Archbishop, local Church share in love for Our Lady of Guadalupe

Archbishop Charles C. Thompson incenses an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe on Dec. 12 at St. Gabriel the Archangel Church in Indianapolis during a Mass on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. (Photo by Sean Gallagher)

By Sean Gallagher

The Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to St. Juan Diego as Our Lady of Guadalupe nearly 500 years ago in 1531, some 2,000 miles south and west of Indianapolis just outside Mexico City.

But the love and devotion to her expressed by many Catholics from Mexico, as well as the faithful from many cultural backgrounds, was so strongly expressed on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on Dec. 12 in parishes across central and southern Indiana that the time and space that separates Mary’s appearance to Juan Diego seemed to have disappeared.

Archbishop Charles C. Thompson shared in that devotion when he gathered on the evening of Dec. 12 with several hundred worshipers giving thanks to God for the gift of Our Lady of Guadalupe at St. Gabriel the Archangel Church in Indianapolis. (Related: See a photo gallery from this Mass)

It was one of several Masses and other celebrations that took place at the Indianapolis West Deanery faith community on the vigil of the feast, and on the feast itself for the faithful to show their love for La Virgen de Guadalupe.

“This is the biggest day for Catholics in our culture,” said St. Gabriel parishioner Paula Betancourt, who previously lived in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. “It makes us feel like we’re back in Mexico. The people, the celebration, the songs, the rosaries, the dancers—it brings us a spirit to help us feel like we’re in Mexico.”

Betancourt shared her thoughts about the feast at her parish after meeting Archbishop Thompson after the liturgy.

Many of the worshippers stood in line to greet him and to receive his blessing.

Father Michael O’Mara, St. Gabriel’s pastor, stood off to the side taking in the scene with a smile. He recalled how Mary sent Juan Diego to the local bishop to request that a church be built in her honor.

“It’s an exciting night to celebrate Our Lady of Guadalupe with our Latino community,” Father O’Mara said. “The bishop is such a big part of the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe. And so to have the archbishop present with us, the community is so very excited that our pastor is with us tonight.”

During his homily at the Mass, Father O’Mara joked about the tie between the archbishop and Our Lady of Guadalupe.

“I can understand Juan Diego being just a little bit nervous when he had to go and knock on the door of the bishop,” Father O’Mara said. “I feel a little bit nervous today, too, preaching in front of the archbishop. I could find myself in a new parish tomorrow. You just never know what might happen.”

Archbishop Thompson later praised Father O’Mara, recalling how good of a student he was when they were seminarians together more than 30 years ago at Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology in St. Meinrad.

In his homily, Father O’Mara told those gathered that, just as Our Lady of Guadalupe gave a mission to Juan Diego, they too have a mission of faith here and now.

“We have to believe that we, too, are sent,” Father O’Mara said. “Pope Francis says to us, ‘Where does Jesus send us? There are no boundaries. There are no limits. He sends us to everyone and everywhere.’ ”

St. Gabriel’s pastor went on to tell those at the Mass that they can discover that mission by staying close to Mary.

“Mary was, and still is, the first Christian evangelist,” Father O’Mara said. “Through Mary, we discover our true identity as Catholics. May we respond like Mary with an enthusiastic, ‘Yes,’ acknowledging that we are missionary disciples of the Lord. May his will be done to us according to his word.”

Although Our Lady of Guadalupe at first had a close tie to the Church in Mexico, Catholics around the world have drawn close to her over the nearly five centuries since she appeared to Juan Diego.

Archbishop Thompson reflected on this reality after the Mass when speaking with The Criterion.

“As the bishops have said and Pope Francis has said, Our Lady of Guadalupe is the great protector of the unborn, of the migrant, of the immigrant, of the refugee, those on the margins and the peripheries,” he said. “She’s the great unifier, the great protector and model of heroic virtue for us. She draws us closer to Christ through her example and our imitation of her willingness to say, ‘Yes,’ to God’s will time and time again.”
 

(See more photos from the Mass on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on Dec. 12 at St. Gabriel the Archangel Church in Indianapolis) †