November, 2019

Our Lady of

Guadalupe Torch

Tool Box for Ministries

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General description

This booklet contains a general description of what hosting the Our Lady

of Guadalupe Traveling Torch would entail. We also provide in this

booklet a toolbox of ideas you can use to bring awareness to Our Lady

of Guadalupe in your parish and in your ministries.

This manual offers the general resources necessary to support the

implementation effort. Among other helpful tools, included in this booklet

is an example of what a week long hosting schedule could look like.

We hope this book will be useful to you. In hosting the Our Lady of

Guadalupe torch at the parish level, you are providing your community

an opportunity to experience an encounter with Jesus and His mother

like never before. It is an intentional strategy to withdraw from the usual

life and return to what is most necessary in life, our relationship with

God and his Mother.

One of the most important tools throughout this Guadalupe Traveling

Torch season is prayer. Our prayers for this season must be genuine

and must come from pure love. We should come humbly before our

Lady to pray that by her Intercession the Holy Spirit will descend on the

week that your parish will be hosting the torch and move among the

people in such a way that lives will be changed forever

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Table of Contents

What happens when a parish receives the Torch?..................4

Receiving / Delivering Torches at the Parishes…………….…..5

Responsibilities of the Parish……………………………….……..6

Sample Itinerary for Week Long Parish Hosting………….…….7

Sample Flyer for Week Long Parish Hosting……….……….…..8

All the parish ministries and groups……………………….……..9

Prayer Group…………………..10

RCIA……………………………...11

Religious Education…………..12

Evangelization………………….13

Young Adult…………………….14-15

Prolife…………………………….16

Knights of Columbus………….17

Sample Bulletin Insert……………………………………………....18

Sample Mass announcement on day of torch arrival………....19

John Paul II’s Prayer to Our Lady of Guadalupe…………...20-21

Hymn to Our lady of Guadalupe……………………………….….22

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What happens when a parish receives

the Our Lady of Guadalupe Torch?

The parishes choose the week they will host the torch by

communicating with the Diocese of Trenton office of Evangelization

and Family Life office —609-403-7154, or by selecting a week on the

Guadalupe Traveling Torches website—Guadalupe.org. They will

confirm a week, parish colors for parish torch ribbon and the mass time

where they would like to receive the torch.

The torches are blessed at a special mass by the bishop as he sends

them forth that night. The Torches then begin their journey. After the

bishop’s blessing mass the parishes start to receive the torch each

weekend in the month of November, as per the week the parishes

choose in advance.

While the torch is at the parish, that parish devotes this time to honor

Our Lady of Guadalupe as she takes them into her mantle just as she

did with Juan Diego. Blessings rain upon the parishes that receive our

Lady’s torch light, as more than anything, our Lady wants us all to

follow the light into the parishes where we can be illuminated by her

Son. See ideas of parish activities on pages ——-

Then, on the first Saturday of December, the torches will pilgrimage

home to St Mary's Cathedral in a procession through the streets of

Trenton. There will be shuttles bus and police escort through out the

day.

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Receiving and Delivering The Our Lady of

Guadalupe Torches at the Parishes

The parish chooses the mass time they want to receive the torch. A

few minutes before the Saturday Vigil Mass or the Sunday Mass the

delivering parish will come to the receiving parish with the torch. The

receiving parish will be waiting for the torch on the steps of their

church, with their parishioners there to see the exchange. (weather

permitting. Otherwise the church gathering space works well also.)

The delivering parish hands the torch and the parish ribbon to the

pastor of the receiving parish and the new parish ribbon will be added

on to the torch. A family can be chosen to put the parish ribbon on the

Torch..

This is all coordinated beforehand with the Department of

Evangelization and Family Life office of the Diocese of Trenton,

which works directly with the parishes in the planning process.

In most cases the parish will have the parish choir, the youth choir, the

school choir, the school band or any of the church ministry that does

performance art, put on a little showcase performance at the arrival of

the torch in honor of Our Lady. This can be done right at the steps of

the church or at the gathering space of the church. In some cases, as

per the parish request, the Diocese can provide a traditional dance

group that will accompany the torch.

Once this receiving ceremony is done the torch processes into the

church as mass begins and takes her prominent place at the altar for

the duration of the celebration of the Holy Mass.

