KERRIE LLOYD HAS ALWAYS been fascinated by Marian apparitions around the world. Still, it wasn’t until recently that she learned about the miracles of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Fascinated by the stories in Our Lady of Guadalupe, “Hope for the World,” she reached out to the book’s author, Dan Lynch, who is the director of the non-profit apostolate that coordinates the travels of four Missionary Images of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
After their conversation, Lloyd and Mary Brunson spoke with Bishop Timothy Freyer about the opportunity of bringing the Missionary Image to the Diocese of Orange. Bishop Freyer enthusiastically endorsed the visit and entrusted the Very Rev. Alfred Baca (Director of Ecumenism and Inter-religion) with bringing the Image to the Diocese of Orange.
The Missionary Image is in parishes through Nov. 24. The list of dates and locations can be found at rcbo.org/tilma.
As the guardian of the Missionary Image, Lloyd coordinated with the Diocese, self-financed the image’s visit to local parishes and provided samples of liturgy for parishes to share this incredible gift of Our Lady of Guadalupe with the people of Orange County.
Perhaps a brief background about the Image would be helpful to understand the significance of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
In 1531, Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared to Juan Diego, an Aztec convert to Catholicism. To provide proof of the authenticity of the Marian apparition to Bishop Zumárraga, Our Lady of Guadalupe’s image appeared on Juan Diego’s tilma for the bishop, and several others who were present, to see. Almost 500 years later, Diego’s tilma, made of cactus fiber and still bright with vibrant colors and luminosity, is displayed above the altar in Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City.
HOPE ST. AMANT AND KERRIE LLOYD STAND WITH THE MISSIONARY IMAGE OF OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE AT CHRIST CATHEDRAL. PHOTO BY EVERETT JOHNSON/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
In 1999, the tilma was removed from its glass frame and a high-resolution digital image was made from the original image. The digital image was blessed by St. Pope John Paul II. From that digital image, only four “Missionary Images” were produced and are the exact size of the original tilma—4′ x 6′. These Images were blessed and commissioned by the Rector of the Basilica. Printed on each Missionary Image is the certification by Cardinal Norberto Rivera Carrera, Primate of Mexico, “I certify that this Image is a faithful reproduction from the digital file of the Sacred Original of the Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.”
Inspired to bring the Missionary Image to Orange County, Lloyd stated, “I felt like Our Lady of Guadalupe was calling me.”
With the support and leadership of Bishop Kevin Vann, Bishop Freyer and Fr. Baca, Lloyd and members of the Executive Planning Committee organized the visit of the Missionary Image in our Diocese. These diocesan and lay leaders are creating opportunities for veneration of the Image to encourage a new era of evangelization, a culture of life, and a civilization of love for which St. Pope John Paul II prayed.
People have noticed very supernatural things connected to the images. Nurses and doctors have detected a baby’s heartbeat over the Virgin’s womb; sometimes oil drips from the image.
Fr. Baca added, “Catholics believe in miracles, in the dramatic ways that Heaven intercedes in human events. The greatest miracle for me is when faith is deepened, the love for God becomes real, and people become true brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ.”
Lloyd experienced a miraculous event when the Image arrived at her home in a plain, unmarked box. Lloyd’s son, Adam, is non-verbal, deaf, and autistic. Without being told that the Image was inside, Adam saw the box and used sign language to urgently and repeatedly tell his mother, “Open Jesus!”
There is a link between Adam’s experience in 2024 and the Aztecs’ experience of the image on Juan Diego’s tilma in 1531. One of the significant Aztec symbols on the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe is the black maternity bow around her waist, meaning she was carrying a child in her womb. The maternity bow, along with other meaningful symbols, signified to the Aztecs that the woman whose image was on Juan Diego’s tilma was the mother of God. As a result of this image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, nine million Aztecs rejected their former pagan worship and human sacrifice and converted to Catholicism. While we may only see the Image of Our Lady, Adam had a sense of Jesus being within Our Lady when he insisted, “Open Jesus!”
Lloyd had other naturalistically inexplicable experiences when the Image was in her home.
“When I first opened it [the Image] and saw her,” she shared. “I felt a very strong female energy – but without any ‘edge’ whatsoever. She has just a powerful but gentle energy that gets things done. Once she came into my home, there were so many blessings – things I had been worried about were resolved within hours. A chain on the Image stand broke, but before we could get the tools to fix it, it went back together.”
She continued: “I think of this as Mary’s ‘roadshow,’ and we treat her like the queen she is. We have a team of volunteers who helped assemble the exhibit, booked the parishes and arranged for security, but Mary is the one who moved mountains to make this happen.”
Probably not coincidentally, Our Lady of Guadalupe is the patroness of the Diocese of Orange. This particular visit is not part of a national tour; she’s on a special mission to us this November. For those of us who may never see the original image on the tilma in the Basilica in Mexico City, Our Lady of Guadalupe has come to us. Just as she reassured Juan Diego when he was distressed about his uncle’s near-death condition, Our Lady said to Juan, Am I not your mother? Your uncle is already well. She encourages us to come to her and ask for her intercession for all our needs.
Fr. Baca reflected on the special graces the Image brings.
“The Lady of Guadalupe is the patroness of the Diocese of Orange. She has a special place in the hearts of all our Catholics. Already we are seeing large numbers bringing their prayers and hopes to the Virgin. Like the couple at Cana, we bring our needs, our fears and challenges to Mary. She joins our prayers to her prayers, placing them in the hands of our good and gentle Jesus. What could be better than that?”
The Missionary Image tour in the Diocese of Orange began on Nov. 1 at Christ Cathedral and ends at St. Vincent de Paul on Nov. 24. The public is invited to venerate the Image at host parishes and sites throughout the Diocese. For a complete list of sites hosting the image, visit www.rcbo.org/tilma
Kathleen Conway contributed to this story.