On Tuesday evening, followers at the Holy Family Church gathered outside to do a prayer and then start walking the streets with Priest Joshua Carlos and bless the families.
The walks started about 10 months ago as a way for the church to visit families, houses and bless the families that live in the area. Every month, there is a different theme and this month they celebrate Our Lady of Guadalupe.
“We go from place to place visiting houses, families and I bless the families and everybody that accompanies us. We pray together, kind of giving them a sense of hope and reminder that they’re not alone, that the Lord is with us, especially in this time,” Priest Carlos said.
“This month, the special theme is Our Lady of Guadalupe. It’s her feast on Saturday and we wanted to do something special for her. Typically, the local church, we would have our processions to the church of Our Lady of Guadalupe but we are not able this year, so, we decided to do it in this form.”
Back in November the Associated Press reported that Mexico’s Roman Catholic Church announced the cancellation Monday of what’s considered the world’s largest Catholic pilgrimage, for the Virgin of Guadalupe, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Virgin is celebrated on Dec. 12 and for weeks in advance, pilgrims travel from across Mexico to gather by the millions in Mexico City.
The church recommended that the Guadalupe celebrations be held in churches or at home, avoiding gatherings and with the appropriate health measures.
When asked if he plans on continuing the walks next year, Priest Carlos said he plans on continuing them for as long as he is there.
“My hope is yes, I kind of want to as long as I’m here. I don’t know how long I’ll be here but I’d like to continue to do that,” he said.
“I think it’s beautiful means of evangelization, making people aware that the Lord is with them, even in moments that are good. At the beginning it was a pandemic thing, but I think now is just part of our ministry.”
Minutes before the walk, as the priest and a few members of the church gathered in the parking lot to say a prayer and live-stream it on Facebook, dozens of viewers thanked the church for what they do. During the blessing, youth members of the church participated dressed as Our Lady of Guadalupe, Juan Diego and the Immaculate Conception.
“I know that not everybody can come, but come spiritually. Maybe during the time that we are out there pray a hail Mary or even a rosary,” Priest Carlos said.
“We are praying for the sick, we are praying for the poor and we are praying for this crisis with COVID, with all the problems that we are having in our society right now, we are praying as well for the eternal rest of those souls as we always do.”
Olivia Esquivel, mother of two of the youth members who participated, said she has been part of the Our Lady of Guadalupe celebration with the church for three years. She said before that they would gather at home and pray together.
“This the third time that we come here with the church,” she said in Spanish. “This is important so they can be closer to God and become better people. So they give love.”
