CHICAGO, IL The festivities in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, 1100 North River Road in Des Plaines, will begin with a nine-day novena with the first Mass for the novena celebrated on Thursday, December 3, at 7 p.m., in the Gymnasium. The final Mass for the novena will be celebrated on
Thursday, December 10. A novena is a series of public or private prayers, over a nine-day period, to obtain special graces, to give thanks or make special petitions.
The overnight celebration honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas, will begin with an opening Mass at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, on Friday, December 11, at 6 p.m., celebrated by Rev. Adan
Sandoval, Director of the Archdiocesan Consejo Hispano and Administrator of the Shrine. The festivities will end with a closing Mass, at 7 p.m.,on Saturday, December 12. Fr. Sandoval will also be the main celebrant
at the 12:30 a.m. Mass on Saturday, December 12.
In order to accommodate the large numbers of the faithful, Masses will be offered approximately every two hours in both the outdoor Grotto and the Gymnasium. The Sacrament of Reconciliation will also be available
throughout the evening in the Gymnasium, as well as music and folkloric dances in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
The lighting of the traditional “Antorcha Guadalupana” or “Guadalupe Torch” will occur on Friday, December 11, at 8 p.m. Pilgrims, representing dozens of parishes throughout the Archdiocese, will bring torches to be lit throughout the evening. St. Agnes of Bohemia Parish will be among the first parishes who will participate in
the Guadalupe Torch Run.
Other parishes participating in the Torch Run are: St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Wheeling, Mission San Juan Diego in Arlington Heights and Our Lady of Lourdes in Chicago. A group of pilgrims from St. John
Bosco Parish in Chicago will be arriving on bicycles.
Upon arriving at their respective parishes, torch bearers will place the torch near a statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the “mañanitas” will be sung, followed by Mass at approximately 5 a.m. The traditional serenade to Our Lady, or “las mañanitas,” will begin at midnight. Fr. Sandoval, will be the main celebrant at the Mass 12:30 a.m.
Schedule of Events
Friday, December 11
6 p.m. Opening Mass
8 p.m. Mass
8 p.m. Lighting of the Guadalupe Torch
10 p.m. Mass
Saturday, December 12
12 a.m. Las mañanitas
12:30 a.m. Mass – Rev. Adan Sandoval will be the main celebrant
The remaining Mass schedule for December 12 is as follows: 3 a.m., 5
a.m., 9 a.m., 12 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m. and closing Mass at 7 p.m.
About the Archdiocese of Chicago
The Archdiocese of Chicago, the third largest in the United States, serves more than 2.2 million Catholics in Cook and Lake Counties in northeastern Illinois, a geographic area of 1,411 square miles. The Archdiocese is divided into six vicariates and 31 deaneries. This local Church is pastored by Archbishop Blase J. Cupich, assisted by six
Episcopal Vicars, each responsible for a vicariate (region).