A MOTHER AND ADVOCATE OF SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN, A WOMAN WHO SURVIVED BURNS TO HER BODY AMONG PILGRIMS TO BASILICA OF GUADALUPE IN MEXICO CITY
June 26, 2024  |  By:   |  Press Releases  |  

—Couples celebrating milestone wedding anniversaries, along with the photographer of the Archdiocese renowned for his work with farm workers leader Cesar Chavez, will all participate in a Mass celebrated by Archbishop Gomez at the Basilica on July 6 —

Nearly 300 faithful from eight parishes of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles will travel on pilgrimage to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, including a mother and advocate of children with special needs who serve as altar servers, a woman who suffered third degree burns to her body on a work accident, two couples who will celebrate their 50th and 26th wedding anniversary and Víctor Alemán, a photographer of the Archdiocese for nearly four decades, who was also the photographer of farm workers leader Cesar Chavez. They will all participate at a Mass celebrated at the Basilica by Archbishop José H. Gomez on Saturday, July 6 at 11 a.m. PST, to be livestreamed on lacatholics.org/pilgrimage/. Many will travel to Mexico between July 4-9, and are available for media interviews.

“This is my opportunity to give thanks to Our Lady of Guadalupe for helping me return to the Church, helping me after my husband’s passing and to be the caregiver of my 14-year-old son who suffers from autism, ADHD and OCD,” said Elynour Quan, who is of Filipino descent. Her husband of 24 years died in 2018 and she is currently an advocate of special needs children who serve as altar servers at her parish, St. Lorenzo Ruiz in Walnut. This will be her first visit to the Basilica.

“I am going to thank the Virgin for helping me fulfill the goal to bring a replica of her image to my church, St. Pancratius in Lakewood, as well as give thanks for my marriage, for my family and for the world’s peace,” said Maria Tavarez, a declared “Guadalupana” since she was born in Jalisco, Mexico. She is married to Luis Barreras, of Cuban descent. This is the first time the couple will join the pilgrimage to the Basilica. The trip was his surprise present to her on their 26th wedding anniversary.

This is the second year in a row that hundreds of faithful led by clergy are joining parochial groups who will travel to Mexico City on different dates, with most departing on July 4 and returning July 9, with stops at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe that houses the original tilma (or cloak) of St. Juan Diego, which holds the miraculous image of Our Lady of Guadalupe that appeared in 1531, a symbol of hope, peace and love, uniting peoples around the world as one family of God. They will also visit other Mexico landmarks.

The eight parishes represented during the pilgrimage include the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, St. Rose of Lima and Our Lady of Rosary in Paramount, St. Lorenzo Ruiz in Walnut, Incarnation in Glendale, St. Augustine in Culver City, Our Lady of the Rosary of Talpa in East LA, and Presentation of Mary in LA. NOTE: Media members are invited to cover the Mass on-site at the Basilica. Photos will be available here.

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