Fall/Winter 2014 - Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe

A P U B L I C AT I O N O F TH E SH R IN E O F O UR L ADY O F GUADALUPE
Fall/Winter 2014
A PU B LI C AT I O N O F T H E S H RI N E O F O U R L ADY OF GUADALUP E
Fall/Winter 2014
A Word
from the Executive Director
ON THE COVER: The dome of the Shrine Church is shown
along with four Doctors of the Church (enlarged to be seen
clearly) featured on medallions in the four pendentives. The
four Doctors featured are: St. Ambrose, St. Cyril of Jerusalem,
St. Ephrem, and St. John Damascene. Artist Anthony Visco,
from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, painted these with oil on
linens. In the cupola of the dome can be seen the first and last
letters of the Greek alphabet, alpha and omega, along with a
triangle. The constellations of the stars and the turquoise color
come from Our Lady’s mantle that she is wearing in the Tilma
of St. Juan Diego. The Latin text inscribed around the inside of
the dome beneath the clear glass windows is taken from the
Wedding Feast at Cana. The English translation of the text is:
“And Jesus said to her, ‘O woman, what have you to do with me?
My hour has not yet come.’ His mother said to the servants, ‘Do
whatever He tells you’” (John 2:4-5, RSV).
Tepeyac is a publication for the pilgrims, benefactors and
friends of the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, located in La
Crosse, Wisconsin. The Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a
place of religious pilgrimage that serves the spiritual needs of
all pilgrims, particularly of those who suffer poverty in body
and soul. If you or someone you know would like to receive
this publication, please notify the editor using the contact
information below.
We make every effort to ensure the information in Tepeyac is
accurate. If we have made an error in this publication, please
notify the editor.
TEPEYAC
Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe
5250 Justin Road
La Crosse, Wisconsin 54601 USA
T E L E P H O N E (877) 799-4059
E - M A I L srmancilla@guadalupeshrine.org
W E B S I T E www.guadalupeshrine.org
E D I T O R Sister M. Ancilla Matter, F.S.G.M.
A S S I S T A N T E D I T O R Gregory Marco
G R A P H I C D E S I G N E R Danelle Bjornson
Having grown up working on family fishing
boats in Alaska, I often ponder the ways in
which the work of the Church is similar to
fishing. After all, Christ called fishermen to be
His first disciples. One day, when He walked
along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, He spoke
with Peter and Andrew, who were casting a net
into the sea, and James and John, who were
mending their nets. “Come after me,” He told
them, “and I will make you fishers of men” (Mt.
4:19).
I recall fishing outside of a salmon hatchery in
Alaska’s Prince William Sound one beautiful
summer day. We set our net and watched
excitedly as a steady stream of salmon swam
up the beach and into our net. Thousands and
thousands of salmon formed a solid line and
swam directly into the net. When we closed-up
the net, the net was full of salmon, and they
were jumping in every direction. We called over
workers on a large tender boat (to which we
deliver fish). They tied onto our net so that it
would not sink because of the weight of the
fish. They put a large pump into the net and
sucked the fish out of our net and into their fish
hold – over 200,000 pounds of salmon!
Shrine. Many of them gathered in the plaza in
front of the Shrine Church before Mass. Then
someone opened a door to the church, and a
line of pilgrims poured into the church. I could
not help but think back to my fishing days
when we would watch fish pour into our nets.
The multitude of pilgrims went inside and filled
the Shrine Church. Our nets were full. A good
day’s catch for the Church.
“Put out into the deep, and let down your nets
for a catch” (Luke 5:4). The nets of the Shrine
are wide and deep.
In the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Mr. Leif E. Arvidson
Executive Director
At the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, we
have been filling our nets, too. Over the last
two months, more than 18,000 pilgrims have
come to the Shrine to pray. I recall one recent
day when more than 1,000 pilgrims visited the
New Employee Profile - Doug Reinhart
By: Gregory Marco
Pilgrimage Coordinator
On May 4, 2014, Doug Reinhart joined the staff
at the Shrine as Assistant to the Pilgrimage
Coordinator. In this capacity, Doug is assisting
Greg Marco in working with pilgrim groups,
namely, greeting groups and guiding their visit
to the Shrine, and promoting pilgrimages to
the Shrine through multiple outreach efforts.
in the Peace Corps in Iran for two years. Upon
returning home, Doug attended Michigan
State University at which he earned a degree
in dairy science. Having completed his studies,
for over twenty-five years Doug managed dairy
herds in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.
