THE alleged apparitions of the Blessed Mother to nun Teresing Castillo in the Carmelite convent in Lipa, Batangas, had enough to say about China and the Philippines. Timely in these times of Pres. Duterte and Covid 19 from Wuhan, China wouldn’t you think?
My uncle, Lipa Archbishop Emeritus Manuel Arguelles, had once approved the 1948 Marian apparitions in Lipa as worthy of belief. But then again, in 2016, after the archbishop had so declared, the Vatican again stamped its foot and said No.
My uncle was, of course, heavily disappointed. He believed in the supernatural character of the Lipa apparitions and had wanted to spread the Blessed Mother’s messages from there.
It is said that a major basis for the disapproval of the Lipa events was the perception that Teresing’s first encounter was not of the Blessed Mother’s, but of the devil’s. Which, of course, does not necessarily mean that the other events were not from Heaven. Indeed, such diabolical interventions have been noted to be common in Marian apparitions, including Lourdes and Fatima. Darkness, afterall, is the antithesis of light.
But I have always believed in the Lipa apparitions as being supernatural, a belief founded on information I have come across from those who had followed the events there. Also because of my uncle, whom I must unselfishly describe as deeply Marian, holy and intelligent, as well as other credible Filipino Catholic leaders, such as the late Cebu Cardinal Ricardo Vidal who had taken the task of spreading the Marian messages of Lipa.
Already, I have shared in this column a quote from the Blessed Mother in Lipa, where she also became known as Mary, Mediatrix of All Grace. As shared by Cardinal Vidal, the Blessed Mother said: “Pray hard for China’s dream is to invade the whole world. The Philippines is one of its favorites. Money is the evil force that will lead the people of the world to destruction.”
This prophecy, made when China was yet an impoverished country and was in civil turmoil, reminds me of current events that also involve allegations that Covid 19 was actually unleashed by China in accordance with a book written by two generals of China’s People Liberation Army in 1999, now compiled in the West under the title China’s Master Plan to Destroy American: Unrestricted Warfare. It’s all about defeating America, not militarily, but through means, including epidemics, that leads to Chinese victory without America even knowing it.
But that’s another interesting story that deserves another space. The focus here is Lipa and its messages from the Blessed Mother.
Cardinal Vidal also quoted the Blessed Mother of Lipa as having also told Sr. Teresing: “Once again, I repeat to my beloved Philippines that I am a mother of love and tenderness. I come here to save souls. I love the Filipinos because in all the countries throughout the world, you come to me when you suffer and ask for my help. Most of you love me and have a great devotion to me, your mother. You recongnize me as the Mother of Jesus. You defend this truth openly without fear of being ridiculed by other sects who attack me greatly...”
The Blessed Mother continued: “So it is to you that I come to ask for prayers; do little sacrifices and receive the Sacrament of the Holy Euchrist frequently. It is you that I ask to say the Family Rosary daily. I wish to remind you that the recitation of the rosary is not only a devotion which will bring you closer to my Son, but it also servles as on occasion to offer the sacrifice of driving away distractions while saying it. The enemy of God is always there where my children pray to me...
And then the statement that should amaze us Filipinos; the Blessed Mother declared: “This country was created by God for something great.”
And so with little sacrifices, prayers and access to the Holy Eucharist (once this Covic 19 prohibition is over), we wait. Greatness lies ahead for the Philippines.