In 1531, Our Lady appeared to Juan Diego, a simple man, at the outskirts of Mexico City, making a humble request that he go to the local bishop and ask him to build a temple. Peasant that he was, Juan Diego begged her to find someone more worthy of the task. Between December 9 and December 12, 1531, Our Lady appeared four (4) times to Juan Diego, In the last apparition, Our Lady arranged roses in his cloak (tilma), per the bishop's request. When he returned to the bishop and opened his tilma allowing the roses to spill out, the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe miraculously appeared inside the tilma.
This convinced the bishop to take seriously the request and set into motion not only the building of the church that she had requested, but also the conversion of more than nine (9) million souls (more than 3000 people per day) over the next seven (7) years.
Through these encounters between Mary and the humble Juan Diego, a continent was coverted to the faith, a dramatic counterpoint to the Prostestant Reformation that was unfolding in Europe at the same time and resulted in millions leaving the Church on that continent.
At this moment in history, the world is again in need of Mary's intercession before Almighty God for a restoration of justice, personal transformation, and systemic change.
Click this link and learn more about Cardinal Burke's Worldwide Call to Prayer. Join the effort today! The novena begins March 12, 2024.
"The Guadalupe story is not a fairy tale; it is a call to restorative justice, personal transformation, and systemic change." --Dr. Arturo Chavez, Associate Vice President for Mission at the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) in San Antonio, TX.