The Story and I, Sister Marie Consuelo Pacheo

The story of Our Lady of Guadalupe begins on December 9, 1531. Juan Diego, a Mexican native, on hearing beautiful songbirds followed the music up Mount Tepeyac. When he got to the top, the whole place appeared to be covered with gold dust. The clouds opened and a lady appeared standing in front of the sun. She requested that a temple be built on that site so she could bless her children there. Juan Diego delivered her request to the bishop, who demanded a sign. The sign the lady gave the bishop were Castile roses cascading from Juan Diego’s tilma, and her image imprinted on the tilma. The image is known as Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Our Lady of Guadalupe has become a symbol of national identity and faith to the Mexican people and their children. They love her and keep songbirds in her honor; they sing hymns, popular songs and folk songs in her honor; and they grow rose bushes in her honor.

Our Lady of Guadalupe was a sign of love and liberation to Juan Diego’s people who were dejected and conquered people. They read the image, as we can read it, as an icon. Today she is that sign of love and liberation to all people. Her standing in front of the sun, stepping on the moon and wearing the stars, tell us not to be afraid, for we are under her protection. The most important symbol is the black cincher she wears, telling the world that she is pregnant. She is a perfect Advent figure because she carries the eternal Word of God, who is present here, and yet not full revealed.

Our Lady of Guadalupe’s image and other ancient Mexican motifs are a source of inspiration for my artistic expression.

Appearances; Reappearances

The different forms the images of Our Lady of Guadalupe in this exhibit have taken, the variety of approaches and the materials used are pure gifts. Sometimes the gift is realistic and easily recognized. Other times her traditional image is not immediately apparent. Our Lady’s pregnancy is important to me because it says, “Christ is here, but not quite yet.” In some of the images, her pregnancy is stressed to the point of exaggeration. A few images are based on, or are simply reminders of, the mysterious “woman clothed with the sun,” from the Book of Revelation.”

Much has been written and discussed about the meaning of various symbols in the original image, such as the sun, the moon, her hands and face, etc. This has greatly influenced how I perceive and represent her. The privilege of seeing the original image and attending weekly Mass, for a month, at the basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, has also impacted my work. Participating in Masses and other celebrations on Our Lady of Guadalupe’s feast day have been pure gift. The gift of Our Lady of Guadalupe’s self-giving continues as I grow in understanding of this mysterious image and as I also grow in my love for her.

My intention in displaying the work here is to reveal the beauty of God’s love as Our Lady of Guadalupe’s gift to me over the course of many years. I hope that through this exhibit, the viewer’s heart is touched in a very special and different way.

Sister Maria Consuelo Pacheco, Sister of Charity of Seton Hill