Universal Archconfraternity of Saint Mary of Guadalupe

INTRODUCTION

There are associations of the faithful within the Catholic Church that seek to foster a more perfect life, promote public worship, Christian doctrine, or carry out other apostolic activities (Canon 298 of the Code of Canon Law). These associations must be established by the competent ecclesiastical authority (C. 301 C.1.C.) and have their own statutes in which the social purpose or objective of the association is determined, along with the conditions required for membership (C. 301 C.I.C.).

All associations of the faithful are under the supervision of the ecclesiastical authority, which is responsible for ensuring that the integrity of faith and morals is preserved and preventing abuses in ecclesiastical discipline (C. 305 C.I.C.).

To have the rights and privileges of an association, the indulgences, and other spiritual graces granted to it, it is necessary and sufficient to have been validly admitted to it and not have been legitimately expelled from it (C. 307 and 308 C.1.C.).

HISTORY

The Archconfraternity of Our Lady of Guadalupe, originally an Association, dates to the XVI century. It was born in the Sanctuary of Tepeyac, where the original image of the Most Holy Virgin Mary in her advocation of Guadalupe is venerated.

This Archconfraternity has not only been approved by the Supreme Pontiffs Gregory XIII (1578), Clement X (1675), Clement XI (1702), Benedict XIV (1754), Leo XIII (1890), Pius X (1906), Pius XII (1949), but also enriched with various indulgences. (Taken from the General Statutes of the Universal Congregation of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexico, 1959 edition, chapters ten and eleven).

Pope Leo XIII, in his Brief "Probe Novimus" of September 9, 1890, elevated the Congregation to an Archconfraternity, in the Collegiate Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe, with the authority to aggregate to it all Confraternities or Associations in the Republic of Mexico that have the same advocation.

The same Pontiff, in his Brief "de More Romanorum Pontificum" of July 1, 1903, extended the faculties of the Archconfraternity, granting it the right to aggregate all Confraternities or Associations existing in the Catholic world that bear the same title of the Most Holy Virgin of Guadalupe.

PURPOSE AND MEANS

I. THE PURPOSES OF THE UNIVERSAL ARCHCONFRATERNITY OF SAINT MARY OF GUADALUPE ARE:

a) To strive for Christian perfection, that is, Holiness.

b) To promote and foster public worship and devotion to the Most Holy Virgin Mary under the advocation of Guadalupe and to encourage the practice of charity in the Community Apostolate. Our apostolates will seek to have a deeply Marian inspiration.

II. MEANS:

General Means:

These are the means proper to every Christian to attain holiness.

a) To seek the frequent reception of the sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist.

b) To encourage prayer, reading, study, and meditation on Sacred Scripture and the Catechism of the Catholic Church by Saint John Paul II (1992).

Specific Means:

a) To pray a daily Hail Mary in honor of the Most Holy Virgin Mary of Guadalupe for the needs of the Church and the general intentions of the Archconfraternity.

b) To strive to participate each month, on the 12th, individually or communally in the Celebration of the Eucharist.

c) To particularly ensure that all Associations aggregated to the Archconfraternity participate communally in the Mass on December 12th of each year at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, according to the program that is prepared.

d) To encourage the reading and study of Gospel texts, Church documents on the Virgin Mary, and the Nican Mopohva, due to its great evangelizing significance.