December 17, 2024 // Bishop

Bishop Celebrates Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Elkhart

Montse Hernandez

With his strong devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe evident, Bishop Rhoades preached with moving passion to the crowd gathered for Mass at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Elkhart for her feast day on Thursday, December 12.

“[One can say] Catholicism in America was born in the maternal arms of Mary, the Virgin of Guadalupe,” Bishop Rhoades said in his homily as he pointed to Our Lady of Guadalupe and spoke to the state of her appearance during her apparition to Juan Diego. Similarly to the woman who is described in the book of Revelation, Bishop Rhoades noted that the Virgin of Guadalupe wore a ribbon around her waist. In the Aztec tradition, a woman would wear a ribbon around her waist to show that she was pregnant.

“Mary gave birth to the Son of God, Jesus,” Bishop Rhoades continued. “And we can say that the Virgin of Guadalupe gave birth to a new town, giving origin to the Church in America when she appeared to Juan Diego.”

Bishop Rhoades noted that it is nothing short of a miracle that an estimated 9 to 10 million Mexican people converted to Catholicism within 10 years of Our Lady of Guadalupe’s apparition to Juan Diego. Bishop Rhoades called this “the great success of the evangelization of America.”

Bishop Rhoades spoke more about his devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, saying, “Another detail of the image that always calls my attention is her posture of prayer.” He emphasized how her posture in the image points not to herself but to her service for Christ. “She has no pride,” Bishop Rhoades said. “Her head is inclined in humility and obedience, the same humility and obedience she showed at the Annunciation when she said, ‘Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.”

In his homily, Bishop Rhoades reminded the people that Our Lady of Guadalupe and Mary of Nazareth are the same Mary. She is Mary, the humble handmaid of the Lord, who became the mother of Jesus, who then is mother to the Church.

Father Craig Borchard, pastor of St. Vincent de Paul, told Today’s Catholic that those in his parish hold a strong devotion to their mother, Our Lady of Guadalupe.

“The devotion of the people is beautiful,” Father Borchard said. “It is rich, and it is grande.” Father Borchard was enthusiastic in sharing the delight that the feast day was for his people. “Every [Guadalupe event] is extremely well attended. So, you see the faith of the people and the joy of the people celebrating what Our Lady has done, what God has done – not just for the people of Mexico but for all the Americas.”

Miguel Gallegos Salsedo, a parishioner at St. Vincent de Paul for more than 10 years, told Today’s Catholic: “Since I was born, I grew up with her [Our Lady of Guadalupe] by my side. I grew to love her with all my heart.”

Another parishioner, Silvia Granados, said she celebrates the feast day because Our Lady of Guadalupe is the mother of Mexico. Granados later expressed her admiration for the message from Bishop Rhoades’ homily. What struck her, she said, is that “Our Lady is mother to us all. She is a mother who works miracles.”

Salsedo was moved by Bishop Rhoades’ devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe. “I relate to him, because we are united by our mother. He also has her so present in his life; from when he wakes up until he rests, he seeks her aid,” Salsedo said.

For a parish that celebrates Our Lady of Guadalupe so vibrantly, there is much preparation from the volunteers and great anticipation from the parishioners. The community begins to plan the events for the feast day in the late summer.

Father Borchard said: “Each event has a team that is assigned to it. We have a big meeting to review how all the teams are doing. So, it is an all-hands-on-deck experience.”

For many years, the parish has been celebrating Our Lady of Guadalupe’s feast day with several events. And for some parishioners, it has grown into an annual family tradition to attend all the events.

“Every year, from when the novena starts, we participate in it all: the procession, the obra [“play”], the mañanitas [serenading Our Lady], we are here,” Salsedo said.

Father Borchard said was grateful to have Bishop Rhoades come to the parish to celebrate Mass on the feast day. “I could see the people were overwhelmed with joy to have our shepherd, Bishop Rhoades with us for the Mass,” he said.

Following the Mass, the church lobby was filled with masses of people. A long line of attendees formed to greet Bishop Rhoades. Many people thanked the bishop for celebrating the Mass, while others sought blessings from him.

In Bishop Rhoades’ concluding words to his people in his homily, he mentioned a treasured image of the face of Our Lady of Guadalupe. This image hangs in his bedroom so that when he rises every morning, he can see his mother’s humble face with her posture of prayer.

“Every morning when I wake up, I look at this image, filled with love and tenderness,” Bishop Rhoades said. “And I remember the words of Our Lady to St. Juan Diego, like words she, our mother, directs to me – words that give me peace and strength to start a new day: ‘Am I not here, I who am your mother? Are you not under my protection?’”