From The Back Pew: Rest up, you’re going to need it

This week I would like to welcome the Rev. Richard Albarano to the In Theory writer’s board.

Father Albarano is pastor of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Burbank. I have had the opportunity to work with some of the young adults at St. Francis Xavier, and the parish is a vibrant, active church. I look forward to working with Father Albarano in 2010.

Here is a sample of his response to this week’s question: “If I am taught that I can buy grades with money, then I learn that money is more important than intelligence. If I can buy my way out of a test score, then I am learning that money is the answer to any difficulty in life. There is so much more to life than the material. Only if we come to realize that will we become happy, fulfilled people.”

On Saturday, faithful in Latin America and all throughout the United States will celebrate the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas. Our Lady of Guadalupe is known by many names, among them La Morenita, La Morenita, La Virgen, La Virgensita, Guadalupe Madre de Dios, Santa Maria, La Virgen Morena, La Virgen Maria and Nuestra Señora Reina de Los Angeles.

Let me translate: the Little Olive-Skinned Virgin, the Virgin, the Little Virgin, Guadalupe Mother of God, Saint Mary, the Olive-Skinned Virgin, the Virgin Mary, and Our Lady Queen of the Angels.

The city of Los Angeles itself was founded under the name El Pueblo de la Reina de los Angeles Sobre el Rio de Porciuncu, although some historians still debate what the true name of the city was when it was founded in 1781.

The feast day celebrations of Our Lady of Guadalupe are among the largest in the world. Celebrations can start as early as midnight in places such as Mexico City, the epicenter of the world’s celebrations, where two basilicas, the Templo Expiatorio a Cristo Rey, built between 1531 and 1709, and the Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, built in 1974, are dedicated to her.

Part of Dec. 12 is a feast day meant only for hard-core early risers. Celebrations in this part of the world can start as early as 3 a.m., with the traditional mañanitas, where mariachis play and Aztec dancers perform elaborate traditional dance routines meant to honor the Virgin. And celebrations can last all day, even as late as 10 p.m. (My parish begins their celebrations at 5:30 a.m., and will have festivities form 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. And celebrations at the cathedral downtown will begin at 4:40 a.m.)

The Dec. 12 feast day commemorates the appearances in 1531 of Guadalupe to St. Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin on Tepeyac Hill, north of Mexico City. Juan Diego was canonized in 2002.

As the story goes, while Juan Diego was on his way to church, Mary appeared, instructing him to ask the bishop of Mexico, Juan de Zumárraga, to build a shrine on the very spot where she stood. Already in shock at what he was seeing, Juan Diego rushed to tell the bishop. But the bishop was doubtful, and said he would only believe Juan Diego if he brought back proof that he indeed see the Virgin. He asked for it on her second appearance.

On the third appearance, Guadalupe promised Juan Diego that she would give him proof.

On the morning of Dec. 12 — the fourth appearance — Mary instructed Juan Diego to climb Tepeyac Hill, where a pile of flowers lay. The existence of the flowers seemed impossible to Juan Diego, given that in the bitter winter cold, nothing blooms. Mary placed the flowers into Juan Diego’s tilma, or the cloak he wore on those cold mornings, and instructed him to open the cloak for no one but the bishop.

This was the proof.

When he arrived at the bishop’s residence, he opened his cloak, letting the flowers spill out, revealing an imprint of the famous portrait of the Virgin Mary. Upon seeing this, the bishop sank to his knees and ordered that a basilica be built, and it is where the modern basilica exists today.

The flowers spilling out of Juan Diego’s cloak and the imprint are considered one of the most famous miracles of the Virgin Mary, second only, perhaps, to giving birth to Jesus Christ himself.

Finally, La Cañada churches will play host to a myriad of Christmas events and concerts.

First, Lutheran Church in the Foothills will present a one-day winter Vacation Bible School event from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Dec. 19 in the church.

And La Cañada Congregational Church will present a free Christmas concert at 4 p.m. Dec. 20 in the church. Check out the blog at www.the818now.com for a complete list of events taking place in the area.

Until next week.

All the best.

Get in touch Michael J. Arvizu is a reporter for the La Cañada Valley Sun, Reach him at (818) 637-3263.