SAN FRANCISCO (LifeSiteNews) — San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone has launched a new project to encourage devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe leading up to the 500th anniversary of Her apparitions.
In an interview with Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) host Raymond Arroyo, Archbishop Cordileone discussed Project Guadalupe 2031, his initiative to renew devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe across America.
The project is described as a response to Pope Francis’ call in 2022 for a nine-year novena leading up to the 500th anniversary of Our Lady’s apparitions in Guadalupe.
In 1531, Our Lady appeared to St. Juan Diego, a local peasant, on Tepeyac Hill in Mexico City. The Marian apparitions led to a mass conversation of the Mexican people and a renewed devotion to Our Lady.
The apparitions especially appealed to the people of Mexico, as the image of Our Lady miraculously imprinted on St. Juan Diego’s tilma shows Her dressed in traditional Mexican clothes.
Archbishop Cordileone lamented that most Americans have forgotten about Our Lady’s apparitions and devotion to Her has dwindled in recent years.
“We want to promote awareness of this and invite people into this novena to instill greater devotion to Our Lady, because She’s the One Who always leads us to the encounter with Her Son,” he said.
As a result, Archbishop Cordileone is scheduling Masses of the Americas in venues across the United States. The Masses aim to “bring the popular music Mexican people sing to honor Our Lady of Guadalupe into the sacred music tradition of the Church.”
On October 7, 2025, the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, Archbishop Cordileone will celebrate the Mass of the Americas at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the shrine built at the request of Our Lady nearly 500 years ago.
Additionally, the prelate has partnered with the Benedict XVI Institute for Sacred Music and Divine Worship to encourage Catholics to enthrone an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe and consecrate their homes to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The Institute holds a goal of 100,000 home enthronements of Our Lady of Guadalupe in the next three years.
“This is another part of our effort to raise awareness of the nine-year novena to enthrone that image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, because that is the pivotal moment of introducing Christ into this hemisphere, and we are all a part of it. Our Lady brought Her Son to this continent,” Archbishop Cordileone explained.
“She’s our connection to Her Son,” he continued. “So, we enthrone Her in our homes as a reminder of what She has done for us in giving birth to Her Son. And She continues to give birth to Her Son for us, to lead us into that saving encounter with Him.”