The Blessed Mother as a messenger of peace, truth, and unity will be the focus of this year’s diocesan Advent retreat, scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 5.
Lorena Needham, director of the diocesan Office of Worship, said the message of Our Lady of Guadalupe could help people focus their prayers to find peace, truth, and unity in God.
Monsignor Eduardo Chávez Sánchez, the former postulator for the canonization of Juan Diego, is scheduled to present the retreat. He will deliver a 90-minute talk in English at 10 a.m. at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Sandy. The English session is free, though reservations are required via Arthur Becerra at 801-456-9357.
Msgr. Chávez is also scheduled to give a 90-minute talk in Spanish at 6:30 p.m. at Saint Joseph the Worker Catholic Church in West Jordan.
Needham noted that the retreat provides an opportunity to pause and ensure spiritual preparations for the Nativity of the Lord are on the right path. She described the event as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience how peace, truth, and unity can help growth and preparation for the Nativity of the Lord.
The Blessed Mother appeared to Saint Juan Diego in 1531 at Tepeyac Hill in what is now Mexico City. After Juan Diego gathered out-of-season roses as a sign for the bishop, the image of Our Lady was imprinted on his tilam, which now hangs in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City.
Msgr. Chávez was commissioned by Pope Francis and Cardinal Carlos Aguiar, Primate Archbishop of Mexico, to deepen the understanding of the Guadalupe Event and proclaim it throughout the world.
Reservations for the English session at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, located at 9800 South 1700 East in Sandy, can be made by calling 801-456-9357 and leaving a message with the number of attendees.
