One of the most beautiful series of apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary - Queen Heaven - occurred on the American continent on a December day of 1531, only ten years after the Spanish conquest. Mesoamerica, the New World, 1521: The capital city of the Aztec empire falls under the Spanish forces. Less than 20 years later, 9 million of the inhabitants of the land, who professed for centuries a polytheistic and human sacrificing religion, are converted to Christianity. What happened in those times that produced such an incredible and historically unprecedented conversion?

    In 1531 a "Lady from Heaven" appeared to a poor Indian at Tepeyac, a hill northwest of Mexico City; she identified herself as the Mother of the True God, instructed him to have the bishop build a temple on the site and left an image of herself imprinted miraculously on his tilma, a poor quality cactus-cloth, which should have deteriorated in 20 years but shows no sign of decay 469 years later and still defies all scientific explanations of its origin. A fervent Christian Indian in his fifties, Juan Diego, a widower, was on his way to Mass in Mexico City from his home eight miles distant, a practice he and his wife had followed since their conversion, in honor of Our Lady on Her day, Saturday. He had to pass near the hill of Tepeyac, and was struck there by the joyous song of birds, rising up in the most melodious of concerts; he stopped to listen. Looking up to the hilltop, he perceived a brilliant cloud, surrounded by a light brighter than a fiery sun, and a gentle voice called him by name, saying, "Juan, come." His first fear was transformed into a sweet happiness by this voice, and he mounted the slope. There he beheld the One he had intended to honor by hearing Her Mass. She was surrounded by a radiance so brilliant it sent out rays that seemed to transform the very rocks into scintillating jewels.

    "Where are you going, My child?" She asked him. "To Saint James to hear the Mass sung by the minister of the Most High in honor of the Mother of the Saviour." "That is good, My son; your devotion is agreeable to Me, as is also the humility of your heart. Know then that I am that Virgin Mother of God, Author of Life and Protector of the weak. I desire that a temple be built here, where I will show Myself to be your tender Mother, the Mother of your fellow citizens and of all who invoke My name with confidence. Go to the bishop and tell him faithfully all you have seen and heard."

    Juan continued on his way, and the bishop, Monsignor Juan de Zumarraga, a Franciscan of great piety and enlightened prudence, heard him kindly and asked questions, but sent him home without any promises. Juan was disappointed, but on his way past the hill, he once again found the Lady, who seemed to be waiting for him as though to console him. He excused himself for the failure of his mission, but She only repeated Her desire to have a temple built at this site, and told him to return again to the bishop. This he did on the following day, begging the bishop to accomplish the desires of the Virgin. Monsignor said to him: “If it is the Most Holy Virgin who sends you, She must prove it; if She wants a church, She must give me a sign of Her will.” On his way home, Juan Diego found Her again, waiting, and She said to him, “Come back tomorrow and I will give you a certain mark of the truthfulness of your words.”

    The next day Juan was desolate to find his uncle, with whom he lived, fallen grievously sick; the old gentleman was clearly on the brink of death. Juan had to go and find a priest in the city. As he was passing the hill, Our Lady again appeared to him, saying, “Do not be anxious, Diego, because of your uncle’s illness. Don’t you know that I am your Mother and that you are under My protection? At this moment your uncle is cured.” “Then please give me the sign you told me of,” replied Juan. Mary told him to come up to the hilltop and cut the flowers he would find there, place them under his cloak, and bring them to Her. “I will tell you then what to do next.” Juan found the most beautiful of roses and lilies, and chose the most fragrant ones for Mary. She made a bouquet of them and placed it in a fold of his cloak or tilma — a large square of coarse cloth resembling burlap. “Take these lilies and roses on My behalf to the bishop,” She said. “This is the certain sign of My will. Let there be no delay in raising here a temple in My honor.” With joy Juan continued on to the city and the bishop’s residence, where he had to wait nearly all day in the antechamber. Other visitors noted the fragrance of his flowers, and went so far as to open his mantle to see what he was carefully holding in it, but found only flowers pictured on the cloth. When finally he was admitted to the presence of the prelate, he opened his cloak and the fresh flowers fell on the floor. That was not the only sign; on his cloak there was imprinted a beautiful image of the Virgin. It remains today still visible in the Cathedral of Mexico City, conserved under glass and in its original state, having undergone no degeneration in 471 years.

