Shrine
of Our Lady of Guadalupe: Memorial to the Unborn
La Crosse, WI
Completion
2008
Type
Liturgical
The Memorial to the Unborn at the Shrine if Our Lady of Guadalupe is one of the more impressive devotional areas on the Shrine’s grounds. Serving as a place for parents, relatives, and friends to memorialize unborn children in a place of spiritual healing and closure, a bronze statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe marks the entrance to the formal gardens.
Beyond, a reflecting pool and a statue of a Guardian Angel are contained within the sheltering wings of the structure. A vaulted arcade shelters the mausoleum niches and the instructional panels on the church’s teaching on all aspects of the respect for human life. To the rear of the memorial is a small terrace overlooking the winding trail that connects the elements of the Shrine, including the Pilgrim Center, Votive Chapel, and Shrine Church.
