Circular No. 23-04
14 July 2023
Your Eminences, Your Excellencies and Reverend Administrators:
RE: On the 75th Anniversary of the Alleged apparitions in Lipa
I received a formal letter from His Eminence, Luis F. Cardinal LADARIA, SJ, the Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, dated May 8, 2023. The letter brought to my attention that H.E. Most Rev. Charles John Brown, the Papal Nuncio to Philippines, has forwarded a letter from the Most Rev. Gilbert Garcera, archbishop of Lipa, seeking the said Dicastery’s advice with regard to the preparations being made by the Confraternity of Mary, “Mediatrix of All Grace” for the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the alleged apparitions in Lipa.
I am attaching his letter which is quite clear in its intent. Since Cardinal Ladaria addressed it to my office as CBCP president, I presuppose that he expects me to communicate it, not just to the archbishop of Lipa, but to the rest of you, our brother bishops in the CBCP, with the specific instruction that we “dissuade any form of activity in view of the proposed celebration in Lipa.” (see attached letter.)
His Eminence also reminds us to abide by the 2015 decree of Rome on this issue, which reiterates that the 1951 decision on the matter “remains definitive” and, that therefore, “the matter is not subject to the competence of the local authority”. (see attachment.) I hope you can communicate this to the faithful in your own ecclesiastical jurisdictions, especially those who are involved in the said Confraternity.
Thanking you for your kind attention, I remain
Very sincerely yours,
+ PABLO VIRGILIO S. DAVID, D.D.
Bishop of Kalookan
CBCP President
