Archbishop's web site Denver Catholic Register Parishes Catholic Pastoral Center
September 11, 2002
Our Lady of Guadalupe making `pilgrimage' to archdiocese
Exact-size, photographic replica of miraculous tilma to visit archdiocese
By Jack Bacon
A photographic replica of Our Lady of Guadalupe depicted on the cloak of St. Juan Diego will make an 11-day pilgrimage to the Archdiocese of Denver beginning Sept. 19, including two visits to prisoners and a community parade.
The exact-size, 4- by 6-foot image, a gift by the bishops of Mexico to Catholics in the United States, will be flown to Denver from San Francisco to continue a 10-year series of U.S. visitations that also included World Youth Day in Toronto in July.
The bishops of Mexico made the gift in 1991, praying that the image would be "well received in all of the Americas and supported in her mission to end abortion and convert millions." The visitations of the image were based on Pope John Paul II's statement that the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe would be a center "from which the light of the Gospel of Christ will shine out over the whole world by means of the miraculous image of his mother."
"May she cross this continent bringing it life, sweetness and hope," he said. "I ask her to `visit' as a `pilgrim of faith' each and every diocese, parish and family in America, repeating what she said to her children in Cana, `Do whatever he tells you.'"
The image's visit to the Archdiocese of Denver was arranged by the Saturday morning prayer group at Nativity of Our Lord Parish in Broomfield. Five members of the group will escort the image as "guardians" throughout its stay in Colorado. They are Dick Crowell, Linda Vibert, Jane Gardner, Betty Bean and Americo Borges.
The photographic replica portrays every detail of the image on Juan Diego's tilma when he displayed it as proof of his vision of Our Lady in 1531. The tilma now is the centerpiece of the shrine at Tepeyac, Mexico, where the pope canonized the humble Indian visionary during his visit in July.
The first visit in the archdiocese will be to Nativity of Our Lord Church at 900 W. Midway, Broomfield, Sept. 19. Mass is scheduled at 7:30 a.m. followed by veneration at Nativity School from 9 a.m. to noon. The image then goes to St. Mary Church at 2222 23rd Ave., Greeley, for 7 p.m. Mass Sept. 19 followed by the rosary and Benediction.
On Sept. 20, the image will visit St. John the Evangelist Church at 1730 W. 12th St., Loveland, for an 8 a.m. children's Mass followed by veneration from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Also Sept. 20, the image will visit Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, 11385 Grant Drive, Northglenn. After a procession at 6:30 p.m., Bishop José H. Gomez, S.T.D., will celebrate Mass followed by the rosary and veneration. The rosary will be said in five languages — one for each mystery, a spokeswoman said.
On Sept. 21, the image will be carried on a float in the Broomfield Days Parade, scheduled from 10 a.m. to noon, and then be transported to Holy Cross Church at 9371 Wigham St., Thornton, for Mass in English at 5 p.m. and in Spanish at 7 p.m., both followed by veneration.
The rest of the visitation schedule:
•Sept. 22: Nativity of Our Lord, Broomfield, 7:30 and 9 a.m. Masses, followed by veneration; Immaculate Conception, 110 W. Simpson St., Lafayette, bilingual Mass at noon followed by veneration; St. Martin de Porres, 3300 Table Mesa Drive, Boulder, 6:15 p.m. holy hour with Benediction.
•Sept. 23: St. Louis School, 925 Grant St., Louisville, 8 a.m. Mass followed by veneration 9 a.m.-10 a.m.; Holy Family High School, 5195 W. 144th Ave., Broomfield, 11:30 a.m. rosary and veneration; Nativity of Our Lord, Broomfield, 7 p.m. holy hour with rosary and Benediction.
•Sept. 24: Boulder County Jail, 9:30 a.m.; Limon Correctional Facility, 7 p.m., veneration.
•Sept. 25: Sacred Heart of Mary, 6739 S. Boulder Road, Boulder, 9:45 a.m. rosary; St. John the Baptist; 323 Collyer St., Longmont, 7 p.m. Mass followed by veneration.
•Sept. 26: Our Lady of Guadalupe, 1209 W. 36th Ave., Denver, 7 p.m. rosary with veneration.
•Sept. 27: 1130 Alpine, Boulder, 10 a.m. rosary; Sacred Heart of Jesus, 1318 Mapleton Ave., Boulder, 5 p.m. bilingual Mass followed by rosary and veneration.
•Sept. 28: East 20th Avenue and Vince Street, Denver, 10 a.m. rosary; St. John Vianney Seminary, 1300 S. Steel St., Denver, private veneration.
•Sept. 29: Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, East Colfax Avenue and Logan Street, Denver, 12:10 p.m. bilingual Mass followed by veneration.
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