Our Lady of Guadalupe, ‘Star of New Evangelization,’ unites cultures

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WOODLAWN – Our Lady of Guadalupe has united cultures throughout the centuries ever since she first appeared in a series of apparitions in 1531. 

The original image of the Blessed Virgin Mary miraculously appeared on the tilma of St. Juan Diego after Our Lady of Guadalupe asked him to place flowers in his cloak and present them to his bishop. The image of Our Lady of Guadalupe was imprinted on the tilma when St. Juan Diego opened the cloak to show the bishop.

That tilma is preserved in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, portraying multiple symbols of evangelization. Mary’s dark skin, the Aztec royal colors she wears and particularly the way she seems to be in motion – some say “dancing” – served for the conversion of hearts of many Latin American indigenous to the Catholic faith.    

In his post-synodal apostolic exhortation “Ecclesia in America,” St. John Paul II declared Our Lady of Guadalupe  “Patroness of all America and Star of the First and New Evangelization.” He also welcomed her feast to be celebrated throughout the continent.

Archbishop William E. Lori joined the congregation of St. Gabriel in Woodlawn Nov. 10 to commemorate the Dec. 12 feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

The celebration began with novena prayers, followed by a procession with dancers, Mass and a social gathering with food and dancing.

A diverse parish, St. Gabriel hosts faithful people of multiple cultures. In an attempt to bring the community together, Mass was bilingual, with an English and Spanish choir and African and Aztec traditional dances.

Among the concelebrants were Auxiliary Bishop Bruce A. Lewandowski, C.Ss.R., episcopal vicar for Hispanic Catholics; Monsignor Thomas L. Philips, pastor of St. Gabriel; Father Canisius T. Tah, pastor of St. Charles Borromeo in Pikesville;  Father Roger Brito, associate pastor of St. Clement I in Lansdowne; and Deacon Vito Piazza, senior deacon at St. Gabriel.   

In his homily, Bishop Lewandowski noted Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared to St. Juan Diego four times until he brought to the bishop her request of building a church for her in the Tepeyac hill.  

“She comes with the same urgency every Dec. 12,” he said. “She wants you to ‘build a church for her’ in your heart, a church for Jesus to dwell.”

Some parishioners across the archdiocese have answered Our Lady’s request.

A native of Mexico City, Gloria Gómez started a ministry among others at her parish of St. Gabriel with an Aztec dance group called “Nuevo Amanecer” (New Dawn) to honor Our Lady with Gómez’s ancestors’ traditions. The group offers free dancing classes to first-generation children and everyone who wishes to join.

New Dawn participated in the Dec. 10 procession with a dance called “concheros,” in which performers used shells wrapped around their feet to make music as they danced. She said dancing for the Aztecs was an expression of faith to their gods, but after the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe, they redirected those dances to Our Lady of Guadalupe and the child in her womb, since Our Lady of Guadalupe is pregnant.

A member of New Dawn and parishioner of St. Gabriel, 17-year-old Nayeli Ramos said she dances for Our Lady of Guadalupe as a way to honor her Catholic religion and Mexican ancestry.

“It wasn’t until my dad got sick, it was a really hard time for our family,” she said as her voice choked, “We prayed for her intercession, and she gave us the miracle of him getting better. I owe my entire life to her.”

Similarly, women from Cameroon brought the Catholic Women Association to the parish of St. Gabriel in which they gather once a month.

“We clean the church, visit hospitals, orphanages and prisons,” St. Gabriel parishioner Mary Kedze said. “We do charity work and prayers.”

About 40 women processed singing and dancing to the altar at the Dec. 10 Mass wearing their traditional uniform of white and blue with the Immaculate conception depicted in their skirts as they brought the Book of the Gospels to the clergy before the reading of the Gospel.  

“Wililili ehh, Alleluia” they shouted as they processed to the altar singing their traditional song, “The Word of God is coming. Honor the Word of God. Praise the word of God.”

Fifteen years ago, a native of Monterrey, Mexico and parishioner of Sacred Heart-Sagrado Corazón de Jesús Carlos Gutiérrez started “Danza Guadalupana” with his brother in Baltimore.

He said their suit represents the dancers as “Matlachines,” meaning “Warriors for the Virgin.” The strong colors of the clothing represent Mexican culture. Their plume headdresses or “penachos,” which are hand-made and imported from Mexico, represent the attire of the indigenous. Their kilts also portray Our Lady as St. Juan Diego holds the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe in his tilma.

