You're listening to Catholic Sprouts, the daily podcast for Catholic kids that strives to plant seeds of faith.

Hey there, Sprouse. Today is Tuesday, May 17th, 2020. This week on the Catholic Sprouts we are talking about Marian apparitions, when Mary appeared to the faithful at a specific

time and a specific place.

Yesterday we talked about Our Lady of Mount Carmel, who appeared to Simon Stock.

We also heard about Our Lady of Good Help, who appeared to Adele Bryce in Wisconsin.

Today we are going to talk about perhaps the most famous Marian apparition,

which is our lady of Guadalupe. So remember, each time Mary appeared, she appeared at a specific

time where things were happening. And it's important we know what was happening in the world

when she appeared.

So our Lady Guadalupe appeared in what is now Mexico in the year 1531.

Now shortly before Mary appeared there, the Spanish had arrived, and they had arrived, of course,

looking for gold, but they also brought with them missionaries. And the missionaries,

of course, came and tried to evangelize the native people. The problem was, however, is that many of the tribes in the region, like the Aztecs, were very violent, and they actually did human

sacrifices to their horrible false gods.

The missionaries were just repulsed by this religion,

and many of them didn't even think that God would want these people converted.

So very few people joined the Catholic faith through the missionaries' efforts.

One of those people that did

convert was Juan Diego and his wife. They were very devout. He oftentimes went to church every

single day. And while walking to church one day, he passed a small hill. He looked up and he saw a

beautiful woman appearing there. The woman identified

herself as Mary the mother of God and she referred to Juan Diego as her dearest and littlest son.

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