For the past fifteen years, he has worked for a
cooperative in Wisconsin in which he currently
holds the position of national marketing
manager.
spiritual experiences of their marriage. Doug
enjoys reading non-fiction, especially regarding
the American Civil War, studying and reading
about the Faith and the lives of the saints, and
evangelizing during his travels.
Doug is originally from Paulding, Ohio, and grew
up in a strongly Catholic home. He attended
Ohio State University for a short time, and then
decided to enter the Peace Corps. He served
Doug has been married to his wife Beth for
thirty-eight years. Beth recently entered into
the full communion of the Catholic Church,
which was one of the most memorable and
With his knowledge of marketing and strategic
planning, and with three years of volunteer
experience at the Shrine, Doug brings a wealth
of knowledge to this new position.
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Volunteer Profile
Pat Harnisch-Smith: “The honor is mine!”
By: Sister M. Ancilla, F.S.G.M.
Director, Communications and Volunteers
Pat Harnisch-Smith has been a volunteer at
the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe for over
five years. She was introduced to the Shrine
by way of friend and Shrine volunteer, Henry
Althoff. “I lost my husband and a son in 2007.
It had been two years … until one day at a
breakfast Henry told me that I needed something in my life where I’d get out and meet
people.” Henry took Pat to the Shrine in the
Spring of 2009.
the various aspects of the
Shrine as she has grown in
her knowledge. When she’s
in the Votive Candle Chapel,
she will explain all the stories behind the windows,
and will gladly help pilgrims
to light a candle. When she
is in the Gift Shop with me, I
Pat Harnisch know she will take excellent
-Smith
care of our visitors, answering questions, and helping them find just the
right item. Her outgoing personality is a great
asset, and her faith certainly shines through
all she does here at the Shrine.”
Pat volunteers in both the Mother of Good
Counsel Votive Candle Chapel and the Flores
Mariae Gift Shop. Pat comments: “The Votive
Candle Chapel was really something fabulous
and something thought-provoking, inspirational, informational about things I had never In either area, Pat likes the camaraderie with
heard of, about Our Lady and the different the people who come - so many different people, from so many walks of
titles and apparitions.” The
“Bottom-line:
life and so many places. “I
Gift Shop was perfect for Pat
the reason I like volunteering
like it when children come.
because of her former career.
“I am a natural-born salesper- here is that I like helping people. I can tell they are paying
I am a ‘helper’. I want to help
attention because they get
son. I talk to people, get their
the pilgrims find what
very quiet and they really
attention, tell them about
they are seeking.”
listen. I like the expressions
what we have to sell for a speon their faces when they
cial occasion. One day we had
a diamond cross necklace, very high-priced. are hearing something they think is so powBut after I just simply showed it to a woman, erful. Their faces shine. They smile. I like the
3 day-lilies on a single stem in each window,
I sold it!”
because it is a great example to the children
Joe O’Keefe, Gift Shop associate, describes
about the Trinity.”
Pat as one who “has always been very peopleoriented and eager to share information on The sharing of the faith is mutual. Because
Filming Productions
Crews arrive on Anniversary Dedication Day
a youth group came to the Votive Candle
Chapel one day and prayed the Divine Mercy
Chaplet in song, Pat now prays it when she is
at the Shrine, every Thursday. “It is very humbling. It makes me happy that I’m a Catholic.
I feel that Jesus looks at me.” Pat says that
a lot of times the pilgrims who come to the
Shrine are experiencing sorrow in their lives.
Although she has experienced a lot of suffering, she realizes there are many people who
experience even greater sorrows and sufferings. “My favorite window is Our Lady of Sorrows. I pray the Seven Sorrows every day.”
Volunteering at the Shrine has brought Pat
closer to God. “Bottom-line: the reason I like
volunteering here is that I like helping people. I am a ‘helper’. I want to help the pilgrims
find what they are seeking.”
For Pat, volunteering is something that happens on a deeper level.
