Our Lady of Guadalupe Novena

Maybe because I was pregnant when received into the Catholic Church during the Easter Vigil in 1995. Maybe because my mom is a great lady and mom. Or maybe, just because.

I love Mary.

I have dedicated this blog to Our Lady of Guadalupe. I was born exactly 434 years after St Juan Diego was visited by Mary.

This year, during our Advent prayers, we will be saying a Novena to Our Lady of Guadalupe - she knows why.

Will you join us?

From the novena pamphlet I got from a friend by the Marians of the Immaculate Conception:

On a hillside, just outside what is now Mexico City, in the year 1531 the Virgin Mary appeared before an Indian farmer named Juan Diego, and asked him to see to it that a church be built there in her honor.  When Juan approached his Bishop with Our Lady's request, he was not believed and was driven out.  The Virgin appeared again to the Indian and directed him to a barren, stony place where she said he would find roses growing.  He wrapped the roses in his cloak and brough them to the Bishop.  When he unwrapped the roses, he discovered the image of the Virgin imprinted on the cloak.  This time he was believed and a Bisilica was built on the original spot.

This cloak, unfaded by time has been authenticated by art experts as not being any work they can explain.  The picture above is the exact image Our Lady imprinted onto Juan Diego's cloak which now hangs behind the main altar of the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. 

Novena to Our Lady of Guadalupe

The following novena was composed by the late Helen Behrens.  She was an American who until her death, spent many years operating an English Information Center, near the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City.  She was tireless in her efforts to promote devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, particularly as "Queen and Mother of America."

This Novena in English received the imprimatur of the proper Church authorities in Mexcio City in 1956.  This Novena has been found to be most effective, particularly in bringing about a solution to difficult and seemingly impossible problems.  It is recommended that you say it often, for Our Lady of Guadalupe truly does listen to the prayers of those who call upon her intercession.

Novena to begin tomorrow...