Pinaalalahanan ni Lipa Archbishop Gilbert Garcera ang mananampalataya at deboto ng Our Lady Mary Mediatrix of All Grace na iwasan ang pagdiriwang sa anibersaryo ng Lipa apparition alinsunod sa kautusan ng Vatican.
Ginawa ni Archbishop Garcera ang paalala makaraang matanggap ang Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines ng liham mula kay Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith Prefect Cardinal Luis Ladaria, SJ, na ipinagbabawal ang paggunita sa ika – 75 anibersaryo ng alleged apparition sa Lipa batay na rin sa decree ng Vatican na walang supernatural origin ang nasabing pangyayari.
“I, therefore, officially communicate to all of you, our dear faithful, that in filial devotion to the Holy See there can be no observance of the 75th anniversary of the alleged apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Lipa on September 12, 2023, under any form,” bahagi ng mensahe ni Archbishop Garcera.
Dahil dito bumuo ng Ad Hoc Committee ang arsobispo para sa maayos na pagpatupad sa panuntunan ng Vatican na binubuo nina Vicar General Msgr. Ruben Dimaculangan, Fr. Jayson Alcaraz, ang Chancellor at Parish Priest ng Mary Mediatrix of All Grace Parish, Fr. Ildefonso Dimaano ang Director ng Social Communication, Carmelite Monastery Chaplain Fr. Jose Dennis Tenorio ast Robert Magsino, M.D ang pangulo ng Confraternity of Mary Mediatrix of All Grace.
“I acknowledge tha this decision may be difficult for many of you, but I trust that, in your love for our Blessed Mother, you will look to her example of humble obedience to the will of God,” saad ng arsobispo.
Kabilang sa napagkasunduan ng Ad Hoc Committee ang pagbabawal sa triduum o novena masses hinggil sa alleged apparition; walang special masses na isasagawa sa September 12; hindi rin pinahihintulutan ang anumang gawain na may kaugnayan sa alleged apparition; ipinagbabawal din ang pagpost ng anumang promotional materials; at iba pang gawain na mag-uugnay sa pangyayari.
Gayunpaman binigyang diin ni Archbishop Garcera na bagamat hindi kinilala ng simbahang katolika ang alleged apparition sa Carmelite Convent sa Lipa ay hindi ipinagbabawal ang pagdedebosyon sa Mahal na Birheng Maria.
“While I echo the definitive decision of 1951 that the alleged apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the Carmelite Convent of Lipa does not have a supernatural origin and character, please also take note that the CBCP Pastoral Instruction clarifies that the definition of 1951 does not prohibit the devotion to Mary as Mediatrix of Grace nor does it prohibit the veneration of the statue of the Mediatrix of Grace as long as they are dissociated from the alleged apparition in Lipa,” giit ni Archbishop Garcera.
