Shrine of our Lady of GuadaLupeShrine of our Lady of GuadaLupe

La Crosse, WILa Crosse, WI

State of the Shrine ADDRESS 2021

Letter from CardinaL Burke

Praised be Jesus Christ now and forever!

Nearly 500 years ago, the Virgin Mother of Our Lord, through a gift from God, commenced a series of apparitions to the Chichimec peasant, Saint Juan Diego. She expressed her endearment towards him by calling him “Juanito, Juan Dieguito,” demonstrating the motherly intimacy and maternal care with which she wished to manifest God’s immeasurable and ceaseless love and mercy toward all His beloved children.

Her commission of a chapel dedicated to the spiritual and corporal welfare of God’s children, especially those in most need, unveils the heart of the mission of the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Our Lady’s desire to establish a place of pilgrimage so that her children could draw nearer to her Divine Son, Whose mission She eternally shares, extends over nearly five centuries to this day and age, and to this place of pilgrimage in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

The Virgin of Guadalupe invites us to approach Her Divine Son, to receive from His Sacred Heart the outpouring of the sevenfold grace of the Holy Spirit into our hearts. The grace of the Holy Spirit cleanses us from sin and advances our salvation, distancing us from immorality and strengthening us against the constant contradictions of Eternal Truth, the corruptions of eternal Beauty, and the perversions of eternal Goodness. In short, it strengthens us against the Evil One’s manifold deceit which leads to sin.

In a particular way, Our Lady counters all sinful inclinations through an intimate encounter with Her Most Holy Son, Whose Redemptive work in His Word, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will

give you rest” (Mt 11, 28), becomes a manifest reality as pilgrims rest from the relentless attacks of temptation. That Gospel truth, at the heart of Our Lady’s message on Tepeyac Hill, is also the heart of the mission of the Shrine. It is a place for all of God’s children to come to Him, especially

those suffering from oppressive labor and heavy burdens, to surrender in all humility to the might of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, Who reigns over Heaven and Earth from His glorious pierced Heart. When we surrender our hearts to His Most Sacred Heart, He assists us in the work of carrying our cross, for he is “gentle and lowly in heart”, promising us “rest for [our] souls.”

The Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, whose fourfold mission of pilgrimage, spiritual conferences, retreats, catechesis and evangelization, is the place of spiritual renewal where pilgrims lift up their hearts to the glorious Sacred Heart of Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary. This fourfold mission has been maintained during these difficult times. All through 2020, the Shrine staff remained steadfast in keeping doors open for pilgrims, encouraging participation in the Sacraments of Penance and the Holy Eucharist, and serving

In these uncertain times, the

Shrine’s dedication to the corporal

and spiritual welfare of God’s children

becomes even more critical.

Our Lady’s mission of mercy. In a special way, I thank the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate. In these uncertain times, the Shrine’s dedication to the corporal and spiritual welfare of God’s children becomes even more critical. No one is more aware of this than the Shrine’s Executive Director, Father Paul Check.

Although Father Check has now officially held the charge of Executive Director since August 15, 2020, for many of you, this may be your first encounter with him. Father Check will carry out the same mission that Our Lady gave to Saint Juan Diego, to “exalt and manifest”

Our Lord, especially for all in need of our compassionate Savior.

At this time, Father Check has composed a letter for you, a State of the Shrine Address. The contents demonstrate his clarity of vision, in

the examination of his service thus far, as well as the presentation of his goals for the coming years, while the Shrine prepares to celebrate

the Quincentenary of Our Lady’s apparitions to Saint Juan Diego. I invite you to read this State of the Shrine Address now.

I invoke God’s blessing, through the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe, upon you and your home, and I remain ever Yours in the

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and in the Purest Heart of Saint Joseph,

Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke

October 1, 2021

Dear Shrine Community,

I had originally planned to send this to you around September 1st, but Cardinal Burke’s illness and hospitalization delayed its publication for reasons I know you will understand. Now that His Eminence has started rehabilitation and is making steady, if slow, progress, I am pleased to be able to release it. We give abundant thanks and praise to the Good God for His kindness and mercy to the Cardinal and to us, and I ask for your continued prayers for his full and speedy recovery.

One other significant moment in the life of the Shrine has also taken place in the intervening time. After 13 years of exemplary service to the pilgrims and the local community, the Franciscans of the Immaculate have departed, due to their inability to staff the Shrine along with all of their other apostolates in the United States and abroad. We wish the Friars well in their new assignments in the vineyard, and we ask Lord to bless and reward them for their fruitful labors in La Crosse.

The Canons Regular of St. Michael’s Abbey from Silverado, CA have assumed pastoral care of the pilgrims. His Eminence and I have both known and respected the “Norbertines,” as they are called, for over 25 years. In the months ahead, we will be writing more about this new chapter in the Shrine’s history.

