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EPISODE#246
OC CATHOLIC RADIO: GUEST IS CATHOLIC RECORDING ARTIST, CONNIE SALAZAR

On this episode of OC Catholic Radio, host Rick Howick welcomes a first-time guest to the program. Connie Salazar grew up in La Habra, CA; and, is a longtime resident of Orange County. As a Catholic recording artist, she has released four inspirational CDs. Connie is a graduate of Mount Saint Mary’s College in Los Angeles; and, she has been a cantor at local parishes for several years. You will enjoy this thoughtful discussion today; and, prepare to be blessed by some of Connie’s anointed music as well!

Listen and share this podcast with a friend!

 

 

 

 

Originally broadcast on 1/29/22

WE CELEBRATE OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE ON DECEMBER 12

In 1531 a “Lady from Heaven” appeared to a humble Native American at Tepeyac, a hill northwest of what is now Mexico City. 

She identified herself as the ever Virgin Holy Mary, Mother of the True God for whom we live, of the Creator of all things, Lord of heaven and the earth. 

She made a request for a church to be built on the site, and submitted her wish to the local Bishop. When the Bishop hesitated, and requested her for a sign, the Mother of God obeyed without delay or question to the Church’s local Bishop, and sent her native messenger to the top of the hill in mid-December to gather an assortment of roses for the Bishop. 

After complying to the Bishop’s request for a sign, She also left for us an image of herself imprinted miraculously on the native’s tilma, a poor quality cactus-cloth, which should have deteriorated in 20 years but shows no sign of decay 476 years later and still defies all scientific explanations of its origin. 

It apparently even reflects in Her eyes what was in front of her in 1531. 

Her message of love and compassion, and her universal promise of help and protection to all mankind, as well as the story of the apparitions, are described in the “Nican Mopohua”, a 16th century document written in the native Nahuatl language. 

There is reason to believe that at Tepeyac Mary came in her glorified body, and her actual physical hands rearranged the roses in Juan Diego’s tilma, which makes this apparition very special. 

An incredible list of miracles, cures and interventions are attributed to Her. Yearly, between 18 – 20 million pilgrims visit the Basilica, making it Christianity’s most visited sanctuary. 

Altogether 25 popes have officially honored Our Lady of Guadalupe. His Holiness John Paul II visited her Sanctuary four times: on his first apostolic trip outside Rome as Pope in 1979, and again in 1990, 1999 and 2002. 

The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is celebrated on December 12th. In 1999, Pope John Paul II, in his homily from the Solemn Mass at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, during his third visit to the sanctuary, declared the date of December the 12th as a Liturgical Holy Day for the whole continent. 

During the same visit Pope John Paul II entrusted the cause of life to her loving protection, and placed under her motherly care the innocent lives of children, especially those who are in danger of not being born. 

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE

Hers is as iconic an image as there is in local Catholicism: Hands steepled, a modest, downward gaze, clad in a pink robe and blue mantle covered with stars, bathed in light. Occasionally she is crowned. 

She is the Virgin Mary as she appeared to a peasant nearly 600 years ago, Our Lady of Guadalupe. Her image has been seen and represented countless times over the centuries, in paintings, carvings and textiles. Museum exhibitions have been dedicated to her and her religious, historic and cultural importance. Her image can be seen in everything from priceless works of art to all manner of tchotchke. Millions of parishioners traverse the globe to commune and seek healing and comfort. 

To the Diocese of Orange, Our Lady of Guadalupe is about much more than the iconic image. Her message resonates today as much as ever. 

“As the patroness of the Americas and of the Diocese of Orange, places of immense cultural, ethnic, religious and economic diversity, she stands as an affirmation of our dignity as human persons and the responsibility we have to in turn, respect and honor one another,” said Father Christopher Smith, episcopal vicar of Christ Cathedral. 

In 1895, Pope Leo XIII crowned her with a canonical coronation and Pope Pius II named her “Patroness of the Americas” in 1946, a title that was reiterated by Pope John Paul II in 1999. When the Diocese of Orange was created in 1976, Our Lady of Guadalupe was named its patroness. Her roots run deep throughout the diocese and the region. 

“Devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe was brought to what is now Orange County by the priests who established Mission San Juan Capistrano in the 18th century,” Fr. Smith said. “Naming Our Lady of Guadalupe as the patroness of the newly established Diocese of Orange provided a powerful link to the beginnings of the Catholic Church in the county.” 

Her importance is underscored at Christ Cathedral as it is home to one of the most impressive mosaics of Our Lady of Guadalupe anywhere. The 10-by-7-foot commissioned tile mosaic on the entry wall features more than 55,000 tiles of gold and opaque glass. 

The diocese has three Our Lady of Guadalupe-named parishes and a school named in her honor in La Habra that has provided Catholic education for more than 50 years. 

Each year, congregants across the Southland celebrate the days surrounding the December 12 feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe with colorful processions and vigils, homemade shrines and religious observances and Masses. 

 

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE, OUR PATRONESS 

As the calendar flips into early December, the thoughts of many in the local Catholic community turn toward the mysterious and ubiquitous image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, or the Virgin Mary as she appeared to a peasant in Mexico in 1531.  

Now, that image of the Patroness of the Diocese of Orange, whose feast day is December 12, is literally front and center in a commissioned shrine at Christ Cathedral. 

“The mosaic of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Christ Cathedral is located in a prominent place and can be seen from every angle of the Cathedral except for the south balcony,” said Father Christopher Smith, rector and episcopal vicar of Christ Cathedral. “The mosaic’s location has Mary looking upon the congregation as they worship, both as the first among the disciples and as our Blessed Mother.”  

Deacon Guillermo Torres, director of Hispanic Ministry at the diocese, said the entrance of Christ Cathedral is a long linear expanse and “Our Lady breaks it up and really stands out.” 

The 10-by-7-foot mosaic was commissioned in September, 2018 and created by the internationally renowned studio of Lenarduzzi Valerio Mosaics. 

The Italian artist said in an email that the mosaic, one of about 30 his studio has created in Southern California, took about nine months to complete with three mosaic artists and another for the decorative frame. It was completed and installed just in time for the July 2019 grand opening and dedication of the cathedral.   

The artwork features more than 55,000 tiles of gold and opaque glass. It also includes a 22-by-20-inch crown, made of gold leaf that will adorn Our Lady’s head for devotionals and on feast days. 

“This Our Lady of Guadalupe is a special piece considering the beautiful decorative frame and the Crown, all 100 percent handmade,” according to Valerio. 

The Christ Cathedral mosaic is about double the size of most similar works in Southland churches, according to parishioner William Close, who funded the installation. 

Reproductions of holy and popular art works and original pieces by Atelier Lenarduzzi Mosaic grace churches, museums and buildings from Tokyo to Amsterdam to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and the Vatican. The coats of arms mosaics in the narthex, or entrance area opposite the church’s main altar, were also by the studio. 

This year, the Diocese of Orange’s mass for the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is at Christ Cathedral for the first time at 7 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 12. There will also be celebrations at parishes across the diocese to recognize the Virgin. 

However, the importance of the appearances of the Virgin Mother to Cuauhtlatoatzin native Juan Diego in Mexico, runs far deeper than feasts and masses. It is hard to understate her importance in the local Catholic congregation. She is one of the diocese’s two patron saints, along with Saint Andrew Dũng-Lạc, a martyred Vietnamese Catholic priest, that represent the diversity of the congregation. 

At the time of the Virgin Mother’s appearance, the Spaniards were already occupiers of Mexico and maintained an uneasy relationship with the native population. In 1895, Pope Leo XIII crowned her with a canonical coronation and Pope Pius II named her “Patroness of the Americas” in 1946, a title that was reiterated by Pope John Paul II in 1999. When the Diocese of Orange was created in 1976, Our Lady of Guadalupe was named its patroness.  

