During this unique year calling for social distancing and reverence for everyone’s health, Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity would like to offer a few different ways to celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
The first is local. The St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Community, Newton, Wisconsin, has been collecting money for flowers and decorations since November. They have decided to focus on the feast on two day s. There is a rosary at 11PM on December 11 followed by a 12 Midnight song vigil with all covid restrictions in place at the parish church. On Monday, December 13, families are gathering at 12:30 PM for Veneration of the Virgin Guadalupe followed by Mass at 1 PM. At 2 PM mariachi music will be played for the commemoration.
The celebrations of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Des Plaines, Illinois on December 11-12 are cancelled. However, Pastor Father Esequiel Sanchez and his congregation are offering a wonderful gift on their website. You are able to easily find live feeds to do a virtual pilgrimage to the actual Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City. For those of us who possibly will never visit this holy place on the feast now or any time soon, this is a special treat. Being present for this 12 AM Mass is possible by clicking on this link.
Feast 2020 – Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe (solg.org)
There are other virtual opportunities including a Serenade to Our Lady live from the Chapel of St. Joseph.
If your celebration of Mary would be enhanced by learning more about the origins of this title of Mary in Spain and St. Luke’s connection with it, the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in San Antonio, Texas has some great resources. Click here to find out more.: Origins of Guadalupe | ourladyofguadalupe (olgsanantonio.com)
If you are looking for a brief history of the apparition in Mexico, click here: Guadalupe Aparitions English | ourladyofguadalupe (olgsanantonio.com)
We close with Mary’s words in the Aztec language to St. Juan Diego from Guadalupe published by CARA Studies on Popular Devotion completed at Guadalupe Abbey, Lafayette, Oregon
“Do know this, do be assured of it in your heart, my littlest one that I myself, I am the entirely and ever Virgin Saint Mary, Mother of the true divinity, God Himself: because of Him, life goes on, creation goes on; his are all things afar, his are all things near at hand, things above in the heavens, things here below on the earth.
How truly I wish it, how greatly I desire it, that here they should erect me my temple! Here would I show forth. Here would I lift up to view, Here would I make a gift of all my fondness for my dear ones, all my regard for my needy ones, my willingness to aid them, my readiness to protect them.
For truly I myself, I am your compassionate mother, yours, for your yourself, for everybody here in the land, for each and all together, for all others, too, for all folk of every kind.
Who do but cherish me, who do but raise their voices to me, who do but seek me, who do but raise their trust to me.
For here I shall listen to their groanings, to their saddenings; here shall I make well and heal up their each and every kind of disappointment, of exhausting pangs, of bitter aching pain,”
Photo: gift from Sister Maria Guadalupe Martinez Lopez’s uncle to Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity
