Our Lady of Guadalupe

Yesterday, I paid a visit to a shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe, in La Crosse Wisconsin. I've written on the shrine before but I thought I'd share some pictures that show the progress of the ongoing construction. Archbishop Raymond Burke conceived of the project years back, while still bishop of La Crosse. It is his goal to spread devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas, throughout the United States and Canada in particular. The church will be consecrated next summer and, eventually, the shrine will serve as a central catachetical hub for Catholics in the United States.

The church in progress combines a mixture of distinct architectural styles, most notably Baroque and Spanish colonial, characteristic of the South West region of the US. Archbishop Burke is importing the stained glass windows and other sacred ornamentation directly from Europe. The white marble is carrara marble from Italy, only the best.









This tranquil chapel features hundreds of vigil candles arranged in the form of an Aztec temple. These temples served as the setting for countless human sacrifices. Our Lady of Guadalupe is credited with bringing an end to this demonic practice and for the subsequent conversion of millions of Native Americans.







http://www.guadalupeshrine.org/Home/Home.asp