OUR LADY OF KIBEHO IN RWANDA

THE BVM APPEARED TO THREE GIRLS, ALPHONSINE ,

NATHALIE AND MARY CLAIRE, WHO WERE

ENROLLED IN KIBEHO HIGH SCHOOL FROM 1981

THROUGH 1989.

WHEN ALPHONSINE ASKED WHO SHE WAS, THE

LADY REPLIED, “I AM NYINA WA JAMBO” WHICH

MEANS “THE MOTHER OF THE WORD”.

THESE ARE THE LAST APPARITIONS APPROVED BY

THE CHURCH (IN 2003) UP TO TODAY, AND THEY ARE

THE FIRST APPROVED APPARITIONS IN AFRICA.

CRITERIA FOR AUTHENTICATION OF MARIAN APPARITIONS INCLUDE; TWO REPORTS, 1 MEDICAL, 1 THEOLOGICAL (IN THIS CASE STUDIED FOR 20 YEARS); EXPLANATION OF FACTS AND HISTORICAL REFERENCE POINTS; ELEMENTS OF

MESSAGE; HOW APPARITION HAS GIVEN GOOD FRUIT.

RECONIZED APPARITIONS :

• STRENGTHEN THE LIFE OF FAITH AND

PRAYER; unites us with Jesus

• ARE ; A GREAT HELP FOR SHEPHERDS

OF SOULS and exceptional graces

• HELP THE FAITHFUL AS WAYS OF

RECALLING THE ORDINARY TEACHING

OF THE CHURCH, WHICH HAS BEEN

FORGOTTEN

• Have often been an alarm signal

• No one obliged to believe; is not dogma

LIST OF APPROVED MARIAN APPARITIONS

• Our Lady of Guadalupe with St. Juan Diego – conversion of 9 million - 1531

• Mary appeared to St. Catherine Laboure – Miraculous Medal – 1830

• La Salette, France – appeared to 2 children – major revival of Catholicism - 1846

• Our Lady of Lourdes to St. Bernadette – “I am the Immaculate Conception”; miraculous healings – 1858

• Our Lady of Pontmain, France – spared invasion during Franco-Prussian war- 1871

• Our Lady of Fatima – urging prayer/rosary, penance for conversion of sinners & consecration of Russia – 1917

• Beauraing, Belgium – appeared 33 times to group of children – prayer for conversion of sinners – 1932

• Banneux, Belgium–appeared 8 times to Mariette Beco–promised to intercede for the poor/sick/suffering-1933

• Pellevoisin, France – appeared to Estelle Faguette – scapular – 1876

• Knock, Ireland – during the potato famine – favors granted - 1879

• Syracuse, Sicily – Our Lady of Tears – plaque of BVM produced tears - 1953

ALPHONSINE MUMUREKE – 16 YEARS OLD; FIRST TO BE HONORED BY VISITS OF THE BVM ON NOVEMBER 28, 1981 AFTER SHE FINISHED SERVING LUNCH (NOON)

AS A STUDENT AT KIBEHO HIGH SCHOOL AND LASTED ABOUT 15 MINS. HERAPPARITIONS WENT ON UNTIL NOV. 28, 1989. SHE IS IN A CLARISSE SISTERS

MONASTERY ON THE IVORY COAST.

ALPHONSINE BEING TESTED BY ONLOOKERS DURING AN APPARITION – PART OF MEDICAL REPORT FOR AUTHENTICATION. HER BODY DOES NOT RESPOND TO STIMULI.

ALPHONSINE STILL IN ECSTASY AFTER THE APPARITION. SHE SAYS OUR LADY; SPEAKS HER LANGUAGE, SEEMED CARRIED BY SOFT WIND, IS A YOUNG BEAUTIFUL LADY AND COMES IN TENDERNESS AND JOY.

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT ALPHONSINE

• Was from Kibungo an area where voodoo and black magic

was practiced.

• Raised by her mother and they were extremely poor.

• Last name means; leave her alone; she speaks the truth.

• BVM said to Alphonsine, “never be afraid of me. In fact PLAY

with me! It shows me your love and trust.”

• Apparition of Aug 15th, 1985 (Feast of the Assumption) saw

river of blood and savage murders.

“GRACE AND PEACE FROM GOD OUR FATHER AND THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, HIS INCARNATED WORD.” 1COR. 1,3

Spiritual fruit: the apparitions have promoted actual conversions at all levels, and an undeniable spiritual renewal, which the surprising increase in vocations to the priesthood and religious life throughout the country was a visible sign of. A place of reconciliation and reparation of sin.

From declaration of Augustin Misago-Bishop of Gikongoro

Mary came for the sake of our spiritual renewal and salvation. To awaken us, to shake our consciences, to warn us, to remind us of our responsibilities of children of God, to lead us onto the right path, and to motivate us to correct our lives. We are her children and she will not abandon us.

