Life Issues Ministry
Our Lady of Guadelupe
Our Lady of Guadelupe is often referred to as the patroness or protector of the unborn. The significance of this title goes back to the time of the Aztecs and the appearance of Our Lady to them. The Aztecs were known for human sacrifice, most often it was children they sacrificed to appease their pagan gods using cruel rituals that involved the cutting open of the chest, ripping out their heart, and then letting their pagan priests remove, cook, and eat the limbs. It’s no wonder that Our Lady felt the need to appear and end this evil.
Unfortunately, after 500 years, little has changed when it comes to man’s inhumanity to man. In the United States alone, there are more than a million children killed each year through abortion. The message of Our Lady of Guadelupe for today’s society is no different than it was when she appeared 500 years ago. That message is to protect life, particularly the lives of the innocent unborn children.
Our Lady of Guadelupe showed us how important this is by appearing to Juan Diego as an expectant mother. In fact, Our Lady of Guadeloupe is one of only a few images depicting Mary as pregnant. We know this from the black sash worn around her waist, which was part of the traditional Aztec garb indicating a woman was pregnant. By this simple act, Mary shows the world how important and precious life is.
As a parish, we must never stop praying for the end of abortion and we should ask Our Lady of Guadelupe’s intercession. Following the Pro-life mission, the beautiful statue of Our Lady of Guadelupe will be passed from home to home for one week periods. There will be a prayer for the cause of ending abortion through the intercession of Our Lady of Guadelupe which each household is asked to recite during the week the statue is in their home.If you would like to participate in this endeavor to end abortion, please contact Megan Speer at (724) 353-3139 or by email at meganspeer@familink.com.