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BY PRISCILLA GREEAR
Staff Writer
ATLANTA--A stone statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe from Degollado, Jalisco,
Mexico, stands by Corpus Christi Church in Stone Mountain, serving as an icon
for parish Hispanics from many nations.
Made of cantera stone and carved by an artisan of Degollado, the statue of
the patroness of the Americas is a replica of the original image which appeared
on the cloak of Mexican Indian peasant Juan Diego after Mary appeared to him in
1531.
The statue is surrounded by a multicolored rose garden artfully landscaped
by 25 volunteers, a reminiscence of how Our Lady made roses appear in one of
her apparitions.
Parishioner Hector Villanueva, a native of Mexico who came to the United
States in 1995, drove his truck to Degollado, just 10 miles from his hometown,
to pick up the statue.
Father Severino Lopez, CMF, a parochial vicar at Corpus Christi Church and
past director of parish Hispanic ministry who lived in Degollado as a child,
blessed the statue during a ceremony on Mother’s Day, May 9.
The ceremony followed the weekly Spanish Mass, which typically attracts 200
to 300 people. Approximately 350 people, mainly from Mexico but also from
Central America, Cuba and Puerto Rico, attended the dedication.
Father Lopez, 81, initiated the project a year ago to provide Hispanics with
an icon to reflect their strong devotion to Mary. He noted that, as Mary
appeared in Mexico before countries of the Americas were divided by their
current borders, she is mother of all of the Americas.
“It’s (the statue) from a place in Mexico where there’s a
great devotion to Our Lady,” Father Lopez said. “They (parish
Hispanics) have a great devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe.”
At the blessing he dedicated the statue to his late aunt Josefa Parra, a
devout Catholic with a devotion to Our Lady, and her companion Coleta Melendez.
In December 1917, both women chose to die by fire to preserve their chastity as
they fled rapist bandits in Degollado and ran into a building which the bandits
had set ablaze.
“It’s good for the church to hear (the story). People should know
the heroic things that people before us have done for the faith and for the
virtue of chastity,” he said.
Father Lopez said the story of the women is well known in Mexico and they
are referred to as “Las Quemaditas.” His aunt’s cause for
beatification has been under consideration by the Holy See for decades, he
said.
Father Lopez said that following the May blessing, Hispanics yelled out
“Viva la Virgen de Guadalupe” and other joyful expressions.
“After the blessing they let out a big clap like they were so happy to
have that statue,” he recalled.
He said that Hispanics have already begun praying and expressing devotion to
Mary in front of the statue and he believes the statue serves as a role model
for young people who are exposed to many dangers and temptations.
“The Mexican people--they come in and they pray before it. It’s
kind of a rally object for the people to express their devotion to Mary.”
Villanueva said he grew up hearing Guadalupe stories and saying the rosary
at night as a boy in Mexico. He recalls a dream where Mary appeared to him and
brought him happiness. He is one of those grateful for the statue.
“It means a lot that there are more people that come to church than
before,” he said. “It was a pleasure for me to bring it. I feel real
good about bringing it and I feel real good that it’s there.”
Parish Hispanics honor Mary in other traditional ways such as the Dec. 12
feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The day begins with 4 a.m. mañanitas
with singing and serenading by a mariachi band and passing out roses that have
been blessed.
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