Our Lady of Guadalupe Facilitator Background 1
Engage Spend some quiet time deciding how you would answer each of the following questions: What is your favorite title for Mary (e.g., Blessed Virgin, Our Lady of Good Counsel)? What is your favorite line of Scripture which involves Mary? What is your favorite art work/image of Mary? What is your favorite Marian song? Which Marian feast day do you celebrate the most (e.g., Assumption, Annunciation, Our Lady of Guadalupe, etc.)? When you look at the picture/icon of Our Lady of Guadalupe, what do you notice most? What is your gut reaction? 2
Reflect Go deeper by answering these questions: 1. What do the answers to the above questions tell you about your understanding of Mary and how you relate to her? 2. How do you feel about that? 3. What is the one thing for which you would thank God the most about Mary? Why? 4. What do you see as the most unique element of Mary s apparition at Tepeyac compared to all the other times she appeared to people? 3
Explore The Gospel Call/Catechism Connections In the New Testament, God revealed his choice of Mary to birth Jesus to the world at the Annunciation. She became a God-bearer, the Mother of God for all times, and now serves as a mediatrix by taking our needs to the Father. As the Catechism teaches: This motherhood of Mary in the order of grace continues uninterruptedly from the consent which she loyally gave at the Annunciation and which she sustained without wavering beneath the cross, until the eternal fulfillment of all the elect. Taken up to heaven she did not lay aside this saving office but by her manifold intercession continues to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation.... Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix. (CCC 969) She is not just the Mother of God; she also is our mother, the Mother of the Church and its members. We believe that the Holy Mother of God, the new Eve, Mother of the Church, continues in heaven to exercise her maternal role on behalf of the members of Christ (Paul VI, CPG 15). (CCC 975) Ever since Jesus entrusted Mary to the beloved disciple at the foot of the cross, Mary has been the true Mother of all the living. (CCC 2618). Mary s appearance as Our Lady of Guadalupe is a natural continuation of her role as mother and as advocate for the poor and vulnerable. She came as a pregnant woman, and her message to Juan Diego was one of maternal love and care. Mary s Canticle was a celebration of her being pregnant with the one who would go on to transform the world. Mary already knew that her Son would liberate those who were suffering, and advocated for those most in need. As the Catechism describes it, the Magnificat (Latin) or Megalynei (Byzantine) is the song both of the Mother of God and of the Church; the song of the Daughter of Zion and of the new People of God; the song of thanksgiving for the fullness of graces poured out in the economy of salvation and the song of the poor whose hope is met by the fulfillment of the promises made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his posterity forever. (CCC 2619) What Mary said to Juan Diego, the native Mexican man, was a strong echo of her original Magnificat. History of Guadalupe In 1531, Mexico was in turmoil. The poor were being exploited by the wealthy and a revolution seemed imminent. Bishop Zumarraga prayed to Our Blessed Mother to intervene to avoid bloodshed and strife. He also asked her to reconcile the Spanish rulers with the native peoples and to bring peace to his country. 4
Juan Diego was a poor native who had converted to Catholicism. Mary appeared to him in the form of a pregnant mestiza virgin on December 9, 10, and 12. She offered Juan Diego (today Saint Juan Diego) a message of hope and consolation for all the oppressed indigenous Mexicans. She sought to reconcile the native peoples with their Spanish conquerors and to end the human sacrifices which were being offered by the Aztec Indians. Her way of doing this was, as always, by revealing her beloved Son to the people. Our Lady instructed Juan Diego to go to Bishop Zumarraga and ask him to build a church dedicated to her on the site where she appeared to him, known as Tepeyac then but now part of Mexico City. The bishop was understandably skeptical and asked Juan to ask the Lady for a sign. On December 12, she told Juan to pick the roses (which were not in season) on the hill at Tepeyac, and bring them to the bishop as proof. Juan collected the roses in his tilma (a cloak made of cactus fiber), and went to the bishop. When he opened his cloak, the roses fell out. That alone would have been convincing. But in addition to the roses, the Lady had left another miraculous sign her image as Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared on the cloak. (Four hundred eighty years later, it is still there and visible to anyone who makes a pilgrimage to the Basilica in Mexico City, even though the cactus fiber should have rotted after about 20 years. Pope Pius XII once said that the image was painted with brushes which