A Letter from Archbishop Jeffery Grob
Dear Priests, Deacons, and Parish Directors,
It is with great joy that I share with you the news of the Pilgrim Mother International Pilgrimage coming to our state. This relic statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe is part of the Church’s worldwide preparation for the 500th anniversary of her apparitions in 2031. The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico is sending this image on pilgrimage so that all may come to know more deeply the hope, peace, and love of Our Blessed Mother.
The relic statue, specially commissioned as a life-sized depiction of Mary as she appeared on the Tilma of St. Juan Diego, travels along with several reproductions of the Tilma image and a painting of St. Juan Diego. The pilgrimage began in Chicago this past August, where tens of thousands have already come to venerate the image and entrust their petitions to her maternal intercession. Truly, Mary is making a pilgrimage to us so that we may more easily make our pilgrimage to her.
Our portion of the pilgrimage will begin in Milwaukee on February 19 and conclude in Stevens Point on April 22. Each location will celebrate an opening Mass to welcome the image. A daily schedule of visitation will be offered, and the team from Mexico has prepared an immersive experience of song and prayer, followed by time for personal veneration. There will also be teachings on Our Lady’s message for us today. Every pilgrim will have the opportunity to record petitions, which will be placed before Our Lady during a special Mass for our state in Mexico this June.
Pilgrimage Schedule:
• Thursday, Feb. 19 – Thursday, Feb. 26 – Basilica of St. Josaphat, Milwaukee, WI
• Thursday, Feb. 26 – Thursday, Mar. 5 – Holy Family, Fond du Lac, WI
• Thursday, Mar. 5 – Thursday, Mar. 12 – Champion Shrine, Green Bay, WI
• Thursday, Mar. 12 – Wednesday, Mar. 17 – Diocesan Center, La Crosse, WI
• Thursday, Mar. 18 – Sunday, Apr. 5 – St. Charles, Chippewa Falls, WI
• Monday, Apr. 6 – Wednesday, Apr. 15 – St. Joseph Church, Madison, WI
• Thursday, Apr. 16 – Wednesday, Apr. 22 – St. Peter Church, Stevens Point, WI
I encourage you to begin sharing this grace-filled opportunity with your parishioners. A flyer is attached, and additional details can be found at www.guadalupewi.org. Father Tim Oudenhoven, a priest of the Diocese of La Crosse and Director of the Marian Messengers, is coordinating this initiative with the Basilica in Mexico City and will be in continued communication.
Thank you for your zeal, your dedication, and your faithful witness. Be assured of my prayers for you and for all those you serve. May Our Lady of Guadalupe keep each of you—and all our people—under her loving mantle, and may we be renewed in our mission to bring Christ to every corner of our land.
In Christ and Our Lady,
Most Reverend Jeffrey S. Grob
Archbishop of Milwaukee
It is with great joy that I share with you the news of the Pilgrim Mother International Pilgrimage coming to our state. This relic statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe is part of the Church’s worldwide preparation for the 500th anniversary of her apparitions in 2031. The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico is sending this image on pilgrimage so that all may come to know more deeply the hope, peace, and love of Our Blessed Mother.
The relic statue, specially commissioned as a life-sized depiction of Mary as she appeared on the Tilma of St. Juan Diego, travels along with several reproductions of the Tilma image and a painting of St. Juan Diego. The pilgrimage began in Chicago this past August, where tens of thousands have already come to venerate the image and entrust their petitions to her maternal intercession. Truly, Mary is making a pilgrimage to us so that we may more easily make our pilgrimage to her.
Our portion of the pilgrimage will begin in Milwaukee on February 19 and conclude in Stevens Point on April 22. Each location will celebrate an opening Mass to welcome the image. A daily schedule of visitation will be offered, and the team from Mexico has prepared an immersive experience of song and prayer, followed by time for personal veneration. There will also be teachings on Our Lady’s message for us today. Every pilgrim will have the opportunity to record petitions, which will be placed before Our Lady during a special Mass for our state in Mexico this June.
Pilgrimage Schedule:
• Thursday, Feb. 19 – Thursday, Feb. 26 – Basilica of St. Josaphat, Milwaukee, WI
• Thursday, Feb. 26 – Thursday, Mar. 5 – Holy Family, Fond du Lac, WI
• Thursday, Mar. 5 – Thursday, Mar. 12 – Champion Shrine, Green Bay, WI
• Thursday, Mar. 12 – Wednesday, Mar. 17 – Diocesan Center, La Crosse, WI
• Thursday, Mar. 18 – Sunday, Apr. 5 – St. Charles, Chippewa Falls, WI
• Monday, Apr. 6 – Wednesday, Apr. 15 – St. Joseph Church, Madison, WI
• Thursday, Apr. 16 – Wednesday, Apr. 22 – St. Peter Church, Stevens Point, WI
I encourage you to begin sharing this grace-filled opportunity with your parishioners. A flyer is attached, and additional details can be found at www.guadalupewi.org. Father Tim Oudenhoven, a priest of the Diocese of La Crosse and Director of the Marian Messengers, is coordinating this initiative with the Basilica in Mexico City and will be in continued communication.
Thank you for your zeal, your dedication, and your faithful witness. Be assured of my prayers for you and for all those you serve. May Our Lady of Guadalupe keep each of you—and all our people—under her loving mantle, and may we be renewed in our mission to bring Christ to every corner of our land.
In Christ and Our Lady,
Most Reverend Jeffrey S. Grob
Archbishop of Milwaukee