Cover Stella Cañete Mendoza for ‘Grace’, a play about the famous Lipa apparitions controversy (Photo: Paw Castillo)
Stella Cañete Mendoza for ‘Grace’, a play about the famous Lipa apparitions controversy (Photo: Paw Castillo)
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Can silence and obedience be a powerful means of resistance? That is the question this play about the authenticity of the Lipa apparitions in 1948 begs to answer
The story of a nun and the Lipa apparitions and miracles in 1948 caused widespread controversy, and playwright Floy Quintos and director Dexter M Santos delved into it for their seventh collaboration in Grace. The story revolves around a nun named Teresita Castillo who claimed that after many encounters with the devil, the Virgin Mother appeared to her in the convent of the Discalced Carmelites in Lipa Carmel, Batangas, as Mary, Mediatrix of all Grace.
Mary, or La Mediadora, gave Sister Castillo messages for her community. Soon after the Lipa apparitions came the shower of rose petals from 1948 to 1949, which captured the imagination of the Filipino public and caused thousands to pray in their province. Miracles of healing were documented, and the faithful contributed towards building a chapel that is now a pilgrimage site. Because of the huge crowds and attendant activities, the city quickly rose from the ravages of World War II, which turned the place into a literal ghost town, with over 20,000 Filipinos killed by the Japanese.
All this devotion came to an end in 1951, when an investigating committee formed by Apostolic Nuncio Monsignor Egidio Vagnozzi and headed by Manila Archbishop Rufino Santos declared the Lipa apparitions and phenomenon devoid of a “supernatural order” and allegedly “demonic” in nature. The monastery’s prioress was transferred to the Carmel monastery in Iloilo and demoted to the position of a maid. The Lipa bishop, a champion of the miracles, was removed from his post. Sister Castillo was asked to leave the convent and abandon her life as a nun. All papers, documents, and even the very petals kept by the faithful were ordered to be burned and destroyed. Their congregation was publicly shunned and called liars to their faces by many of the very faithful who flocked to Lipa.
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Above The cast of ‘Grace’ (Photo: Paw Castillo)
The cast of ‘Grace’ (Photo: Paw Castillo)
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Life after servitude was still for Sister Castillo, who lived a quiet life with her adopted daughter, Grace. Apart from being the subject of June Keithley’s book and documentary, Lipa, the past nun remained faithful to the vow of silence until she died in 2016 at age 89. The Philippine church also stood its ground despite many documented miracles, petitions, and popular movements declaring the authenticity of the apparitions and miracles.
Putting the characters into life for Grace is a powerhouse ensemble of seasoned theatre actors: Stella Cañete Mendoza, Shamaine Centenera Buencamino, Frances Makil Ignacio, Missy Maramara, Matel Patayon, Leo Rialp, Dennis Marasigan, Nelsito Gomez, Jojo Cayabyab, and Raphne Catorce.
Despite public doubts, Quintos says in a Facebook post that “Grace is not a commissioned work” and that he developed, researched, and wrote the play independently over a period of three years. “The Lat-Castillo family and the Community of Lipa Carmel wish to make it clear that they are not in any way connected and are not recipients of any monetary benefit from the production,” he adds.
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The play, a product of intensive research and study, does not intend to convince the audience of the authenticity of the Lipa apparitions or prove the church right. Instead, it examines the human spirit and the nature of faith. Grace leaves the question: Can silence and obedience be a powerful means of resistance?
Grace runs every Saturday and Sunday from May 25 to June 16, with shows at 3pm and 8pm at the PMCS Blackbox Theatre, Circuit Makati. Tickets are available at Ticket2Me.
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Angela Nicole Regis Guiral is the assistant digital editor of Tatler Philippines. She studied journalism and has since written features that look closely at how culture, lifestyle and social impact converge, while occasionally wandering into the worlds of style and travel.
