CHICAGO, IL (December 6, 2013) – This overnight celebration honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas, will begin with an opening Mass on Wednesday, December 11, at 4 p.m., at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, 1100 North River Road in Des Plaines. The Mass will be celebrated by Fr. Marco A. Mercado, Archbishop’s Delegate for Hispanic Ministry and Rector of the Shrine. The lighting of the traditional “Antorcha Guadalupana” or “Guadalupe Torch” will take place at 10 p.m.
Throughout the two-day celebration, Masses will be offered every two hours in the Shrine’s outdoor grotto and in the gymnasium. The outdoor mass celebrated at the grotto will be shown live in a tented area outside the gymnasium. Music and Folkloric dances in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe will also be held indoors throughout both days. . A large food tent, located in between the outdoor grotto and the gymnasium, will be available as a warming center. Another large heated tent will be available directly outside the gymnasium.
After the lighting of the Guadalupe Torch, pilgrims, representing dozens of parishes throughout Cook and Lake counties, will light their own torches and participate in the Guadalupe Torch Run.
Parishes participating in the Torch Run include: St. Agnes of Bohemia Parish in Chicago whose parishioners will be celebrating their 10th anniversary as participants in this celebration, St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Wheeling, Mission San Juan Diego in Arlington Heights, Our Lady of Lourdes in Chicago and St. John Bosco Parish in Chicago whose participants will be arriving on bicycles.
When the torch bearers complete their pilgrimages they will place their torch near a statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe at their own parish and the “mañanitas” will be sung, followed by Mass at approximately 5 a.m.
At the Shrine the traditional serenade to Our Lady or “mañanitas” will begin at midnight. Most Rev. Alberto Rojas, Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago and the Cardinal’s Liaison to Hispanic Catholics, will be the main celebrant at the Mass immediately following the serenade, which will begin at approximately 12:30 a.m.
Photo: http://www.catholicnewworld.com
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING THE CELEBRATION AT THE SHRINE OF OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE
Schedule of Events
Wednesday, December 11
4 p.m. Opening Mass
6 p.m. Mass
8 p.m. Mass
10 p.m. Lighting of the Guadalupana Torch
11 p.m. Mañanitas (Televised live on Univision to US and Mexico)
Thursday, December 12
12 a.m. Mañanitas (Traditional Mañanitas)
Mass Schedule: 12:30 a.m., 3 a.m., 5 a.m., 9 a.m., 12 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m.
Closing Mass: 7 p.m.
Remote Parking
Shuttle busses to and from remote parking locations will be available every few minutes from 4 p.m. on Wednesday, December 11, throughout the evening and until 5 p.m. on Thursday, December 12. Use of remote parking is highly encouraged as Central Road between Wolf and Central is anticipated to close in the late afternoon on the 11th due to the high volume of pilgrims accessing the grounds of the Shrine.
Remote Parking Locations
● Oakton Community College, 1600 East Golf Road, Des Plaines
● St. Emily Parish, 1400 E. Central Road, Mount Prospect
● St. Chong Ha Sang Korean Catholic Mission, 675 Dursey Lane, Des Plaines ● Northwest Assembly of God, 900 N. Wolf Road, Mount Prospect ● Plaza Palwaukee, 664 Milwaukee Ave, Prospect Heights