She encourages those who are experiencing
a void in their life – perhaps recently retired
or widowed, or lonely – to volunteer at the
Shrine! “You will get more out of it than you
put into it. The satisfaction of doing a good
job for somebody else.”
The Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe
expresses its gratitude to our volunteers.
Pat Harnisch-Smith replies: “The honor
is mine!”
By: Jack Socha
Communications Assistant
During the days surrounding the anniversary of the Dedication of
the Shrine Church, not one but two film crews visited the Shrine
on July 30th and 31st. The first crew, Ahava Productions, filmed
for a documentary series with Auxiliary Bishop Donald Hying
of Milwaukee. Because their project was already scripted, the
major challenge was finding suitable backgrounds. Shrine staff
assisted them in finding good locations.
The second film crew was from the Supreme Council of the
Knights of Columbus. They were filming a major documentary on
Our Lady of Guadalupe which will be similar to something you
might see in a National Geographic Special! Cardinal Burke took
time from his schedule to grant the crew a 30 minute interview.
Various volunteers were interviewed, and they spoke from
the heart. The director and crew were sincerely moved by the
cheerfulness, sincerity and dedication of our volunteers.
And, finally, a personal story. The director of one of the film crews
is essentially an “inactive” Catholic, but she was sincerely moved
by her experience at the Shrine. In fact, she asked for our prayers.
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Shri ne of O u r Lad y of G uadalupe 3
St. Ambrose of Milan Western Church
Who are the four saints
depicted below the interior
dome, and why are they there?
Compiled by: Sister M. Ancilla, F.S.G.M.
Director, Communications and Volunteers
Sources: Missio Immaculatae International, various issues.
Perhaps, these four images are sometimes missed, or perhaps glossed over, because the dome itself attracts a pilgrim’s gaze. Our eyes are drawn upward as we walk down
the nave of the church, approaching the sanctuary. Our
gaze proceeds naturally from the tabernacle to the mosaic,
then up another step to the figures on top of the baldacchino, then straight up to the star-studded dome, with the
symbol of the Holy Trinity at its highest point.
The dome is decorated with the constellation of the stars
as they appeared on the morning of December 12, 1531,
the day of Our Lady’s culminating appearance to Saint
Juan Diego. The saints assist us on our pilgrimage. So, let
us consider the four saints below the dome. What do they
have to say to us?
The saints who are seen at the circular base of the dome
(in its four-corners, as it were) are St. Ephrem and St. John
Damascene, who represent the Eastern Church, and St.
Cyril of Jerusalem and St. Ambrose of Milan, who represent
the Western Church. These saints are honored with the title
“Doctor of the Church” because of their important teaching
which contributed to the understanding of the Faith. The
Catholic Church honors 35 saints with the title of “Doctor.”
As the plans were being drawn for the Shrine Church, these
four saints were chosen to be honored because of their
contributions toward a better understanding of Our Lady’s
Immaculate Conception.
The Church Doctors are presented in four round “medallions,” or paintings that appear to be three-dimensional.
These “medallions” are located in the four pendentives. A
“pendentive” is that triangled transition that goes from the
circumference of the dome to the square of the nave to
transcepts.
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St. Ambrose, the great bishop and
Doctor of the Church, lived in the
fourth century, and made a profound impact on his age through his
illuminating writings and example.
He was the chief instrument for the
conversion of that other great Doctor of Christendom, St. Augustine. St.
Ambrose had a special devotion to
the Virgin Mary, whose essential importance and virtues he underlined
in order that one might properly understand and practice faith in Christ.
According to St. Ambrose, the Blessed
Virgin Mary is the prototype of faith.
The most sublime proof of the perfection of her faith is evidenced at the
Foot of the Cross when she remained
steadfast in her resolve to follow her
Divine Son and Lord, even unto death.
Already by reason of her perpetual
virginity, Mary gives evidence of a
new and extraordinary faith that had
not existed in the entire history of ancient Israel. St. Ambrose teaches that
Our Lady’s virginity was her first act
of consecration to God and was the
cause of the entire spiritual itinerary
which brought her, through the exer-
cise of the loftiest and most sublime
faith, to the point of offering herself
completely to God, perfectly united to
the holocaust of Her Son.
Mary appears in the Gospel also as
one who must give her children faith
and protect them in the faith. St.
