Our Lady of Guadalupe: missionary and protector of indigenous people

Regina Cleri Residence

December 12, 2024

Today

O.L. of Guadalupe

My mother’s birthday

so I asked to celebrate today.

Please join me in praying at this Mass for her and all our family members.

Mom & Our Lady

Mom, b. Dec 12 (OL Guadalupe), Married Feb. 11 (OL Lourdes.

Most of us are familiar with the story of Guadalupe

Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin sees a vision: a ‘beautiful lady’ who

Speaks tenderly to him;

asks that a church be built at this place (Tepeyac)

I had thought [naively] that the Church had accepted this sign of divine blessing for the Aztec neophytes.

Some things I didn’t know:

the place was the former site of an Aztec temple

to Tonantzin (’our mother’ or ‘mother of gods’).

Introduces herself: ‘I am the mother of the most very true God [god]’. and

‘Do you not know that I am your mother?

Devotion to Mary became extremely popular among the Aztec

They called her ‘Tonantzin’, ‘Our mother’.

This led to bitter resentment vs them, from the local, [Spanish] Church authorities;

they thought the Aztec were reviving the old religion;

worshipping Tonantzin [mother of gods]

This led to resentment, anger, locking up the shrine — disputes

Mary as missionary,

not to proselytize,

but to reform, revive & support those who had been neglected.

La Sallette; Lourdes; Fatima

‘You will tell this to all my people.’

"Go, tell the priests to come here in procession and to build a chapel here."

pray for peace

this was during WWI

At Guadalupe

It is an Aztec man, a neophyte, who experiences the visions.

Mary seems to embrace the indigenous people Mexico,

seemingly to remind the conquerors that

The Aztec, too, are the precious redeemed people of the Lord.

Relatively recently:

O.L. of Guadalupe has become a source of pride for indigenous people

It seems certain to me that the choice of

this man

at this place

in that time

confirms heaven’s love for and protection of

The recently conquered Aztec people of that day

oppressed people of any time and place.

It has taken the Church somewhat longer to catch up

and we still have a long way to go.

Will you join me and pray that the Church, all of us and our leaders, be better defenders of anyone who is demeaned, exploited or oppressed?

Jim Hickey reminded me of one of my favorite prayers:

Memorare

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession, was left unaided.

Inspired by this confidence I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother To thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me.

Amen.

Much violence is based on the illusion that life is a property to be defended and not a gift to be shared.

Henri Nouwen