First-Time Impressions
This year, Anne and Lora met up with a group of other American pilgrims at the Shrine. It was wonderful to hear their first-time impressions of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the rose delivery.
Megan and Jeff, a young couple from Kansas had this to say:
Megan: “I think it was so beautiful to see all the people who stopped to take photos and to admire the roses from American devotees. It just really showed how much people in America love Our Lady and wanted to present beautiful flowers to her. We know that Our Lady’s appearance here in 1531 helped change the whole mindset of the Indians in regard to human sacrifice. Surely, Our Lady can impact America today to help stop the sacrifice of the unborn.
“My personal experience of the miraculous image was that it was so vibrant in color considering how old it is. No one would ever guess that it is from the 1500’s!
“Climbing up the Hill of Tepeyac and praying in silence at the Apparition Chapel at the top, knowing this was the way Saint Juan Diego walked and where Our Lady actually appeared, was my most intense spiritual experience.”
Jeff: “I was so profoundly impressed with the locals and pilgrims at the shrine. To see that many people, on any given day, who express their love and devotion to the Mother of God, was so intense. I was moved visiting the Apparition Chapel because it was the place where Our Lady actually appeared.
“The presentation of the roses, the devotion from ANF supporters, the florist and workers all amazed me. There is no place in America where people handcraft such a beautiful gift to give Our Lady. Although Dona Ara and her team were hired to do a job, the amount of time and care they spent putting all the bouquets together showed their own love for Our Lady. The love they showed in their work was the way they reciprocated Our Lady’s love for them.
“The amount of other pilgrims who also offered flowers along with the many flowers ANF gave to her astounded me. I felt that she absorbed all our prayers for our intentions and opened her Immaculate Heart to us. I felt this place was just so raw and real. Nowhere in the United States have I experienced this level of love and devotion.”
Theresa from California had this to say:
“The miraculous tilma was larger than I thought. I know Our Lady sees us all the time, but at the Shrine, I felt like she was looking directly at me in the eye. I felt her presence in a more tangible way because we can see her face the way she wants us to see it.
She is calling all of her children, faithful or not. Their souls recognize her call, even if the person is not so devout, and she can help all of us and work spiritual and even physical miracles.
“The rose delivery was a joyful occasion and enlivened the entire square. People were so happy to see the roses. True joy is so rare today in our troubled world, and the presentation of the roses in the plaza that day brought true joy to the people – and Our Lady!”
Felipe from Madrid, Spain:
“My impressions of Our Lady of Guadalupe, are the impressions I have of the people that were there, bestowing their love and showing their devotion to Our Lady.
“Our Lady introduced a unique piety at this Shrine. In other places where she has appeared, there is more formality, more of her queenship, perhaps more of her role as Mother of God, more of her role as Patroness and Protector of the Church, but here in Mexico City she exercises more of her role as MOTHER, personal and individual, always ready to help in any situation and at any moment.
“The people were treating her like their own family, on their knees, showing affection, just having a chat like they would to their earthly mother, crying and/or pleading for her help and intercession.”
These personal impressions reflect the tender intimacy with which Our Lady herself addressed Saint Juan Diego when she said:
“Listen, put it into your heart, my youngest and dearest son, that the thing that frightens you, the thing that afflicts you, is nothing: do not let it disturb you. Am I not here, I, who am your Mother? Are you not under my shadow and protection? Am I not the source of your joy? Are you not in the hollow of my mantle, in the crossing of my arms? Do you need something more? Let nothing else worry you or disturb you.”
We felt that this was the same motherly concern and love with which she received the many thousands of petitions laden with the cares, worries, concerns, sorrows, supplications and needs of our America Needs Fatima members, supporters and friends.