Ambrose tells us that Mary “fortified
[him] for three months with the oil of
her presence and the ointment of integrity,” indicating that Mary has the
power of consecrating persons to God
by her mere presence and by the gift
of her purity. St. Ambrose writes that
John the Evangelist had the grace of
having “the dwelling place of heavenly
mysteries” in his own dwelling! By this
Marian title we are given to understand that the Blessed Virgin is the
temple and perennial depository of all
the mysteries of Christ, including the
most complex and hidden ones.
“Courage! Look to Mary, invoke
Her, make room for Her in the little
house of your hearts, and never
make her leave by committing a
grave sin! She is God’s dwelling
and will lead you to His plentitude.”
(Quoted in Missio Immaculatae
International, November/December
2013: p. 17)
St. Ephrem the Syrian
Eastern Church
Deacon and Doctor of the Church,
St. Ephrem is famous for his
theological tracts and homilies,
but above all for the hymns
and prayers he composed for
liturgical celebrations of
the Church. He is known
as the “Harp of the Holy
Spirit.” He is also known
as “Mary’s Own Singer” because he translated the praises of her beauty into strophes
overflowing with ineffable love
St. John Damascene
Eastern Church
St. John Damascene was a monk,
Marian theologian, and Doctor of
the Church who lived until 749
A.D. In addition to composing
treatises and homilies on the
Blessed Virgin Mary, he employed
liturgical chant to sing her praises.
These hymns were designed to instruct the unlettered in the Faith,
and above all to extol the glories
of the Mother of God. Through St.
John’s sacred poems, the merits and glories of the Holy Virgin
come to life.
“A solemnity of the Virgin today,
O brethren! Let creation exult, let
humanity dance in chorus. The
holy Mother of God, the unsullied
treasure of virginity, the rational
paradise of the second Adam, the
workshop of the union of the two
natures, the solemn assembly of
the saving covenant, the bridal
chamber in which the Word espoused flesh, the truly light cloud
which carried in her body the One
who rides upon the Cherubim,
has in fact called us together.”
(Parakletike, in Testi Mariani del
Primo Millennio, vol. 2).
St. John Damascene, with extraordinary refinement and theological skill, emphasizes that it is
through Mary, and only through
her, that we are raised to the divine heights. In taking His human
nature from her, Christ did not
take anything from her; rather,
He gave her what she did not
possess in order that she could
become like God (cf. 2 Peter 1:4).
This is the great plan of mercy
and divine love.
There remains nothing left for us
to do but to unite ourselves to the prayers
of those truly devoted to Mary,
who love her
for who she
is, desiring
only
what
she desires,
aiming solely
to please her
Immaculate
Heart and the
Divine
Heart
of her Son: “O
stainless
Virgin,
who ineffably conceived God, receive the
petitions of your suppliants,
and O Immaculate One grant us
purification from our sins. O Immaculate Virgin, save us once
again from this world in decline.
Only you can help us and desire
to attain it for us from the most
holy Heart of your Son!” (Missio
Immaculatae International, September/October 2013: page 5)
St. Cyril of Jerusalem — Western Church St. Cyril of Jerusalem, a bishop who lived in the fourth
century, is best known for his
Jerusalem Catecheses. The
Catecheses contains writings
of an exhortative character
aimed at introducing catechumens to the realities
of the Faith and instructing
neophytes about the Sacraments. He attended the
great Council of Constantinople in 381 AD, which
promulgated the Nicene
Creed.
St. Cyril lived at a time when
heresies prevailed, particularly regarding the Person of
for her, and his lyrics already anticipated the dogmatic definition of the
Immaculate Conception.
Little is known about his life, except that, in the year 363 A.D., the
Persian invasion of Syria drove him
from Nisibis, where he was born in
303, into exile at Edessa until his
death in 373. There he carried on
his work as hymnodist and liturgist, and he became renowned for
his charitable works in favor of the
poor. His literary works spread far
and wide, particularly in the Eastern Roman Empire, because his
Jesus Christ. St. Cyril’s presence and contributions were
indispensable in the defense
of the Faith. The figure of
Mary is ever-present in St.
Cyril’s catecheses. His teachings revolve around the spiritual maternity of Mary. St.