Each year, congregants across the Southland celebrate the days surrounding the December 12 feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe with colorful processions and vigils, homemade shrines and religious observances and Masses.  

The original cloak remains on display and in good condition at the basilica bearing her name in Mexico, considered the most important Catholic site in the Americas, and visited by millions each year. 

“Mary became the bridge between the conquerors and the indigenous people,” Torres said. “I feel like she brought a new humanity and a ray of hope.” 

Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared, not as in some European depictions, but rather in traditional clothing and with facial features like those of the local population. 

“It reminded them of themselves, not a foreign (people,)” Torres said of the mysterious image of Our Lady that was revealed in the tilma, or garment, of the peasant Juan Diego. 

“It would have been very different, if we didn’t have that door,” Torres said of the Virgin’s appearance. 

From Mexico, the deep connections to the Virgin of Guadalupe moved north and grew. 

“She was chosen as the Patroness of the Diocese of Orange as a link to the beginnings of the Catholic Church in California, which began with Fr. Junipero Serra and those who founded the California missions,” said Father Christopher Smith in a written correspondence. 

And she is not just a symbol for the Latino population.  

“Our gentle Lady of the Tepeyac, Mother of God, is also Mother of the indigenous peoples, Afro-Americans, immigrants and refugees, of the young deprived of opportunity, of the old, of those who suffer any kind of poverty or marginalization,” according to Torres. “The Good Mother, and patroness of our diocese, embraces the richness and cultural diversity of our believers in Orange.” 

To Smith, the local art is magical and a wonder to behold. 

“I had tears in my eyes the first time I saw the mosaic because it is so beautiful.  The colors are vibrant and the detail gives the image great depth.  The colors are even more vibrant when the natural light shines on it as it does in so many different ways through the course of a day in our beautiful cathedral,” he said. “It almost has a heavenly feel to it, especially as one thinks that Our
Lady of Guadalupe has been venerated over many centuries, giving solace and hope to those who seek her intercession.”

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE, PATRONESS OF THE DIOCESE OF ORANGE

Hers is as iconic an image as there is in local Catholicism: Hands steepled, a modest, downward gaze, clad in a pink robe and blue mantle covered with stars, bathed in light. Occasionally she is crowned. 

She is the Virgin Mary as she appeared to a peasant nearly 600 years ago, Our Lady of Guadalupe. Her image has been seen and represented countless times over the centuries, in paintings, carvings and textiles. Museum exhibitions have been dedicated to her and her religious, historic and cultural importance. Her image can be seen in everything from priceless works of art to all manner of tchotchke. Millions of parishioners traverse the globe to commune and seek healing and comfort. 

To the Diocese of Orange, Our Lady of Guadalupe is about much more than the iconic image. Her message resonates today as much as ever. 

“As the patroness of the Americas and of the Diocese of Orange, places of immense cultural, ethnic, religious and economic diversity, she stands as an affirmation of our dignity as human persons and the responsibility we have to in turn, respect and honor one another,” said Father Christopher Smith, rector and episcopal vicar of Christ Cathedral. 

In 1895, Pope Leo XIII crowned her with a canonical coronation and Pope Pius II named her “Patroness of the Americas” in 1946, a title that was reiterated by Pope John Paul II in 1999. When the Diocese of Orange was created in 1976, Our Lady of Guadalupe was named its patroness. 

Her roots run deep throughout the diocese and the region. 

“Devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe was brought to what is now Orange County by the priests who established Mission San Juan Capistrano in the 18th century,” Fr. Smith said. “Naming Our Lady of Guadalupe as the patroness of the newly established Diocese of Orange provided a powerful link to the beginnings of the Catholic Church in the county.” 

Her importance will be underscored at Christ Cathedral as it will be home to one of the most impressive mosaics of Our Lady of Guadalupe anywhere. The 10-by-7-foot commissioned tile mosaic on the entry wall features more than 55,000 tiles of gold and opaque glass. 

Created by internationally renowned artist Valerio Lenarduzzi and his studio, it will include a 22-by-20-inch crown, made of gold leaf, and available to adorn Our Lady’s head for devotionals and on feast days. 

The diocese has three Our Lady of Guadalupe-named parishes and a school named in her honor in La Habra that has provided Catholic education for more than 50 years. 

Each year, congregants across the Southland celebrate the days surrounding the December 12 feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe with colorful processions and vigils, homemade shrines and religious observances and Masses. 

In 2016-17, Orange County played host to the first exhibition in the United States devoted to images of the Blessed Virgin of Guadalupe in Mexican colonial art, organized by the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana. 

The appearance of Our Lady of Guadalupe is well known in the Latin community, less so outside. It commemorates the encounters between Mary and Cuauhtlatoatzin native Juan Diego in Mexico in 1531, in which she asked that a church be built in her honor. 

After Diego twice brought her message to the archbishop and was rebuffed, the Virgin Mary had Diego gather flowers in his cloak, or tilma. When the peasant returned to the bishop, a cascade of roses fell from his jacket and a mysterious image of Our Lady was revealed in the garment. 

It is that image that has been reproduced across the ages and is among the more recognizable in Latin and Church culture. 

The cloak remains on display and in good condition at the basilica bearing her name in Mexico, considered the most important Catholic site in the Americas, and visited by millions each year. 

Or, as Fr. Smith put it, “This connection and devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe continues to be an important part of 21st century Catholicism in the Diocese of Orange.”

OUR PATRONESS

Hers is as iconic an image as there is in local Catholicism: Hands steepled, a modest, downward gaze, clad in a pink robe and blue mantle covered with stars, bathed in light. Occasionally she is crowned. 

She is the Virgin Mary as she appeared to a peasant nearly 600 years ago, Our Lady of Guadalupe. Her image has been seen and represented countless times over the centuries, in paintings, carvings and textiles. Museum exhibitions have been dedicated to her and her religious, historic and cultural importance. Her image can be seen in everything from priceless works of art to all manner of tchotchke. She was even spied in the bark of a tree in Central California. Millions of parishioners traverse the globe to commune and seek healing and comfort. 

To the Diocese of Orange, Our Lady of Guadalupe is about much more than the iconic image. Her message resonates today as much as ever. 

“As the patroness of the Americas and of the Diocese of Orange, places of immense cultural, ethnic, religious and economic diversity, she stands as an affirmation of our dignity as human persons and the responsibility we have to in turn, respect and honor one another,” said Father Christopher Smith, episcopal vicar of Christ Cathedral. 

In 1895, Pope Leo XIII crowned her with a canonical coronation and Pope Pius II named her “Patroness of the Americas” in 1946, a title that was reiterated by Pope John Paul II in 1999. When the Diocese of Orange was created in 1976, Our Lady of Guadalupe was named its patroness. 

Her roots run deep throughout the diocese and area. 

“Devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe was brought to what is now Orange County by the priests who established Mission San Juan Capistrano in the 18th century,” Fr. Smith said. “Naming Our Lady of Guadalupe as the patroness of the newly established Diocese of Orange provided a powerful link to the beginnings of the Catholic Church in the county.” 

Her importance will be underscored when Christ Cathedral opens in July, as it will be home to one of the most impressive mosaics of Our Lady of Guadalupe anywhere. The 10-by-7-foot commissioned tile mosaic on the entry wall will feature more than 55,000 tiles of gold and opaque glass. 

Created by internationally renowned artist Valerio Lenarduzzi and his studio, it is the gift of Bill and Helen Close. It will include a portable 22-by-20-inch crown, made of gold leaf, and available to adorn Our Lady’s head for devotionals and on feast days. 

There has been preliminary discussion about erecting a shrine in her honor in the Marian Court adjacent to the cathedral. 

The diocese has three Our Lady of Guadalupe-named parishes and a school named in her honor in La Habra that has provided Catholic education for more than 50 years. 

Each year, congregants across the Southland celebrate the days surrounding the December 12 feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe with colorful processions and vigils, homemade shrines and religious observances and Masses. 

In 2016-17, Orange County played host to the first exhibition in the United States devoted to images of the Blessed Virgin of Guadalupe in Mexican colonial art, organized by the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana. 

The appearance of Our Lady of Guadalupe is well known in the Latin community, less so outside. It commemorates the encounters between Mary and Cuauhtlatoatzin native Juan Diego in Mexico in 1531, in which she asked that a church be built in her honor. 

After Diego twice brought her message to the archbishop and was rebuffed, the Virgin Mary had Diego gather flowers in his cloak, or tilma. When the peasant returned to the bishop, a cascade of roses fell from his jacket and a mysterious image
of Our Lady was revealed in the garment. 

It is that image that has been reproduced across the ages and is among the more recognizable in Latin and Church culture. 

The cloak remains on display and in good condition at the basilica bearing her name in Mexico, considered the most important Catholic site in the Americas, and visited by millions each year. 

The significance of the appearance to an indigenous peasant is also critical as it happened at a time of often brutal treatment of the population during colonization of Mexico by the Spanish. 

“There is a message from Our Lady that has echoed through the Americas of her being present for the people,” said Fr. Juan J. Gonzalez, Marist pastor of Notre Dame des Victoires in San Francisco.  “In post-conquest she comes to support and be with them in their time of tribulation and trials.” 

Or, as Fr. Smith put it, “This connection and devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe continues to be an important part of 21st century Catholicism in the Diocese of Orange.”

FAITH, BEAUTY AND INSPIRATION

Shades of yellow, blue and orange burst across what was once a red brick wall. The colors come together to depict one of Catholicism’s most revered images.  

The mural at St. Anne Catholic School in Santa Ana is the work of Fabian Debora, a former gang member who began his spiritual journey after his second suicide attempt. 

“As a child all I saw was trauma, abuse and neglect,” said Debora, now a noted artist. “I didn’t understand God was walking with me all that time. I eventually realized there was something greater.”  

Debora decided to trade a troubled life of violence on the streets of East Los Angeles for a rewarding career as an artist. Today, his work adorns canvases, walls and the sides of buildings across Los Angeles. His art is vibrant, colorful and often reflects social issues and cultural identity.  

And on a sun-drenched morning in March, students, parents and teachers at St. Anne celebrated the unveiling of Debora’s latest work – a mural of Our Lady of Guadalupe. 

The mural is painted on the side of a building lining the K-8 school’s parking lot entrance off Sycamore Street. 

“Our Lady will greet us every morning when we arrive to school, and bless us as we leave,” said St. Anne School Principal Sr. Teresa Lynch. 

Bishop Kevin Vann offered a blessing before students and teachers sung “Immaculate Mary.” Then they dropped roses at the foot of the freshly painted mural.  

The roses symbolize the mural’s connection to those who pass by it each day, Debora said.  

“The dedication allows for the community to take ownership of the mural because Our Lady belongs to us, and we belong to her,” Debora said.  

The Our Lady of Guadalupe project at St. Anne began after Sr. Lynch called Rev. Greg Boyle, founder of Homeboy Industries in Los Angeles, asking for help with a potential mural. Boyle reached out to Debora, who had worked with Homeboy Industries for more than a decade on community advocacy work and public art projects. Funding for the Our Lady of Guadalupe project came from a grant from Sisters of St. Joseph in Orange.  

St. Anne sits in a Hispanic community in Santa Ana. Debora said he wanted the mural to reflect the community’s identity.  

“To paint Our Lady of Guadalupe in a community that can see itself in the image is important,” said Debora, who was born in Texas to Mexican parents. “It’s a reminder of the resiliency and respect the image symbolizes.” 

The mural depicting the patron saint of the Americas is inspired by a renowned Our Lady of Guadalupe mural painted in 1973 by David Lopez on Mednick Avenue at Cesar Chavez Avenue in East Los Angeles.  

Debora and his children – Fabian Jr., Andrew and Maya – painted the mural at St. Anne together, working about 26 hours through two days. It was more than a chance to complete a project together – it was a learning opportunity for the entire family, Debora said.  

“We put our love and energy into the mural,” Debora said. “I try to engage my kids to create art with me whenever I can. This was an opportunity to do that.” 

Socially and culturally relevant murals help transmit education and culture to new generations, Debora said.  

“Murals have always been a window to a different realm and a point of engagement,” Debora said. “By engaging my kids, I encourage them to ask questions – Why the Virgin Mary? Why here at this school, in this neighborhood?” 

Debora said he hopes his mural will spark inspiration, hope and redemption for those who walk by it each day.  

“I’ve always seen art as a healing tool,” he said. “The arts can create access to a successful pathway. It’s a language and a form of expression that’s often minimized by society. Art is healing and can help people through the dark times.” 

Debora discovered his love for drawing and painting when he was six years old. After battling addiction and troubles with the law as a young adult, he twice attempted suicide, the second time by running across the I-5 freeway in Boyle Heights.  

“It was only by grace of God that I survived,” he said.  

Debora soon entered rehabilitation, sought counseling and re-engaged with his Catholic faith. He started focusing on his artwork.  

“Art helped guide me through my journey,” said Debora, who once belonged to a violent street gang. 

Today, the Los Angeles-based muralist is a committed Catholic who volunteers teaching arts to youth locked up in juvenile detention centers across Los Angeles and adults in state prisons. Debora said art played a major role in helping him navigate a positive, rewarding path in life. He works to help those who were once like him to express themselves through art and find beauty in their own creations.  

“God blessed me with a gift,” he said. “I want to share that gift with others.”  

‘HONOR YOUR MOTHER’ GUADALUPE CELEBRATION SPARKS JOY IN DOWNTOWN PHOENIX

PHOENIX (CNS) — The streets of downtown Phoenix came alive with a spectacle of swirling colors and vibrant faith as hundreds of Catholics gathered for the annual “Honor Your Mother” event that celebrates Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Diocese of Phoenix.

The echo of drums, maracas and even tubas and trumpets resounded through the streets as dozens of Matachine dance troupes in colorful costumes marched Dec. 2 from Immaculate Heart of Mary Church to the plaza in front of the Phoenix Diocese’s pastoral center.

Georgia Gonzalez of St. John Vianney Parish in Goodyear stood behind a table heaped with rosaries, prayer booklets and holy cards.

The “Honor Your Mother” celebration “really shows how many young people are involved in the church,” Gonzalez told The Catholic Sun, the diocesan newspaper. “It bowls me over and it really gives me a lot of joy to experience this.”

Ruby Lodono was with around 50 fellow Catholics from St. Gregory Parish. Holding a foil-wrapped burrito, she considered why the annual event is so popular. “It brings our community together,” she said. “It’s the love for the Virgin of Guadalupe that motivates us.” As for the burrito, she said, “I didn’t even ask for it. Someone just offered it to me.”

Angel Esparza of St. Anne Parish in Gilbert was there with his daughter Daniela, 10, and son Luis, 17. Daniela, dressed in an elaborate costume, has been dancing in the procession every year since kindergarten.

“Sometimes it takes a long time to dance, but it’s fun,” Daniela said. “It’s nice to see a whole bunch of young people participating in the church,” Luis added. “It’s really exciting to see that take place and that they care about the church.”

Sam McClelland of St. Daniel the Prophet Parish in Scottsdale just happened to be downtown and stumbled upon the festivities, catching a glimpse of dancers from his parish.

Our Lady of Guadalupe, whose feast day is Dec. 12, appeared in Mexico during the time of the Reformation in Europe, he said, “and she appeared to her children. It’s inspiring knowing that she’s active in history — she converts people. She’s the one who converted me.”

