Mary, the mother of Jesus, is a central figure in the story of salvation. From the opening chapters of the Gospels of Luke and Matthew to the “Hail Mary” prayer recited by our children preparing for their First Eucharist, Mary has been an example of faith and trust in God, and an inspiration to believers struggling to understand how God is calling them to follow Mary’s Son Jesus Christ. Over the centuries many cultures and peoples have adopted Mary as their patroness. From Our Lady of Lourdes to Our Lady of Altagracia to Our Mother of Perpetual Help, devotions have been prayed, hymns have been sung, and images of stone and wood and mosaic have been gracing our churches and homes.
Therefore, it is vital that an image of Mary be visible to all who worship in our renovated church, not just because it is required, but because Mary is so important to our relationship with her Son.
To accomplish this, we will have a shrine for Mary, which will be located in an alcove facing into the main nave near the new adoration chapel. The image will be of Our Lady of Guadalupe.