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Home  / News & Publications /  Michigan Catholic News / 2008 /  Hispanics pack churches for Our Lady of Guadalupe

by Robert Delaney of The Michigan Catholic
Published December 19, 2008

Marylynn G. Hewitt, SFO | The Michigan Catholic Isabel Rosales, of Holy Redeemer Parish in southwest Detroit, stands on a trailer bearing a picture of the Our Lady of Guadalupe image prior to the beginning of last Friday's peregrinación (procession) from West Vernor Highway and Dix to the church, at Junction Avenue and West Vernor. During the procession, he knelt in prayer in front of the picture.

Detroit – Holy Redeemer Parish in southwest Detroit scheduled its first service for the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe – Mañanitas or Morning Serenade — last Friday at 5 a.m., but that wasn't quite early enough.

"They were practically breaking the doors down at 4 a.m., so we had to let them in," said Msgr. Donald Hanchon, Holy Redeemer's pastor.

The large church at Junction Avenue and West Vernor Highway was packed to capacity during the service, which typically begins the celebration of the feast day in Latin American countries.

"The church seats 1,500 comfortably, but every aisleway was blocked. I'd say we had 1,800, perhaps 2,000 people," Msgr. Hanchon said.

Although it has been the church home to people of various nationalities in its 128-year history, Holy Redeemer has become one of the largest of the mostly Hispanic parishes, and Msgr. Hanchon estimated they now make up about 90 percent of his parishioners.

Marylynn G. Hewitt, SFO | The Michigan Catholic Bearers dressed in Aztec Indian costumes carry Our Lady of Guadalupe image during procession from West Vernor Highway and Dix to Holy Redeemer Church at Vernor and Junction last Friday.

At St. Vincent de Paul Church in Pontiac, Mañanitas began at 6 a.m., and parishioners packed the historic downtown church to sing praises to the Blessed Virgin.

Other members of the clustered Pontiac parishes opted for the 7 a.m. Mass at St. Michael Church, where they needed to arrive by shortly after 6 a.m. if they hoped to get a seat.

Marylynn G. Hewitt, SFO | The Michigan Catholic Members of St. Gabriel's youth group reenact the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe to St. Juan Diego.

Many non-Hispanic Catholics know of the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and may even know the story of how the Blessed Virgin appeared to St. Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin, a young Mexican Indian, in 1531, and how that led to the conversion of the Mexican people. But unless they have witnessed the way her feast day is marked, it is unlikely they fully appreciated the depth of devotion that is manifested every Dec. 12.

"For a Mexican, the Virgin is a second mother to us," said Kathy Vasquez, a Holy Redeemer parishioner originally from Sinaloa, Mexico. "In Mexico, at 12 o'clock midnight (on Dec. 12), the whole country is paralyzed – everybody stops, even taxicabs, and they start singing and praising the Virgin," she said.

While each country has its own cultural traditions, the celebration can be found throughout Latin America, not just Mexico, said her husband, Jorge Vasquez, originally from La Paz, Bolivia.

Marylynn G. Hewitt, SFO | The Michigan Catholic Members of the youth group at St. Gabriel Parish in southwest Detroit take part in reenactment of the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

"What's most important is this is not just a celebration of something that happened more than 475 years ago, but she is present in everybody's hearts just as intensely today," he added.

Kathy Vasquez said she has tried to encourage the devotion to her children. Daughter Tiara Vasquez, 16, who was born in the United States, said, "This is a special tradition that is part of my culture."

Robert Delaney | The Michigan Catholic Lourdes and Fernando Perales lead the singing during the early morning Mañanitas or Morning Serenade on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Pontiac.

The Vasquez family was at Holy Redeemer for the 6 p.m. Mass last Friday. The Mass followed a peregrinación (procession) that began at Vernor and Dix at 5 p.m. and made its way along about a mile of West Vernor to the church. Nearly 200 people took part in the procession, its numbers considerably reduced from previous years by the cold weather. There was a substantial congregation for the Mass, thought not of the standing-room-only size of the morning's congregation.

Robert Delaney | The Michigan Catholic A member of the Azteca Dancers waits his turn to participate in the Mañanitas or Morning Serenade service at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Pontiac last Friday.

Fr. Charles Altermatt, an associate pastor at Holy Redeemer, said many of those who were there in the evening had probably been there in the morning as well. "Many take the day off from work on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe," he said.

Down the street, at St. Gabriel Church, on West Vernor near Springwells, there had also been a large crowd for Mañanitas,and the church was packed to capacity, with many people standing, for the 7 p.m. Mass.

The Mass featured a reenactment by members of the youth group of the story of the Blessed Virgin's appearance to Juan Diego following the homily.