Adiela Bustamente of Queen of Peace Parish in Mesa said she comes every year to honor the Virgin of Guadalupe. “I feel a lot of happiness and joy in uniting myself with the bishop. We are one church and one body to honor Our Lady. It thrills me,” Bustamante said.

Again and again, participants spoke of the joy they felt at being there.

“As a Mexican, it’s something that we carry in our blood, in our bones, because she is the Queen of the Americas,” Bustamante said. “The Virgin liberates us and through Juan Diego, an Indian, she gives us that dignity, that we are not second-class people, we are first-class people — one people.”

Tears rolling down her cheeks, she added: “The bishop always tells us with this celebration that we have dignity, we are part of things.”

That’s a point Phoenix Auxiliary Bishop Eduardo A. Nevares hammered home in his homily at the bilingual Mass that followed the two-hour procession.

When Jesus came into the world 2,000 years ago, the Jewish people were the chosen ones, Bishop Nevares said, and they “rejected the poor, the sick, the lepers, the lame, the prostitutes and sinners … Jesus came to remind us of God’s holy will that we are all children of God the Father.”

The love of God extends to everyone, Bishop Nevares said. “All those rejected are welcome in the reign of God.” When Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared in Mexico in 1531, she did not entrust her message to the learned or wealthy. Instead, she chose a humble indigenous peasant with a tender heart.

The bishop challenged those in attendance to “fight hard” to help those on the margins like St. Juan Diego, especially the young people known as Dreamers — those who were brought to the United States illegally as infants or young children.

“Immigration law in this country is broken,” Bishop Nevares said. Acknowledging that each nation has the right to control its borders, he pointed out that “people who want to enter legally have to wait 15 or more years.”

He encouraged the crowd to mail pre-printed postcards made available at the event to U.S. Sens. John McCain and Jeff Flake, both Arizona Republicans, urging them to support the youth who have been protected by the Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA.

President Donald Trump announced the Obama-era program will end in March but has urged Congress to pass a measure to preserve it before then. The proposed DREAM Act — Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, would provide a path to citizenship for Dreamers and others in the country without documents.

“The law is unjust and causes much suffering,” Bishop Nevares said. “It’s time to defend the human rights of our loved ones.”

EPISODE#124
OC CATHOLIC RADIO: GUEST IS BISHOP KEVIN VANN

Host Rick Howick interviews guests on a variety of topics. On this week’s program, Rick welcomes Bishop Kevin Vann to our studio in the Tower of Hope. It’s always our joy to spend time with the bishop.

Today’s discussion is centered on how we can truly live and ENGAGE the Advent season.

 

 

 

Originally broadcast on 11/30/17

MEXICAN STATE PLANS 147-FOOT OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE STATUE

MEXICO CITY (CNS) — State and municipal officials in the north-central state of Zacatecas have unveiled plans to build the world’s biggest statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the national patroness — hoping the giant image would increase tourist visits.

The proposed statue would stand 147 feet, taller than other famous religious landmarks in Mexico such as the Christ the King statues in the states of Aguascalientes and Guanajuato. In 2012, Pope Benedict XVI flew past the Christ the King statue in Guanajuato and celebrated Mass nearby.

The proposed statue also would be taller than a 75-foot statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe in the town of Xicotepec de Juarez in Puebla state, to the east of Mexico City. The statue in Puebla was also built with the idea of attracting tourists, according to press reports.

Local officials project the statue in Zacatecas will cost $4.25 million, with 62.5 percent of the money coming from the private sectors, according to the newspaper El Universal.

The spending of public money on religious landmarks is controversial in Mexico, where church-state relations were strained for most of the last century and politicians used to publicly profess anti-clerical positions. The mayor of the municipality of Guadalupe, where the statue will be located, told El Universal the expectation was to promote religious tourism — as happened in Puebla with the building of the statue there.