What if a film could be the doorway to something eternal? This one just might be. And we thank you for your part in it!
It’s a story that speaks across centuries. We’ve titled it Not Made By Human Hands–because at its very center is a miracle that still defies explanation- a message not born from man, but given by God.
This story is deeply personal to me, but I believe it’s meant for all of us. As we approach the 500th anniversary of Our Lady of Guadalupe’s appearance, I sense a growing urgency; a conviction that now is the time to tell her story, the way it deserves to be told. But we can’t do it alone.
To understand why we’re so passionate about this project, you have to know how it all began.
The Miracle
Nearly 500 years ago, on the cold morning of December 12, 1531, an indigenous man named Juan Diego opened his tilma before the bishop of Mexico City. Out spilled a cascade of Castilian roses—blooms that should not have existed on that barren hill in winter.
But what truly astonished everyone was not the roses. It was the image imprinted on his tilma: a radiant woman, her mantle full of stars, her head bowed in prayer.
That tilma still hangs in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City.
(I stood directly underneath it with my family, and it took my breath away.)
Despite being made from cactus fiber that should have disintegrated within 20 years, it has endured five centuries. Scientists have found no brushstrokes. The pigments are of no known origin. And in the reflection of her eyes, smaller than a grain of rice, are what appear to be tiny human figures: those who were present at the moment the image was revealed.
Is this hard to believe? Perhaps so, yet this image, like the Shroud of Turin, defies human explanation. And it points to something much greater.
Mary Our Mother
When I became Catholic in 1991, I respected Mary. I accepted what the Church taught. But I didn’t yet know her. Growing up Episcopalian, I saw her as beloved and holy, but distant.
That changed during a silent retreat, when a priest reminded those present: Mary was given to us from the Cross. She is not only the Mother of God. She is our mother, too.
That priest introduced me to the Memorare prayer which I have loved ever since: “I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother…” The idea of flying to our Mother for her unconditional love, assistance, and protection is a comfort to me when I feel especially overwhelmed and burdened.
As a mother myself (of nine, and now with 8 grandchildren), I’ve come to know Mary not just as a model of faith, but as a companion—someone who understands suffering, stands with us in sorrow, and always leads us to Jesus. I was interviewed recently about the project and asked: How has your relationship with Our Lady (or devotion) been impacted by your work on this project? That was an easy question to answer. Through this process, I have been surprised by how Our Lady comes to us, just as she did to Juan Diego. She responds to us in very personal ways - sometimes tiny ways so that you know she is listening (but we have to listen too).
Why We Had To Make This Film
This project began at Good Catholic years ago, when a member of our team suggested we do a series on Our Lady of Guadalupe. I wanted to. But I was intimidated because I knew we had to do it right.
That meant telling the story in English and Spanish. It meant going to Mexico. It meant basing it in real history and research, not just pious legend.
So we waited. And we prayed. And years passed.
Then, about 18 months ago, doors began opening—you could even say miraculously.
A friend introduced us to Fr. Dan Leary, who had recently returned from serving the Sisters of Mary in Mexico. When I told him about our dream, he didn’t hesitate: “You will go.”
Fr. Dan connected us with Susan Driscoll, who organizes pilgrimages and visits to the Sisters of Mary in Chalco, Mexico. She arranged our stay with the Conceptionistas, a cloistered order of nuns just two blocks from the Basilica.
Around this same time, through a priest of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter in Mexico, we found a professional videographer in Guadalajara who was “coincidentally” available to join us on very short notice.
Everything was falling into place—there was even space for my husband and four of our children to join the trip.
So, in June 2024 we traveled to Mexico. We stayed with the nuns a few blocks from the Basilica. We stood before the tilma. Our film crew captured amazing footage.
Why It Matters Now
While in Mexico, we spoke with priests and laypeople about Our Lady of Guadalupe, listening to how her message has shaped their lives in big and small ways and deepened their faith. And since returning, we’ve continued to pour ourselves into this film with rigorous research and interviews.
We sat down with Fr. Robert Spitzer, Catholic priest, scientist, and theologian, about the scientific and theological mysteries of the tilma. We talked to Fr. Miguel Sánchez, who grew up in Guadalajara, for his insight and pastoral witness. We spent time with Fr. Tim Oudenhoven, who is the founder and director of the Marian Messengers, an apostolate dedicated to spreading devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe through missions and retreats.
Many others - from all walks of life - have shared powerful stories of personal encounters with Our Lady of Guadalupe.
We’re grounding the film in rich and reliable sources: The Nican Mopohua, Fr. Spitzer’s Christ, Science, and Reason, and historical works like Conquest by Hugh Thomas, Conquest of Darkness by Warren Carroll, and The Historiography of the Apparition of Guadalupe.
As best we can, we are creating this docu-series with depth, reverence, and truth. And we did it with your help. Our Kickstarter campaign raised $130,000 and helped us to create a film that we are very proud of.
Not Made By Human Hands
The image on the tilma wasn’t painted. It wasn’t invented. It wasn’t the work of any artist. It was placed by the hand of God…and it still speaks.
That’s why this is more than a documentary. It’s a wake-up call. A reminder that God is still preparing His people. What happened in 1531 wasn’t an ending. It was the beginning of a story that’s still unfolding.
A story for us. A story for now.
We are closing in on the 500th anniversary of Our Lady’s appearance in Mexico. We believe this project is part of Mary’s ongoing invitation. Just as she met Juan Diego where he was, Our Lady, Our Lady of Guadalupe, who was named "Patroness of the Americas" by Pope Pius XII in 1945, meets us here, right now.
As I mentioned above, I recognize her touch in many ways throughout this process. There have been many times when I have been discouraged. There have been obstacles big and small; walls placed before us, and ways we have had to go around them. While talking to Fr. Tim Oudenhoven one day, he told me that this is also how Our Lady works. "Don't expect it to be easy, Whitney," he said! "After all, it wasn't easy for Juan Diego to convince the Bishop." Shortly after that remark, Fr. Tim said we should also not be surprised if she whispers to us: "¡Rápido!"
In other words, God's time is not our time. Sometimes things move more slowly than we might like, and other times we must work rapidly to complete a deadline. This is exactly how this project has progressed, and as our contributor, Fr Tim, told us, Mary often works!
As always, Our Lady leads us not to herself, but to her Son.
What YOU Can Do
We are asking for your continued prayers as we complete this docu-series. Please pray that this project will bear fruit and that it will reach the hearts it’s meant to reach. Also, share with your friends and family.
If you donated to the kickstarter in any way you will receive an email and will be able to download the first episode at no cost as a thank you for your support! Your name will also appear in the credits!
Thank you again for your generosity, and thank you for helping us shine a light on what God has done and continues to do. We will release the first episode on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, December 12. Subsequent episodes (2-5) will be released every two - three weeks after that.
Because the tilma is real. The story is true. And the time is now.
Join the movement at Not Made By Human Hands: The Miracle of Guadalupe.
Discover some movie merch and shop our Not Made By Human Hands Collection!
