him of offending religious sentiments.

“It [the division] may also be indicative of our own shortcomings as Church leaders in facilitating dialogue and fostering communion, especially when brothers and sisters in the same Catholic Church are in conflict with each other over matters of faith,” David said in the note.

Following Cabading’s arrest, the Philippine Association of Exorcists and other lay groups rallied behind the priest. 

David said the bishops’ conference would not comment on Cabading’s criminal case.

Harriet Demetriu, a former trial court judge, who complained against Cabading, said the Philippine hierarchy are spreading lies about the apparition.

“Cabading, and his fellow exorcists of the Archdiocese of Manila, and the powerful ally, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, are the purveyors of lies and falsehoods against our Lady, Mary, Mediatrix of All Graces,” Demetriu told a press conference in Manila on May 27.

“The bottom line in my legal fight against Father Cabading is the vindication of truth in the apparition case,” she added.

The bishops’ conference head said Church authorities could have avoided the criminal complaint against Cabading if they had acted in time.

That a Catholic would feel the need to seek recourse to the civil court for an issue related to “matters of faith is extremely disheartening, to say the least,” he added.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if the court rules it to be beyond its competence.”  

The senior prelate urged Catholics to refrain from raking up the 1948 apparition as the matter was laid to rest by the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in 1951.

“Rome spoke on the matter in 1951 and reiterated its position in 2015 — namely, that the alleged Lipa [Batangas] apparition, on the basis of investigations in 1949, had been judged to have ‘no sign of supernatural character or origin,’” said David.

The bishops’ admission of failures should be seen against the background of bishops in Batangas province reportedly tolerating the Marian veneration, attracting thousands including celebrities and politicians.

The confusion worsened in 1990 when the then-then-Lipa Archbishop Mariano G. Gaviola, permitted the veneration of the image of Our Lady, four decades after it was banned.

In 2005, Bishop Cabrera Argüelles of Lipa in a circular said he found no objection to the devotion and allowed it as long as it does not violate doctrine.

The bishop was overruled by the Vatican’s Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith in 2016 and reminded him that the Vatican in 1951 declared the alleged as “not of supernatural origin” and local bishops have no authority to overrule it.

David, however, warned Catholics and exorcists not to refer to the apparitions as "demonic" in character.

“While Rome indeed judged the events in question to be natural in their character and origin, there is nothing in the said phenomenon to be ‘demonic’ in nature," the prelate noted. 

David said the bishops’ conference issued a pastoral advisory in 2015, asking the faithful to desist from making serious comments, especially on social media, about the apparition.

Up to now, we have “merely upheld the decision of Rome on the matter,” the prelate stressed.

The controversy failed to move people away from the veneration of Our Lady of Mediatrix of All Graces in Lipa.

“We read about Father Cabading’s case in the daily papers. But with or without the Church declaration, we are honoring the Blessed Mother here in Batangas,” Jenny Desacula told UCA News.

Desacula even claimed Rome’s ruling would not affect her devotion.

“The Vatican has decided that there is no supernatural origin. But if there is an effect of the apparition, it is the fact that many people in the province have developed a devotion,” she added.

“That is, for us, the miracle.”

A group of Marian devotees said their devotion to the apparition and Mother Mary could not be measured by papal declarations and decrees.

 “We still keep the images of Our Lady of Mediatrix of All Graces. They remind us of our love and devotion, a Manila parishioner, Freny Olayres, told UCA News.

Olayres, however, added, “We are following the instruction from bishops that the images should not be connected to the [Batangas] apparition.”

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18 Comments on this Story
ROMEO
Mary is not special... You know who is the greatest for Christ?... Its John the Baptist.. Not his mother.
JOSE S. GENEROSO III
That's a very interesting comment. What, if I may ask is your basis why you consider John the Baptist as greater than the Mother of Jesus?
HELEN
Mary gave birth to the Word made flesh that John preached about. GOD chose Mary for this, just as He did for John to prepare the way for Jesus' coming, that His only Son would be born of human flesh into the world for our salvation.
HOPEFUL
Romeo, have you not read the Scriptures? The Almighty God chose Mary to be the Mother of His Son. Who are we to say Mary is not special?
JMJ
The Blessed Virgin is more than special. No one on earth will ever be the bearer of God's Son, Jesus. She was set apart for the role accdg to God's plan of salvation, filled with the Holy Spirit, prepared for the role to bring forth the Son on earth. May you experience her motherly love.
JMJ
The Blessed Virgin, Theotokos, God-bearer, set apart by God to participate in God's plan of salvation by bringing forth the Son, Jesus into the world. And yes that made her extra extra super special! Incomparable! Mary was and is spiritually, physically united with Jesus, Son of God in her womb. Jesus in His crucifixion, gave honor & showed love to His own mother, by entrusting her in the care of St John the Evangelist (John represents every Christian). If Jesus, Who is God the Son Himself honors & loves His Mother, surely mere creatures like you & me should do the same. For we follow Jesus' example.
DIK SAJONA
Chosen specifically by God among all women and not special? Only deniers woild say this.
WILLIAM
Read the Bible and understand it.
DEN
the state has no business interfering with matters of faith and beliefs. the state may regulate matters concerning the 2nd part of the 10 commandments but not the 1st. article 133 ("offending religious feelings") MUST BE REPEALED.
GRACE SIOTING
A teeny correction on the name of Mary - it should be Mary, Mediatrix of All-Grace; ommit the preposition of after Mary.
NEIL
This should have been avoided had not harriet demetrio brought this matter of faith to the courts. She should have opted for a dialogue rather than divide the faithful with her pronouncements. The Church today is unlike the Church of long ago who have the propensity of imposing things to the detriment of everyone. It has become tolerant and embraces anyone no matter where they stand in life.
ALEM
Yes, I agree that H. Demetriou should have opted to reach out for clarification and dialog.
ROMEO
Women including Mary, they're not even allowed to be inside any synagogue.... they're second class citizen in Palestine. Why is John the Baptist, the cousin of Jesus, only son of Elizabeth the greatest among men?.. the answer is in Mathew 11:11
JO
Are u not familiar with Jesus' first ever miracle at the wedding feast in Cana? Although it was not time yet, he performed it to give in to the request of his earth mother, Mary.. Now , tell us how is she not special..
JEAN MANUEL
Miracles are true with the Blessed Mary's apparition
PAUL
The Vatican said that the purported apparition is nothing extraordinary. The exorcists comment that it may be demonic. Even lay people are confused. Demonic infestation is ordinary on sacred places? No wonder the Church is divided.
ED
Much ado about nothing. Mary, as all mothers, deserve respect. But she is not a god. We only pray and venerate God. I respect Mary as I respect and honor my own mother. Until there only. Mary is not the way to the Father. Jesus said, "I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE. NO ONE COMETH UNTO THE FATHER EXCEPT BY ME. " John 14:6-7. JESUS IS THE WAY, not MARY. I honor Mary but I don't venerate her. And the more I DON'T PRAY TO HER. Why should I?
N
So why are so many versions of Mary & Jesus being venerated for that matter? Why not JUST ONE Mary or ONE Christ? Mary of this, Mary of that? Santo Niño of whatever? Even Jesus has a black version. BLM before BLM? Why not plain old Jesus & Mary? And why so many saints? It's Roman practice to assign gods & lesser gods to a particular quality eg god of fertility, god of travellers, god of who knows what. Same with saints. All this is a moneymaking scheme. Look at it objectively. The scapular didn't save a parish by its power. It saved it by generating profits from sales. This practice has been encouraged for centuries to rake in money from devotees. A lot of fuss over folly.
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