OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE CHAPEL REACHES COMPLETION

On December 12, Catholics celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. At St. Monica, we hold a special devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe within our parish. When the Blessed Sacrament Chapel was relocated to behind the altar, the former space was chosen to become a chapel honoring this apparition of Mary. For many years, progress was slowly but surely made on the beautiful glass mosaic. However, just as the COVID-19 pandemic impacted many parts of our lives, the work on the Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel was no exception to that. Originally, families of the parish were going to help with this mosaic work, but due to the challenges of the pandemic, the work was done by Kathy Stoll-Smith.

Claudio Toto’s leadership role in finishing this beautiful chapel began a few years into the project.

“I wasn’t involved in any of this until last year,” Claudio says. “By this time, our business manager and the parish secretaries had been talking to Fr. John about finishing the project for the chapel. They even made a plan of their ideas but there were no people to finish it. Before our fall retreat for Cristo Renueva Su Parroquia Continuation Committee, I needed a favor from Fr. Vinny. He jokingly replied, ‘Of course, but only if you are in charge of finishing the Chapel of the Virgin of Guadalupe!’ And it was by the providence of the Holy Spirit that I became involved in this project.” “I have been very blessed to be involved in this parish and it is through that, I have met many people, especially men and women whom God has changed their lives here and want to share their talents,” he adds.

Claudio involved the Cristo Renueva Se Parroquia Continuation Committee and started to get more support from the parish. Many volunteers helped with all aspects of finishing this project — from installing tile, donating the marble, cleaning, and even painting the image of St. Juan Diego.

“Many of these volunteers worked a lot of hours after their own workday, even until very late at night,” Claudio says. “Some donated money, and thanks be to God, it was finished before the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.”

Finishing the chapel was a work of dedication and a labor of love for everyone involved.

“In Mary, we see the faith that she transmits to us with humility and obedience, to be able to serve our neighbor just as she served her cousin Elizabeth by inspiration of the Holy Spirit,” Claudio says. “It is the parish that is the door through which we all come looking for comfort, strength, a spiritual thirst. And through Christ, we find a home to continue in our journey of faith. Serving in the parish has strengthened me more in faith.”

Claudio invites everyone to come and spend time in prayer in this beautiful chapel. Our Lady of Guadalupe is waiting for her children who want to approach her Son with her — all are welcome.