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Diocesan parishes hold Our Lady of Guadalupe celebrations

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
(Email Katie)

The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a day of celebration for many parishes in the Diocese of Sioux City that have large Hispanic populations. The feast day, Dec. 12, commemorates Our Lady’s visitation to St. Juan Diego in an area known as Tepeyac, near modern-day Mexico City.

Traditions

Hundreds attended as Storm Lake St. Mary’s Parish celebrated the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on Dec. 11. The Guadalupanas, a group of seven women, plan the festivities. Members are Angela Castillo, Leticia Placido, Maricruz Flores, Norma Castillo de Rangel, Evangelina Rodriguez, Maria Miramontes and Sonia Tapia.

This year the celebration began at 4 a.m. with a Mariachi band and individuals of the community whom wanted to sing a certain song to Our Lady of Guadalupe. They prayed a rosary followed by breakfast.

There was standing room only for the noon Mass, which included costumed native dancers that processed in at the beginning of Mass. La Danza is veneration that the natives were doing to the Virgin Mary.

“The majority of the participants of La Danza do it for promises, or favors received from the virgin, or for tradition into his family which comes from past generations and the same traditions they pass on to the children – that's why this one is formed by children,” said a member of The Guadalupanas.

A multi-guitar led choir provided music for the celebration. The celebrant was Father Jeremy Wind, assisted by Deacon Mark Prosser.

In his homily, Father Wind preached about John the Baptist pointing to Jesus as “someone greater than him.”

“Our Lady of Guadalupe, her image, fulfilled a prophesy that there was going to come a savior, someone who would free the people and complete all the prophesies in the native Aztec religion,” said the priest. “The image shows her being pregnant and she is carrying someone. With all the other symbols, it was clear that this was the savior. The idea is that John the Baptist and the Virgin of Guadalupe point to Jesus and say he is greater.”

Applying this to daily life, Father Wind talked about pride. He said people think they can do things on their own and don’t need God.

“That is not what John the Baptist or Our Lady of Guadalupe said with their lives and their preaching,” he said.

The crowning of the Guadalupe Princess also took place on Dec. 11. Princess competitions are a Mexican tradition, in which several girls see how many funds they can raise for the church. The girl who raises the most funds wins the contest. The winner of this year’s contest raised over $2,000 for the church.

Following the Mass, a fiesta was held in the school gym that is donated by the community every year. The Guadalupanas start asking for donations several weeks ahead of time, whether in food items or money, so the meal will serve approximately 400.

The celebration continued with the presentation of the youth choir, La Danza, games, piñatas and prizes for the children.

A nine-day novena was prayed in Storm Lake prior to the feast day.

“Nine families take a day and are responsible for praying the rosary for that day (with their own intentions) and providing a small meal to share with those who are present the day of praying,” said a member of The Guadalupanas.

Words of hope

The celebration at Cathedral of the Epiphany in Sioux City began with a novena leading up to the feast day on Dec. 12. A final rosary was prayed at midnight on Dec. 11 followed by las mañanitas (morning prayers) and Mass at 1 a.m. on Dec. 12.

At 5 p.m. on Dec. 12, another Mass was celebrated. Father Lingle, parochial vicar at Cathedral presided at Mass.

“When Mary appeared to Juan Diego on that hill in Tepeyac in 1531 she offered words of comfort, mercy and love to people that needed her words of hope,” said Father Brent Lingle, during the homily. “Today Our Lady of Guadalupe is near to us, offering us those same promises and leading us closer to her son. We are her children, she is our mother. May we always look to her to lead us to her son.”

Following Mass, the celebration continued in the Epiphany Center across the street with a play about the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe to Juan Diego and a meal.

Ernesto Garcia, a parishioner at Cathedral, said that this feast is significant because Mary is his mother and the mother of the Latino people. He enjoys the mañanitas and coming to church for the feast.

Impact on evangelization

At St. Rose of Lima Parish in Denison, Mass was held at 9 p.m. on Dec. 9 with singing and traditional dance an hour before. There were about 700 people in attendance.

Father Paul Kelly, pastor, said the youth did their annual run from the radio station to the church before Mass with the Guadalupe banner.

On Dec. 12, Mass was held at 6 p.m. followed by the presentation of the play of Guadalupe by the youth in the gym.

“It was very successful in terms of the number of people who participated with energy and enthusiasm,” said Father Kelly.

He said this feast is “very much part of the identity of the people who come from Mexico because there is a great pride in the fact that the Virgin Mary appeared in their country and on their soil.”

“The impact she had on evangelization in Mexico is enormous, historically speaking,” said the pastor. “After the apparition, millions and millions of the Aztec and indigenous people were converted to the Catholic faith.

Before her apparition, it was very slow going. People didn’t want to give up their own faith beliefs or acknowledge this new religion.”

The symbolism of her image, clothing and message was powerful to them and convinced them that she was “manifesting to them the true God,” said Father Kelly.

“It has been almost 500 years now that they have been celebrating this,” he said. Many of the young children dress up as Juan Diego. They bring flowers and do dancing in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe. “It is a very powerful part of their identity from the very beginning.”

Many other parishes in the diocese celebrated with rosaries, mañanitas, Masses, processions and fiestas.