Every year, the friars of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico organize a Provincial Christmas Assembly. In Mexico, festivities begin in December with celebrations dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe. Many towns celebrate a novena with Masses and rosaries in the streets. Many businesses, workshops and individual families attend Mass. December 12, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, is itself a day of celebration and feasting.
In the days just before Christmas, the “posadas” are celebrated―processions during the Christmas novena―usually with the parish communities. In the houses of formation, friars who attend outside classes have finished their semester of study. Inside the friaries, the confreres spend the Christmas solemnity together and enjoy a festive dinner. Soon after, the student friars go away for a few days and return to their formation houses at the beginning of the year.
Once these activities are done, the friars of the Province assemble to celebrate together. In other years, this assembly was held in Acapulco, Mexico, where the weather is usually hot at this time of year, even while it is cold in most of the rest of the country. However, in November of 2023, the friary in Acapulco was partially destroyed by Hurricane Otis. Therefore, the fraternal assembly was moved this year to the Maria Inmaculada Friary in Cuautitlán Izcalli, Mexico.
The assembly started on January 3, 2024, with lunch, followed by sports. Then Mass was celebrated at which time the Ministry of Lector was conferred upon Friars Ángel Ricardo PÉREZ GÓMEZ and Juan Carlos VILLEGAS GONZÁLEZ. The day ended with some karaoke.
On January 4, the day began with the celebration of Mass, followed by breakfast and some sports. The older friars played board games. The assembly concluded with lunch, where there was a drawing to give away gifts. The dimension of fraternal life is strengthened by these recreational assemblies; they are a time to share experiences and our faith.
Friar Jorge HERNÁNDEZ DE LUNA