“I want very much that they build my sacred little house here… Go, do what you are responsible for…I, who am the Mother of God, am sending you.”

Our Lady always speaks with clarity and with reassurance, and she always speaks to the simple-hearted. Her words impart purpose and hope and a mission. With maternal charity, she gently but powerfully intervenes at different moments to dispose us to trust her Son. Her own surrender to God inspires and fortifies ours.

For several reasons, I have waited for the anniversary of my first year in my role as Executive Director to send to you this “state of the Shrine” report. Last fall, in conversation with Cardinal Burke, I said to him, “Your Eminence, I came here at your request, but I have stayed for the mission.” He approved of this statement, as I believed he would. Now, twelve months into my appointment, I feel an ever stronger commitment to the mission of the Shrine, through a stronger devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe and a greater confidence in her importance at this moment in salvation history.

Many will recognize her words above to St. Juan Diego, whose simplicity of heart and poverty of spirit disposed him to be a faithful and fruitful instrument in the hands of Our Lord and His Mother, for the building up of the Kingdom of God on earth, the Church. I know that I have much to learn from him.

The quincentenary of the apparitions of Our Lady to St. Juan Diego will come soon, in December 2031. Her message and her maternal solicitude of 1531 remain timely and relevant to us. The crisis we face today is not dissimilar to the one of 500 years ago in Mexico: idolatry, which the Catechism of the Catholic Church defines as “divinizing what is not God,” i.e. false gods, to be sure, but to include things like power, pleasure, the state, and money. (CCC 2113) Idolatry in whatever form is a sin against faith and the First Commandment. Ours, said St. John Henry Newman, is a time characterized by “unbelief ” and the infidelity and grave sin—like human sacrifice—that follows. GK Chesterton corrected Karl Marx, when Chesterton said that irreligion is the opium of the people. “Wherever the people do not believe in something beyond the world,” Chesterton wrote, “they will worship the world.”

Do not fear…Am I not here, who am your Mother? Are you not under my shadow and protection?

Are you not under my shadow and protection? Our Lady reassured St. Juan Diego about his personal trials, and she offers similar reassurance to us, both about our individual needs and concerns, and regarding the challenges we observe in the world and even in the Church. Nothing is outside the providence of God. Nothing is outside the reach of His grace. Go, do what you are responsible for…

Our Lord has made His disciples partners, and indeed, friends, in the most noble tasks of the praise of God and the salvation of souls. In particular, the mission of the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe comprises four spiritual activities: pilgrimage, conferences, evangelization and catechesis, and one day, Deo volente, retreats. In a real sense, pilgrimage embraces all of the activities, for the conferences, evangelization and catechesis, and retreats are all means of deepening the encounter with Christ, under the maternal care of His Mother, through pilgrimage. I would like to offer a few words about each of these, keeping in mind that the problems of any given period in salvation history are first spiritual, and so the remedies must be spiritual. As St. John Paul II explained, to strengthen the religious or spiritual life will in turn strengthen the moral life and finally the culture. (cf. Veritatis Splendor 98)

Pilgrimage to a holy place, as His Eminence often reminds us, is the ancient devotion.

Why is pilgrimage so important? First, the adventure of this life is itself the pilgrimage to eternal life. For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city which is to come. (Heb 13:14) A pilgrimage testifies to the right order of things: that we love the Lord our God with all of our mind, heart, soul and strength; that we trust that He is good, merciful and sovereign; that in faith and hope, we surrender our hearts to Him and that in charity, we love others for His sake; that we are striving along the narrow path for Heaven.

Pilgrimage enfleshes these convictions. It lifts us out of the daily and the familiar, and it brings us to what is most worthy and holy. It tells us, as His Eminence likes to say, that our ordinary lives are best understood within the extraordinary gift of Christ and His Church, and that we will better appreciate the natural and the human in the context of the supernatural and the divine.

For these reasons, the Shrine must be an oasis of peace and beauty, so that it will raise the soul to God. People make a pilgrimage for many reasons: to give thanks for favors granted and blessings received; to beseech the Good God for graces of healing, whether corporeal or spiritual; for the strength to persevere and to be faithful; to ask for the Lord’s gracious mercy; to place themselves under Our Lady’s mantle of charity, purity and humility; or simply to express their love for God and His Mother.

We find people making them, including the Lord Himself, in Sacred Scripture, and we know many prominent pilgrimage places in the world today that draw people: the Holy Land, Rome, Santiago de Compostela, Lourdes, Fatima, and Mexico City…and our own precious Shrine in La Crosse.