were not of this earth because there is no scientific evidence of paint or any other product on the tilma.) Of course, the bishop was convinced. He built the church. Over the next several years, word of the apparitions and miracles spread and nine million native peoples were baptized into Catholicism. Human sacrifice ended, and peace reigned in Mexico. The image of Our Lady has been the source of much study and reflection over the years. When the Lady s eyes are enlarged, there are clear images of the faces of both Juan Diego and Bishop Zumarraga reflected. Our Lady is dressed as an Aztec princess, revealing her prestige but also her desire to bring those who didn t know him to her Son. She stands on the moon (symbolic of virginity) and is surrounded by the sun s rays; yet her hands are folded and her head bowed, as if to remind us that there is one greater than herself. Perhaps the most powerful aspect of Mary as Our Lady of Guadalupe for people in the 21 st century is her skin color. Mary is truly a young, pregnant, native woman in her apparitions at Tepeyac. Her skin is brown. She stands for and is one of the downtrodden poor. So it is not surprising to hear the words of this Mary to Juan Diego: 5
Listen, my son, to what I tell you now: Do not be troubled nor disturbed by anything; do not fear illness nor any other distressing occurrence, nor pain. Am I not your mother? Am I not life and health? Have I not placed you on my lap and made you my responsibility? Do you need anything else? Know for certain that I am the perfect and perpetual Virgin Mary, Mother of the True God....Here I will show and offer all my love, my compassion, my help and my protection to the people. I am your merciful Mother, the Mother of all those who love me, of those who cry to me, of those who have confidence in me. Here I will hear their weeping and their sorrows and will remedy and alleviate their suffering, necessities and misfortunes....listen and let it penetrate into your heart....do not be troubled or weighed down with grief. Do not fear any illness or vexation, anxiety or pain. Am I not here who am your Mother? Are you not under my shadow and protection? Am I not your fountain of life? Are you not in the folds of my mantle? In the crossing of my arms? Is there anything else that you need? (Clodomiro L, Siller Acuña, Para Comprender el Mensaje de Maria de Guadalupe 23, 25, 39, Buenos Aires: Editorial Guadalupe, 1999) The themes of Our Lady of Guadalupe unity of all humankind, dignity for all God s children, hope for a better life, love and support from God and our Blessed Mother are all embodied in this brown-skinned woman. The fact that her feast day occurs in Advent, the season in which we celebrate the hope and expectation which the Messiah fulfilled, is no accident. Our Lady embodies the hopes of the native peoples as well as the fulfillment of those hopes in her Son. The Vatican s Challenge Pope John Paul II named Our Lady of Guadalupe the patroness of America. She already was the patroness of Mexico, but the Pope wanted to emphasize Mary s hope for peace and unity in the entire world. He used the word America deliberately, not calling the western hemisphere the Americas but one America. Mary s message was unity in her Son; Pope John Paul continued her message in naming her the patroness of the entire hemisphere. He proclaimed December 12 the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe in January of 1999, and prayed, Holy Virgin of Guadalupe, Queen of Peace, save the nations and peoples of this continent! In identifying a new feast day for Mary, the pope followed a tradition in our Church. The Catechism describes it this way: 6
All generations will call me blessed : The Church's devotion to the Blessed Virgin is intrinsic to Christian worship. The Church rightly honors the Blessed Virgin with special devotion. From the most ancient times the Blessed Virgin has been honored with the title of Mother of God, to whose protection the faithful fly in all their dangers and needs This very special devotion differs essentially from the adoration which is given to the incarnate Word and equally to the Father and the Holy Spirit, and greatly fosters this adoration. The liturgical feasts dedicated to the Mother of God and Marian prayer, such as the rosary, an epitome of the whole Gospel, express this devotion to the Virgin Mary. (CCC 971) Ecclesia in America In 1999, Pope John Paul II ushered in the new millennium at a key location the Basilica of the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, built on the site where Mary appeared to Juan Diego as the La Guadalupana in 1531. He chose the site deliberately as a way to emphasize the unique role of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the unique role of America in humanity s faith journey. The pope recognized that America is representative of all peoples and cultures from around the world. And he wanted to usher in the world Mary spoke of in her Magnificat, a world in which God lifts up the poor and the lowly. Mary s message