November 26 - 29, 2007, faithful from different areas of the U.S. assembled in Mexico City on pilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Led by Father Jean-Marie Moreau of St. Joseph’s Oratory in Green Bay, they had three very intense days of prayer and devotions. On the first full day, after the awesome experience of venerating the miraculous image of Our Lady imprinted on St. Juan Diego’s tilma, they were able to hold Mass celebrated by Father Moreau in the small chapel built upon Tepeyac hill, the very spot of Our Lady’s apparitions in 1531. The group was joined on the second day by Msgr. R. Michael Schmitz, who celebrated the traditional Mass inside the Basilica of the Shrine with the image of Our Lady fully in view. On this day, the pilgrims also venerated the relics of Blessed Miguel Pro, who on November 23rd, 80 years ago had been martyred crying “Viva Cristo Rey!” “Long Live Christ the King.” Perhaps the crowning moment of the pilgrimage was the High Mass offered by Msgr. Schmitz at the main altar of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Mexico City on the last day, arranged by Una Voce Mexico. This was the first time that Mass in the extraordinary form of the Latin Rite had been celebrated in that venerable building for nearly four decades.

Last 1.5 Miles to Shrine of Foot

Arrival

The old basilica to the left

The very image of Our Lady

The Gardens

Fr. Moreau offers Holy Mass in the Capilla del Cerrito, chapel on Tepeyac Hill

Side altar at the Cerrito chapel: St. Joaquim, St. Joseph, and St. Anne

Outside the Cerrito chapel

Let's walk to the Carmel next door

Visiting with the Carmelite nuns

Stations of the Cross on Basilica grounds

Visit to the Museum of Anthropology

Day 2 - First, a visit to the oldest church in Mexico

The Baptismal Font where St. Juan Diego was baptized

Msgr. Schmitz offers Holy Mass in the Shrine Basilica

Fr. Moreau's Mass in the Basilica

Some pilgrims break for lunch

Lighting candles by the Basilica

Visiting the spot where Bl. Miguel Pro was martyred

The relics of Bl. Miguel Pro

Good-bye dinner on the last evening together

Day 3 - The Metropolitan Cathedral of Mexico City

Msgr. Schmitz celebrates High Mass in the Cathedral

In the Cathedral's ante-Sacristy