Cyril explains that the Virgin
is not an accidental presence
in the life of Christ. She is one
who actively and essentially
collaborated in the realization of the divine plan. She,
more than any other, is close
to Christ and knows Him, because she is united to Him
by a unique and inseparable
works, written in his native Syriac
tongue, were translated into the
other popular languages spoken in
that realm: Greek, Persian, Coptic,
and Georgian.
and Your Mother are more beautiful than the others, for there is no
blemish in You, nor any stains upon
Your Mother.” (Nisibene Hymns,
XXVII, 8).
St. Ephrem is considered the greatest poet of the patristic age. His
sacred poetry illuminates the profound relationship between Mary
and artistic beauty. St. Ephrem
clearly affirms that Mary is the most
beautiful creature, who brings to
the light “the fairest of the sons of
men” (Ps. 45:32): Jesus Christ. St.
Ephrem wrote of Christ: “You alone
St. Ephrem’s writings are considered a precursor to the dogma
of the Immaculate Conception,
thanks to his outbursts of ineffable
love evident in the lyrics in which
he describes the Virgin’s interior
beauty.
bond: her Maternity. Therefore, she alone can teach us
who Christ truly is; and, she
bears witness that Jesus is
true man and that in this
man “the fullness of the deity
dwells bodily” (Col. 2:9).
The Church’s teachings regarding Mary, the Virgin
Mother of God, are the bulwark that upholds and protects the true divinity and
humanity of Christ against all
heresies. The Immaculate Virgin is the model and Mother
of the pure of heart – that is,
of those who submit to God
and to His announcements.
Her Heart and intellect are
all-pure, and she receives the
divine Word in all simplicity.
“Many are the true testimonies concerning Christ. The
Father bears witness from
heaven of His Son: the Holy
Ghost bears witness, descending bodily in likeness of
a dove: the Archangel Gabriel
bears witness, bringing good
tidings to Mary: the Virgin
Mother of God [Theotokos]
bears witness: the blessed
place of the manger bears
witness.” (Catechetical Lectures, 10:19)
Pray for us, St. Ephrem, that we
may come to contemplate in Mary
the divine beauty!
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Shri ne of O u r Lad y of G uadalupe 5
SHRINE EXCLUSIVES - GIFT SHOP
By Gregory Marco
Pilgrimage Coordinator
When pilgrims walk into Flores Mariae Gift
Shop, they are often wishing to purchase reproductions of the images they have seen
on the grounds of the Shrine. These pilgrims
are not disappointed. The gift shop features
many copies of paintings and statues, and
pictures of the Shrine grounds. It is the very
creative ways in which some of these images
are presented that surprises people. Many
times these original Shrine items have been
inspired by the ideas of staff and volunteers.
Guadalupe Shrine Rosary
One of these items is the Guadalupe Shrine
Rosary. Ghirelli Rosaries, located in Santa
Maria Maddalena in northeastern Italy, offers
to design rosaries for their customers. Gift
Shop associate Joe O’Keefe jumped at the
opportunity because he was impressed with
Development news
The 2014 Annual Appeal is now underway!
Thank you to all of you who have already
supported this yearly effort!
The Shrine has a debt-free policy and
depends entirely on the support of
generous donors. Just as there are
increasing costs each year to run a
household, so the Shrine’s costs increase
as well. We have a goal of $500,000 for
our 2014 Annual Appeal and have already
raised $235,371 to date.
With your support we can reach our goal
and continue to serve the thousands of
pilgrims who enter our doors each year!
May God bless your generosity!
WAYS TO MAKE A DONATION
TO THE SHRINE:
WEBSITE
www.guadalupeshrine.org/donate
CALL
Thomas Thimons at 1-877-799-4059
IN PERSON
Ask at the information desk for a
Gift Card or Donation Envelope
MORE INFO
For other ideas on how to support the
Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe,
please contact Thomas Thimons
at tthimons@guadalupeshrine.org
or call 1-877-799-4059.
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FAL L / WIN TE R 2014
their quality and creativeness. “I spent some
time over the phone with Dino (a Ghirelli representative in Indiana), and we looked at various elements for the design,” Joe explained.