to Juan Diego that he mattered, that he was precious in God s eyes, that she was his loving mother echoed in the words of Pope John Paul hundreds of years later. Pope John Paul II also spoke of the need for a new evangelization in his 1999 proclamation. He called Our Lady of Guadalupe the Star of the First and New Evangelization. Mary first bore the Son of God to the world in a physical way 2000 years ago. Over 500 years ago she appeared to Juan Diego at a time of cultural and racial clashes and merges, and called for the unity and conversion of diverse peoples. Today we disciples are called to follow in her footsteps and bear Jesus to a diverse world. The dark-skinned lady of Guadalupe embodies the new evangelization which we have been commissioned to do. Pope John Paul wrote about the new evangelization in his encyclical Redemptoris Missio. He wrote about our call to bring the good news of Jesus to the world in new ways: 33. The fact that there is a diversity of activities in the Church s one mission is not intrinsic to that mission, but arises from the variety of circumstances in which that mission is carried out. Looking at today's world from the viewpoint of evangelization, we can distinguish three situations. 7
First, there is the situation which the Church's missionary activity addresses: peoples, groups, and socio-cultural contexts in which Christ and his Gospel are not known, or which lack Christian communities sufficiently mature to be able to incarnate the faith in their own environment and proclaim it to other groups. This is mission ad gentes in the proper sense of the term. Secondly, there are Christian communities with adequate and solid ecclesial structures. They are fervent in their faith and in Christian living. They bear witness to the Gospel in their surroundings and have a sense of commitment to the universal mission. In these communities the Church carries out her activity and pastoral care. Thirdly, there is an intermediate situation, particularly in countries with ancient Christian roots, and occasionally in the younger Churches as well, where entire groups of the baptized have lost a living sense of the faith, or even no longer consider themselves members of the Church, and live a life far removed from Christ and his Gospel. In this case what is needed is a new evangelization or a re-evangelization. 34. Missionary activity proper, namely the mission ad gentes, is directed to peoples or groups who do not yet believe in Christ, who are far from Christ, in whom the Church has not yet taken root and whose culture has not yet been influenced by the Gospel. It is distinct from other ecclesial activities inasmuch as it is addressed to groups and settings which are non-christian because the preaching of the Gospel and the presence of the Church are either absent or insufficient. It can thus be characterized as the work of proclaiming Christ and his Gospel, building up the local Church and promoting the values of the kingdom. The specific nature of this mission ad gentes consists in its being addressed to non-christians. It is therefore necessary to ensure that this specifically missionary work that Jesus entrusted and still entrusts each day to his Church does not become an indistinguishable part of the overall mission of the whole People of God and as a result become neglected or forgotten. On the other hand, the boundaries between pastoral care of the faithful, new evangelization and specific missionary activity are not clearly definable, and it is unthinkable to create barriers between them or to put them into watertight compartments. Nevertheless, there must be no lessening of the impetus to preach the Gospel and to establish new churches among peoples or communities where they do not yet exist, for this is the first task of the Church, which has been sent forth to all peoples and to the very ends of the earth. Without the mission ad gentes, the Church s very missionary dimension would be deprived of its essential meaning and of the very activity that exemplifies it. 8
Also to be noted is the real and growing interdependence which exists between these various saving activities of the Church. Each of them influences, stimulates and assists the others. The missionary thrust fosters exchanges between the churches and directs them toward the larger world, with positive influences in every direction. The churches in traditionally Christian countries, for example, involved as they are in the challenging task of new evangelization, are coming to understand more clearly that they cannot be missionaries to non-christians in other countries and continents unless they are seriously concerned about the non- Christians at home. Hence missionary activity ad intra is a credible sign and a stimulus for missionary activity ad extra, and vice versa. (Redemptoris Mission, 1990) Patroness of Unborn Babies It is fitting that the woman who bore the Savior of the world in her womb, the woman who birthed God s own Son, appeared to Juan Diego as a pregnant mother. Pope John Paul II proclaimed Our Lady of Guadalupe the patroness of unborn babies because she advocated for the dignity of all God s people be they unborn or living outside the womb, be they black or brown or white. 9
