‘Lady’ leads Guadalupana group

By Ambria Hammel, The Catholic Sun
December 21, 2006

Frances Castillo’s grandmother taught her to honor the Virgin Mary some time ago.

The elderly woman founded a group in Flagstaff dedicated to the Virgin Mother and took Castillo to its events as a little girl. And when she was a young woman, Castillo never thought she’d be leading a group herself, but something happened 33 years ago.

A woman approached Castillo for several weeks after Mass about forming an organization dedicated to building up the body of the Church. The woman insisted the group be Spanish-speaking.

“It didn’t matter what door I went out of,” said Castillo, a St. Catherine of Siena parishioner. “That lady would find me.”

Finally, Castillo had the priest announce the request from the pulpit and collected names and phone numbers of those interested in joining such a group. She planned to return this list to the persistent woman.

Castillo began looking for her at every door. She never saw the woman again and wound up spearheading the Spanish-based Marian group herself.

“I feel it was the Blessed Mother in the flesh who asked me,” a humble Castillo said.

The group, known as the Association of Guadalupanas of St. Catherine of Siena Parish, continues today.

Its members share fellowship, reach out to the Latino community, and most recently, played a key role leading Phoenix Catholics in two processions honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Members — mostly immigrants — spent five months planning both, including an hour-long procession for the entire diocese Dec. 10. It featured Guadalupanas from other parishes, too.

After the procession, matachines took turns performing traditional Mexican dances on the street corner outside St. Mary’s Basilica, as 2,500 Catholics looked on.

“It’s wonderful to see how Our Lady of Guadalupe is engaging the hearts of people other than Latinos,” said Fr. Charlie Goraieb, pastor at Queen of Peace Parish in Mesa.

The Virgin played a prominent role in his life prior to his priestly ordination. He has noticed an increasing number of Anglos are developing a devotion to her, as well.

“It’s only right and fitting because she is the patroness of all the Americas,” Fr. Goraieb said.

Parish celebration

The second celebration drew several thousand Catholics, who filed into St. Catherine of Siena Parish Dec. 12, Our Lady’s feast day and the 475th anniversary of her appearance to Juan Diego in Mexico.

The annual event also includes breakfast, a rosary, a eucharistic procession throughout the neighborhood and Mass.

Jose Guadalupe Arellano Chavez, a Mexican native who has lived in the United States for 13 years, has been helping plan the parish processions for the last five years.

He remembers similar devotions south of the border. Each parish’s town holds a procession to the Our Lady of Guadalupe image inside the church.

“If the community is large, they hold processions in the morning and at night so that no one will be left without the chance to participate,” he said. Some even take off from work to honor the Virgin Mother.

Processions include drums, songs and flowers, Arellano added. Marchers light candles at night.

The rest of the year, Guadalupana groups such as the one at St. Catherine of Siena nurture the spiritual growth of its members. Castillo’s group attends Mass together monthly and meets for prayer and business.

They recently joined the pro-life movement and pray the rosary outside abortion clinics.

“Many Hispanic women are the ones utilizing the abortion clinics for the reason that they’re economically in despair,” Castillo said.

The Guadalupanas at St. Catherine of Siena also enjoy fellowship while organizing other parish events to raise money throughout the year. Proceeds fund the annual Our Lady of Guadalupe celebration. 

“The Guadalupanas have a very targeted focus,” Fr. Goraieb said. “They make sure that day does not go unnoticed.”

It never does.

Managing Editor J.D. Long-García contributed to this story.