Our Lady of Guadalupe!

I thought of trying to get to St. Peter Chanel for the 5 am Mass with the traditional Mexican songs in her honor, and the Aztec dances and champurrado afterward. But I think I would have had to get there around 4:15 am to get a seat. No joke-- I got there at five last year and there wasn't even standing room left. I mean I literally couldn't even find a place to stand in the church. (I hope fire marshals don't get up early.) It's a mostly Hispanic neighborhood around SPC, and December 12 is always a great day. But I'll just catch the 8 am Mass, even though by that time the champurrado will be gone. Here are a bunch of pictures of the Virgin of Guadalupe around town. But I was more interested in the slideshow of OLO Guadalupe on commercial items, particularly these children's books: I've never seen her all cartoon-ized like that! I don't know if it's happening this year, but in years past they've had mass weddings at my church on December 12. When our priests find unmarried couples living together they encourage them to get married in the church, and often the first objection is that there isn't money for a nice wedding. So a mass wedding on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is one way to give them all a big bash without a lot of expense. I think they usually have about twenty-five couples, and I know other churches do the same thing. Well, I've eaten my breakfast of cookies and tea, so I'm off to get ready now. :) Here's a picture I took at the Mexico City basilica: a statue of Juan Diego wearing the tilma and Bishop Zumárraga kneeling before it.