– Joni Cheng

Of all the approved Marian apparitions, Our Lady of Guadalupe (Constat de supernaturalitate 1555) is the only apparition where Mary leaves us her own miraculous image, an authentic image of herself which she left on St Juan Diego’s tilma in 1531.   It is the presence of the Mother of God who is close to all of us, her children, especially those who are in most need of her motherly consolation. 

Mary at Nazareth did not delay and reach out in haste to care for those who require her motherly love and help (Lk 1:39-40).   Likewise, when the Blessed Virgin appears as a pregnant mother to St Juan Diego, she presents her Holy Son in replacement of the Aztecs’ human sacrifices, in order to give all mankind life and hope in Christ.   Our Lady of Guadalupe continues to do so today: by sharing her Holy Son in her blessed womb, she emphasizes the importance of family and human life as the core foundation of a peaceful society. 

In Macau, Our Lady reaches out to almost one hundred families through the “Pilgrim Queen of the Family,” an apostolic program originated from Mexico.   Through receiving every month the prayer shrine that has the miraculous image of Our Lady of Guadalupe and pray along the prayer guide book (Chinese version imprimatur in September 2016), it encourages the devotion of family prayers, especially the Holy Rosary, and unite the families in prayers for the Church, Pope’s intentions, vocations, families and pro-life.   Just as Bishop Stephen Lee stated in his 2018 Easter Message, in order to allow the light of Christ to shine upon the families, a Catholic family needs to pray, keep the faith and experience the joy together. 

Ms Teresa Chu, echoes this. She says that by receiving Our Lady of Guadalupe into her home, it gave her an opportunity to pray the rosary together with her father for the very first time in her life.   Ms Marcia Vong, a mother of three, has always wished for a way to lead her young children in prayers within the family environment, which the monthly visit of Our Lady of Guadalupe cultivated, giving them a habitual family prayer time, even with her young children.   This apostolate also prompted Ms Vong in her previous mission of praying for the unborn at the cemetery – it was interrupted after having children – and this apostolate gave her the chance to pray for this pro-life intention again to Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Patroness of the Unborn.   Ms Goretti Ma also expressed her sentiment that the regular visits of Our Lady of Guadalupe mean especially much to her aged and immobile mother.   Since Our Lady of Guadalupe’s first visit, she and her mother had developed a routine in praying the rosary together, not only during Our Lady’s visit but even every day.

Just as Our Lady of Guadalupe says at her apparition, “do not let anything afflict you and be not afraid of illness or pain.   Are you not under my shadow and protection?   Are you not in the hollow of my mantle, in the crossing of my arms?   Do you need anything more?”   Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us!

Joni Cheng

Macau