advertisement

Catholics flock to Our Lady of Guadalupe shrine

Araceli Gonzalez beamed while watching her two young children dressed like the humble peasant who would become a saint.

Her son and daughter, 5 and 3, both wore simple linen vests the Wheeling mom bought with the iconic image of Our Lady of Guadalupe and her apparition to Juan Diego.

It was Gonzalez's tribute to the Virgin Guadalupe at her shrine in Des Plaines, where as many as 120,000 pilgrims were celebrating her feast day overnight on the Maryville campus. It was less solemn ritual and more festive celebration with mariachi music, colorful Christmas lights draped across trees and the smell of red roses in an outdoor grotto.

Gonzalez has been visiting the shrine with her mom, a native of Mexico, since she was a child but became a believer when she prayed to Patroness of the Americas for her father, who was seriously injured in an accident in October 2013.

The owner of a construction company was working on a roof when he fell 12 feet to the ground, Gonzalez said. He was left with severe damage to his brain stem and went into a coma. He opened his eyes and started wiggling his toes about a week later.

Now, he can speak again and uses a walker.

“This is what cured him,” Gonzalez said near the 12-foot bronze statue of the Virgin Guadalupe, where pilgrims delivered bouquets of flowers.

The 36-hour event always draws big crowds, but organizers expected more with Chicago Archbishop Blase Cupich making one of his first appearances in the suburbs since he took the helm of an archdiocese with more than 2.2 million Catholics in November. Cupich was to preside over a 12:30 a.m. Mass in Spanish today.

“This year is so special because Archbishop Cupich — he wanted to be here as one more of the pilgrims that is going to show up to pay his respects and to honor God through Our Lady of Guadalupe,” said the Rev. Marco Mercado, rector of the shrine.

In the center of the Maryville grounds, worshippers slowly filed past the statues of the Virgin Guadalupe and Juan Diego, a scene called “La Ofrenda,” or “the gift.” Catholics believe she appeared to the Aztec outside what is now Mexico City in 1531.

Throughout the night, renderings of an ambitious, $60 million plan were shown on a large video screen next to a temporary altar.

The shrine's leaders unveiled in July 2013 their vision to build the second-largest basilica in the world dedicated to the Virgin. Since then, a local fundraising campaign has garnered about $2 million, and Mercado hopes to take it national in early 2015.

The basilica would stand at the corner of Central and River roads.

“We are very hopeful that the devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe keeps growing and especially here in Des Plaines,” he said.

Maeve Gallagher visited the shrine for the first time Thursday night with her sister, Ciara, 8.

“To be able to see all these people who are here for this reason, especially in this time where I think the world does seem really broken and a lot of people are struggling to be able to come together … is really special,” the Wheaton 23-year-old said.

It's a chance to offer up promises or sacrifices. Many pilgrims made the trek from Chicago — on foot — Thursday evening. They carried torches on the way back to their parishes, a relay that started in 2004 as a symbol of Christ's light and unity across the diocese.

Masses will be celebrated every two to three hours in the outdoor grotto and a gymnasium until the end of the event tonight.

Guadalupe celebration draws 140,000 to Des Plaines

  Brennan Gonzalez, 5, of Wheeling dressed like Juan Diego for the Our Lady of Guadalupe event Thursday night in Des Plaines. Katlyn Smith/ksmith@dailyherald.com
  Betzayda Gonzalez, 9, of Des Plaines delivers flowers to the Guadalupe shrine on Thursday night with her family at Maryville in Des Plaines. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
  As many as 120,000 pilgrims are celebrating Our Lady of Guadalupe's feast day overnight on the Maryville campus. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
  The atmosphere Thursday night at Maryville was festive with mariachi music, colorful Christmas lights draped across trees and the smell of red roses in an outdoor grotto. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.