Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe holds July 4 Mass

The Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Des Plaines will celebrate Independence Day and the 31st anniversary of the arrival of the statue from the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico with an outdoor Mass at 1 p.m. Wednesday.

The Mass will be co-celebrated at the outdoor grotto, 1170 N. River Road, by the Most Rev. Placido Rodriguez, and the Very Rev. Esequiel Sanchez, the shrine's rector. Traditional "mañanitas" will be sung beginning at 7 a.m.

"The Shrine serves as an oasis for Catholic devotees of Our Lady of Guadalupe, but most importantly, it serves Hispanic immigrants who today often face challenges to family unity and uncertain futures for their children," Sanchez said in a news release. "The Shrine honors and celebrates the Independence Day of our nation and prays for all who seek the liberty and prosperity it promises."