    Juan found his uncle entirely cured that evening; he heard him relate that Our Lady had cured him, and had said to him also: "May a sanctuary be raised for Me under the name of Our Lady of Guadalupe." The bishop lost no time in having a small church built at the hill of Tepeyac, and Juan Diego himself dwelt near there to answer the inquiries of the pilgrims who came in great numbers. In effect, nearly all of the land became Catholic in a few years’ time, having learned to love the gentle Lady who like God their Father showed Herself to be the ever-watchful friend of the poor. In 1737 the pestilence ceased immediately in Mexico city after the inhabitants made a vow to proclaim Our Lady of Guadalupe the principal Patroness of New Spain. In 1910 She was proclaimed by Pope Saint Pius X "Celestial Patroness of all Latin America." Recent studies of the image of Our Lady on the tilma have discovered in one of Her eyes the portrait of the obedient one Juan Diego and the bishop who did not oppose Our Lady's request. The result: Over 9 million conversions. She came to stop human sacrifice by the Aztec nation. She entreats all her children to stop the abominable human sacrifice of abortion. Our Lady of Guadalupe, Our Lady of the Americas, is Our Lady of the Unborn.

Resources: We are grateful to Friends of Our Lady of Fatima for providing the Propers for the faithful. Sources: Saint Andrew Daily Missal and the Marian Missal , 1945

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Missa "Salve, sancta parens"
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INTROIT: Sedulius

Salve, sancta parens, eníxa puérpera Regem: qui cœlum, terrámque regit in sæcula sæculórum. (Ps. 44: 2) Eructávit cor meum verbum bonum: dico ego ópera mea Regi. v. Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancti sicut erat in principio et nunc, et semper, et saecula saeculorum. Amen. Repeat Salve, sancta parens...		Hail holy Mother, who in childbirth didst bring forth the King Who ruleth Heaven and earth world without end. (Ps. 44: 2) My heart hath uttered a good word; I speak my works to the King. v. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Repeat Hail holy Mother...

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COLLECT

Dominus vobiscum. R. Et cum spiritu tuo. Oremus. Deus, qui beatíssimæ semper Deus, qui sub beatíssime Vírginis Maríæ singulári patrocínio constitútos, perpétuis benefíciis nos cumulári voluísti: præsta supplícibus tuis; ut cujus hódie commemoratióne lætámur in terris, ejus conspéctu perfruámur in cœlis. Per Dóminum nostrum Jesum Christum Fílium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti, Deus, Per omnia saecula saeculorum. R. Amen.		The Lord be with you. R. And with thy spirit. Let us pray. God, Who hast willed that, under the special patronage of the blessed Virgin Mary, we be laden with perpetual favors, grant to Thy suppliants that, as we this day rejoice in her commemoration on earth, we may enjoy the vision of her in heaven. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, Forever and ever. R.Amen.

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EPISTLE: Wisdom 24: 23-31

Léctio libri Sapiéntiæ. Ego quasi vitis fructificávi suavitátem odóris: et flores mei, fructus honóris et honestátis. Ego mater pulchræ dilectiónis, et timóris, et agnitiónis, et sanctæ spei. In me grátia omnis viæ et veritátis: in me omnis spes vitæ et virtútis. Transíte ad me omnes qui concupíscisitis me, et a generatiónibus meis implémini. Spíritus enim meus super mel dulcis, et heréditas mea super mel et favum. Memória mea in generatiónes sæculórum. Qui edunt me, adhuc esúrient: et qui bibunt me, adhuc sítient. Qui audit me, non confundétur: et qui operántur in me, non peccábunt. Qui elúcidant me, vitam ætérnam habébunt. Deo Gratias.		Lesson from the Book of Wisdom. As the vine I have brought forth a pleasant odor, and my flowers are the fruit of honor and riches. I am the mother of fair love, and of fear, and of knowledge, and of holy hope. In me is all grace of the way and of the truth, in me is all hope of life and of virtue. Come over to me, all ye that desire me, and be filled with my fruits; for my spirit is sweet above honey, and my inheritance above honey and the honeycomb. My memory is unto everlasting generations. They that eat me, shall yet hunger; and they that drink me, shall yet thirst. He that harkeneth to me shall not be confounded, and they that work by me shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting. Thanks be to God.

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GRADUAL: Canticles 6: 9

Quæ est ista, quæ progréditur quasi auróra consúrgens, pulchra ut luna, elécta ut sol? V. (Ecclus. 50: 8) Quasi arcus refúlgens inter nébulas glóriæ, et quasi flos rosárum in diébus vernis. Allelúja, allelúja. V. (Cant. 2: 12) Flores apparuérunt in terra nostra, tempus putatiónis advénit. Allelúja.		Who is she that cometh forth as the morning rising, fair as the moon, bright as the sun? V. (Ecclus. 50: 8) As the rainbow giving light in the bright clouds, and as the flower of roses in the days of spring. Alleluia, alleluia. V. (Cant. 2: 12) The flowers have appeared in our land, the time of pruning is come. Alleluia.

