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Chicago's own Guadalupe shrine

By Michelle Martin

ASSISTANT EDITOR

The Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel at Maryville started the same way the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico did: with her image, which, in this case, is a statue.

In 1987, Joaquin Martínez ordered the statue while on a pilgrimage to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico. When it arrived in 1988, he took it to visit many Northwest suburban parishes. While they enjoyed seeing it, none wanted to give the statue a permanent home.

Maryville, then home to the largest residential child care facility in the state, was led by Father John Smyth, who agreed to keep and display the statue on the grounds, already named for Mary.

Devotion to her grows

Since then, the chapel has grown to include an outdoor sanctuary with a relic of Tepeyac Hill — which includes dirt from the hill in Mexico — with bronze statues of the Virgin and San Juan Diego.

A grotto at the back of the hill has an image of the resurrected Christ, and dozens of mementoes from people who have come to pray for miracles, and there is an image that is a replica of the image from San Juan Diego’s tilma at Tepeyac.

Devotions have grown from about 12 people celebrating “mañanitas” on the feast day in 1988 to the thousands who were coming on any given Sunday by the early 2000s. They come mostly from Chicago, but also from surrounding states, on pilgrimages in thanks for miracles granted.

Thousands flock to shrine

For the festivities surrounding the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the chapel now attracts tens of thousands of pilgrims from the Chicago area and surrounding states. Runners also carry torches in relays to several Chicago parishes, bringing the light of the Gospel into other neighborhoods.

Dozens of other parishes will host special services in honor of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe; check local parishes for information.

Maryville- Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel
Feast Day Schedule

Dec. 11

  1. 6 p.m. Rosary with music, gymnasium
  2. 7 p.m. Songs to Our Lady
  3. 8 p.m. Opening Mass, Auxiliary Bishop Gustavo García-Siller, gymnasium
  4. 10 p.m. Fireworks
  5. 10:30 p.m. Candlelight procession, blessing of Guadalupano fire, blessing for the youth; Auxiliary Bishop George Rassas

Dec. 12

  1. Midnight Mañanitas to the Virgin of Guadalupe (Mariachi and banda music)
  2. 12:30 a.m. Mass of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Father Claudio Díaz, gymnasium; Mass of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Father Miguel Martínez, Cerrito del Tepeyac, weather permitting
  3. 1:45 a.m. Story of the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe
  4. 2:30-5 a.m. Prayer and praise, music and dance
  5. 5 a.m. Mass of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, reception of pilgrims from Chicago, Auxiliary Bishop John Manz
  6. 8 a.m. Mass of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
  7. Noon Mass of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe and anointing of the sick, Father Miguel Martínez
  8. 3 p.m. Mass of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
  9. 5:30 p.m. Mass for children of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
  10. 7-8 p.m. Praise and preparation for the closing Mass
  11. 8 p.m. Closing Mass of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Father Richard Hynes