A Pastoral Guidance of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP):
On the Alleged Apparitions and Phenomena in Naju, South Korea
“Do whatever he tells you.” (John 2:5)
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ!
The Blessed Virgin Mary always leads the faithful to her Son and to the communion of the Church. Her
words at Cana remain her enduring message to every generation: “Do whatever he tells you” (John 2:5).
With pastoral solicitude and fidelity to the Church’s discernment process, we, the Catholic Bishops’
Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), offer this statement regarding the alleged Marian apparitions and
Eucharistic miracles associated with Julia Kim in Naju, South Korea.
The Archdiocese of Gwangju in South Korea, in communion with the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the
Faith, has issued a negative judgment that the alleged events in Naju are not approved as supernatural.
We exhort all the faithful to observe the following pastoral guidelines drawn from the Church’s wisdom:
1. Remain in Full Communion with the Church – Fidelity to Christ entails religious submission to the
authentic Magisterium as taught by the Pope and the bishops. The clergy, religious, and laity hold a
particular obligation of reverence and obedience to ecclesiastical authority.
2. Exercise Prudence in Discernment – In discerning private revelations, the faithful are not obliged to
accept them, especially when a competent ecclesiastical authority has issued a negative judgment.
3. Deepen Eucharistic Piety through Approved Paths – True devotion flourishes in the celebration of the
Holy Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, prayer, and works of charity—not in sensational or unverified claims.
4. Reject Division and Sensationalism – Authentic spirituality produces humility, obedience, and unity
within the Church. Any movement that fosters defiance or separation from the Church contradicts the
Gospel.
A Call to Pilgrimage Organizers and Travel Promoters
We address diocesan pilgrimage organizers, parish leaders, travel agencies, as well as Filipino pilgrims and
devotees, urging them to refrain from organizing, promoting, or participating in pilgrimages to Naju.
Instead, we encourage the faithful to make pilgrimages to approved Marian shrines in the Philippines and
throughout the world, where authentic Marian devotion is fostered in full communion with the Church.
Conclusion
We urge everyone to remain steadfast in the life of the Church—nourished by the Eucharist, guided by
Sacred Scripture, Tradition, and the Magisterium. Let us avoid confusion caused by unapproved phenomena
and instead walk the path of obedience, humility, and unity within the Body of Christ.
May Mary, Mother of the Church, obtain for us the grace of fidelity and peace.
For the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines
✠ MOST REV. GILBERT A. GARCERA, D.D.
Archbishop of Lipa
President, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines
13 July 2026