Monday, December 12, Third Week of Advent
FEAST OF NUESTRA SENORA DE GUADALUPE, 'Queen of Mexico', Patroness of the Americas
Images from left: Apparition to Juan Diego; the miraculous image on the tilma; etching of Juan and the cloak; 18th-cent painting "God painting the image of Guadalupe'; battle standard of General Miguel de Hidalgo in the Mexican War for Independence; and Juan Diego's tilma with the image, venerated in the Basilica of Guadalupe.
December 12 commemorates the day when the image now venerated as Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared miraculously on the cloak of the man who is now St. Juan Diego, remembered by the Church on December 9, the date of the Lady's first apparition to him on Tepeyac hill (part of what is now Mexico City), bidding him to tell the bishop to build a church in her honor. The skeptical bishop asked for a sign, and Juan Diego returned to Tepeyac to intercede for a sick uncle and convey the bishop's reaction. The Virgin told him his uncle would recover and asked him to gather roses on the hilltop to bring to the bishop. Juan wrapped the miraculous roses in his cloak and when he opened it for the bishop, the cloak itself was found to carry the image of the Lady who had appeared to him. The initial surge of popular devotion and conversions to Catholicism inspired by the miracles, coinciding with the early years of the Protestant Reformation in Europe, grew to be the most popular devotion in all Latin America and perhaps the world. Millions of faithful visit the Shrine of Guadalupe on the two days of spiritual celebrations Dec. 11-12 dedicated to Our Lady. This shrine has become the most visited Marian shrine in the world.
Readings for today's Mass:
www.usccb.org/nab/readings/121210.shtml
AT THE VATICAN TODAY
The Holy Father met with
- H.E. Serzh Sargsyan, President of the Republic of Armenia, and his delegation
- Seven bishops of New Zealand on ad-limina visit
- Lord Jonathan Sacks, Chief Rabbi of the United Jewish Communities of the British Commonwealth
This afternoon, the Holy Father will preside at a concelebration of the Eucharist at St. Peter's Basilica
for the peoples of Latin America on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe and on the occasion of the
bicentenary of the declarations of independence by the Latin American nations between 1804-1824.
POPE'S CONDOLENCES ON THE DEATH
OF CARDINAL FOLEY
Here is the text of the Holy Father's telegram sent yesterday to the Archbishop of Philadelphia upon the death of Cardinal Foley, who died of leukemia at age 76. He was a native of Philadelphia.
TO THE MOST REVEREND CHARLES CHAPUT
ARCHBISHOP OF PHILADELPHIA
HAVING LEARNED WITH SADNESS OF THE DEATH OF CARDINAL JOHN PATRICK FOLEY, GRAND MASTER EMERITUS OF THE EQUESTRIAN ORDER OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE OF JERUSALEM, I OFFER YOU MY HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES.
AS I RECALL WITH GRATITUDE THE LATE CARDINAL’S YEARS OF PRIESTLY MINISTRY IN HIS BELOVED ARCHDIOCESE OF PHILADEPHIA, HIS DISTINGUISHED SERVICE TO THE HOLY SEE AS PRESIDENT OF THE PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR SOCIAL COMMUNICATIONS, AND MOST RECENTLY HIS LABORS ON BEHALF OF THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES OF THE HOLY LAND, I WILLINGLY JOIN YOU IN COMMENDING HIS NOBLE SOUL TO GOD, THE FATHER OF ALL MERCIES.
I ALSO PRAY THAT HIS LIFELONG COMMITMENT TO THE CHURCH’S PRESENCE IN THE MEDIA WILL INSPIRE OTHERS TO TAKE UP THIS APOSTOLATE SO ESSENTIAL TO THE PROCLAMATION OF THE GOSPEL AND THE PROGRESS OF THE NEW EVANGELIZATION.
TO ALL WHO MOURN CARDINAL FOLEY IN THE HOPE OF THE RESURRECTION, I CORDIALLY IMPART MY APOSTOLIC BLESSING AS A PLEDGE OF CONSOLATION AND PEACE IN OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.
BENEDICTUS PP. XVI
