One of our members, Catherine F, sent us information on a lovely appearance of Our Lady from Ngome, Africa, pictured above as a statue at the shrine to her. Our Lady appeared to a nun there ten times between 1955 and 1971, asking that veneration be paid to her as Our Lady, Tabernacle of the Most High. What a beautiful title when you realize that Our Lady carried Our Lord in her womb for nine months. Certainly she was THE Tabernacle of the Most High, the most exalted of Tabernacle of all Tabernacles. .
The Church has ruled on these appearances:
During 1989, Bishop Manuset Biyase (the local Bishop of Eshowe - the diocese in which Ngome is situated) and Fr. Michael Mayer O.S.B. met with Fr. Paul B. Decock O.M.I., the chairperson of the TAC (Theological Advisory Commission of the South African Catholic Bishops' Conference), to discuss the Ngome Affair. At their request, Fr. Paul B. Decock compiled a statement about Ngome in which he said:
"There is nothing objectionable in this (the promotion of the sanctuary at Ngome and the veneration of Our Lady under the name of Tabernacle of the Most High). One does not need divine sanction to start a sanctuary and venerate Our Lady. Pilgrimages could be allowed even if we are not sure of the 'authenticity' of the visions...The content of the visions is doctrinally acceptable. These views can be put forward in sermons and leaflets." (Cf. Paul B. Decock, The Ngome Visions, 07-05-90; Ngome File).
Information on this is found on the internet on the official site for the shrine.
What better way to celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints than by fostering a devotion to Our Lady as the Tabernacle of the Lord. She, indeed, is the greatest of all saints.
On another note, we attended Mass today at our parish which also has a Catholic Elementary School. The Mass began with a parade of and sung litany of saints. Probably 75 to 100 children were dressed as saints, spanning the centuries from the Old Testament saints to modern times. We spotted Saints Francis, Elizabeth Ann Seton, Sebastian, Michael, Patrick, Agnes, Lucy, Cecelia, Gianna Beretta Molla, Guiseppi Moscati, Kateri Tekawitha, Nicholas, Therese, Jacinta and Francisco Marto, Veronica, and a host of other saints. The procession and litany brought tears to my eyes because it brought home the reality of these holy people. They really lived, they really witnessed to Christ by their lives, and now we honor them. God calls us all to be part of that parade of saints. We are on the way now, here, where we are, in what we do. Everyone who goes to heaven is a saint, and God created us to be saints. So let us live up to our vocation!
If you are interested in learning more about your own or someone else's patron saint (and most people have one, even children with trendy names), the Confraternity of Penitents can help you through our Saints' Stories apostolate. The CFP Holy Angels Gift Shop also has books about and by saints, medals of saints, chaplets of saints, and so on.
The saints are wonderful role models. May they intercede for us today and always.
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