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Responsibilities of the Parish

Choose a week you would like to host the Our Lady Of Guadalupe

Torch. Call Diocese of Trenton office of Evangelization and Family

Life—609-403-7154, or select a week on the Guadalupe Traveling

Torches website—Guadalupe.org

Choose your parish ribbon colors

Create a weeklong activity program for your parish for the week the torch is visiting. All your parish ministries could be involved. See pages ———- for ideas.

Have an Our Lady of Guadalupe image to accompany the torch. A

portrait or statue will do fine.

Let your community know, in advance that the Our Lady of Guadalupe Torch is coming to your parish. Announce the weeklong parish activities at all the masses and in your bulletins a couple of weeks before the torch arrives. Focus homilies on Our Lady and her guidance to her Son at all masses to set the stage for Torch arrival.

Choose performers for receiving of torch (optional)

Announce the Guadalupe Torch Pilgrimage Procession to St. Mary's

Cathedral, Trenton for Bishop's Mass, at all masses and bulletins. There will be shuttle busses and police escort all the way.

Encourage your parishioners to be evangelizers of Christ by bringing

a friend to the procession

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SAMPLE ITINERARY—FOR WEEK LONG PARISH ACTIVITES

November 25 through December 2, 2017

November 25 | 4:30 pm | Church | Guadalupe Torch arrives at St. Gregory the Great - Celebrate the Torch arrival with Las Niñas folk dancers, prayers, and a procession before 5:00 pm Mass. The torch and image of Our Lady of Guadalupe will remain in the Church for the weekend and then move to the Chapel for veneration through Friday December 1.

November 28 | 7:00 pm | Church | Watch the documentary Guadalupe – The Miracle and the Message which explores the mysteries behind the image and the continued

relevance of the Guadalupe apparition to the modern world.

November 29 | 7:00 am | Chapel | The Missionary Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe

will arrive and remain in the Chapel for veneration through Friday December 1 at 8:30

November 29 | 7:00 pm | Church | Our Lady of Guadalupe Presentation with Josue Arriola, Diocesan Director of Evangelization and Family Life and Rachel Hendricks,

Diocesan Coordinator for Respect Life Ministry.

November 30 | 9:00 am | Chapel | The History and Significance of the Appearance

of Our Lady of Guadalupe with Josie Ramos, Bilingual Assistant, Diocese of Trenton.

December 1 | 8:30 am | Church | Academy Mass with Procession Academy students

will process with the Guadalupe Torch and image to daily Mass.

December 2 | 9:00 am | Cathedral of St. Mary, 151 N Warren St., Trenton | Procession and Holy Mass in Honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Visit

guadalupe2017.eventbrite.com for information.

SEE SAMPLE FLYER ON NEXT PAGE

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The Our Lady of Guadalupe Torch

& your Parish Ministries

All the parish ministries and groups of the parish can join in the parish

activities honoring Our Lady. Pro-life groups, Knights of Columbus,

Legion of Mary, Youth Ministry, Young adults, etc. all can have a day of

the week that the torch is visiting the parish. They can have the image

and the torch at their gatherings and at whichever event they have

planned.

In the following pages are some ideas that the parish ministries and

groups can get creative with. The goal is to bring people to the parish that

Our Lady may bring them to Jesus

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Our Lady of Guadalupe Torch with Prayer Group

Holy Hour / Adoration with the Torch and the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe present. You can collaborate with Music Ministry for praise and worship night.

Rosary / Prayer service with the Torch and the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe for all expecting mothers.

Prayer Warrior Week -let your parish community know that you will be asking for Our Lady's intercession for their specific prayer. Keep a prayer basket on the altar where people can put their requests. The prayer group can do a Guadalupe novena for them.

Prayer Walking - Take the Torch and the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe and process around your parish block doing a rosary. This gets you active and you can spontaneously pray for the neighborhood and the people you see as you walk.

Prayer Group Movie Night with FORMED.ORG “Our Lady of Guadalupe- The Miracle and The Message" movie and/or “Such As We Are, Such Are the Times” presentation from the Napa Institute. Archbishop José Gomez gives a wonderful presentation on how we can draw from Our Lady of Guadalupe’s message to shape our own time for our nation. Prayer. The Diocese will provide help with Login.

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Our Lady of Guadalupe Torch with

Have a scripture Talk on Lectionary reading of Revelation 12 “Who Is

the Woman Clothed with the Sun?” with the Torch and the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe present.