The Shrine offers an ideal, prayerful setting for the pilgrim. We know the pull of the world can be strong, which is why the Shrine refreshes the soul all the more. If we but “give God permission,” as St. Teresa of Calcutta said, if we will give our fiat after the example of Our Blessed Mother, then the love of God will be “poured into our hearts.” (Rom 5:5) In this, the pilgrim trusts.

Since the consecration of the Shrine Church in 2008, our best year approached 81,000 pilgrims. In 2020, with 10 months affected by the response to COVID, 65,000 pilgrims still came to the Shrine…remarkable, given the circumstances. Thanks to the spiritual fatherhood of Cardinal Burke, and with the encouragement and approval of Bishop William Callahan, Bishop of La Crosse, the Shrine never closed. The Friars responded creatively and energetically to the times, so that the Shrine’s care of pilgrims did not waver. People came here from great distances to receive the Sacraments and to pray before the tabernacle and the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. For 2021, we are in record territory for pilgrim count and for confessions, which in some months have exceeded double the amount for the same month in previous years.

One final, but significant, point about pilgrimage to the Shrine. In response to a petition from Cardinal Burke, the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization this year approved that the same privileges granted to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico also be accorded to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse. In other words, the same spiritual benefits may be obtained for pilgrims who venerate Our Lady In La Crosse, as in Mexico City. We will publicize this marvelous grace more widely in the days to come.

COVID restrictions forced the cancellation of our annual conferences last year, but all will return this summer: Marian Catechists Apostolate, Queen of the Americas Guild, and Speculum Iustitiae.

I would like to build upon these fine gatherings by adding over time to the Shrine’s regular schedule, in partnership with other solidly Catholic apostolates and ministries, so that more people will come on pilgrimage. I wish also to increase the Shrine’s participation elsewhere in conferences where there will be the occasion to speak about the Shrine. As our facilities expand, we will be able to host more events and pilgrims.

We have started to discuss plans for a new department at the Shrine for evangelization and catechesis, of which the Marian Catechist Apostolate will form an essential part. The Marian Catechists, established by the Servant of God, Fr. John A. Hardon, SJ, have begun a new chapter in their excellent service to the Church through a fuller integration into the Shrine staff. Soon, their bookstore will be opened alongside the Flores Mariae, where many more pilgrims will have the chance to find sound material in doctrine, Sacraments and liturgy, morality, spirituality, lives of the saints, Church history, etc.

The expanded new department will contain many of the things typically associated with teaching the Catholic Faith. However, it will also have some unique aspects, for example, residential programs, as we always keep in mind the spiritual benefit of pilgrimage to a holy place. The new department will coordinate our collaboration with organizations such as the Knights of Columbus. It is also of particular importance to His Eminence and to me to strengthen our already good rapport with the Diocese of La Crosse, by offering to assist the Diocesan Bishop in various ways to build up the Catholic Faith locally.

Finally, we are persevering with our plans for a retreat house, so that pilgrims can extend the grace of their stay and become retreatants.

As many of you know, the original concept called for the retreat house to be located “on the plain”, i.e. on flatland along the drive onto the Shrine property. Last summer, after consultation with the architect and engineers, the Cardinal and the Shrine Board of Directors approved a plan to relocate the retreat house next to the Shrine Church, the spiritual center of the property. This closer proximity to the Shrine Church will allow greater and easier access to Mass, Confession, Adoration, the Memorial to the Unborn, the Rosary Walk, and the Stations of the Cross. As planned, the retreat house will have 33 rooms for retreatants, a large room that will hold up to 200 for a talk, and two other rooms for smaller gatherings. It will also afford panoramic views from a terrace overlooking the region.

Recalling that spiritual needs require spiritual remedies, we can foresee the great good that the retreat house will afford over many years to many souls, who will in turn share graces received with others. In addition to individual retreats for those who come for a weekend or for a week, we will be able to establish a yearly program of retreats for priests (one each year given by His Eminence), for religious, for seminarians and those discerning a vocation; for married couples; for directors of religious education and parochial school teachers; for Catholic healthcare workers and those in pro-life ministry; for Catholic athletes…you see the potential!

Answering Mary’s Call, the Shrine’s last capital campaign, achieved the goal set by the Cardinal and the Shrine’s Board of Directors for the endowment and for the retreat house. We will undertake a new three-month planning study to determine how best to move forward with building the retreat house. I will look forward to receiving ideas and counsel from those contacted.

Thank you, in advance, for your candor and commitment.

When I was appointed Executive Director, His Eminence told me that my first responsibility, particularly during the first year, must be the Shrine staff, and I have followed his instruction closely. After Our Lady of Guadalupe, the staff is our greatest asset. Those of you who have been to the Shrine know how dedicated and competent these good souls are. Each day here is a blessing for me because I work alongside about 50 paid staff and 30 volunteers who love the Lord, Our Lady of Guadalupe, and the Church.

