A new shrine area at Our Lady of Snows

The statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe – as the Mexican version of the Virgin Mary
is known – and its surroundings make up one of the many devotional areas at the
225-acre shrine, which has been run by the Missionary Oblates of Mary
Immaculate religious order since 1958. The Oblates paid $150,000 to construct
the Guadalupe site (designed to resemble the desert terrain of Mexico) and
commission the statue, said the Rev. Louis Studer, the shrine’s director.

The site will be dedicated Saturday, followed on Sunday by the shrine’s annual
Hispanic celebration, which typically draws more than 1,000 people.

The Rev. Raul Salas, associate director of Our Lady of the Snows, said the goal
of the Guadalupe devotional site is to attract more Hispanics to the shrine.
"Many people make the pilgrimage to Mexico, but many others can’t," he said.
"This will be a way for those people to stay connected with their faith and
culture."