“I started dancing in Monterrey when I was 12-years-old,” Gutierrez said, “My love for Our Lady and dancing grew as I danced. It is beautiful to come to another country to represent that and teach it to children.”

Bishop Lewandowski urged members of the congregation to build a church in their hearts, houses and communities by praying the rosary, going to confession, attending Mass, teaching children the faith, and doing corporal and spiritual works of mercy. 

“The time has come for us to give in to her request,” Bishop Lewandowski said, “Our Lady of Guadalupe offers us an encounter with Christ.”

The following list contains several parishes in the Archdiocese of Baltimore with their respective celebrations of the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe throughout the weekend of Dec.12: 

Christ of King, Glen Burnie
Monsignor Slade Auditorium
120 Dorsey Rd.
Glen Burnie, MD 21061

Dec. 11
9 p.m. Feast Eve, Serenata with Mariachis, rosary and social gathering

Dec. 12
11 a.m. Procession and Mass in the Auditorium

St. Clare, Essex
714 Myrth Ave.
Essex, MD 21221

Dec. 12
11 a.m. Procession and Mañanitas with Mariachis
11:40 a.m. rosary
Noon Mass

St. Clement I, Lansdowne
2700 Washington Ave.
Lansdowne, MD 21227

Dec. 11
5 p.m. Living Rosary
6 p.m. Mass followed by reception

St. Francis de Sales, Abingdon
1450 Abingdon Rd.
Abingdon, MD 21009

Dec. 11
5:30 p.m. Bilingual Mass

St. John the Evangelist, Columbia
10431 Twin Rivers Rd.
Columbia, MD 21044

Dec. 11
5:45 p.m. rosary
6:30 p.m. Mass
7:45 p.m. Marian songs
8 p.m. Mariachis

Dec. 12
2:15 p.m. rosary with procession
3 p.m. Mass
4:15 p.m. Marian skit with the apparitions of Our Lady

St. John the Evangelist, Frederick
112 E. Second Street
Frederick, MD 21071

Dec. 12
2:30 p.m. Mañanitas
3 p.m. Mass followed by reception

St. John, Westminster
43 Monroe St.
Westminster, MD 21157

Dec. 12
Noon procession with rosary and Mass

St. Joseph, Cockeysville
103 Church Lane
Cockeysville, MD 21030

Dec. 11
6 p.m. Mass, procession and social gathering

St. Joseph, Hagerstown
17630 Virginia Ave
Hagerstown, MD 21740

Dec. 11
10 p.m. Mass with Mariachis
11 p.m. social gathering

St. John Neumann, Annapolis
620 N. Bestgate Rd.
Annapolis, MD 21301

Dec. 11

7:30-9 p.m. reception
9 p.m. procession and rosary
11:30 p.m. Mass
12:30 a.m. Mañanitas and Mariachis

St. Michael, Overlea
10 Willow Ave
Overlea, MD 21206

Dec. 12
Noon Mañanitas with Mariachis
12:30 p.m. Mass

Our Lady of Pompei, Baltimore
3600 Claremont St
Baltimore, MD 21224

Dec. 12
5 a.m. Mañanitas
6 a.m. Mass
Noon Mass and Procession

Resurrection of Our Lord, Laurel
8402 Brock Bridge Rd.
Laurel, MD 20714

Dec. 12
6:30 a.m. Mañanitas
7 a.m. Mass

Sacred Heart of Jesus, Highlandtown/St. Patrick, Fells Point
600 S. Conkling Street
Baltimore, MD 21224

Dec. 12
5:00 a.m. Mañanitas
6:00 a.m. Mass
11:30 a.m. Mass – Dances in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Sacred Heart, Glyndon
65 Sacred Heart Lane
Glyndon, MD 21071

Dec. 11
7 p.m. Mass
8 p.m. rosary and adoration

St. Timothy, Walkersville
8651 Biggs Ford Rd.
Walkersville, MD 21793

Dec. 3-11
6:30 p.m. Novena

Dec. 12
8 a.m. Mañanitas and Mass
11:30 a.m. rosary
Noon Mass followed by reception

Email Priscila González de Doran at pdoran@CatholicReview.org

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