Your Visitation should be planned by a Guardian Team and not by one Guardian alone. This Team forms a “Visitation Family” which prayerfully prepares for the Visitation with the work divided into designated areas of responsibilities.
Our procedures may seem like hard work, but they are general and flexible. Our Lady of Guadalupe will lighten your work and she only asks you, as she asked St. Juan Diego, “do the best that you can.”She also told him to have no fears, worries or anxieties because, “am I not here who am your Mother, what else do you need?” So please have confidence in her help and in ours.
We suggest that you solicit volunteers for your Team from those already involved in Marian, pro-life or prayer movements. It is important to plan and prepare well at least three months prior to the Visitation.
In preparation for the Visitation to your area, the Team should continually pray Our Bishops’ Novena to Our Lady of Guadalupe to prepare the way.
The Team should consist of the following five Guardians: Guardian of the Image, Guardian of Publicity, Guardian of Finances, Guardian of Liturgies and Guardian of Religious Goods. You could combine the responsibilities in less than five Guardians, is an early you know is good that appreciated you but the minimum should be three: Guardian of Image and Liturgy, Guardian of Publicity and Guardian of Finances and Religious Goods.
Please make a special effort to attract children and youth who are the future of our Church. Involve them in processions, music and any other manner. We will send you the following videos for presentations: Mother of Hope, for adults and youth; Youth Reverence Life, for youth; and Juan Diego, for children.
Guardian of the Missionary Image
It is not necessary to obtain your Bishop’s permission for a Visitation. Permissions are necessary only from the pastors for their churches.
Do not add programs or speakers from other apostolates as this dilutes Our Lady’s Mission and causes confusion.
Your responsibilities are:
1. Learn the Mission. Read How to Host a Visitation and view the Mother of Hope video with the other Team members. Maintain contact with us.
2. Form the Visitation Guardian Team. There are no elections. You merely appoint other Guardian members. Meet at least every other week over 3 months. Know the duties of each of the Guardians, as set forth below, and copy and paste this paragraph 2 to them that contains these links: Table of Contents, How to Form a Team, and the Checklist of Responsibilities of Each Guardian. You may also print these and mail them to them.
The Checklist of Responsibilities of Each Guardian shows the task and completion date by the number of weeks prior to the Visitation (Week 0). You are responsible to see that all tasks are timely completed by the responsible Guardian. Each Guardian is named in the left hand column with their responsibilities listed below their title. The completion date is checked to the right which is the number of weeks prior to the Visitation that is listed on the top horizontal line. When the task is completed, the box should be crossed (X). A quick look at the checklist will then show tasks remaining to be done.
3. Supervise the Visitation Guardian Team. Call and chair Team meetings. Set agendas and deadlines for performance of duties. Confirm that they are timely performed by reviewing the Checklist for Responsibilities in this document. If there is no Guardian to perform these duties, you or someone you appoint should perform them.
4. Arrange Schedule of the Visitation that should include, if possible: churches, abortion centers, cloistered monasteries, convents, prisons, nursing homes, hospitals and schools. Send an email or a Letter to Area Pastors requesting them to host a visit. Follow up the email or letter with a phone call and request a personal appointment to request a parish Visitation and permissions to give a talk, to display the religious goods and Petition and Donation envelopes and basket and to take a free-will offering. Obtain a parish representative as a contact and helper. Confirm any scheduled Visitations using the Host Confirmation Letter. Prepare a schedule with the date, name of the place, address, phone number, event, hours, and name, address and phone numbers of the contact persons.
5. Obtain Parish Representatives. It is helpful to have parish representatives for each parish to help you to coordinate the visit. However, several Guardian Teams in the past merely scheduled their Visitation itinerary and then delegated to each parish the responsibility of running the programs and selling the religious goods. THIS DOES NOT WORK! There is too much lack of commitment, confusion and misunderstanding. Obtain a parish representative as a contact and helper. Schedule a meeting with the Team and all parish representatives.
6. Receive and Guard the Missionary Image. Generally, we entrust the Missionary Image to your care. See your Confirmation Letter for details of receiving the Image. Make arrangements with your Forwarder to receive the Image.
7. Act as Master of Ceremonies of Visitation Programs. You should educate yourself and provide explanatory talks on how Our Lady of Guadalupe ended human sacrifice and converted millions in the 16th century and her mission to do the same today by ending the human sacrifice of abortion and bringing conversions. Read the Presentation with Missionary Image and the short version and use whatever is appropriate for your visitation.
