L.A. Archdiocese Celebrates Mothers with Special Prayers, Blessings and Flowers of Appreciation
–Collection of prayer petitions to be delivered at Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe will begin on Mother’s Day at Cathedral and Catholic Cemetery locations–
As Catholics dedicate May to Mary, Mother of Jesus, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles will be honoring mothers in parishes and Catholic Cemeteries & Mortuaries throughout Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties this weekend.
At the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in downtown Los Angeles, Mothers will receive a special blessing and a flower at all the Sunday Masses. Faithful are also invited to offer written prayer petitions beginning on Mother’s Day, May 10, which will be blessed by Archbishop José H. Gomez and hand-delivered to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City during the annual pilgrimage Mass celebrated by Archbishop Gomez at the Basilica on July 11, 2026.
“Mothers especially, are our first teachers about prayer, charity and the practices of our Christian faith. As Christians, we are blessed to have two mothers. We have our natural mothers who brought us into this world. And we have our spiritual mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary,” said Archbishop Gomez. “The Virgin of Guadalupe is our mother. She reminds us of who we are, the dearest sons and daughters of God Our Lord. And it is with her that we want to be, because she leads us to Jesus, she leads us to God.”
Prayer intentions can be written and dropped off in-person beginning on Mother’s Day (May 10) through Father’s Day (June 21) at the Cathedral’s Chapel of the Relic of the Tilma of St. Juan Diego, where the miraculous image of Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared.
“Mary, the Mother of God is ‘mother of all of us,’” said Archbishop Gomez. “We can cry to her, we can share with her our joys and sorrows. We can trust in her protection! Who we are, where we are going, all our troubles and sufferings — everything lies within her merciful and compassionate gaze.”
Prayer intentions will also be collected at all 11 locations of the Catholic Cemeteries & Mortuaries beginning on Saturday, May 9, at 2 p.m. at the Annual Mother’s Day Rosary.
Faithful may also offer prayer intentions digitally at lacatholics.org/pilgrimage which will be presented at the Basilica this summer along with the others.
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