ANATHALIE (NATALIE) MUKAMAZIMPAKA – 18 YEARS OLD; 1ST APPARITION JAN. 12, 1982 WHILE A STUDENT AT KIBEHO H.S. AND AFTER ALPHONSINE ASKED THE

BVM TO APPEAR TO OTHERS TO MAKE HER STORY CREDIBLE. SHE LIVES INKIBEHO WHERE SHE DEVOTES HERSELF TO WELCOMING PILGRIMS AND OFTEN

JOINS THEM IN PRAYERS.

NATALIE DURING AN APPARITION.NATALIE HOLDING ROSARIES TOWARDS

THE VIRGIN MARY FOR BLESSING.

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT ANATALIE

• Came from a large devout Catholic family, said the rosary am

and pm, never missed Mass, and was a member of the

Legion of Mary.

• Last name means; person who settles arguments and brings

peace.

• BVM told her exact words as St. Bernadette, “I can’t promise

to make you happy in this world but promise to make you

happy in the next world.”

MARIE CLAIRE MUKANGANGO – 17 YEARS OLD, MARY APPEARED TO HER MARCH 2, 1982 AND GAVE HER THE MESSAGE OF THE ROSARY OF SEVEN SORROWS OF THE VIRGIN MARY.

(IT WAS STARTED IN THE MIDDLE AGES AND WAS LARGELY FORGOTTEN AND IS NOT INTENDED TO REPLACE THE HOLY ROSARY) LAST APPARITION WAS ON SEPT. 15, 1982, THE

FEAST OF OUR LADY OF SORROWS

MARIE CLAIRE MARRIED BUT WAS

KILLED DURING THE GENOCIDE IN 1994.

MARIE CLAIRE DURING AN APPIRITION GETTING INSTRUCTIONS ON THE ROSARY OF SEVEN SORROWS.

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT MARIE-CLAIRE

• She taunted Alphonsine and Anatalie and treated them rudely,

was brusque and aggressive in manner toward them.

• After her March 2nd, 1982 apparition, she was the perfect example

of spiritual conversion the BVM was calling for.

• She begged forgiveness and was in a constant state of prayer.

• Mary’s nickname for her was; The Cherished of the Blessed

Mother.

• During an apparition, Mary was with students dancing. Marie

Claire said to Mary, “It’s a wonder to watch you PLAY with your

children.”

MESSAGE; LOVE EACH OTHER, HAVE FAITH IN GOD, PRAY TO HER FOR COMFORT AND ALLOW HER TO LEAD US TO HER SON’S MERCIFUL LOVE

Our Lady of Kibeho; Nyina wa

Jambo; Mother of the Word

Feast Day November 28th

Our Lady of Sorrows

Feast Day September 15th

ROSARY OF THE SEVENS SORROWS

• This devotion goes back to the Middle Ages but has gained new

popularity following the Church approved Marian apparitions in

Kibeho, Rwanda in the 1980s. In her apparitions, Our Lady of Kibeho

recommended that people pray the Chaplet (or Rosary) of the Seven

Sorrows to obtain the favor of repentance.

• Was known in Rwanda by the Benebikira Sisters who taught at Kibeho

HS. Sr. Blandine helped Marie Claire with rosary and BVM taught her.

She asked us to pray it every Tuesday and Friday.

• It reminds us that Mary plays a key role in our Redemption and that she

suffered along with her Son Jesus to save us. It is prayed using a special

rosary comprised of seven "decades" containing seven beads each.

.

• She (the Holy Virgin) promised that when prayed with an open and

repentant heart, the rosary would win us the Lord's forgiveness for

our sins and free our souls from guilt and remorse. She also

promised that over time, the rosary would develop within us a deep

understanding of why we sin, and that knowledge would give us the

wisdom and strength to change or remove any internal flaws,

weaknesses of character, or personality faults causing unhappiness

and keeping us from enjoying the joyous life God intended for us.

• It is NOT to replace the Holy Rosary only to COMPLIMENT each.

DEVOTIONS TO THE SEVEN SORROWS

Early, in 1232, seven youths in Tuscany founded the Servite

Order (also known as the "Servite Friars", or the "Order of the

Servants of Mary"). Five years later, they took up the sorrows of

Mary, standing under the Cross, as the principal devotion of their

order.

Over the centuries several devotions, and even orders, arose around

meditation on Mary's Sorrows in particular. The Servites developed

the three most common devotions to Our Lady's Sorrows, namely

the Rosary of the Seven Sorrows, the Black Scapular of the Seven

Dolours of Mary and the Novena to Our Sorrowful Mother.

REFERENCES

• Book; The Fascinating Story of Kibeho; Mary’s Prophetic Tears

in Rwanda by Casimir Ruzindaza

• Book; Our Lady of Kibeho; Mary speaks to the world from the

heart of Africa by Immaculee Ilibagiza

• Website: kibeho-sanctuary.com