Read the booklet, An Hour of Prayer for Life, Peace and Protection and lead these Hours. Be sure that you or the Guardian of Liturgies arranges for all of the participants including processors, lectors and musicians.
Have someone reserve parking spaces for you at each Visitation site. Arrive early for all destinations to allow for coordination of services by all involved. But remember to remain flexible, make allowances and be docile to Our Lady’s leading.
Encourage the faithful to touch, kiss and otherwise physically venerate the Image as their Spiritual Mother. Jesus said, “Behold your mother!” (John 19:27). Any lip prints or fingerprints may be removed by rubbing with a dry cloth.
Please be sure that whenever a presentation is given that there are Petition and Donation envelopes and pens in the pews and at the end of the presentation this announcement is made:
We will now have a time of veneration of the Image and an opportunity to purchase devotional goods.
You should have Petition and Donation envelopes in your pews. Please complete them, make a donation and drop them in the basket as you venerate the image. All donations are for the support of Dan Lynch Apostolates.
Please form one line and venerate the Missionary Image asking her intercession. Tell Our Lady about all of your needs and problems and have confidence that she will intercede for you. Our Lady of Guadalupe asks you, as she asked St. Juan Diego, “Am I not here who am your mother?”
Announce and lead the congregations to make Archbishop Donoghue’s Act of Consecration to Our Lady of Guadalupe contained on the back of the Explanatory Brochures. Arrange for this to be done after all liturgical and devotional services and before the Image is venerated. Announce and encourage the purchase of religious goods and the filling out of the Petition and Donation envelopes.
8. Finances. Donation checks should be made payable to “The Missionary Image”. All donations are tax-deductible. All donations that you solicit are for the support of Dan Lynch Apostolates. ALL donations are exclusively for the operating expenses of the Apostolates and not for any expenses incurred unless authorized by us. Please try to use donated resources.
Obtain the host pastor’s permission to take free-will offerings and to place the Petition and Donation Basket and Petition and Donation envelopes before the Missionary Image and in the pews. Pencils, Display Sign and Explanatory Brochures must also be placed next to the Image.
Empty the Petition and Donation basket after each venue and turn them over to the Guardian of Finances together with any other receipts.
9. Ship the Missionary Image. Make your shipping arrangements with your Receiver to send the Image and allow three full days for travel. Ship the Image to your Receiver by Federal Express. We will send you a Reminder Letter informing you of who you are receiving the image from and where you are to ship the image to after your Visitation. Read the Inventory of Case with Display and Packing Instructions.
10. Send Thank You Letters to all Visitation Hosts.
11. Send Visitation Report to us explaining your Visitation, your schedule, good news, an accounting of income and expenses, consignment Religious Goods accounting and statements of witnesses of any signs, wonders or conversion. The financial reports are required by our accountants. The good news brings encouragement and hope to others.
12. General Visitation Suggestions. Please begin your planning at least three months before the Visitation and meet and pray as a Team at least every other week. Coordinate all plans involving churches with the pastors. ALWAYS OBEY your pastors. Involve and cooperate with other groups such as the Knights of Columbus, Blue Army, pro-life groups, Marian Centers, charismatics, etc.
You should acquire the following:
1. Use of a car and a helper to help you transport and display the Missionary Image and the religious goods. The Missionary Image measures 45-1/4” x 70-1/4” x 2” and weighs approximately 40 pounds. It has a self-supporting pole to display it. It folds in half for transport and may be carried in its protective blanket. The case weighs approximately 98 pounds. The case measures 48” wide, 42” high plus 2: wheels and 6-1/2” deep. Read the Inventory of Case with Display and Packing Instructions.
2. A Petition and Donation Basket, with pencils and a display of flowers including, if possible, live roses. These should be placed before the Missionary Image while on display. The Explanatory Brochures and Petition and Donation envelopes sent to you with your shipment of Religious Goods should be placed on a small table near the Image with pencils and the envelopes should be placed in the pews.
See the photograph that shows the manner of carrying the Image in procession and displaying it. It may also be carried higher or sideways if there are space constraints. Also, if the distance is long, a moving dolly covered with a quality blanket may be used.
As Guardian you are responsible and should be totally committed to the entire Visitation and personally accompany the Missionary Image to each visit with the Guardian of Religious Goods.
You, the Guardian of Religious Goods and any others should travel as a Team to each Visitation site and get such help as you may need from each parish. This works because you know the plan and can teach others to help you. It doesn’t work if you are not there!
Please let us know if you need Brochures or religious goods in Spanish.
