Dr. Helen Titilola OLOJEDE

We continue to dwell on Our Lady, given that we are still in May. This week, we would like to discuss some of the approved apparitions of Our Lady. First, what is an apparition? It is an unusual or unexpected sight of a being that can be ghost-like. In Catholic parlance, the apparition of Our Lady refers to a supernatural event where Mary, the Mother of Jesus Christ, allegedly appeared to one or more persons. There have been hundreds of apparitions in the 20th century alone; however, just about a handful have been approved, and sixteen have been deemed “worthy of belief” by the Bishops. They are:

 

Our Lady of Guadalupe (Mexico, 1531)

Our Lady of Lezajsk (Poland, 1578)

Our Lady of Silvua (Lithuania, 1608–1612)

Our Lady of Laus (France, 1664–1718)

Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal (Paris, France, 1830)

Our Lady of Zion (Rome, 1842)

Our Lady of La Salette (France, 1846)

Our Lady of Lourdes (France, 1858)

Our Lady of Pontmain (France, 1871)

Our Lady of Gietrzwałd (Poland, 1877)

Our Lady of Knock (Ireland, 1879)

Our Lady Help of Christians (Czech Republic, 1885)

Our Lady of Fatima (Portugal, 1917)

Our Lady of the Golden Heart (Belgium, 1932)

Our Lady of Banneux (Belgium, 1933)

Our Lady of Kibeho (Rwanda, 1981–1989)

 

Why only sixteen out of so many?  This is because the Church is usually careful, cautious, and meticulous in affirming what has been reported as an apparition; the process can take decades or even centuries. The Church, therefore, does not rush to judgment, but this is not to say that the Church belittles, or doubts reports of apparitions. Now let’s turn to the only apparition officially approved from Africa - Our Lady of Kibeho (Rwanda, 1981–1989).

As the name implies, this apparition occurred in Kibeho, Rwanda, East Africa, between 1981 and 1989 but was recognized in 2001 based on factors such as sincerity and psychological balance of the consistency of the messages with the Church’s teaching and the positive spiritual fruits observed among those who embraced the message of Kibeho. The visionaries were three young women.

 

The message conveyed by Our Lady of Kibeho, (named after the venue of the apparition), emphasised prayer, penance, and reconciliation; with Mary, identifying herself as Nyina wa Jambo (Mother of the Word), where she called for genuine repentance, a conversion of hearts, and a commitment to living the Gospel. Part of her message was a warning on the consequences of sin and the need for love and forgiveness. The visionaries reported visions of violence and bloodshed, which many believed was a prediction of the Rwandan Genocide of 1994.

 

May Our Lady of Kibeho intercede for us. Amen