Although veneration of Our Lady Mediatrix of all Grace was permitted by Bishop Verzosa, the Philippine church hierarchy declared on April 11, 1951 that “there was no supernatural intervention in the reported extraordinary happenings including the shower of rose petals in Lipa.” The statement also contained the contentious phrase 'until final decision on the matter will come from the Holy See'. Bishop Rufino Santos, who became apostolic administrator after Bishop Verzosa, ordered that 1) no petals be given to anyone by the Lipa Carmelite community; and 2) the statue of Our Lady of Mediatrix be withdrawn from public view.
April 11, 1951
We, the undersigned Archbishops and Bishops, constituting for the purpose of a special Commission, have attentively examined and
reviewed the evidence and testimonies in the course of repeated, long, and careful examinations, have reached the unanimous conclusion and hereby officially declare that the abive mentioned evidence and testimonies exclude any supernatural intervention in the reported extraordinary happenings - including the shower of petals at the Carmel of Lipa.
Manila, April 11, 1951
(Signed) Gabriel M. Reyes
Archbishop of Manila
(Signed) Mariano Madriaga
Bishop of Lingayen
(Signed)
Cesar M. Guerrero
Bishop of San Fernando
(Signed)
Juan Sison
Auxiliary Bishop of Nueva Segovia
(Signed)
Vincente Reyes
Auxiliary Bishop of Manila
(Signed)
Rufino Santos
Apostolic Administrator of Lipa
Manila, 11 April 1951
Concordat cum originali
(Signed)
Egidio Vagnozzi
(Apostolic Nuncio)
Source: June Keithly-Castro "Lipa" (1992) Appendix B |