The duties of the rest of your Guardian Team are below beneath their titles. The duties and deadlines are shown on the checklist below. Please download or email these to the other members of your Team.
Guardian of Publicity
Your responsibilities are:
1. Obtain a Mailing List of all parishes and the media of secular and diocesan newspapers and public service or religious editors of radio, television and newspapers. The diocesan Chancery office may provide this information for you.
2. Compose, print and distribute news releases, fliers, poster and advertisements. See the samples. These samples may be copied and pasted by you into a Word Document or similar program and reproduced. Send these with copies of downloads or links to these documents: The Facts Sheet, The Miraculous Image and the Missionary Image at least three weeks ahead of time to diocesan and secular news outlets and to host parishes and surrounding parishes for their information and placement in their bulletins and on their bulletin boards. Call them to remind them and invite them to attend.
3. Please be sure to utilize social media as well and encourage your friends to share your posts. These reach a great number of people.
Get as much FREE advertising and materials as possible. Perhaps a printer would donate services or give a discount.
Guardian of Finances
Your responsibilities are:
1. Collect all receipts for donations and religious goods. You may use your own personal checking account. Coordinate with the Guardian of the Image and the Guardian of Religious Goods and obtain donations, receipts for religious goods and Petition and Donation Envelopes after each venue.
2. Send all Petition and Donation envelopes and a check for total receipts payable to “The Missionary Image” with itemized total receipts for donations and the total receipts for religious goods. The Apostolate is dependent on these donations to finance our office and staff.
Guardian of Liturgies and Devotions
Your responsibilities are:
1. Arrange the Hour of Prayer for Life, Peace and Protection and any other liturgical programs with pastors and parish representatives as required by the occasion. Obtain priests for confessions. Encourage parish representatives to involve their parishioners, including children and youth, in the Visitation to their church as much as possible. Children or youth processions are very inspiring. Read and use the booklet, An Hour of Prayer for Life, Peace and Protection.
2. Other liturgical and devotional programs can vary in length and content. Some suggestions to accompany public veneration of the Missionary Image are suitable prayers and hymns; processions; Rosary recitations; Confessions; Adoration; Benediction; December 12th Mass of Our Lady of Guadalupe; and homilies and talks on Our Lady of Guadalupe. Read the Presentation with Missionary Image and the short version and use whatever is appropriate for your Visitation.
3. If there is a priest, please request that he honor, bless and incense, if possible, the Missionary Image at the beginning of any liturgical service.
4. Provide personnel as needed, such as an honor guard, Missionary Image processors, musicians, lectors, leaders of the Prayers of the Faithful, homilists, offertory processors, altar servers, Extraordinary Eucharist Ministers, ushers and collectors for the free-will offerings.
5. Confirm that parking spaces are reserved for the Guardian Team at each Visitation site.
Obtain the host pastor’s permission to take free-will offerings and to place the Petition and Donation Basket and Petition and Donation envelopes before the Missionary Image and in the pews. Pencils, Display Sign and Explanatory Brochures must also be placed next to the Image.
Encourage the faithful to touch, kiss and otherwise physically venerate the Image as their Spiritual Mother. Jesus said, “Behold your mother!” (John 19:27). Any lip prints or fingerprints may be removed by rubbing with a dry cloth.
Please be sure that whenever a presentation is given that there are Petition and Donation envelopes and pens in the pews and at the end of the presentation this announcement is made:
We will now have a time of veneration of the Image and an opportunity to purchase devotional goods.
You should have Petition and Donation envelopes in your pews. Please complete them, make a donation and drop them in the basket as you venerate the image. All donations are for the support of Dan Lynch Apostolates.
Please form one line and venerate the Missionary Image asking her intercession. Tell Our Lady about all of your needs and problems and have confidence that she will intercede for you. Our Lady of Guadalupe asks you, as she asked St. Juan Diego, “Am I not here who am your mother?”
Empty the Petition and Donation basket after each venue and turn them over to the Guardian of Finances together with any other receipts.
Burn the petitions at the end of the Visitation in a prayer service, if possible. The smoke rises as a symbol of the petitions, rising to God. If this is not possible, return them to us.
Confirm that it will be announced and the congregations will be led to make Archbishop Donoghue’s Act of Consecration to Our Lady of Guadalupe contained on the back of the Explanatory Brochures. Arrange for this to be done after all liturgical and devotional services and before the Image is venerated.
Do not promote programs or speakers from other apostolates, as this dilutes Our Lady’s Mission and causes confusion.