Apply Application 1: Personal Learning Reflections What new insights did you get from reflecting on Mary through the lens of Guadalupe? What struck you most in the history of her appearances to Juan Diego? Based on what you learned, what do you think God wants you to share with others about Our Lady of Guadalupe and her message? How has this learning program prepared you to share the story and the meaning of Our Lady of Guadalupe with your parishioners? What key points would you emphasize in sharing with others about this topic? As an example, you might see the importance of teaching that Mary told Juan Diego that he counted, that he had human dignity. What challenges do you think you will encounter from others when you share this topic? How will you respond? 10
Application 2: Personal Application for the Topic Pray with Mary for the realization of the new creation which the Incarnation of the Second Person of the Trinity introduced to the world. Pray with her as she proclaims her Magnificat, the prayer echoed in her words to Juan Diego: And Mary said: My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior. For he has looked upon his handmaid s lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is from age to age to those who fear him. He has shown might with his arm, dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart. He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly. The hungry he has filled with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped Israel his servant, remembering his mercy, according to his promise to our fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants forever. (Luke 1:46-55) 11
Summary Page 1. There are many ways in which we identify with Mary. There are many feasts dedicated to her in our Church. One of these is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. 2. Mary is the Mother of God, but also our Mother. Jesus shared his mother with the world from the Cross when he entrusted her to the care of the beloved disciple. 3. Mary serves as an advocate, a mediatrix, taking our needs and prayers to the Father. 4. Mary appeared to Juan Diego in 1531 at a time when Mexico was being torn apart by hatred between the Spanish conquerors and the native peoples they oppressed. 5. Mary s appearance to Juan Diego in the form of a pregnant mestiza woman revealed her care for all God s people and her desire for peace and unity in the world. 6. When Bishop Zumaragga asked Juan to ask Mary for a sign that she truly appeared, Mary gave Juan roses in December and an image of herself on his tilma, his cloak, which still exists today. 7. Pope John Paul II declared December 12 (the date of Mary s final appearance to Juan Diego) the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. 8. Pope John Paul launched the third millennium at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in 1999. He proclaimed his memorable Ecclesia in America and called Mary the Patroness of America. This means the entire western hemisphere, not just Mexico. The pope wanted to emphasize the need for unity in our hemisphere and in our world. 9. Pope John Paul urged the Church to begin a new evangelization, one with the power to bring people to Christ just as the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe to Juan Diego brought millions to Christ in the 16 th century. The new evangelization includes reaching out to people who never heard the message of Jesus, but also to those who heard it but have yet embraced it. 10. Our Lady of Guadalupe is the Patroness of unborn babies. Her maternal love extends to all God s children, be they born or unborn. 12
Related Resources for Further Study Books Fr. Virgil Elizondo, Guadalupe Mother of the New Creation. Maryknoll NY: Orbis Boos, 1997. Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate. A Handbook On Guadalupe. Waite Park MN: Park Press, 1997. Vatican Documents: Pope John Paul II. Ecclesia in America. www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_j p-ii_exh_2201199_ecclesia-in-america_en.html Pope John Paul II. Redemptoris Mission. www.vatican.va/edocs/eng0219/_p6.htm Catechism Connections 963, 969, 971, 975, 2618-19 Catholic Updates/Articles from St. Anthony Messenger Press Our Lady of Guadalupe: A Guide for the New Millennium by Virgilio P. Elizondo. www.americancatholic.org/messenger/dec1999/feature2.asp Saint of the Day: December 12, Our Lady of Guadalupe www.americancatholic.org/features/saintofday/default.asp?id=1227 Websites Novena to Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of All Americas http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/religious-liberty/upload/our-ladyof-guadalupe-english.pdf (accessed July 29, 2013) Information on the Nican Mopohua, writings about the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe: www.sancta.org/nican.html (accessed July 29, 2013) 13