Mystagogia & Catholic Identity (Our Lady of Guadalupe as Mother

Church) Movie Night – With the Torch and the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe present, watch FORMED.ORG movie “Our Lady of Guadalupe- The Miracle and The Message" and/or listen to “Such As We Are, Such Are the Times” presentation from the Napa Institute. Archbishop José Gomez gives a wonderful presentation on how we can draw from Our Lady of Guadalupe’s message to shape our own time for our nation. The Diocese will provide help with Login.

Have a scripture Talk on Lectionary Reading of Genesis Chapter 3, the first gospel -“Protoevangelium - Our Lady of Guadalupe - She Who Crushes the Head of the Serpent” with the Torch and the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe present.

Rosary Night with the Torch and the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe

present for the intention of Catechumenate, Candidates and Inquirers.

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Our Lady of Guadalupe Torch with

Religious Education

Our Lady of Guadalupe Prayer Service for the Religious Ed kids and

Catechists with the Torch and the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe present. Download prayer in Diocese of Trenton Extranet.

Our Lady of Guadalupe prayer request sheet for kids - The kids can

write prayer requests on these ready-made slips and the parish can intercede for them all week. There can be a basket next to the image of our Lady in the church, where the kids can put the prayers. Down-load in Diocese of Trenton Extranet.

Our Lady of Guadalupe coloring images. Download in Diocese of

Trenton Extranet. Juan Diego Movie for Kids – FORMED.ORG Diocese to provide help Movie Night with FORMED.ORG “Our Lady of Guadalupe- The Mira-

cle and The Message" movie and/or “Such As We Are, Such Are the Times” presentation from the Napa Institute. Archbishop José Gomez gives a wonderful presentation on how we can draw from Our Lady of Guadalupe’s message to shape our own time for our nation. The Dio-cese will provide help with Login.

For more resources - Download in Diocese of Trenton Extranet.

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Our Lady of Guadalupe

Torch with Evangelization

Have greeters at liturgy to hand out Guadalupe Prayer cards. You can make them yourself!

Mail your parish Guadalupe Torch Activity Schedule and prayer card to

specific inactive registered parishioners. Social Movie Night with FORMED.ORG “Our Lady of Guadalupe- The

Miracle and The Message" movie and “Such As We Are, Such Are the Times” presentation from the Napa Institute. Archbishop José Gomez gives a wonderful presentation on how we can draw from Our Lady of Guadalupe’s message to shape our own time for our nation. The Diocese will provide help with Login.

Prayer Walking - Take the Torch and the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe and process around your parish block. This gets you active and you can spontaneous pray for the neighborhood and the people you see as you walk.

Collect prayer intentions from all your parish community, the

neighborhood, from your St Vincent De Paul Society, ask parishioners to collect from their workplaces then offer the prayers to the almighty intercessor, Our Lady of Guadalupe, in special holy hours and all week long.

Invite those that are registered in your parish but have not been

present to come to the parish Guadalupe activities and procession. Maybe mail details or leave a flyer in their mailbox. Also, Members commit to personally invite one person—friend or stranger—to church every day the torch is visiting.

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Our Lady of Guadalupe Torch with Young Adult

Theology on Tap / Guadalupe Night. DOT will help provide a speaker. Social Movie Night with FORMED.ORG. “Our Lady of Guadalupe- The

Miracle and The Message" movie and/or “Such As We Are, Such Are the Times” presentation from the Napa Institute. Archbishop José Gomez gives a wonderful presentation on how we can draw from Our Lady of Guadalupe’s message to shape our own time for our nation. The Diocese will provide help with Login.

Teen Bonfire Night with the Torch –Young people can get together to learn about Our Lady, sing songs, pray, and maybe make a banner for their youth ministry to walk with on pilgrimage to the Cathedral on Dec 1

st. Let your young people “REPRESENT” your parish in the

procession!! Fun, Fun, Fun! Young Adult Holy Hour with the Torch and the image of Our Lady of

Guadalupe - Collaborate with your Music Ministry for Marian Songs Praise and Worship Night.

Torch on the Town – Have young people travel with the Torch and the

image of Our Lady of Guadalupe throughout the community handing out information on Our Lady of Guadalupe and the pilgrimage on Dec 1

st. They can handout rosaries and ask random people to write down

prayer intentions. Then you can offer the prayers in special holy hours and all week long.

