Students, faculty, and many members of the community came together at St. Stanislaus Church to commemorate the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe on Dec. 12. Taking place early in the morning, the church was filled with parents and families, bringing them together through prayer and worship.
“Being a part of our school’s Our Lady of Guadalupe Mass makes me feel very special,” said Jackie Ruiz, Principal of St. Stanislaus School. “It brings me back to my upbringing, culture, and heritage. As a Catholic in this day and age, it means so much to celebrate this tradition with the school and parish.”
Prior to the Mass, St. Stanislaus students presented Our Lady of Guadalupe with flowers made in their Art classes. The service began with a special performance by Bishop Noll Institute’s Mariachi group. The Mass also included dancers from Ballet Folklorico Mexico Lindo and students singing in front of the altar.
“It fills my heart with joy to bring our community together to honor Our Lady of Guadalupe,” said Juana Valdes, St. Stanislaus 8th Grade homeroom teacher. “I especially love seeing the children excited about celebrating the Blessed Virgin Mary.”
The Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe celebrates the appearance of the Blessed Virgin Mary before Juan Diego, an Aztec convert of the Catholic Church. Appearing before him from Dec. 9 to 12, she was said to have asked for a church to be built at that site in her honor. According to the Catholic tradition, Diego’s poncho was miraculously imprinted with the image of the Virgin Mary.
“This community is prominently Hispanic, so celebrating this feast day means so much,” said Monsignor John Siekierski of St. Stanislaus Church. “This is a special time for everyone to get together and pray for peace on Earth.”
The process of putting this Mass together started off with contacting various organizations within the community, including Bishop Noll Institute and Ballet Folklorico Mexico Lindo. The teachers prepared their students in Kindergarten through 2nd grade to sing. The La Chiquita produce market in East Chicago also donated tamales for the Mexican feast prepared by the school’s lunch staff.
The Mass concluded with the children taking photos in front of the altar with the Blessed Virgin Mary and their families.
“Everyone is always so happy to come together to make this happen for our school, parish, and most importantly, our children,” said Valdes.