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Our Lady of Guadalupe: A Mother for Us All
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The joyful bilingual Mass on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, celebrated by Paulist Fr. René Constanza, was the culmination of a three-month pilgrimage to Tepeyac that began on Our Lady’s Nativity, September 8. On this journey, we welcomed and prayed the rosary with the Silver Rose as it stopped on its way to Mexico; enjoyed fellowship and fun while making milagros (miracles) with medals and charms; and visited Mission San José and Mission Concepción in San Antonio.
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Our Lady of Guadalupe MassThe Perfect End to Our Season of Pilgrimage to Tepeyac
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December 12, 2022
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Fr. René explains how La Morenita is a model of reconciliation and evangelization.
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Mariachi Relámpago
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Why We Honor Our Lady with This Season andWalk With Her in Hope
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We worship in a Church from
which we spill forth joyfully after Mass charged to "Go forth and bring the Word of God to life with our lives." The busy street that carries us on the first steps of our journey of mission is name for Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas. To honor her in many ways that will culminate with a beautiful liturgy on Her feast day, December 12th,
we're planning a pilgrimage of events and celebrations that leads us from Our Lady's birthday on September 8 to the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe in a way that will bring us together in joy after our long time apart.
As the world around us battles continued waves of viral outbreaks, drought and deluge - fire and flood, and social and political friction, the words of Our Lady to San Juan Diego at her fourth apparition provide great comfort for us all:Hear me and understand well, my little one, that nothing should frighten or grieve you. Let not your heart be disturbed. Do not fear that sickness, nor any other sickness or anguish. Am I not here, who is your Mother? Are you not under my protection? Am I not your health? Are you not happily within my fold? What else do you wish? Do not grieve nor be disturbed by anything.
Our pilgrimage is a way to walk through the trials of our here and now with Our Lady that reminds us that we are not alone, that we can navigate our life challenges with confidence and hope knowing we are under Her protection.
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What We've Done So Far
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Wednesday,November 9, 2022
Mission San José,
The Queen of the Missions -
Our Pilgrims' Prayer
Dear God,
We ask your blessing as we travel today in spirit;
Guide our minds as we learn of those who came before us, traversing the pilgrim way.
Give us a hunger to seek your face
in paths through fields,
along roads trod by many seeking
the blessing of your presence.
Nurture our fellowship
And help us to see each other as a brother or sister
Sharing the journey to your blessed kingdom.
Amen.By Nineveh Murray
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Mission Concepción
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A Mission Pilgrimage -An idea that began in pandemic
Distanced from one another, together, but apart, we made a virtual tour of Mission San José. Over Zoom in pandemic, we visited one of the five San Antonio Missions. We longed for a time when we'd be able to visit these sites together.
That joyful time arrived when on November 9, 29 pigrims gathered at morning Mass for a pilgrimage to visit an incomparable World Heritage Site a mere 75 miles away. Our motor coach was comfortable and Selwyn, our driver, made the trip effortless for us to enjoy the ride while visiting, forging new friendships, snacking and napping.
Our first stop, Mission San José, allowed some to stroll, others took photos, others shopped, and others prayed a Rosary in the church. We reconvened in the Visitors' Center where we took in a film that put the San Anotnio missions into context for us - giving our experience greater geo-political, historical, and social understanding - accompanied by lovely music and moving imagery.
Then we were off to a leisurely lunch at the Haven (Torrres Taco Haven) where we deepened acquainteces over a delicious meal during a driving downpour. The sun broke through the clouds again for our stop at Mission Concepción. There we heard of a phenomena resulting from the alignment of the the Church in it's setting. Concepción is the oldest, unrestored, stone church in the U.S. It's said that, the orientation of the church and the strategic placement of its windows, on August 15th, the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, light breaks through the windows to form a circle of light at the intersection of the transept and the nave.
On our return journey, Marian Barber shared more about the history of Catholicism from mission times to the invitation of the Paulists to establish St. Austin's in 1908. Seven hours from departure, we returned to the parking garage having built new and deepened existing relationships, learned a little, walked a little, rested a little, and spent a little time nurturing our faith.