Checklist for Liturgical programs
(Not all items listed are required)
- Eucharistic Adoration before arrival of the Image
- Procession of Image and Incessation
- Display of Image
- December 12th Mass of Our Lady of Guadalupe
- Announcement at beginning of Liturgy welcoming Missionary Image with brief presentation
- Homily
- Talk
- Act of Consecration to Our Lady of Guadalupe
- Veneration of Image, Petitions and Donations (make an announcement)
- Presentation on Our Lady of Guadalupe and her Missionary Image given outside the Mass
- A holy hour for An Hour of Prayer for Life, Peace and Protection from our booklets
- Rosary Recitation
- Adoration, Exposition and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament
- Confessions
- Other Liturgies
- Obtain permission for
- Free-will offerings
- Placement of Petition and Donation Basket and Petition and Donation envelopes
- Sales of religious goods
Provide Display Sign and flowers in front of the Missionary Image with Petition and Donation Basket and a small table with Explanatory Brochures, pencils and Petition and Donation envelopes at the table and in the pews
Provide two tables and chairs for the sale of religious goods, cash box, starter change and display the Guest Register
Empty and separate the Petition and Donation baskets and envelopes. Secure donations, burn petitions and return to us with religious goods, Guest Register and any envelopes with names and addresses.
Model liturgical programs and devotions are as follows:
- Procession and placement of Missionary Image; Hour of Prayer for Life, Peace and Protection using our booklets.
- Procession and placement of Missionary Image; Mass; Talk; Exposition; Rosary; Adoration; Benediction; Consecration to Our Lady of Guadalupe and Public Veneration.
- Procession and placement of Missionary Image; Mass; Rosary; Talk; Consecration to Our Lady of Guadalupe and Public Veneration.
- Procession and placement of Missionary Image; Exposition; Rosary; Adoration; Talk; Benediction; Consecration to Our Lady of Guadalupe and Public Veneration.
Liturgical services and devotions may consist of any listed above. We suggest that the December 12th Mass of Our Lady of Guadalupe be said and that you use the readings, intercessions, Rosary meditations, Benediction prayers and hymns and other suitable prayers and hymns.
The procession should be led by the Cross bearer followed by Altar Servers, Rose Bearers, Donation and Petition Basket Bearers, Display Signs Bearers, Priests and the Missionary Image. The Donation and Petition Basket and Display Sign should be placed on both sides of the Image with the flowers at the feet. Explanatory Brochures, Petition and Donation envelopes and pencils should be placed on a side table near the Image. The speaker should then give a brief welcome and explanation of the Missionary Image and Our Lady’s Mission.
Guardian of Religious Goods
Your responsibilities are:
1. Receive, display and sell all religious goods and account for the receipts.
2. Familiarize yourself with all of the religious goods and prices so that you may explain them to purchasers and effectively spread Our Lady’s work. Obtain the pastor’s permission in advance to display and sell them at each site. If the pastor refuses permission to sell in the church entrance, please obtain permission to use the church hall or another place. Obtain such volunteer help from each parish as needed. Arrange for the tables to be placed when you arrive. Do not assume that they will be there.
3. Set up easily accessible display tables for the goods with chairs and use a cash box with $5.00 in quarters and 25 dollar bills for change to start. Round off prices to the nearest dollar to make quick and easy change. Take credit card numbers on the provided catalogs or Brochure catalogs for credit card sales.
Please place a basket on the table with Petition and Donation envelopes to be deposited into along with any cash donations. Please place the Guest Book and pens for names to receive our Newsletter on the display table. Send the Guest Book to us at the end of the Visitation with the returned religious goods.
“Religious Goods” include books, tapes, pamphlets and the other goods sent by us to you on consignment.
We request that no other merchandise be displayed or sold to avoid confusion of apostolate’s. Also, local bookstore dealers should not sell for their own profit. Several Guardians have allowed bookstore dealers to sell their religious goods for their profit exclusively while our goods sat in boxes. Some Guardians have refused to sell any religious goods on the grounds that this is “commercialism.” On the contrary, it is evangelization and provides the faithful with the tools that they want and need.
4. Send Religious Goods Accounting. Please keep all receipts of goods separate from any donations. All donations are tax-deductible and should be made payable to “The Missionary Image”. At the end of each venue turn over all donations, receipts for religious goods and the Petition and Donation envelopes to the Guardian of Finances.
Return all unsold goods, the Consignment Religious Goods Accounting form, and the Guest Register to us. Mail the goods by Federal Express only. An air bill will be included in the box of merchandise. The cost may be reimbursed from the receipts. Please pack and ship the goods with care as they will be re-sent to other Guardians.
