• Image: Our Lady of Guadalupe
• Prayer: Words of Our Lady of Guadalupe
• Feast Day: December 12
• Patron of: The Americas and The Unborn

A shower of roses is the backdrop for this rich illustration of Our Lady of Guadalupe. You can almost smell the roses Juan Diego gathered in his mantle that December day in 1531! Roses in winter? Yes! For they, along with the imprint of her stunning image upon Juan's tilma, were the miracles Our Lady of Guadalupe gave to the faithful Aztec convert to prove to his bishop that she had visited him and requested a chapel built in her name. It was a time of violence and struggle in Mexico, and before Mary left she lovingly reassured Juan with these words "Listen and be sure . . . that I will protect you; do not be frightened or grieve, or let your heart be dismayed . . . Am I not here? I, who am your mother, and is not my help a refuge?" What comforting words for our troubled hearts! Finally, the chapel was built on the hill just as Mary had asked. Our Lady of Guadalupe's appearance generated the conversion of Mexico, Central and South America which is why we call her the "Mother of the Americas."

The Our Lady of Guadalupe Prayer Pillowcase shares a beautiful invitation to pray for Mary's intercession for strength to help convert the world through love, beginning with our own little corners of the world. It also reminds us that her maternal words of encouragement to Juan Diego are meant for all her earthly children; Our Heavenly Mother is forever praying for our welfare.