The rosary features artwork from the Shrine
Church. The crucifix is a replica of the twelve
foot wooden crucifix suspended above the
baldacchino in the Shrine Church. The statue
of St. Juan Diego from the church plaza is depicted on the centerpiece of the rosary. On the
reverse side of the centrepiece is the Shrine’s
coat of arms. The Our Father beads show the
four doctors of the Church depicted beneath
the dome of the Shrine Church, St. Ambrose,
St. Cyril of Jerusalem, St. Ephrem, and St.
John Damascene.
“Once Ghirelli designed the elements, I picked
out the various bead materials and colors,” Joe
noted. These rosaries are rich with meaning!
Other Shrine-specific items include:
Mother of the
Unborn Statue
A nine-inch reproduction
of the iconic bronze statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe seated, holding
three unborn babies in
her arms at the Memorial
to the Unborn. Comforting and inspiring, the intricate details of sculptor
Antonio Castellanos-Basich come through beautifully in the reproduction.
Shrine Keepsake Ornament
An original Shrine design with final production
through the La Crosse Preservation Alliance, this heirloom quality keepsake is
layered in gold and includes
a beautiful rendering of the
Shrine Church with accents in three dimensions. The gift box includes a leaflet with information about the Shrine Church.
The Shrine Story Booklet
This booklet explores the
development and construction of the Shrine
Church, with original
articles and stories and
many interesting facts.
It includes professional
photos of the church and
grounds.
Shrine Official DVD
This exclusive DVD tells the
history of the Shrine in La
Crosse, the story of Our Lady
of Guadalupe, and much
more, with historical footage and photography and a
reenactment of the Guadalupe story which was filmed
in Mexico.
The DVD includes a version with Spanish subtitles and a performance of an inspiring song,
“The Salvation Poem,” which was filmed in the
Shrine Church.
Devotional Area Booklets
The Stations of the Cross
This beautiful booklet features the bronze Stations
from the outdoor Stations
of the Cross, including
the small symbols found
above the large station
image. Each of the symbols is explained. The
prayers were composed
by Saint Alphonsus Liguori.
Mother of Good Counsel
Votive Candle Chapel
Make a virtual visit to
the Votive Candle Chapel
with this full-color booklet
that explores our stainedglass images and much
more. This small booklet
contains a treasury of information on Marian apparitions from around the
world.
Rosary Walk – Coming soon!
FROM THE RECTOR’S DESK
dEAR TEPEYAC rEADERS,
The month of October ushers in the beautiful fall season, particularly here at the Shrine
of Our Lady of Guadalupe, with all the natural beauty surrounding it. The month of October is itself a beautiful time because it is
the Month of the Rosary, a month to commit
ourselves anew to the prayer of the Rosary
in our daily lives. Given the current state of
affairs in the Church and in the world, there
is every reason to pray this greatest of Marian
prayers.
power of the Rosary, Sister Lucia dos Santos, the principal Fatima seer, could assure
us, “There is no problem, I tell you, no matter how difficult it is, that we cannot resolve
by the prayer of the Holy Rosary.” Blessed
Pius IX could add, “Give me an army saying
the Rosary, and I will conquer the world.” Let
us be dedicated members of this “Rosary
Army” and thus contribute to true peace in
the world!
In his letter on the Rosary, St. John Paul II
offers another reason why the Rosary is so
urgent for our times, namely, the family. As
the Sovereign Pontiff observes, the family
has been “increasingly menaced by forces
of disintegration on both the ideological and
practical planes, so as to make us fear for
the future of this fundamental and indispensable institution and, with it, for the future of
society as a whole” (n. 6). Though the forces
Prior to and accompanying any peace nego- of evil have always sought to undermine the
tiations between conflicting parties, there is family, we are presently witnessing assaults
the need to pray for peace, because peace on the family of truly epic proportions, with
is, first and foremost, a gift from God, who is the worldwide epidemic of divorce and reour Peace. Furthermore,
marriage, contraception,
peace can be obtained
abortion and so-called
“Listen, put it into your heart, my
from God through the in- youngest and dearest son, that the “samesex marriage.”
tercession of Our Lady,
thing that frightens you, the thing
The Church has always
“Queen of Peace,” and by
that afflicts you, is nothing...”
been and always will be
carrying out her repeated
the great defender and
requests at Fatima in
champion
of
the
family. This is especially
1917: “Pray the Rosary every day, in order to
apparent
in
light
of
the Synod on the Family
obtain peace for the world, and the end of the
war” (May 13, 1917). The devout recitation of (held in Rome in October 2014) and the next
the Rosary can truly work wonders and defeat World Meeting of Families (to be held in Philall enemies of peace, as it did, for example, adelphia in September 2015), from which we
at the Battle of Lepanto in 1571, or, again, at can certainly expect much good fruit.
