Hispanic theologian Jeanette Rodriguez led a journey through the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe, an icon of faith for 38 million people in the U.S. As a Latina growing up in the U.S., she felt the sisters and priests were more interested in Americanizing than evangelizing her. The worldview of the Latin community was pretty much ignored.

When the Spanish conquistadors invaded the Americas, the indigenous people were raped and murdered, their land taken, their spirituality stripped away. To really understand Guadalupe, we must see that an entire people who were extremely religious felt their God had abandoned them. Then the woman appeared to the young boy, Juan Diego, and told him to build her a house where all who suffer could bring their pain. For Hispanic theology, this is the story of conversion not of the native people, but of a bishop. "It's the conversion of a power, both religious and political, to remember where they came from, to remember the God of Abraham and Sarah, and to be with the poor and marginalized," said Rodriguez.

For many, Guadalupe is Mary, the mother of God. But for many others she is the maternal face of God, creative energy, mother goddess. Accessed in many ways, she produces great healing power because of her message of love, compassion, and defense. Juan Diego in the story brings on a new vision of church. The Juan Diegos of today are ordinary lay persons, women, and minorities ushering in a new order for both church and society. The message in 1531 called for the restoration of the dignity of the indigenous people by the conquistadors. In 1997, said Rodriguez, the message is: "Restore the dignity of those crushed by violence and injustice wherever you find them."