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GOSPEL:   Luke 1: 39-47

Dominus vobiscum. R. Et cum spiritu tuo. Sequentia sancti Evangelii secundum Lucam R.Gloria tibi, Domine In illo témpore: exsúrgens María ábiit in montána cum festinatióne in civitátem Juda: et intrávit in domum Zacharíæ, et salutávit Elísa­beth. Et factum est, ut audívit salutatiónem Maríæ Elísabeth, exsultávit infans in útero ejus: et repléta est Spíritu Sancto Elísabeth, et ex­clamávit voce magna et dixit: Benedícta tu inter mulíeres, et benedíctus fructus ventris tui. Et unde hoc mihi, ut véniat mater Dómini mei ad me? Ecce enim, ut facta est vox salutatiónis tuæ in áuribus meis, exsultávit in gáudio infans. in útero meo. Et beáta, qui credidísti, quóniam perficiéntur ea, quæ dicta sunt tibi a Dómino. Et ait María: Magnificat ánima mea Dóminum: et exsultávit spíritus meus in Deo salutári meo. Laus tibi Christe.		The Lord be with you. R. And with thy spirit. The continuation of the holy Gospel according to Luke. R. Glory to Thee, O Lord At that time, Mary rising up, went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda. And she entered into the house of Zachary, and saluted Elizabeth. And it came to pass that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the infant leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: and she cried out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed art thou that hast believed, because those things shall be accomplished that were spoken to thee by the Lord. And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord; and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. Praise be to Christ

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OFFERTORY:    2 Paralipomenon 7: 16

Dominus vobiscum. R. Et cum spiritu tuo. Orémus. Elégi, et sanctificávi locum istum, ut sit ibi nomen meum, et permáneant óculi mei, et cor meum ibi cunctis diébus.		The Lord be with you. R. And with thy spirit. Let us pray. I have chosen, and have sanctified this place, that My name may be there, and My eyes and My heart may remain there forevermore.

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SECRET

Tua, Dómine, propitiatióne, et beátæ Maríæ semper Vírginis intercessióne, ad perpétuam atque præséntem hæc oblátio nobis profíciat prosperitátem et pacem. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum, Filium Tuum, Qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti, Deus, Per omnia saecula saeculorum. R. Amen.		Through Thine indulgent mercy, O Lord, and through the prayers of blessed Mary ever a virgin, may this oblation avail to the ensuring to us of prosperity and peace, now and forevermore. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God Forever and ever.. R.Amen.

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PREFACE   Preface of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Dominus vobiscum. R. Et cum spiritu tuo. Sursum corda. R.Habemus ad Dominum. Gratias agamus Domino Deo nostro. R. Dignum et justum est. Vere dignum et justum est, æqum et salutáre, nos tibi semper, et ubique grátias ágere: Dómine sancte, Pater omnípotens, ætérne Deus. Et te in Veneratione beátæ Mariæ semper Vírginis collaudáre, benedícere, et prædicáre. Quæ et Unigénitum tuum Sancti Spíritus obumbratióne concépit, et virginitátis glória permanénte, lumen ætérnum mundo effúdit, Jesum Christum Dóminum nostrum. Per quem majestátem tuam laudant Angeli, adórant Dominatiónes, tremunt Potestátes coeli coelorúmque Virtútes, ac beáta Séraphim, sócia exsultatióne concélebrant. Cum quibus et nostras voces ut admitti júbeas deprecámur, súpplici confessióne dicéntes: SANCTUS, SANCTUS, SANCTUS...		The Lord be with you. R. And with thy spirit. Lift up your hearts. R.We have lifted them up to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. R. It is meet and just. It is truly meet and just, right and for our salvation, that we should at all times and in all places, give thanks unto Thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty, everlasting God and that we should praise and bless, and proclaim Thee, on the Veneration of Blessed Mary: ever Virgin: Who also conceived Thine only-begotten Son by the over-shadowing of the Holy Ghost, and the glory of her virginity still abiding, gave forth to the world the everlasting light, Jesus Christ our Lord. Through whom the angels praise Thy Majesty, the Dominations worship it, and the Powers stand in awe. The Heavens and the Heavenly hosts together with the blessed Seraphim in triumphant chorus unite to celebrate it. Together with them we entreat Thee, that Thou mayest bid our voices also to be admitted, while we say with lowly praise: HOLY, HOLY, HOLY...


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COMMUNION:   Psalm 147: 20

Non fecit táliter omni natióni: et judícia sua non manifestávit eis.		He hath not done in like manner to every nation: and His judgments He hath not made manifest to them.

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POSTCOMMUNION

Dominus vobiscum. R. Et cum spiritu tuo. Oremus. Sumptis, Dómine, salútis nostræ subsídiis: da, quæsumus, beátæ Maríæ semper Vírginis patrocíniis nos ubíque prótegi; in cujus veneratióne hæc tuæ obtúlimus majestáti. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum, Filium Tuum, Qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti, Deus, Per omnia saecula saeculorum. R. Amen.		The Lord be with you. R. And with thy spirit. Let us pray. Having received the aids of our everlasting salvation, O Lord, we beseech Thee, grant us to be everywhere protected by the patronage of blessed Mary, ever a virgin, in venera­tion of whom we have made these offerings to Thy majesty. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God Forever and ever. R. Amen.

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Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe