WEB EDITOR – MARIANA MATA
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON OCT 25 2023
On Sept. 29, the St Mary’s University Center for Catholic Studies presented the lecture, “Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Art of Solidarity,” in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month and as part of the Lin Great Speakers Series.
The lecture was given by Dr. Nichole M. Flores, Ph.D. Dr. Flores is the Associate Professor of Religious Studies and the Director of the Health, Ethics and Society program at the University of Virginia. Dr. Flores researches the contributions of Catholic and Latin theologies with the notions of justice and aesthetics in pluralistic and democratic political contexts. Her research in practical ethics addresses the issues of politics, migration, labor, family, gender, bioethics, race, ethnicity and ecology. She teaches several courses on Catholic theology and ethics, religion and democracy, bioethics, and Latin theology.
Individuals who entered the Sarita Kenedy East Law Library were greeted by the President’s Ambassadors and led to a table filled with items of Our Lady of Guadalupe, gifted by the St. Mary’s University Center of Catholic Studies. The items included study sheets, postcards and various prayer cards. as After visitors collected their gifts, they were escorted to their seats. Kicking the event off after a prayer, Dr. Flores was introduced by Dr. Jason King, Ph.D., currently the Beirne Director for the St. Mary’s University Center for Catholic Studies and the Theology Department.
Dr. Flores began her presentation with different images of Our Lady of Guadalupe, including the famous “Veladora” of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a ceramic mural including a 3D votive candle, or veladora, with an eternal flame facing Guadalupe Street in San Antonio. Its purpose was to show that “Guadalupe is everywhere,” stated Flores, Ph.D. During the lecture, she spoke about the many roles of Guadalupe that represented her people. These roles include her as an icon for the farm worker movement that was used for marketing purposes like Banamex, a Mexican banking company, and even as a feminist and pro-life model. Many wonder how this is possible. Dr. Flores explains that Guadalupe brings comfort in recognizing our humanity and dignity.
The story of Guadalupe goes back to Dec. 9, 1531, when the Virgin Mary appeared to Juan Diego, an Aztec peasant, on the hill of Tepeyac. She asked him to build her a church on that exact spot to share her love for fellow believers. Juan Diego made his way to visit Juan de Zumárraga, the Archbishop, of modern-day Mexico City. Zumárraga denied his request but after constant pressure from Juan Diego, he finally asked for a sign to prove the Lady’s identity. Juan Diego returned to the hill where Our Lady of Guadalupe waited for him. She told him to climb to the top of the hill and pick some flowers to present to the Archbishop. Juan Diego found beautiful roses on top of the hill, even though it was the middle of winter. Juan Diego placed the flowers on his tilma, a cloak, and returned to the Archbishop’s headquarters. On Dec. 12, 1531, after waiting for hours, he presented himself in front of the Archbishop and revealed the flowers to him. They discovered the rare flowers and noticed that the Virgin’s image was imprinted on the tilma. The tilma is preserved to this day and showcased at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. It remains one of the most sacred images in all of Mexico.
Although Our Lady of Guadalupe plays a role in representation, Dr. Flores focused on the effect she has on the Latino community in the U.S. She highlights that the reason why Our Lady of Guadalupe is important to many people, especially to many Latinos because Juan Diego’s story is relevant to their own. From Juan Diego’s people being under Spanish rule, to the Chicano community taking action in the Farmers Movement, Our Lady of Guadalupe serves as a symbol of power and solidarity. Although Our Lady of Guadalupe is known under different names such as Tonantzin, “mother goddess,” she is still venerated by many. Her image is a message to her people that they are never alone in their suffering, no matter how grave their situation.
Interested in lectures offered by the Lin Speaker Series? Visit www.stmarytx.edu for more information and event news.