Our Lady of Guadalupe de La Crosse

Marian title of La Crosse (Wisconsin)

El Sanctuary of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse (Wisconsin) was born as a pastoral initiative of the then Bishop of La Crosse, Raymond Leo Burkewho wanted to build a great Marian sanctuary in honor of the Virgin of Guadalupe, patron of the Americas, with special emphasis on the dignity of human life and the family. The advocation is directly linked to the apparitions of the Virgin of Guadalupe on the hill of Tepeyac (Mexico, 1531), recognized by the Church and widely spread in America. The shrine of La Crosse is presented explicitly as a continuator of the spiritual mission of the Virgin of Guadalupe on the American continent.

Main data

Origin and history

El Sanctuary of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse (Wisconsin) was born as a pastoral initiative of the then Bishop of La Crosse, Raymond Leo Burkewho wanted to build a great Marian sanctuary in honor of the Virgin of Guadalupe, patron of the Americas, with special emphasis on the dignity of human life and the family. The advocation is directly linked to the apparitions of the Virgin of Guadalupe on the hill of Tepeyac (Mexico, 1531), recognized by the Church and widely spread in America. The shrine of La Crosse is presented explicitly as a continuator of the spiritual mission of the Virgin of Guadalupe on the American continent.

As regards documented historythe sanctuary project was developed in the late 20th and early 21st century, in the diocese of La Crosse, state of Wisconsin, United States. The place is officially recognized as “Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe” / Sanctuary of Our Lady of Guadalupe, located on 5250 Justin Road, La Crosse, WI 54601. The sanctuary itself indicates that its purpose is to meet the spiritual needs of those who suffer physical and spiritual poverty, in fidelity to the message of the Virgin of Guadalupe. The complex has been consolidated as a pilgrimage destination and a centre of Guadalupana devotion for faithful from different backgrounds, especially from North and Latin America.

It is not known that this sanctuary is associated with a local tradition of own apparitions; its spiritual origin is based on the Mexican Guadalupana tradition and the Magisterium that recognizes the Virgin of Guadalupe as patron of the Americas, extending her cult to this particular context of the United States.

The image and the sanctuary

La main image venerated in La Crosse is a representation of Our Lady of Guadalupe inspired by the original image of the Ayate of St. John Diego: the Virgin standing, slightly inclined to the left, hands together in prayer, blue, starry and pink robe, with the sun and moon at her feet, according to the traditional Guadalupana iconography. The sanctuary is affiliated by the Vatican to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, which highlights continuity with the original image and its cult. The image of La Crosse is a devotional reproduction; it is not known that it has its own miraculous character or that there is an original tymma in this sanctuary.

The main temple bears the official name of "Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe" / "Sanctuary of Our Lady of Guadalupe". It is a great Marian sanctuary of classic style with Hispanic inspiration, inserted in a large natural setting of hills and forest, conceived as a place of pilgrimage and silent prayer. The complex includes, in addition to the main church, a chapel of the Expiation, areas of devotion, pilgrimage roads, religious shop and café for pilgrims. The public description of the sanctuary does not state that the temple has been elevated to the dignity of minor basilica, which is declared National sanctuary from the United States; is present as diocesan sanctuary with spiritual affiliation to the Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico.

Sponsorship and coronation

La advocación de Our Lady of Guadalupe is universally recognized as Patron of the Americas and "Empress of America," according to various pontifical acts of the 20th century. The shrine of La Crosse participates in this continental patronage, presenting the Virgin of Guadalupe as a protector of human life from conception to natural death and as the Mother of families. The official information available does not contain a specific decree of civil or ecclesial patronage to declare the particular patron of the city of La Crosse or the state of Wisconsin; its scope is mainly spiritual and pastoral in the diocese of La Crosse.

En lo relativo a la canonical coronation of the image venerated in the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Guadalupe of La Crosse, does not contain a documented canonical coronation own of this image (different from the pontifical coronation of the original image of Guadalupe in Mexico).

Party and devotion

La main party of this advocation, also in La Crosse, is the 12 December, Solemnity of Our Lady of Guadalupe, as celebrated throughout the Church in America. The sanctuary organizes solemn liturgical celebrations around that date, Masses in various languages (Latin, Spanish, English) and devotional acts that attract many pilgrims.

Throughout the year, the sanctuary welcomes personal and group pilgrimages. The faithful come to participate in the Eucharist, to confess, to pray the Rosary and to perform acts of devotion to the Virgin, especially by asking for the sick, for the unborn children and for the families. The sanctuary indicates that it is open every day in broad times and that it is conceived as a place of constant prayer for the bodily and spiritual well-being of the children of God, particularly those most in need. Although no official influx figures are provided, various reviews describe it as an important regional pilgrimage centre, with visitors who spend several hours on the site and its devotions.

Link to the Rosary

The regular program of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse explicitly includes the prayer of the RosaryFrom Monday to Saturday, before the Mass of noon, the Rosary is prayed at 11: 45 a.m., integrating it into the daily liturgical life of the sanctuary. This practice shows that the Rosary is a stable part of the spirituality of the place, in continuity with the Marian tradition of the Church and with the Guadalupan devotion.

Beyond this concrete fact, the Guadalupana advocation is very united throughout America. Rosary as a school of contemplation of the mysteries of Christ with Mary. In a sanctuary that places an emphasis on the defense of life and family, the Rosary becomes a privileged prayer to ask for the conversion of hearts, the protection of the most vulnerable and the unity of homes, regularly accompanying devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe both in La Crosse and in communities that feel spiritually linked to this sanctuary.