Earlier this year, we had a two-day staff retreat, during which I gave three spiritual conferences on the virtue of charity.

Several of our staff are regulars at the morning Mass. We are beginning to develop a modest routine of prayer in the office. The staff and I realize that only with the Sacraments and prayer can we be united and fruitful in our efforts.

I have also given special attention to hiring. Greg Marco’s return to the staff in a newly established role as the Director of Shrine Operations has been an especial gift, because he is well-known and well-respected within the Shrine community. Greg has 14 years of experience at the Shrine, having worked in almost every department.

Becket Ghioto is our new Director of Communications, and he also serves as the Cardinal’s media officer. Becket and his wife Christina, who were married on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, have just relocated to La Crosse from Steubenville, OH, where Becket was the Director of Digital Development for the St. Paul Center. When Becket had accepted our offer, I called Dr. Scott Hahn, who had been an instructor of mine many years ago in the seminary. I told Dr. Hahn that my message was brief: “Thank you and I am sorry!” He received my words graciously. Under Becket’s supervision, we will soon establish a new studio where we can produce videos, podcasts and other media.

As you read this, I continue to prospect and interview for a new Director of Development and a Major Gifts Officer. Given our plans for the next decade, I am proposing to His Eminence and the Board of Directors that we move from two to three in our development office. First and foremost, the Shrine offers the opportunity for those with the right professional experience to work under the mantle of Our Lady of Guadalupe and for and alongside Cardinal Burke, at this decisive moment in the life of the Church. Given the culture we are building among the staff, we are looking only for people who wish to live near the Shrine and to receive the grace that brings. Perhaps you know someone?

Earlier I mentioned the 500th anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe. That significant date has become the goal for our strategic plan for the Shrine. We sometimes use different metaphors to explain the nature of the Shrine and what we hope it will become in God’s generosity and through Our Lady’s protection and intercession: a beacon of truth, light and hope that is also a stronghold of fidelity, and even something like a medieval monastery, around which will continue to grow—both naturally and supernaturally—a community of faith, hope and charity. You know well the Shrine’s commitment to the rich theological, spiritual, and liturgical tradition of the Church. The future projects we are discussing keep all these things in mind, so that the Shrine can better fulfill its mission to the Church during this critical time in salvation history. May December 2031 bring a rich outpouring of grace upon the Church and our nation.

How can you help?

As Christians, we believe that the visible world is always guided and fortified by the invisible world, i.e. by grace. Whatever the will of God directs or allows us to accomplish will rest on His goodness and the prayers and sacrifices of many. When all that is hidden is revealed, this will become plain…but we already know today that it is true. As time and God’s providence for the Shrine unfolds, I will keep in touch with you and will no doubt ask you to consider how you might assist His Eminence and the staff and volunteers as we strive to further the message of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Go, do what you are responsible for... At the moment, however, may I ask that you do this simple but powerful thing for us? Please pray a Rosary for the Shrine, that our efforts may always be pleasing to Our Lady and fruitful for her Son’s Mystical Body, the Church.

Secondly, please make a pilgrimage to the Shrine, in the next twelve months, if you can. Make the commitment and come for whatever spiritual intention best serves your soul. The staff often hears me quote my patron saint:

“Now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation.” (II Cor 6:2)

Let the beauty and peace of the Shrine impress itself deeply upon your mind and heart and allow Our Lady of Guadalupe to bless and guide you. I return to the encouragement of St Paul: “Where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more.” (Rom 5:20)

Finally, I must happily and gratefully acknowledge your generosity to the Shrine.

The Cardinal’s appeal for last year and this year are, like the pilgrim and confession count, in record territory. May the Lord reward our many benefactors and co-workers. We are committed to expanding our donor base so that many more people will share in the splendid mission and future of the Shrine, and so receive spiritual benefit. To those who have already given this year, please be assured of my sincere and abundant gratitude. To those who have not yet made a pledge or gift, would you please prayerfully consider doing so today? You will not be surprised to learn that the restoration of the Pilgrim Center following the recent water main break will not be covered entirely by our insurance.

Next year will be my silver jubilee of priesthood. I believe I have received much of the “thirty, sixty, one hundredfold” promised by the Gospel. I thank the Lord daily for my assignment here at the Shrine. This is the second time that His Eminence has guided me to a particular work in the Church that in turn has become a marvelous source of grace and growth for my priestly life. I look forward in “blessed hope”, as we say at Mass, to what lies ahead, under the care of Our Lady of Guadalupe, as together we continue to build her sacred little house.

God bless you.

Rev. Paul N. Check

Rev. Paul N. Check Executive Director

Shrine of our Lady of GuadaLupeShrine of our Lady of GuadaLupe

5250 Justin Road | La Crosse, Wisconsin 54601

State of the Shrine ADDRESS 2021

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