Catholics have been urged to exercise discernment and avoid spreading false claims regarding Marian apparitions.
The warning was issued by Rev. Fr. Camilus Chandin, chaplain of the laity from Arua Catholic Diocese in the diaspora serving mainly Kampala and surrounding areas in central Uganda.
Speaking during an interview in Kibeho, Rwanda, Fr. Chandin emphasized that while the Blessed Virgin Mary loves her children and may choose to appear to them at her will, some individuals have unfortunately begun using her name to promote personal interests.
“There is only one Mother Mary in the Catholic Church, and when she appears, it is God who sends her with a message for the world—not for personal agendas,” he stressed.
Fr. Chandin was among eight priests who accompanied a group of young pilgrims from Uganda on a week-long spiritual journey to the Marian shrine of Kibeho.
The annual pilgrimage, held every September, is organized by the National Youth Office of the Uganda Episcopal Conference in preparation for the National Youth Conference scheduled for December.
This year’s conference will take place in the Archdiocese of Gulu.
As part of the pilgrimage activities, Fr. Chandin led a catechetical talk on the role of the Virgin Mary and the authenticity of Marian apparitions within the Church.
He reminded pilgrims that the Catholic Church carefully investigates such claims, with Kibeho being the only officially approved site of Marian apparitions on the African continent.
The Vatican recognized the Kibeho apparitions after two decades of investigation, affirming that the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to three students of Kibeho College: Alphonsine Mumureke, Nathalie Mukamazimpaka, and Marie Claire Mukangango.
The apparitions began on November 28, 1981, and continued until November 28, 1989.
Through the visionaries, the Virgin Mary referred to as “Mother of the Word” delivered messages to the world that emphasized faith, sincere prayer, repentance, suffering, fasting, and devotion to the Rosary of the Seven Sorrows.
Fr. Chandin concluded by calling on the faithful to remain true to Church teachings and to approach all spiritual experiences with humility, prayer, and discernment.
By Florence Nangendo
9th Sept 2025
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