LEADING UP TO CHRISTMAS, many families’ schedules are filled with parties, shopping, wrapping presents and more. But Spanish teacher Elba Singleton decided to make sure Our Lady of Guadalupe was not forgotten in the mix this December.
A PRAYERFUL MOMENT DURING THE ALL-STUDENT MASS FOR OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE. PHOTO BY ALAN WENDELL/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
Her school community wholeheartedly agreed.
“Our culture right now is just going to Christmas, and we forget about Advent,” she said. “We forget to celebrate our mother Mary and to know about her, to know that this happened for real. I wanted to bring the love that I have for Mary to our students.”
St. Cecilia Catholic School in Tustin took Singleton’s idea of remembering the reason for the season, deciding to celebrate on Dec. 12 the Mexican-born tradition of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe with a schoolwide procession, Mass, traditional costumes and food.
“I hope that most importantly, it deepens their love for Our Lady,” said Principal Mary Alvarado. “It’s important that the children understand these are traditions passed down generation to generation, because people truly love Our Lady.”
Growing up, Singleton said her family always celebrated Our Lady of Guadalupe. She decided to teach her first graders the traditional Spanish song “La Guadalupana,” which tells the story of Our Lady’s apparition to St. Juan Diego on the Tepeyac Hill in 1531. Singleton’s enthusiasm brought the rest of the school onboard, and then the parents jumped at the opportunity, Alvarado said.
On this feast day, the first graders dressed in traditional ponchos for the boys and white blouses with colorful skirts and shawls for the girls. The seventh graders each held a long-stemmed rose as they led the procession of students, teachers and parents to the special Mass.
Facing an altar covered with roses of all colors, the first- and seventh-grade students sang “La Guadalupana” before the older students laid down their roses on the altar.
“I think this was a really great experience for us and the first graders, because we’ve never done this in the past,” said seventh-grader Olive Huerta, 12. “And I think it’s a great time for the community to come together to celebrate Our Lady of Guadalupe.”
St. Cecilia parish’s Fr. Michael Khong presided over the Mass and took the opportunity to quiz the students on what they learned about the Mexican tradition.
At the school, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is just one of several celebrations they want to do that honors the parish’s multicultural heritage. The school will also celebrate Lunar New Year, Cinco de Mayo and St. Joseph’s Day.
“We have a very diverse community here in Tustin, so I think it’s important that our students recognize that and understand the gifts that each of our cultures brings,” said Vice Principal Jessica Deutschel. “It’s a blessing to live in Southern California where we are surrounded by that, so it’s important to us as a staff to make the students aware.”