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Our Lady of Guadalupe

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Feast date: Dec 12

In 1531 a "Lady from Heaven" appeared to Saint Juan Diego, a poor Indian from Tepeyac, a hill northwest of Mexico City. She identified herself as the Mother of the True God and instructed him to have the bishop build a church on the site. As a sign for the bishop, she left an image of herself imprinted miraculously on his tilma, a poor quality cactus-cloth. The tilma should have deteriorated within 20 years but shows no sign of decay after over 470 years. To this day it defies all scientific explanations of its origin.

In the eyes of Our Lady of Guadalupe on the tilma, we can see reflected what was in front of her in 1531. Her message of love and compassion, and her universal promise of help and protection to all mankind, as well as the story of the apparitions, are described in the "Nican Mopohua," a 16th century document written in the native Nahuatl language.

There is reason to believe that at Tepeyac Mary came in her glorified body, and her actual physical hands rearranged the roses in Juan Diego’s tilma, which makes this apparition very special.

An incredible list of miracles, cures, and interventions are attributed to Our Lady of Guadalupe. Each year an estimated 10 million people visit her Basilica, making her Mexico City home the most popular Marian shrine in the world, and the most visited Catholic church in the world after Saint Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.

Science cannot explain the tilma, to this day.

There is no under sketch, no sizing and no protective over-varnish on the image. Microscopic examination revealed that there were no brush strokes. The image seems to increase in size and change colors due to an unknown property of the surface and substance of which it is made. According to Kodak of Mexico, the image is smooth and feels like a modern day photograph. Produced 300 years before the invention of photography.) The image has consistently defied exact reproduction, whether by brush or camera. Several images can be seen reflected in the eyes of the Virgin. It is believed to be the images of Juan Diego, Bishop Juan de Zummaraga, Juan Gonzales-the interpreter and others.The distortion and place of the images are identical to what is produced in the normal eye, which is impossible to obtain on a flat surface. The stars on Our Lady's Mantle coincide with the constellation in the sky on December 12, 1531. All who have scientifically examined the image of Our Lady over the centuries confess that its properties are absolutely unique and so inexplicable in human terms that the image can only be supernatural.

Altogether 24 popes have officially honored Our Lady of Guadalupe. His Holiness Blessed John Paul II visited her Sanctuary four times: on his first apostolic trip outside Rome as Pope in 1979, and again in 1990, 1999 and 2002.

The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is celebrated on December 12th. In 1999, Blessed John Paul II, in his homily given during the Solemn Mass at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, his third visit to the sanctuary, declared the date of December the 12th as a Liturgical Holy Day for the whole continent. During the same visit Pope John Paul II entrusted the cause of life to her loving protection, and placed under her motherly care the innocent lives of children, especially those who are in danger of not being born.

Patronage: Americas, Central America, diocese of Colorado Springs Colorado, diocese of Corpus Christi Texas, diocese of Dodge City, Kansas, Estremadura Spain, diocese of Gallup New Mexico, Mexico, diocese of Nashville Tennessee, New Mexico, New World, diocese of Orange California, diocese of Phoenix Arizona, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, diocese of Sacramento, California, diocese of Sioux City Iowa, Spain.

Catholic school director named an archbishop (Vatican Press Office)

In an unusually meteoric rise, a priest who directs a Catholic school in Milan has been named the head of an Italian archdiocese.

Pope Francis appointed Father Alberto Torriani, 53, as archbishop of Crotone-San Severino, located over 700 miles away from Milan. Father Torriani has been rector of the Collegio San Carlo, a primary and secondary school, since 2017.

Archbishop Mario Delpini of Milan said that “the moment of communication and the diocese of destination surprised Don Alberto and also me.”

New Ukranian cardinal: Pray the Rosary, a 'spiritual sword' (Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church)

A day being created a cardinal by Pope Francis, Cardinal Mykola Bychok, who ministers to Ukranian Greek Catholics in Australia, reflected on his appointment and the importance of the Rosary.

Speaking at his titular church, the Basilica of Holy Wisdom in Rome, he said that “if one considers this appointment an honor, this honor belongs not to me but to our martyr church.”

As he discussed the importance of the Marian apparitions at Lourdes and Fátima in his own spiritual life, he said:

The Rosary is our spiritual sword, capable of overcoming all the forces of evil and their servants because, as Our Lady reminded us in Fatima, God’s love is stronger than all the hatred in the world. The Rosary is a prayer through which we can overcome hatred and fulfill our vocation as messengers and bearers of God’s sacrificial and faithful love.

