The Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Des Plaines is preparing for the influx of visitors for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, with extra attention to safety concerns amidst widespread fear of immigration enforcement by ICE, ABC7 Chicago reported. Each year, the event, marking a holy period in the Catholic calendar, attracts a significant number of worshippers, with some expressing apprehensions this year due to recent ICE raids in the Chicagoland area.
In response to these concerns, church leaders have assured that the event will proceed as planned, starting Thursday night and spanning 24 hours, despite the looming threat of enforcement actions and have made it clear that federal agents will not be permitted on church grounds without a proper legal warrant, this reassurance comes in the wake of an incident where witnesses reported federal agents deploying tear gas and pepper spray in Elgin which resulted in chemical exposure treatments for several people, as described by NBC Chicago.
The Shrine's Father Esequiel Sanchez highlighted the solidarity of the pilgrims amid these trying times, stating, "A pilgrim doesn’t only concern his own needs or her own needs,” he said. “We’re concerned about our people all of us we’re praying for our nation we’re praying for all of us," according to an interview with NBC Chicago. The celebration will not only offer masses but also cultural events dedicated to the Virgin Mary's apparition to Saint Juan Diego in 1531.
Despite the expected effect on turnout due to immigration enforcement fears, organizers are going the extra mile to also offer live streams of the masses for those unable to attend in person, Sanchez believes that it’s the political hostility that needs healing, hoping "that whatever hostility there are politically, they can be healed," while the Department of Homeland Security asserts "ICE does not raid churches—regardless of if it is a holiday season or not," in a statement to NBC Chicago.
With the opening mass scheduled for Thursday night, the Shrine and its organizers are pressing forward, balancing the need for safety with the desire to maintain the tradition and spiritual significance of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe for the many who seek guidance, protection, and blessings during this revered celebration.