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Young Adult con’t…. Host a baby clothing drive for expecting mothers with the pro-life team in your parish Young Adults can honor Our Lady of Guadalupe by working with mothers in need: Sisters of Life / Visitation Co-Workers of Life—The Co-Workers of Life A large and growing network of faithful laity, the Co-Workers see the Sisters of Life as the bridge that connects their desire to do good with those in need. The gifts they have offered to women, many of whom have been rejected by those closest to them, have been a source not just of practical assistance, but of hope in the goodness of life. What do our Co-Workers do? They share their talents, time and their very selves in service to pregnant women in need. Based out of local or parish communities, each group has a Visitation coordinator who locates needed resources within the local community. Women with the “heart of Mary” offer friendship and availability to pregnant women in need while families and single women open their homes as Holy Respites. Men put their gifts towards projects like moving furniture and building cribs or in mentoring the father of the baby in learning to support the mother of his child. Throughout the country, college and university contacts help with placement and transfer credits for vulnerable pregnant women. We praise God for the Co-Workers of Life now and into the future. In their gifts, small or large, they have made an eternal difference! If you are interested in becoming a Coworker of Life or attending a Co-Worker Training Day in order to learn more about how you can put your gifts at the service of others, call us: Contact - (646) 882-1087

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Our Lady of Guadalupe Torch with ProLife

Have a “Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Unborn” Prolife

Night Talk with the Torch and the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe pre-sent – Diocesan Speaker will come upon request.

Have an “Our Lady of Guadalupe- The Miracle and The Message"

Movie Night on FORMED.ORG. Also watch a talk on FORMED.ORG – “Such As We Are, Such Are the Times” Presentation from the Napa In-stitute, Most Reverend José Gomez. The Diocese will provide help with Login for FORMED.ORG

Take the Guadalupe torch with the image to the abortion clinics for prayer vigils

Have prayer service for all expecting mothers in your community with the Torch and the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe present.

Host a baby clothing drive for expectant mothers. Join together with Knights of Columbus for collaboration on Baby

Shower, Prayer Service, etc. Mommy Prayer Exchange – One ex-pectant family will pray intercession from Our Lady for another ex-pectant family for the whole week the torch is visiting the parish. Col-lect prayers before torch arrives and distribute prayer when torch ar-rives

Have “Pro-Life Morning Mass” week and/or “Pro-Life Wednesday” with

the Torch and the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe present. Have the

intentions be Pro-Life related

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Our Lady of Guadalupe Torch with

Guadalupe prayer cards can be handed out to the parishioners for 1

week during Masses (English and Spanish). Family Movie Night - “Our Lady of Guadalupe" Movie with Knight of

Columbus’, Carl Anderson narrating and Juan Diego movie on “FORMED.ORG” for kids. Diocese to provide upon request.

Family Prayer Exchange - One family will pray intercession from Our

Lady for another family for the whole week the torch is visiting the parish. Collect prayers before torch arrives and distribute prayer when torch arrives.

Join Altar Rosary Society for a “Warrior Prayer Night”. Music Ministry

can join with “Marian Song Night”. Pray for the unborn and expectant mothers.

Have a coloring / poster contest of our Lady of Guadalupe! Cultural Event – You can celebrate our Lady and her Son by enjoy-

ing his provision. Have a Pot Luck with all the various communities of different origins. Food, fellowship and fun.

Host a Guadalupe Baby Shower for expectant mothers for baby

cloths – Join the pro-life team in your parish Chapter wide / Assembly Wide / Council wide call to Prayer for Inter-

cession of Our Lady for the lost sheep of the Diocese of Trenton.

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SAMPLE BULLETIN INSERT

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE TRAVELING TORCHES!

PROCESSION, PILGRIMAGE TO THE CATHEDRAL, AND A SPECIAL BISHOP’S MASS!

Dec 2nd , 2019 The traveling torch tradition began more than a half a century ago to honor Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Patroness of all the Americas. The torchlight processes with the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe who is the original “Light” carrier as it was through her womb that Light was brought into the world.

In the whole month of November, the torches will be visiting parishes

near you with special activities and events to honor Our Lady of

Guadalupe.

