December 12 is a very important celebration for many devout Catholics of Mexican origin. This is a day to celebrate the beloved Virgen de Guadalupe (Virgin Mary). Every year St. Mary’s Church in Moline has a big celebration where every member of the community is invited to come and share their love and devotion for her together. This year the celebration will last three days.
“This is the first time that the celebration will last three days,” organizers of this special celebration event stated.
The celebration of La Virgen de Guadalupe will start on Tuesday December 10, 2019 with a mass at 8:30 AM. After mass beginning from 9:30 AM until 8:00 PM the public can come inside for adoration and at 6 in the evening there will be special movie about La Virgen de Guadalupe in the gym of St. Mary’s church. The second day of the three-day long celebration will also start with a mass at 8:30 AM. The same as the first day at 9:30 AM the public is welcomed to come in for adoration. This time the adoration will last all day and all night, so the more members of the community can spend time with La Virgen de Guadalupe. At 5:00 PM there will be some special dances. Anyone who feels the need to confess will get a chance to do so starting from 8:30 PM. At the same time there will be a rosary prayer. On December 12 the traditional mañanitas singing will start at 4:00 AM followed by more songs and worship. Another rosary prayer will be at 5:30 AM and more dances. The breakfast will be served at 6:30 AM.
“The event has been made into a three-day long celebration because we want to try to pray 46 rosaries during these days,” the organizers shared.
Also, in the evening of December 12 there will be two processions that will start at 4:30 PM. One with the community of St. Mary’s in East Moline and another with the community of St. Mary’s in Moline. The starting point of one of the processions is the parking lot of La Monarca store located at 755 15th Ave in East Moline. They will go to St. Mary’s church in Moline. Another procession will start form St. Mary’s church, 412 10th St. in Moline, and they will go the very last street of Moline coming close to the Old Mexico restaurant and then they will go back to the church. The two processions will meet in church and there will be a mass and special gathering in the gym after. Everyone is invited to attend.
This celebration does not end on the 12th of December this year. On Sunday the 15th, there will be special Hora Santa (Holy Hour) presented by Father Antonio Dittmer and Priscila Angel. Priscila Angel is a well known singer of regional Mexican genre of music who used to play accordion and sing in a group called Priscila y sus Balas de Plata in the mid 90s. After 16 years of success, las Balas de Plata disintegrated and Priscila Angel decided to dedicate her life to God. She started her career as a singer of Christian music. Her first CD was called “Alabando a Jesus y Maria” (Worshiping Jesus and Mary). Anyone interested to attend this special Hora Santa with Priscila Angel in St. Mary’s Church in Moline on December 15 can purchase tickets now. There is a limited number of tickets available. For more information about the event and tickets please call St. Mary’s Church at (309) 764-1562 or call one of the organizers at (309) 269-5118.
The celebration of La Virgen de Guadalupe has always been part of community events in the Quad Cities, but this year it expanded to a three-day long celebration full of special events and even a presentation by a well known Mexican Christian singer. Don’t miss this year’s day of La Virgen de Guadalupe.
If you cannot get a ticket to “Hora Santa” of December 15 in St. Mary’s Church you can see Priscila Angel on Saturday December 14 at a big Catholic Concert from 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM at St. Patrick’s Parish in Iowa City. This concert is presented by the Multicultural Ministry of the Diocese of Davenport. The asking donation is $20. For more information about this event and to purchase tickets please call (309) 337-2856, (319) 930-1665 or (563) 888-4241. You can also send an email to the following address [email protected]
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