A statue depicting Our Lady of Guadalupe took its place in a newly dedicated section of the Gethsemane Cemetery in New Hope April 27.
Archbishop Bernard Hebda blessed the statue during the dedication amid the rain, which took place in the cemetery’s new Section 9. The blessing was in English and Spanish, according to Jamie Moloney, director of pastoral outreach for The Catholic Cemeteries.
Moloney said roughly 25 people attended.
Jonquil Shipman, executive director of The Catholic Cemeteries, said the statue serves as a reminder “that Mary loves and cares for all people.”
“Her appearance to Juan Diego brought hope and comfort to people who were suffering and became a special source of faith and identity for many people of Mexican heritage,” Shipman wrote in an email. “Her image continues to inspire faith, compassion and trust in God’s love today.”
According to OSV News, in 1531, Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared in a vision to St. Juan Diego, on Tepeyac Hill near Mexico City, and urged him to ask the local bishop to build a church on the spot of their meeting. When the bishop required a sign to proceed, Our Lady of Guadalupe told St. Juan Diego to gather flowers in his cloak, then take his cloak to the bishop. Upon opening his cloak in front of the bishop, the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe decorated the cloak. The miraculous image is preserved in Mexico City’s Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Our Lady of Guadalupe is considered the patron of the Americas, including Mexico and the United States, as well as the protector of unborn children, according to OSV News. The feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe is celebrated Dec. 12.