Dec 2nd - The Procession Pilgrimage day starts at Immaculate

Conception Church, Trenton, at 8:30am Coffee and traditional coffee bread provided. There will be shuttle buses going to and from the Cathedral. Shuttle buses operate 7am to 4:30pm. They will all make regular stops at:

Immaculate Conception Church (Our Lady of the Angels),Trenton St Anthony Church (Our Lady of Sorrows), Trenton St Joseph, Trenton St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton

Hundreds of pilgrims will process with police escort to St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton for a special mass with our Bishop David O'Connell at 12noon. Please join us as we unite under the care of Our Lady of Guadalupe and honor Our Mother in this beautiful way !!

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THE TORCH OF GUADALUPE Sample Mass Announcement

On October 27

th, Bishop David O’Connell marked the beginning of the

Traveling Torch celebration of our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas, by lighting and sending forth torches from the Co-Cathedral of St. Robert Bellarmine in Freehold. Our Lady of Guadalupe who appeared to Juan Diego in 1531 in Mexico worked a miracle through him that helped to unite all people and has converted millions to Catholicism ever since. The torch run, a traditional Mexican religious pilgrimage that dates back more than half a century to honor Our Lady of Guadalupe and commemorate this apparition, is an event that seeks to promote, to all the community groups along its path, the peace and hope that is found in her son Jesus. This tradition will be reenacted throughout our Diocese during the month of November. Various torches will travel to select parishes throughout the month and finally end its journey on December 2

nd with a procession to St

Mary of the Assumption Cathedral in Trenton where the Bishop will, once again, receive the torches in celebration of a very special Mass. We, as a Parish, are honored to receive the Diocesan Our Lady of Guadalupe Torch today. The Torch will remain in the Church for a week. Please see the bulletin for schedule of activities, services, devotions, and adoration, all in honor of our Blessed Mother, who unites us all in Christ. Mass then begins ……

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John Paul II’s Prayer to Our Lady of Guadalupe

O Immaculate Virgin, Mother of the true God and Mother of the Church!, who from this place reveal your clemency and your pity to all those who ask for your protection, hear the prayer that we address to you with filial trust, and present it to your Son Jesus, our sole Re-deemer.

Mother of Mercy, Teacher of hidden and silent sacrifice, to you, who come to meet us sinners, we dedicate on this day all our being and all our love. We also dedicate to you our life, our work, our joys, our infir-mities and our sorrows. Grant peace, justice and prosperity to our peo-ples; for we entrust to your care all that we have and all that we are, our Lady and Mother. We wish to be entirely yours and to walk with you along the way of complete faithfulness to Jesus Christ in His Church; hold us always with your loving hand.

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Virgin of Guadalupe, Mother of the Americas, we pray to you for all the Bishops, that they may lead the faithful along paths of intense Christian life, of love and humble service of God and souls. Contemplate this im-mense harvest, and intercede with the Lord that He may instill a hunger for holiness in the whole people of God, and grant abundant vocations of priests and religious, strong in the faith and zealous dispensers of God’s mysteries.

Grant to our homes the grace of loving and respecting life in its begin-nings, with the same love with which you conceived in your womb the life of the Son of God. Blessed Virgin Mary, protect our families, so that they may always be united, and bless the upbringing of our children.

Our hope, look upon us with compassion, teach us to go continually to Jesus and, if we fall, help us to rise again, to return to Him, by means of the confession of our faults and sins in the Sacrament of Penance, which gives peace to the soul.

We beg you to grant us a great love for all the holy Sacraments, which are, as it were, the signs that your Son left us on earth. Thus, Most Holy Mother, with the peace of God in our conscience, with our hearts free from evil and hatred, we will be able to bring to all true joy and true peace, which come to us from your son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns for ever and ever.

Amen.

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Hymn to Our lady of Guadalupe

Melody, Lord You Have Come to the Seashore

1 - You… are the fountain of my life,

Under your shadow… in your protection,

I fear no evil… no pain no worry.

Refrain

O Maria, O most merciful Mother,

Gentle virgin… with the name Guadalupe.

On a mountain… we find roses in winter,

All the world… has been touched by your love.

2 - Here… in the crossing of your arms,

Could there be anything… else that I need?

Nothing discourage… nothing depress me.

3 - You…are the star of the ocean,

My boat is small… and the waves are so high.

But with you to guide me… I’ll reach my homeland.

4 - You… are the dawn of a new day,

For you give birth… to the Son of the Father.

All of my lifetime… I’ll walk beside you.

See video—Our Lady of Guadalupe (as sung by Molly Chesna)

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