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Mission & History of the Shrine

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Mission Statement

The Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse, Wisconsin, faithful to the message of the Blessed Virgin Mary through her appearances on the American continent in 1531, serves the spiritual needs of those who suffer poverty in body and soul. It is a place of ceaseless prayer for the corporal and spiritual welfare of God’s children, especially those in most need.

The Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, in fidelity to its mission as a place of religious pilgrimage:

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  • Pays homage to the Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mother of America and Star of the New Evangelization;

  • Honors Our Blessed Mother as the Patroness of the Unborn;

  • Is a fitting and efficacious instrument of the New Evangelization;

  • Is a place of sacramental encounter with Christ, especially in the Holy Eucharist and Reconciliation;

  • Is a place of thanksgiving for God’s many blessings, especially at the time of the reception of the Sacraments or at personal milestones;

  • Offers solace and strength to the physically and spiritually afflicted;

  • Provides a place of rest and renewal for the weary;

  • Educates adult Catholics in their faith and its practice; and

  • Applies to daily life the teachings and guidance of the Catholic Church, especially through the words of Our Holy Father.

A Gift of Providence

Pilgrims come to the Shrine Church to receive God’s forgiveness in the Sacrament of Penance and to participate in Holy Mass. Through her beautiful image behind the altar, Our Lady of Guadalupe continues her vocation and mission of bringing Christ to us and bringing us to Christ.

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In November of 1995, then-Bishop Raymond Leo Burke met with a small group of people to discuss his ideas for a Marian shrine.

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Through what many attribute to divine providence, a beautiful site of approximately 70 acres was gifted by the Robert Swing family. It was the desire of the late Mr. & Mrs. Swing that the tract of land which they had cared for so well might one day become a place that would draw people closer to God.