Join Downtown Kenosha Catholic in celebrating the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Our Lady appeared in the year 1531 to Juan Diego, a simple peasant of Aztec descent who had converted to Catholicism. On October 12, 1945, Pope Pius XII, decreed Our Lady of Guadalupe to be “Patroness of all the Americas.” Her feast day is December 12.

Our Lady said to Juan Diego, “I will give all my love, my compassion, my help and my protection to the people. I am the merciful mother of all of you who live united in this land, and of all mankind, of all those who love me, of those who cry to me, of those who seek me, of those who have confidence in me.”

A Novena to Our Lady of Guadalupe will be offered at 6:30 p.m. at St. James Church, 5804 Sheridan Rd. The novena is a way to seek comfort, hope, and spiritual guidance from the Virgin Mary. It is also a way to ask for her intercession for conversion and to consecrate one's life to her. The novena will start on Wednesday, December 4 (following Vespers) and continue each evening through Thursday, December 12.

The Novena to Our Lady of Guadalupe is an opportunity to venerate and thank Mary, the Mother of God, for helping spread the grace of God and for interceding on our behalf. She is a perfect model for us. Our Lady of Guadalupe always leads us to Christ.

Masses will be offered on Thursday, December 12 in celebrating Our Lady’s feast day at Noon in English and 6:00 p.m. in Spanish. The former will be a low Mass while latter will have music. Due to the St. Elizabeth rectory and roof project, these weekday Masses will be at St. James Church.