Our Lady of Guadalupe Procession and Mass

Overview

The Diocese of Stockton is pleased to announce the 44th annual celebration in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The event begins at 12 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, with a procession from St. Mary’s Church, concluding with a Holy Mass at the Stockton Arena at 2 p.m. The diocese invites all to walk in communion with Mary and the Church to encounter Jesus in the Eucharistic celebration.

In 1981, the Office of Hispanic Apostolate of the Diocese of Stockton began the tradition of journeying through the downtown streets in a pilgrimage honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe. Each year, parish groups from across the diocese unite in honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe. Pilgrims sing, pray, and dance in praise of God and in gratitude for her intercession as a loving mother. More than ten thousand people gather annually to participate in this tribute.

In 1986, the Most Reverend Donald Montrose, the fourth Bishop of Stockton, gifted a 6-foot-tall image of Our Lady of Guadalupe for the diocesan procession. This image has since accompanied the faithful each year on their journey, symbolizing their path toward an encounter with her beloved Son, Jesus Christ. The pilgrimage concludes with the celebration of the Eucharist.

In anticipation of this year’s celebration, the Most Reverend Myron J. Cotta, Bishop of Stockton, shared a message with the faithful: “As Pilgrims of Hope, let us prepare ourselves for the Coming of the Lord as we welcome the anticipated Year of Jubilee. May the prayers of Our Lady of Hope, Our Lady of Guadalupe, guide us to Jesus, who is God with us!”