View more photos from Novena Mass at All Saints Parish, Bay City
View photos from Novena Mass at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Saginaw
BAY CITY- On the eve of the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (which takes place on Dec. 12), faithful filled All Saints Parish, St. Boniface Church in Bay City to honor our Blessed Mother with songs, roses, prayers and Mass. The celebration included a Danza Azteca prayer dance by parish youth, and a mariachi band led a serenade to Our Lady as attendees offered roses to her.
For the past nine days, faithful across the Diocese of Saginaw and all of the Americas have been praying a novena to Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas.
“The traditional Novena to Our Lady of Guadalupe is a time for us to venerate our Mother Mary and to thank her for the example she has given us for she was Jesus’ first missionary disciple,” said Bishop Robert Gruss in his annual letter for the occasion.
“We are invited to allow Mary, our Mother, to lead us through our own conversion as she did with the people of Mexico. We ask Mary to take us by the hands and lead us through her heart of mercy so that we too, might take the hands of others and show them what true mercy is,” Bishop Gruss said.
Today, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, honors the Virgin Mary under this title and concludes the novena prayed throughout the diocese for her intercession.
In 1531, Mary appeared to an Indian, Juan Diego, dressed as an Aztec princess and addressing him in his native language. She sent him to the bishop, Juan de Zumarraga, with a request to build a chapel on the hill where she appeared. Bishop Zumarraga asked for a sign. On Dec. 12, Our Lady appeared once again to Juan Diego and gave him roses to carry in his tilma (cloak) for the bishop. When Juan Diego opened his tilma, the roses spilled out to reveal a miraculous image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The image, rich in symbolism, led to the conversion of millions of natives and continues to be a life-changing devotion today.
“We are invited to allow Mary, our Mother, to lead us through our own conversion as she did with the people of Mexico. We ask Mary to take us by the hands and lead us through her heart of mercy so that we too, might take the hands of others and show them what true mercy is,” Bishop Gruss said.