(CH118) O.L. GUADALUPE CHAPLET

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE

Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared on Tepeyac Hill in Mexico to St. Juan Diego, a farmer who converted to Catholicism. Our Lady instructed Juan Diego to go before the Bishop and tell him to build a chapel on the site where she met the farmer. After being rejected twice, the Bishop asked for a sign that it truly was the Blessed Virgin. Juan Diego intended to return the next morning, but his uncle suddenly fell gravely ill. After tending to him for 2 days, Juan Diego hurried to get a priest for his uncle, going around Tepeyac Hill so that he would avoid running into Our Lady. He was shocked to see her climbing down the hill to meet him. The farmer apologized for missing their meeting, but his uncle was sick and needed a priest. Our Lady told him that he had nothing to worry about, for his uncle was being healed as they spoke. He then asked her for the sign the Bishop had requested. She had Juan Diego go to the top of the hill and bring her the flowers he found there. He did as she told and was surprised to find roses blooming in December! Gathering up the flowers, Our Lady arranged them in his tilma, an outer garment similar to a cloak or cape, and sent him on his way. For a third time, Juan Diego went before the Bishop but he also had the sign which was promised. He let go of his tilma to show the flowers, but the action also revealed that an image of Our Lady had been left on Juan Diego's tilma. 

Our Lady of Guadalupe is the Patroness of all the Americas and the Pro-Life Movement.