It is this spiritual sword that will help the people of Ukraine defeat the enemy. It is through the power of prayer and the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary that we gain strength to fight the good fight and proclaim God’s love in Ukraine and throughout the world.

EU bishops pledge to pray, advocate for Syria (COMECE)

The bishops of the European Union will pray for Syria’s Christians and advocate for Syria’s needs, the president of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the EU said in a letter to the five Catholic bishops of different rites who minister in Aleppo.

“We are deeply moved by the resilience and faith of the Christian communities in Syria, which continues to bear witness to the love of Christ even in the face of such adversity,” said Bishop Mariano Crociata. “We hope that Christians in Syria can remain in their homeland and continue being witnesses of our Lord and contribute to their society in a spirit of brotherhood and service to the others.”

Spain's religious leaders oppose repeal of law banning anti-religious insults (Exaudi)

Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim leaders in Spain have issued a joint statement in opposition to a Spanish cabinet member’s proposal to repeal Article 525.

The law impose a fine of up to a year’s salary on those who deride the “dogmas, beliefs, rituals, or ceremonies” of any religion, as well as those who deride persons who do not profess any religion.

“While we understand and respect the right to freedom of expression as a fundamental right, recognized constitutionally, it is important to emphasize that this right should not prevail over other equally essential rights, such as religious freedom, freedom of conscience and the dignity of people,” the religious leaders stated, adding:

The normalization of insults, stereotypes and ridicule against religious beliefs can have serious consequences, such as encouraging violent and aggressive behavior against believers and places of worship, something that has already been seen in various European countries. The repeal of Article 525 could therefore put these fundamental rights at risk and, consequently, harmony and respect in society.

Caritas leader laments populism, calls for stronger EU (Die Presse (German))

Stating that “we need more Europe and not less,” the president of Caritas Europa called for a stronger European Union.

Msgr. Michael Landau, an Austrian priest, made his remarks at a ceremony marking the 35th anniversary of the fall of the Iron Curtain.

“The European Union brought democracy and prosperity to large parts of the population,” he said. Lamenting the “specter of populism” and a “comeback of a politics of fear,” Msgr. Landau warned against the “trenches of polarization that run through our societies.”

Msgr. Landau also called for action to end child poverty. Caritas Europa, which he leads, is a network of 49 Catholic relief and development agencies.

Italian priest hospitalized for burns after ingesting acid from chalice (La Nazione (Italian))

An 83-year-old Italian priest was recently hospitalized for burns to his mouth and esophagus after drinking acid that was in his chalice. Father Mario Perinetti ministers in the area of Zignago, in Liguria.

“At the moment we remain in the field of hypotheses, with investigators tending to rule out an intentional gesture by some reckless person,” La Nazione reported. “The priest, perhaps, could have ingested in addition to wine also an acidic substance, usually used to clean the chalice.”

On Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, US bishops condemn racism, xenophobia (USCCB)

In a statement for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the chairmen of four US bishops’ committees issued a statement lamenting racism and xenophobia.

“At this time, when some of our brothers and sisters are experiencing fear and anxiety, we are reminded of the abiding words of Our Lady to Saint Juan Diego: ‘Do not fear any illness or vexation, anxiety or pain,’” the bishops stated. “Throughout the life of our nation, we have seen at times unacceptable demonstrations of prejudice and hatred, including in recent days mass communications targeting people of color and disparaging comments about immigrant communities.”

The prelates—who chair the Committees on Migration and Pro-Life Activities, the Subcommittee on the Pastoral Care of Migrants, Refugees, and Travelers, and the Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism—added:

Throughout the life of our nation, we have seen at times unacceptable demonstrations of prejudice and hatred, including in recent days mass communications targeting people of color and disparaging comments about immigrant communities. With one clear voice, we reaffirm our unwavering and unqualified recognition of the fact that each and every human life is sacred, that all persons are imbued by God with an inviolable dignity, which no earthly power can deny.

The sinful ideologies of racism and xenophobia are antithetical to these core teachings of our Christian faith. No person formed by and committed to the Gospel of Life can harbor such views in good conscience.

Bishops Mark Seitz, Daniel Thomas, Eusebio Elizondo, and Joseph Perry concluded their statement with a prayer to the Blessed Mother.