The unique, life-sized sculpture of the Virgin of Guadalupe will be on public exhibit at St. Gall/St. Simon Parish from Oct. 3 to Oct. 19.
CHICAGO – A hyper-realistic sculpture featuring a life-sized statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe, named “The Pilgrim Mother,” will be making its way St. Gall Church on the South Side.
The statue will leave the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Des Plaines after several weeks of prayer and veneration. The Pilgrim Mother will continue its pilgrimage through Chicago. The exhibit first arrived last month, and since then, more than 50,000 pilgrims have come to venerate this beautiful representation of Our Lady. A closing Mass will be celebrated at the Des Plaines shrine, 1170 N. River Road, Tuesday, Sept. 30, at 7 p.m.
The Pilgrim Mother will next be hosted at St. Gall/St. Simon Parish, 5511 S. Sawyer Ave. in Gage Park on Chicago’s Southwest Side. The statue will arrive this Friday, Oct. 3, with an opening Mass at 7 p.m. and will be on display at St. Gall through Oct. 18. The parish community invites all the faithful in welcoming Our Lady of Guadalupe in the spirit of prayer, unity and hope. The Very Rev. Esequiel Sánchez, Rector of the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, will be the main celebrant and homilist at the Mass.
“Our Blessed Mother knows that many cannot go to her Basilica, and that is why she comes to us to fulfill her promise to ‘give to all those who trust in me, all my love, protection, and care,’” parishioners shared in a recent parish bulletin. Parishioners added that they feel deeply honored and blessed to welcome the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe into their community.
The Pilgrim Mother exhibit is a unique Venerative and Experiential event featuring a life-sized sculpture of the Virgin of Guadalupe created by renowned Mexican artist Jorge Ismael Rodríguez. It also includes music and narrated reflections to immerse participants in the story of the apparitions.
Registration is required to participate in the experience. More details and sign-up information are available at St. Gall/St. Simon Parish Pilgrim Mother or by phone at 773-737-3113.
Founded in the late 19th century, St. Gall Parish is a vibrant Catholic community on Chicago’s Southwest Side. It comprises two worship sites: the main church, located at 5511 S. Sawyer, and St. Simon Chapel. Serving the Gage Park neighborhood and a predominantly Mexican community, the parish offers Masses in both English and Spanish, a strong religious education program, and an elementary school. St. Gall is deeply committed to outreach through its client-choice food pantry, the Catholic Charities Southwest Regional Office, and the Saint Vincent de Paul Society. Known for its distinctive circular church built in 1956, the parish continues to be a center of worship, service, and community engagement.