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CHARLOTTE — A digital replica of the original Miraculous Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe visited the Diocese of Charlotte for 10 days ending April 1, visiting numerous parishes and Catholic schools as well as three abortion facilities.

The 6-foot-by-4-foot exact digital replica of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe began its stay with an appearance at the Stand Up for Religious Freedom Rally on March 23 in Charlotte, and ended its stay being displayed during all Masses for Palm Sunday, April 1, at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte.

The image of Our Lady of Guadalupe has been venerated by hundreds of millions of people over the past 500 years, and many conversions, healings, reconciliations and graces have been reported through Mary's intercession.

Since 1991, the Missionary Image has visited more than 1,000 parishes in all 50 states as well as 18 other countries, being present during hundreds of Masses, Eucharistic Adoration, rosary and prayer services. It has spurred many people to seek the sacrament of reconciliation, and many abortions have been prevented and at least 20 abortion facilities have been closed through Mary's intercession, those involved with the Missionary Image have reported.

Pictured: Brice Griffin, a parishioner at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte and a witness for Silent No More, speaks next to the Missionary Image during the "Stand up for Religious Freedom" Rally in Charlotte March 23. (Patricia Guilfoyle, Catholic News Herald).

"We are truly blessed and delighted to have this visitation of the Missionary Image of our Lady of Guadalupe in our diocese," said Paul Deer, director of the Missionary Image's "guardian team," six area Catholics who are responsible for coordinating the 10-day visit and protecting and shepherding the image.

Also on the team are Mary "Annette" Morales, Joseph Castillo, Kathy Sanders, and Mark and Mary Myers. They all worked for three years to bring the Missionary Image to the diocese.

In 1531, the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe was imprinted miraculously on the tilma, or cloak, of St. Juan Diego, an illiterate Aztec Indian who lived near Mexico City. On Dec. 9, 1531, Mary appeared to St. Juan Diego as the pregnant Mother of God, and asked him to go to the local bishop and request that a church be built in her name. The bishop asked Juan to ask Mary for a sign, and on Dec. 12, Mary appeared again to Juan and asked him to pick some Castilian roses for the bishop. Juan found the flowers where Mary had told him, despite it not being the season for roses to bloom, and he gathered them up in his tilma. He went to see the bishop, and when he opened his tilma to give the bishop the roses, the image of Our Lady was imprinted on it.

The bishop built the church as Our Lady requested and 8 million natives were converted within the next seven years. Juan Diego was canonized in 2002.

— Catholic News Herald

Go see the Missionary Image

The Missionary Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe will be in the diocese from Friday, March 23, to Sunday, April 1:

FRIDAY, MARCH 23

6:30-8:30 p.m. — St. James the Greater Church, 139 Manor Ave. S.W., Concord, procession from Gill Hall to the church, followed by a prayer service and veneration, as well as an overnight prayer vigil and Eucharistic Adoration

SATURDAY, MARCH 24

9 a.m. to noon — Family Reproductive Health Clinic, 700 East Hebron St., Charlotte, for a prayer service and recitation of the rosary

4:30-7 p.m. — St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 1400 Suther Road, Charlotte, for veneration

SUNDAY, MARCH 25

7:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. — St. Thomas Aquinas Church, for veneration, with a prayer service at 2 p.m.

MONDAY, MARCH 26

9-10:30 a.m. — Holy Trinity Middle School, 3100 Park Road, Charlotte, for Mass and veneration

11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. — St. Ann School, 600 Hillside Ave., for a prayer service

1-3:30 p.m. — Charlotte Catholic High School, 7702 Pineville-Matthews Road, Charlotte, for a prayer service, rosary and veneration

TUESDAY, MARCH 27

9 a.m. to noon — Planned Parenthood Clinic, 3000 Maplewood Ave. #112, Winston-Salem, for a prayer vigil with parishioners of Holy Family Church

7-8:30 p.m. — St. Vincent De Paul Church, 6828 Old Reid Road, Charlotte, for veneration and a prayer service

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28

8:30 a.m. to noon — Charlotte Catholic High School, for a prayer service, rosary and veneration

2-3:30 p.m. — Sacred Heart School, 385 Lumen Christi Lane, Salisbury, for a prayer service, rosary and veneration

6-8 p.m. — Sacred Heart Church, 385 Lumen Christi Lane, Salisbury, for Mass

THURSDAY, MARCH 29

9-11 a.m. — Our Lady of the Assumption Church, 4225 Shamrock Dr., Charlotte, for Mass

2-3:30 p.m. — St. Michael School, 704 St. Michael's Lane, Gastonia, for a prayer service and veneration

6-8:30 p.m. — St. Michael Church, 704 St. Michael's Lane, Gastonia, for Mass

FRIDAY, MARCH 30

8:30 a.m. to noon — St. Mark School, 14750 Stumptown Road, Huntersville, for a prayer service, rosary and veneration

1-2:30 p.m. — Christ the King High School, 753 Oak Ridge Farms Hwy., Mooresville, for a prayer service, rosary and veneration

SATURDAY, MARCH 31

9 a.m. to noon — A Preferred Women's Health Center, 3220 Latrobe Drive, Charlotte, for a prayer service and recitation of the rosary

5-7 p.m. — St. Patrick Cathedral, 1621 Dilworth Road E., Charlotte, for Mass and veneration

SUNDAY, APRIL 1

7 a.m.-2:30 p.m. — St. Patrick Cathedral, for Mass and veneration (11 a.m. Mass celebrated by Bishop Peter Jugis)