May 14, 2010
70 gather for immigrants rights prayer service in Huntingburg
On May 1, about 70 people joined in a bilingual immigrant rights prayer service in Huntingburg, according to Benedictine Sister Karen Durliat, diocesan director of the Spanish-speaking ministry.
“A rosary was prayed interspersed with a reading from the Nicán Mopohua and reflections.
“The Nicán Mopohua is the oldest document that tells the story of the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe to Juan Diego. It was written in Náhuatl, the language of the native Mex-icans, by Don Antonio Valeria-no, a Náhuatl scholar of the 16th century.”
A statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe, donated by the Cruz family of Huntingburg, was carried in procession from the Guadalupe Center to St. Mary’s Parish where it was blessed by Benedictine Father Mark O’Keefe, pastor of St. Mary’s, who asked her intercession as the Patroness of the Americas for all immigrants:
“Merciful God, bless this image of Our Lady of Guada-lupe that today we place in this Church. May her presence affirm the dignity of each person as Our Lady affirmed the dignity of Saint Juan Diego and sent him with the mission to build a new church where all are welcomed.
“May her presence in this Church affirm the cultural symbols of all those who come here as Our Lady affirmed the sacred hill of Tepeyac. Through the intercession of our Mother, Our Lady of Guadalupe, help us to build a new humanity where all are brothers and sisters, members of the human family that You have created.
“We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”