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  Our Lady of Guadalupe [Wikipedia; photo in public domain] Today the Church celebrates Our Lady of Guadalupe. In most countries it is an optional memorial. Here in the Diocese of Meath in Ireland today is the Feast of St Finnian, the patron saint of the diocese and so Our Lady of Guadalupe isn't celebrated liturgically at all. Under that title Our Lady is a secondary patron of the Philippines, since the country was originally part of the Archdiocese of Mexico. The Daily Meditation published in  Magnificat  and online by  Aleteia  today is by the Servant of God  Luis María Martínez who died in 1956 when he was Archbishop of Mexico. Here is the first part of it. The Incomparable Love of Our Lady of Guadalupe Do we remember the first word that the Blessed Virgin pronounced on the summit of the Tepeyac? It was a word of love, a word of incomparable predilection: “My son Juan Diego, whom I love tenderly as a delicate little one.” Continue at Bangor to Bobbio .

Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Our Lady of Guadalupe Feast Day: 12 December Patroness of the Americas ,  of Mexico,  of Unborn Children  and Secondary Patroness of the Philippines The Story of Our Lady of Guadalupe Opening Prayer of the Mass of Our Lady of Guadalupe   12 December O God, Father of mercies,  who placed your people under the singular protection of your Son’s most holy Mother, grant that all who invoke the Blessed Virgin of Guadalupe, may seek with ever more lively faith the progress of people in the way of justice and of peace. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Continue at Bangor to Bobbio .

  Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Our Lady of Guadalupe Feast Day: 12 December Patroness of the Americas ,  of Mexico,  of Unborn Children  and Secondary Patroness of the Philippines The Story of Our Lady of Guadalupe Please continue at Bangor to Bobbio .

Today is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Therefore, it is a day to remember and reflect upon Our Blessed Mother’s appearance to Juan Diego. When Our Blessed Mother appeared to Juan Diego, his country was under the influence of pagan beliefs in false gods. Mary appeared to him, so that she could set in motion a means for personally evangelizing the people of Central America. Her specific words to Juan Diego were: I greatly desire that a church be built in my honor, in which I will show my love, compassion, and protection. I am your Mother, full of mercy and love for you and all those who love Me, trust in Me, and have recourse to Me. I will hear their complaints and I will comfort their affliction and their sufferings. So that I might show all My love, go now to the bishop in Mexico City and tell him that I am sending you to make known to him the great desire I have to see a church dedicated to me built here .  1 Our Lady of Guadalupe Would Not Be Deterred Naturally, w...

Today is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe; a day to remember and reflect upon Our Blessed Mother’s appearance to Juan Diego. When Our Blessed Mother appeared to Juan Diego, his country was under the influence of pagan beliefs in false gods. Mary appeared to him to set into motion a means for personally evangelizing the people of Central America. Her specific words to Juan Diego were: I greatly desire that a church be built in my honor, in which I will show my love, compassion, and protection. I am your Mother, full of mercy and love for you and all those who love Me, trust in Me, and have recourse to Me. I will hear their complaints and I will comfort their affliction and their sufferings. So that I might show all My love, go now to... Read more...  

There are so many wonderful feast days in December that help kids deal with the long, waiting period of Advent. December 12 is the feast of  La Virgen de Guadalupe , Our Lady of Guadalupe. It is a marvelous story to tell children.  In 1521 – Our Blessed Mother appeared to San Juan Diego on the Hill of Tepeyac, near Mexico City. So much of  Mexican folk art  depicting Our Lady of Guadalupe is vibrant, colourful, and beautiful in its simplicity. continue reading

In honor of this feast of St. Juan Diego and the upcoming feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, I am reposting this blog from 2012.  Most of the time when I am in prayer it is spent in meditation, contemplation and intercession. I rarely ask the Lord questions but I find when I do I almost always receive an answer. I don't know why but I often do not expect an answer and I don't always recognize the revelation I receive as a direct response to my question. That happened to me a few weeks ago. Before I tell you what my question was, let me clarify that I am 110% pro-life.  I see it as a grave evil and a spiritual battle. I believe that Satan, through the act of abortion would like to kill as many of these innocent lives as he can because nothing reflects God better than an innocent baby made in his image and likeness. I believe these babies therefore are little martyrs that go to heaven. My heart in the matter has always been very grievous, especially for the mother.  I ...

Since it's too soon for the Twelve Days of Christmas, here are twelve tips for celebrating Advent instead. These tips include what you should do, what you shouldn't do, and what you can get away with (I'll promise never to tell). **What to Do this Advent** 1. Explore other cultural traditions:  Learn how the custom of Christmas stockings evolved from the German tradition of slipping treats into shoes or slippers that kids leave near the chimney in the days leading up to St. Nicholas' Day (December 6). Celebrate the Feast Day of the Patroness of the Americas, Our Lady of Guadalupe, on December 12 at the nearest parish with a large Hispanic community. On Christmas Eve, you can serve twelve fish dishes the way the Italians do. Experiment by adding shrimp cocktail or baked clams to the menu. Dilled salmon steaks garnished with lemon always taste great. Sushi platters or bouillabaisse combine many types of fish in one dish. See how many you can add to your Christmas E...

Today is the feast of  La Virgen de Guadalupe ,  Our Lady of Guadalupe . Under that title Mary is a Secondary Patroness of the Philippines. Ten years after Ferdinand Magellan, the Portugues explorer, landed in the Philippines - 1521 - Our Blessed Mother appeared to San Juan Diego on the Hill of Tepeyac, near Mexico City. (I think it is now part of the city). At the time the Church in the Philippines was under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Mexico, which was set up in 1530. The Diocese of Manila, the first in the Philippines, wasn't erected until 1579, as a suffragan of the by now Archdiocese of Mexico. So there are long, historical links between the Church in the Philippines and the Church in Mexico. The official website of the shrine, in Spanish, is   here . Below is an article we published in the  May-June 2013 issue of  Misyon , the Columban online magazine I edit here in the Philippines. The author lives and works in Metro Manila. A ...