“Blessed are they who have not seen and have believed” John 20:29
I was already living in Alaska when I came across the June Keithly documentary about the Virgin Mary’s apparitions and the shower of roses in Lipa, Batangas Philippines. As of this writing, the Lipa apparitions are not considered supernatural by the Holy See, but local devotion is still allowed. I visited the Lipa Carmelite Monastery Chapel for the first time three years ago.
On Oct. 13, I visited again; this time met a Carmelite nun from the Lipa Monastery. Inside the gift shop my gaze turned to the window that connects to the monastery, saw a nun, and with a loud voice said, “Hello Sister, my name is Gina, I came from Alaska and I love Mama Mary.” The nun stopped, smiled, opened the connecting door, and said, “Thank you for visiting, when did you start loving Mama Mary?”
As I shared the story of my 3rd Grade teacher who taught us to pray the Rosary and why I joined the Rosary group because of food, Sister Lorna already picked and gave me three books and prayer cards from the gift shop. It was from these books that I learned more details about the story of the Lipa Carmel Monastery and about Mary, Mediatrix of All Grace.
So, what is the story of the Lipa Carmelite Monastery? I learned that between 1942 to 1945 more than 25,000 men, women, and children were killed by the occupying Japanese forces in Lipa during World War II; 5,000 people were massacred in the St. Francis de Sales seminary which became a temporary hospital when it was burnt to the ground by the Japanese.
After the war, Bishop Alfredo Verzosa of Lipa requested that a Carmelite monastery be established in Lipa. On May 31, 1946, he signed the Act of Foundation establishing the Monastery of Our Lady of Mount Carmel with six Carmelite Sisters from the Carmel of Manila, Philippines.
The cornerstone of the new monastery was laid on Aug. 15, 1946 . In his book “Mary Mediatrix of all Grace, A Journey of Suffering and Holiness” by Rene De Jesus, it was mentioned that Rev. Fr. Edwin Casey, Chaplain of the United States Army who was present during the occasion, may have unconsciously foretold of the events that would happen two years later in his message: “Perhaps no other country in the world can be said to be more truly devoted to God and His Law. With certainty it can be said that no country is more devoted to the Mother of God…In this hour when your nation is rising from the ashes and ruins of war, He has inspired the good Mothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel to raise up a spiritual arsenal of prayer and good works, by establishing a Carmelite monastery here…Pray that God will increase the ranks of Our Lady of Mount Carmel with …holy women, who through their prayers, will bring in their own lifetime a shower of roses on their beloved country.’
On Aug. 15, 1947, Bishop Verzosa solemnly blessed the new Lipa Carmelite Monastery which was built on the bloodied ruins of St. Francis de Sales seminary.
On July 4, 1948, on her 21st birthday, a young woman, from a wealthy and influential family, named Teresita Castillo, also known as “Teresing” ran away from home and entered the Carmelite Monastery in Lipa; she was the youngest of six children, her family did everything to make her come home but Teresing remained in the convent, and eventually received her father’s blessing.
A postulant who has been less than a month in the Lipa Carmelite Monastery, Teresing experienced demonic attacks that began on July 31, 1948. In August 1948, she had encounters with the devil which left her physically bruised, exhausted, and emotionally distressed. In the afternoon of Aug. 7, 1948, after her fourth encounter with the devil, she heard for the first time in her cell the sweet voice of a Lady and the smell of white lilies. She heard, “My daughter, sufferings will always be with you until the end of your life.”
On Aug. 18, 1948, Teresing saw inside her cell a beautiful lady with long hair, immaculately clean in her white dress, surrounded by a bright light; She spoke and gave her a message. “Do not fear by child. He who loves all things has sent me. I come with a message. You had a long a difficult battle with your enemies, but they will not molest you from hence, unless it be for a last and strong assault. Do not fear and be brave. Your enemy is jealous because you love your Mother Prioress very much. Love her more now. Wash her feet, kiss them, and then drink that water you used for washing afterwards.
Tell this message to your Mother, not to anyone else. So that you believe me, I shall give you two pictures. Give them to your Mother for her to keep; the community might need them someday. I took them from your prayer book; they are the ones you like best.”
Teresing shared with her Mother Prioress this encounter and the Lady’s request to wash her feet. The Prioress refused the Lady’s request. On Aug. 19, 1948, the Prioress reported to Bishop Obviar the incident and the Lady’s request. The Prioress asked for a sign – for her to see that Teresing’s eyes be encircled with fresh blood.
That same afternoon, the Prioress got her sign! At 3 p.m. on Aug. 19, Ter sing washed and kissed the feet of her Prioress and then drank the dirty water from the basin. Imagine how dirty was the water because the Carmelites during that time walked barefoot! That evening, the Lady appeared to Teresing again and said: “You and Mother had an upright decision (that of obeying me). Now that you have given me proof of your humility and your mother of her simplicity, I can proceed. You two will always be under my mantle.”
On Aug. 20, 1948, the first of the incidents of shower of rose petals at the Lipa Carmel Monastery happened; they fell from the ceiling and formed a cross on the floor of Teresing’s cell.
God willing, I will continue this story in my next article. For now, let us pray: “Come O Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Your Beloved Bride. Amen.”
Gina Del Rosario is a Roman Catholic who was born and raised in the Philippines, and is a parishioner at Saint Paul’s Catholic Church in Juneau.
