Our Lady of Guadalupe at the Shrine

On Monday, December 20, 2021, the statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe in the breezeway was given to the Shrine as a permanent gift from the American Academy of the Sacred Arts (AASA). After almost two years of negotiations, it was decided that the AASA would give us complete ownership over the statue. Part of this gift also includes a $20,000 donation to properly care for and regularly clean the statue.

Since its installation in the breezeway, the statue has attracted pilgrims and visitors from throughout the United States and helped to increase devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, the patroness of the Americas and the patroness of the unborn. It is a little chilly out right now, but when it gets warmer, I encourage you to stop by and offer a prayer in front of the statue. Like Saint Rita, Our Lady of Guadalupe invites us to reflect on God’s abiding presence in our lives. And, both stories remind us that something simple, like a rose, has the power to reveal God’s extraordinary love. Saint Rita and Our Lady of Guadalupe, keep praying for us!