Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine in Des Plaines celebrating new chapel with Mass

The Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Des Plaines will celebrate the opening of its new chapel with a Mass this weekend.

The shrine at 1170 N. River Road will have the inaugural Mass for the St. Joseph Chapel at 1 p.m. Saturday. The new chapel is on the grounds of the former gymnasium, which took the past 10 months to transform.

The chapel has seating for 1,100 people and is equipped with audio and visual capabilities for live broadcasts, officials said.

"The permanent worship space allows for more flexibility when it comes to liturgies at the shrine, especially during inclement weather when outdoor Masses are not possible," The Rev. Esequiel Sanchez, rector of the shrine, said in a news release.

The shrine has collected $4.3 million of its $5 million campaign goal. The campaign will continue as new furnishings, indoor and outdoor artwork, and other architectural elements are added.