Mi Casa.

Mi Casa is Spanish for My House. Mi Casa Ministries is an organization of Canadian Catholics who help other Catholics to make their home the home of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mother of All the Americas. It is a new organization but is spreading rapidly.

It began when some Canadians from Edmonton visited the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. In 1999 some of them arranged with families to receive an image of Mary in their homes and to say novena prayers for nine days (the prayers are not long). Of course the account of the appearance of Our Lady in 1531 in what is now Mexico City was given to the families. They found that after nine days the families wanted to keep a picture of Mary; so pictures were distributed to those who wished them. Now the members distribute pictures to parishes and schools as well. And, two years later, there are eighteen teams in northern Edmonton carrying on this work.

The Ministries are now highly organized, and give slide presentations of the history of the appearance of Mary, her miraculous picture, and the effects of the appearance throughout Mexico. Its members would now like to spread across Canada, and for this purpose they provide training kits for teams of two or more persons who would like to consider beginning this work in their own area. It is quite easy to start, and the kits contain information about the history of Mary's appearance, papal approval of the devotion, tips on how to begin, and information about video and books which are available.

There is also the assurance that what one would be doing is merely allowing the Blessed Virgin to do all the work, as it were. Of course one can contact headquarters to get any question answered. And one doesn't need ecclesiastical permission to get families to pray. All the materials have been approved by the Archbishop of Mexico and the Rector of the Cathedral there. Archbishop Thomas Collins of Edmonton is fully aware of the work and the materials of Mi Casa.

Our Lady in the Guadalupe appearance does not have the Christ Child in her arms. Instead she carries Him in her womb, from which the rays enveloping her emanate. Mary is the Patroness of the Unborn.

Mission Statement

Mi Casa Ministries believes in the words of Pope John Paul II, that "Mary is the sure path to our meeting with Christ." In response to the earnest request of Pope John Paul II, that Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mother of America and Star of the New Evangelization, "visit, as a pilgrim of faith, each and every diocese, parish, ecciesial community and family in America", Mi Casa Ministries is committed to making known the miraculous image of Our Lady of Guadalupe and, through it, to spread the message of Christ's Gospel.

Blessed Juan Diego

The native American, Juan Diego, visionary of the 1531 apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe, was beatified by Pope John Paul II on May 6, 1990 and will be canonized on July 30, 2002, in Mexico City. The Holy Father asked that Juan Diego be invoked as "Protector and advocate of the indigenous peoples." (+)

For further information phone Mi Casa Ministries, 780-466-4966, or write to Our Lady Queen of Peace Centre, 9546-87 Street, Edmonton, AB, Canada, or fax [phone], or e-mail <[e-mail]>.