Virgin of Guadalupe takes center stage at U.S. Hispanic ministry meeting

The role of Our Lady of Guadalupe took center stage at the 2026 annual conference of the National Catholic Association of Diocesan Directors for Hispanic Ministry , which took place Oct. 20–23 in Anaheim, California.

The conference brought together dozens of diocesan directors and leaders of Hispanic and Latino ministry from various parts of the United States. Conference speakers included Bishop Óscar Cantú of San José, California; Bishop Mario Alberto Avilés, CO, of Corpus Christi, Texas; and Bishop Eusebio Elizondo, MSpS, auxiliary bishop of Seattle.

Monsignor Eduardo Chávez of the Archdiocese of Mexico City, considered the foremost expert on the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe, spoke to the gathering on “ The Truth of Guadalupe ,” which is also the title of his book on the subject.

“It has been a moment of such joy and spirituality, of such devotion and emotion, to go on discovering who Holy Mary of Guadalupe and her humble messenger, St. Juan Diego, are during this encounter,” Chávez told EWTN News Español, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News.

“The Virgin of Guadalupe, through St. Juan Diego, helps us open our hearts to the presence of Christ the…