Patroness of diocese, Americas feted Dec. 12

Parishes around the diocese celebrated the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe Dec. 12, commemorating the patroness of the diocese and of the Americas and her apparitions to Juan Diego near modern-day Mexico City in 1531.

Native dancers participated in the parishes celebrations, some as part of the Mass and others at fiestas following their Guadalupe Mass. Diocesan Catholic schools also held commemorative activities to celebrate the feast.

Bishop Walker Nickless was on the altar at the Cathedral Parish Mass with Father Jeremy Wind, parochial vicar, presiding. The Mass was celebrated in Spanish and the bishop offered comments in English.

Cathedral of the Epiphany 

“The gift of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a gift to the whole world,” he said. “Her one and only purpose in life is to lead us to her son, Jesus Christ.”

The bishop pointed out that over 500 years ago, the apparitions of Mary on the Tepeyac converted millions to the Catholic faith in the New World.

“She did this because of the baby she was carrying, Jesus Christ,” he explained. “Our Lady’s image shows her with child and this moved people to worship Christ.”

The faithful present at the Mass were urged by Bishop Nickless to follow Mary’s example and bring others to Christ.

The bishop noted he is aware of the fears running through the immigrant community regarding potential changes in immigration enforcement in the coming weeks.

“These days you may be worried about your futures, what’s going to happen and are the ones we care about going to be all right,” the bishop said. “Listen again to the words of Mary to Juan Diego, ‘Don’t worry. Am I not your mother? I will take care of you no matter what happens.'”

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He assured those present in the Cathedral that he is praying for them and their loved ones.

The story
Mary appeared to Juan Diego, a peasant farmer, urging him to visit the archbishop and ask that a church be built on that site of her apparitions on Tepeyac Hill. The archbishop was skeptical of the appearance of Mary and asked Diego for a sign.

When the farmer returned to the hill, he unexpectedly found red roses growing in

Sioux Center Our Lady of Guadalupe dancers

the winter season. He collected the flowers in his tilma to prove to the archbishop that the apparitions were genuine. When Diego released the flowers, the image of Our Lady appeared on his tilma and the archbishop was convinced of the apparitions and her message to build a church in her honor.

That tilma and image are preserved at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico.

Thousands of the faithful make pilgrimages to the basilica to offer their prayers to her who converted so many to the faith.

¡Viva la virgen de Guadalupe!