A New Chapter - Shrine dedicated July 5 is first in the diocese

By Veronica Ambuul

PHOTO: Bishop James Golka sprinkles holy water on an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe that during the dedication Mass for the new Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mother of the Divine Redeemer, on July 5. The shrine is located at 927 N. Logan Ave. and will offer Masses in English and Spanish each weekend. See schedule on Page 4. (Photo by Matthew Staver) 

COLORADO SPRINGS. Bishop James Golka dedicated the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mother of the Divine Redeemer on July 5 with a capacity crowd in attendance — the first such shrine in the history of the diocese.

Referring to the Gospel reading for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Bishop Golka in his homily said that the image of Jesus sending out the disciples two by two could be applied to the new shrine. “We have two predominant cultures, languages, devotions and ways to celebrate, and the Lord wants to send both of them out on his behalf,” Bishop Golka said. “We’ll go out in English; we’ll go out in Spanish; we have work to do. If we are going to be receiving pilgrims at this shrine, then every one of us must also be a pilgrim. I want this to be a place of faith, lived out by our actions, our commitments and our promises.”

Although it is exciting to ponder the potential impact of an endeavor such as the shrine, any future plans must be preceeded by prayer and discernment, Bishop Golka added. “Before we can do the work of the harvest, we must talk to the master of the harvest. Before we do some good work, we must be in prayer. I don’t know of any saint who did not first pray, then received the mission and the good work. If we don’t first pray, which means we talk to God but also listen to God, we’re never going to know God’s plan. We might have a lot of really good ideas, but if they’re not in God’s plan and providence, they’re not going to bear fruit. So we must listen; we must discern. Hear what God’s desire for this shrine is.”

The shrine is located in central Colorado Springs at 927 N. Logan Ave., 80909.  Capuchin Father Alex Diaz has been appointed rector, with Capuchin Father Vincent Carrasco serving as parochial vicar. Both priests previously served at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, which has now been absorbed into the shrine’s parish community. In his decree establishing the new shrine, Bishop Golka noted that he took into consideration the fact that Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish had outgrown its current facilities and that the Hispanic population in Colorado Springs has risen dramatically over the past two decades. Nonetheless, the shrine is meant to welcome people of all ethnic groups, he said. “Special indulgences and devotional practices approved by the Church may be granted to the faithful who make a pilgrimage to the shrine,” he wrote. “Furthermore, the means of salvation, especially the celebration of the Eucharist and the sacrament of reconciliation, are to be supplied more abundantly to the faithful.”

 See below for the complete schedule of Masses, confessions and Eucharistic adoration.