In his Apostolic Letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae (The Rosary of the Virgin Mary), St. John
Paul II offers two particular reasons why the
prayer of the Rosary is so urgent and timely.
“First of all,” he explains, “is the need to implore from God the gift of peace” (n. 6). Is not
peace sorely needed in today’s world, so full
of violence, hatred, war and division?
the Battle of Vienna in 1683, and, more recently, in the defeat of Communism in Brazil
in 1964. Because of the seemingly limitless
Here, too, the prayer of the Rosary will
prove to be indispensable, for the Rosary is
the prayer of the family and for the family!
Let us be generous and fervent in our prayer
of the Rosary in this battle for the family, that
it might be safeguarded and flourish according to God’s plan!
With such a great need for peace and for the
welfare of the family throughout the world,
we would have every good reason to be discouraged, humanly speaking. But, as Christians, we know that “nothing will be impossible for God” (Luke 1:37), and that prayer,
especially the devout and fervent prayer of
the Rosary, can and does “tap into” the power of the Almighty! We know full well that Our
Lady is with us as our most powerful intercessor and as our most loving mother. May
Our Lady’s words to St. Juan Diego serve as
a consoling reminder that her maternal presence is never lacking in our lives: “Listen, put
it into your heart, my youngest and dearest
son, that the thing that frightens you, the
thing that afflicts you, is nothing: do not let it
disturb you […] Am I not here, I, who am your
mother? Are you not under my shadow and
protection? Am I not the source of your joy?
Are you not in the hollow of my mantle,
in the crossing of my arms? Do you need
something more?” Our Lady of Guadalupe,
Queen of Peace and Queen of the Family,
pray for us!
Fr. Jacinto Chapin, F.I., Rector
Memorial to the Unborn
Brochure and Prayer Card
The Shrine now offers an informative brochure and an attractive prayer
card about the Memorial to the Unborn.
The brochure describes the purpose and beauty of the Memorial to the
Unborn. It also offers a new opportunity for pilgrims to donate on behalf
of families who may not be able to afford the suggested donation for
an engraving or for the entombment of the remains of an unborn child.
The prayer card features an image of the Mother of the Unborn, and a
prayer for all deceased children and for their families.
w w w. g u a d a l u p e s h ri n e. o rg
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Shri ne of O u r Lad y of G uadalupe 7
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe
PAID
P.O. Box 1237
Eau Claire, WI
permit #1557
La Crosse, Wisconsin 54602-1237 USA
I N SI DE
2
Executive Director’s Message
3
Volunteer Profile
4-5Who are the four saints depicted
below the interior dome, and
why are they there?
Events
First Saturday Devotions
November 1 | December 6
All Saints’ Day
November 1
All Souls’ Day
November 2
Shrine Saints –
Venerate First Class Relic
Blessed Miguel Pro - November 23
Shrine Saints
Blessed John Duns Scotus
November 8
Saint John Damascene
(Church pendentive)
December 4
Saint Ambrose
(Church pendentive)
December 7
6Shrine Exclusives
- Gift Shop
7
From the Rector’s Desk
SHRINE OF OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE
Saint Nicholas of Myra: A
Celebration for children
December 6
Solemnity of the Immaculate
Conception
December 8
Saint Juan Diego
December 9
Solemnity of Our Lady of
Guadalupe
December 12
FOR ALL EVENTS, VISIT:
www.guadalupeshrine.org/events
SHRINE CLOSED:
November 27 Thanksgiving Day
December 25 Christmas Day
January 1
New Year’s Day
www.guadalupeshrine.org
CO MI N G TO TH E SHRINE
Blessing of the
Guardian Angel Statue!
December 12
Memorial to the Unborn
by Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke
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