Our Lady of Guadalupe Mass at St. Paul Cathedral

Pittsburgh—Bishop David A. Zubik is the principal celebrant for the annual Mass for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on the evening of Wednesday, December 12, 2018 at Saint Paul Cathedral, Oakland.
 
Everyone is welcome to attend the celebration, sponsored by the Latino Catholic Apostolate. The apostolate includes the parishes of Saint Regis, South Oakland; Saint Paul, Butler County; St. Catherine of Sienna, Beechview; Our Lady of Joy, Plum; Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, Meadow Lands; and Saints John and Paul, Wexford. Following Mass, everyone is invited to a reception in the cathedral social hall.
 
Ceremonies will begin with Eucharistic Adoration (5:30 pm), rosary (6 pm) and Eucharistic Benediction (6:30 pm). Confession will be available from 5:30 pm until shortly before Mass. Mass begins at 7:00 pm. The Gospel and readings for the Mass will be in Spanish and English. Father Carmen D’Amico will preach.
 
Bishop Zubik will present roses to Our Lady, represented by a replica of the painting of Our Lady of Guadalupe that hangs in Mexico’s Basilica of Guadalupe. The painting will be carried in procession, with a color guard of banners from the six participating parishes and the flags of many nations, as the congregation sings the traditional Las Mañanitas.
 
“The idea is to celebrate Our Lady as Empress of the Americas,” said Jorge Vela, director of the Latino Apostolate in the diocese, “because she is the Mother of all of us and for this reason, we are welcoming all the communities that live here in Pittsburgh.”
 
The prayers of the faithful will include petitions in eight languages: Italian, Portuguese, German, Polish, French and Tagalog, in addition to Spanish and English.
 
“Because the Virgin Mary leads others to her Son,” Vela said, “we want everyone to have a deeper relationship with the Blessed Mother.”
 
The celebration marks the twelfth consecutive year that the cathedral has hosted the Feast of Guadalupe. Concelebrating with Bishop Zubik will be auxiliary Bishop William Waltersheid, Father Fernando Torres, Father Carmen D’Amico, and Father Jay Donahue.
 
The olive-skinned Virgin of Guadalupe is Mexico’s most popular religious image. Devotees believe that she can cure almost any sickness. Approximately 5 million people attend the December 12 services held at the Basilica of Guadalupe, located north of Mexico City, according to the Basilica’s officials. The feast commemorates the apparition of the Virgin to a Mexican peasant, Saint Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin, in 1531.