Testimony: My Encounter with the Star of the Sea

by Admin · September 30, 2025

Rachel Nukeri and guest Sister of Mercy at Our Lady of the Assumption Church, Jonathan, North-West Province

Rachel Nukeri, of Our Lady of the Assumption Church in Jonathan, North-West province, explains her experience over the years with Our Lady, Star of the Sea.

Today, I write with a heart that is both trembling and hopeful. For a long time now, a profound experience has weighed on my spirit—one that I feel called to share. I was born to proclaim the story of the Star of the Sea, a message that first came to me through my beloved friend and martyr, Fr Michael D’Annucci CSS, RIP. His words echo in my heart: “The more human you are, the closer to the Star of the Sea you will be.”

For years, I have pondered the mysteries of the Star of the Sea. I have asked questions, prayed for understanding, and sought answers in the lives of those who came before us, holy men and women whose footprints mark our journey of faith. Among them is Fr Michael, whose witness continues to inspire me.

A vivid memory of this mystery came flooding back on 19 August 2022, at the Marian Shrine of Our Lady of the Assumption Church, my home parish in my home village of Jonathan in the North-West province While helping with the preparations for our annual archdiocesan vigil of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a celebration that draws thousands of pilgrims from across the Archdiocese of Pretoria, something extraordinary unfolded. A bright blue star with three tails, gold, white, and red moved swiftly across the sky and burst into flames above the Marian Grotto. The heat I felt that day was unlike anything I can describe. It filled me with both awe and peace.

That same warmth returned to me on 17 August 2025, during Archbishop Dabula Mpako’s sermon at the same pilgrimage at our Jonathan Marian Shrine. When the Archbishop spoke the words “Naledi ya Lewatle” (“Star of the Sea”), the heat I had felt three years earlier flooded my body once more. Overcome, I stepped into the quiet church to pray. I begged God for understanding, for courage to share this message — even knowing some might not believe me.

Yet the story of the Star of the Sea is not mine alone. It is a message of healing, protection, and peace—a message for all who come to the Marian Shrine of Jonathan seeking solace. It calls us to deeper prayer, to compassion, and to surrender.

I was raised and trained under the loving discipline of the Sisters of Mercy, who taught me self-restraint, community prayer, and faithfulness. But this experience has marked me in ways no training could prepare me for. It is a call to live differently—to be more human, as Fr Michael taught, and thus to draw closer to Mary, Star of the Sea, who always points to her Son.

Recently, I dreamt of Fr Michael praying the rosary at the Marian Shrine. In the dream, he handed me a blue rosary and then disappeared. I awoke weeping, but with a sense of quiet conviction: this is not the end of the story. It is an invitation to pray more fervently, to hope more deeply, and to witness more courageously.

Even if others doubt my testimony, my heart knows what it has seen. The Star of the Sea is a sign of God’s nearness to His people. Through Mary’s intercession, He continues to heal, protect, and bring peace to all who call on Him.

As I continue this journey of discernment, I hold onto the blue rosary of my dream, both as a sign and a prayer. And I pray that every pilgrim who comes to the Marian Shrine of Jonathan may experience, in their own way, the gentle warmth of the Star of the Sea, just as I did.

“Mary, Star of the Sea, guide us safely to the harbour of your Son.”

A book on the life of Fr Michael D’Annucci CSS is available for sale. For more information or to purchase a copy, please contact: Daluxolo Moloantoa, 📱 Cell/WhatsApp: 067 057 0991
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