ST. VINCENT — Parishioners at St. Mary Church in St. Vincent (Conway County) have been growing closer to God through hosting the Missionary Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
“We were on a waiting list for six months before we got the chance to host her,” said Karen Taylor, guardian of the image while it is in Arkansas.
Taylor said the parish hosted Our Lady about 10 years ago and felt the visit blessed the people.
The Missionary Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe is an exact 4-foot-by-6-foot replica of the sacred garment whose owner, St. Juan Diego, was visited by St. Mary. The original garment or tilma is located and displayed at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City.
The Mother of God appeared to the newly converted Aztec Indian, Juan Diego, as he was walking into the city. Our Lady of Guadalupe instructed him to go to the bishop and request him to build a church for her on the barren hill of Tepeyac, now a part of Mexico City. The bishop, not believing the Aztec at first, asked Juan Diego to ask the Virgin for a sign.
On Dec. 12, 1531, Our Lady appeared for the third time to Juan Diego. She instructed him to go to the top of the hill and pick the roses. At the time, roses would not be in season, nor were the type of roses native to Mexico. When the Indian presented the roses to the bishop and opened his tilma, the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared. The bishop immediately ordered the construction of the basilica at the site the Lady indicated.
The traveling image is coordinated through the Apostolates of the Missionary Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Jesus King of All Nations Devotion. According to its Web site, www.jkmi.com, the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe began her travels in 1991. Each image is blessed at the Mexico City basilica by a local bishop.
During the image’s 11-day stay in Arkansas in January, Taylor and her volunteer team of guardians developed a schedule of events including daily Mass, Divine Mercy devotions, prayer services and home visits.
“We also brought Our Lady to the March for Life,” Taylor said. “We were honored to be able to march alongside the patroness of the unborn as we walked to the state capitol.”
One of the recommended activities is home visits, according to the Web site. The home visits allow individuals and families to venerate the Our Lady of Guadalupe in small gatherings at the center of the family.
During this trip, the image also spent one day at St. John Church in Russellville for Mass and private devotion.
Taylor also presented the image and the story of her appearance to the children attending St. Mary Church’s religious education classes. During the presentation, she gave the children the opportunity to closely examine the image and ask questions.
“We hope other parishes in the states will choose to host Our Lady of Guadalupe,” Taylor said. “Her blessings are many.”
The cost of hosting her is minimal, she said.
“When you request the image, you pay $25,” Taylor said. “Later, once the dates of visitation are confirmed, the cost is $150, which is basically the cost of shipping her from place to place.”
The apostolate provides training videos and information regarding the miraculous image and her history.
The missionary images have traveled to more than 1,000 parishes and all 50 states.
For more information on hosting the Missionary Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, visit www.jkmi.com.
