From Pilgrims to Missionaries
Juan Tadeo Pun Leon (middle in pink), President of Misión Guadalupana para el Mundo, gives a class on the clues, details, and secrets of the image of Guadalupe.
In September 2014, 20 pilgrims from the International Parish of Shanghai visited Mexico and paid homage to Our Lady of Guadalupe. The pilgrimage was received and guided by Juan Tadeo Pun Leon, President of the Misión Guadalupana para el Mundo (Guadalupan Mission to the World). His father, Antonio Pun Valez, of Chinese and Mexican mix, was the founder of the organization.
Because of Antonio Pun’s Chinese heritage on one hand and his devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe on the other, he had always wanted to share our Lady’s love, hope and her Son’s mercy with China. He had been doing so while he was still living in Hong Kong, to where he brought the first image of Our Lady of Guadalupe (now installed at St Teresa’s Church in Kowloon) in 1958.
When the Misión Guadalupana heard about the pilgrims from Shanghai, they prepared 20 images for them to bring back to China. Neither Juan or Antonio gave instructions on what to do with the images, but after discussing among themselves, the group decided to donate the images to different churches in China. Five more images have arrived this year, to be distributed to more cities who will welcome the Mother of God.
This article was written by Joni Cheng.
Published on O Clarim, March 11, 2016