The Catholic Church allows veneration of Mary under the title “Mediatrix of All Grace” associated with the 1948 Marian apparition in Lipa, Philippines, despite the apparition’s “non-supernatural” nature.
The apparition, including mystical phenomena like showers of rose petals, was claimed by postulant Teresita Castillo at the Carmelite Monastery in Lipa. It initially received a negative judgment from the Vatican and was declared non-supernatural in 1951. This judgment was reaffirmed in 2015.
Despite this, local devotion to the Mediatrix of All Grace continues with ecclesiastical approval. The local bishop, Ramon Arguelles, had even declared the apparition supernatural in 2015, contrary to the Vatican’s decision, which he later retracted.
The Church has therefore permitted the public veneration of the image of Mary, Mediatrix of All Grace, within the Archdiocese of Lipa, respecting the spiritual benefit and pastoral need of the faithful there.
This permission comes with the stipulation that it does not affirm the supernatural nature of the occurrences reported in 1948.
“I believe it to be the singular case in history where you have a negative judgement, but the devotion is allowed,” said Catholic miracle researcher Michael O’Neill to CNA in 2016.
Photo credit: Srppateros via Wikimedia Commons
