Celebrating the Virgin of Guadalupe
Celebrating the Virgin of Guadalupe
Catholics gathered to celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on the evening of Dec. 12 at St. Juan Diego Parish in O’Fallon.
“It’s central to their identity as Catholics,” pastor Father Eric Olsen said about the significance of the feast to his congregation. “Mary brought the faith to this continent. In the homily, I really talked about how Mary placed Jesus in the hearts of the people. And we’re just really grateful to her.”
The evening festivities featured a standing-room only crowd for the celebration of Mass in Spanish. There were also songs in honor of Mary, and many people placed roses in front of a statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Toward the end of the gathering, the crowd made its way to the basement for food, dancing and other entertainment including a short play of the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe. St. Juan Diego Parish was established in August 2023 as a personal parish for the Spanish-speaking community.
Celebrating the Virgin of Guadalupe
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