View photos from our pilgrimage by Egidio Leitão.
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Making MilagrosOctober 22 & 23, 2022
From left to right ~ Linda, Jim, Colleen, Ísa,
Emili, Eloise, Josie, HuddieWe made a joyful noise, forged new friendships, enjoyed fellowship and fun as we gathered in two sessions on Saturday, October 22 and Sunday evening the 23rd.
Colleen's milagro prayers were incorporated onto a block of wood used by her father to craft a bench she treasures.
Yolanda and Ellie were part of a three-generation
Milagro making party with Stephanie (below).
The imaginative Running Heart milagro below was crafted
by a father-son team Nic & Gio at the GAP event
See, the LORD... has filled him with a divine spirit of skill and understanding and knowledge in every craft: in the production of embroidery, in making things of gold, silver, or bronze, in cutting and mounting precious stones, in carving wood, and in every other craft. He has endowed them with skill to execute all types of work: engraving, embroidering, the making of variegated cloth of violet, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine linen thread, weaving, and all other arts and crafts.
-Exodus 35:30 - 35
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We found Joy in Prayerful Creativity
Jennifer and Elisabeth
We created milagros (miracles) - folk-crafted artisanal pieces using small medals or charms representing religious figures, farm animals, flowers, fruits and vegetables, to vehicles, parts of the body, praying people, and more. We prayed a little, learned a little, and snacked more than a little as we painted, nailed, and glued to bring our prayers forth creatively. Milagros represent the prayers of the faithful - prayers of petition and/or prayers of thanksgiving. Many thanks to Julie Lyons, Ann Richburg, Mary Barr, and John Harvey Williams who served as padrinos of the Milagros stop along our Pilgrimage to Tepeyac.
The cross pictured below was the work of Jessica in collaboration with Alden when GAP translated their prayers into folk art on Sunday.
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Hosting the Silver RoseOctober 7, 8, & 9
St. Austin's was proud to host one of the treasured Silver Roses as it made its way south to Mexico City. On Friday, October 7, for a visit to our parish school,
Knights of Columbus member Charles Vernor and Mitzi Patiño Eastman of the Pilgrimage to Tepeyac team visited all 11 classes from the three-year-olds to the eighth graders.
On Saturday and Sunday, the 8th and 9th, the Rose was at all the Masses, carried in procession by the Knights and placed on the altar during Mass. On Sunday we gathered to pray the Rosary in the Church before the 5:30 Mass.
Along the way, our Knights shared the message of Our Lady of Guadalupe with you. She wants you to know that ~-
God loves all of us
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He sent His Son to save us from sin, death, desperation, hate, violence, and injustice
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She is our Mother and holds each of us in the folds of Her mantle.
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We Found Peace in Communal PrayerA Gift From Our Knights of Columbus Council
The journey of the silver rose begins each year in March and ends on December 12, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. During that time, Silver Roses travel from town to town along eight routes throughout North America. Several of those routes begin in Canada and end in Mexico.
The Silver Rose Program began in 1960, when the first rose – a live one – was blessed by a bishop in Ontario. The rose then traveled to New York and then to Texas where it was taken across the border into Mexico. The rose ended its pilgrimage at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Monterrey on December 12, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
To better ensure future annual trips, first a bronze then a silver rose was crafted. Today, eight silver roses travel unique routes across North American that include Canada, every U.S. state, Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, and Mexico. This tradition spreads devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe and embodies international solidarity across the continent.
Holy Mary
Mystical Rose
Pray for us!
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Thursday, September 8
A Birthday Breakfast for Our Lady
Our pilgrimage toward Tepeyac this year began with a morning celebration of Our Lady's Nativity. We met at morning Mass then strolled over to Kesos's for a breakfast followed by a birthday flan over chocolate cake. There was the joy of meeting new people and discovery (for some of the assembled, a new restaurant with a surprising menu) that we hope you'll find as we continue our Pilgrimage toward Tepeyac's miracle on December 12.
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