UNLIKE OTHER YEARS, NO ROSE FOR VIRGEN DE GUADALUPE

(The legend says that the Virgen of Guadalupe appeared to Mexican native Juan Diego who was not believed by the local priests. According to the story generally accepted by Catholics, Juan Diego was walking between his village and Tenochtitlan (now Mexico City), where the Catholic mission was headquartered, on December 12, 1531. This year it will have been 487 years ago. Since then, the Virgen Morena has been the patron saint of Mexico.

Along his way, in the village of Guadalupe, the Virgin Mary appeared, speaking to him in his native Nahuatl language. She told him to build a church at the site, but when Juan Diego spoke to the Spanish bishop the bishop did not believe him, asking for a miraculous sign. 

The Virgin told Juan Diego to gather flowers from a hill, even though it was winter, when no plants bloom. He found Spanish roses and presented these to the bishop. When the roses fell from his tilma (a kind of apron) an icon of the Virgin remained imprinted on the cloth. Whether you believe the story or not, many of our fellow residents here who are Catholics do and we live in a society based on religious tolerance so we must respect people's beliefs.

This year, the roses are not in bloom. This photo was taken at Guadalupe Church on Lincoln Street a year ago and graciously sent to us by one of our Catholic readers.)