SAVING THE CHAPEL: San Marcos neighborhood rallies to save Guadalupe Chapel

A local San Marcos church has been saved by its congregation.

St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church announced in a reverse of course on Sunday it would not be selling its chapel located at 218 Roosevelt St. in the Barrio de la Victoria neighborhood.

“The property we have on 218 Roosevelt St. will now be our St. Vincent de Paul Society location," St. John's wrote. "We are looking forward to branching out with more Social Services for our community ... The building will be renamed back to its original name of 'Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Center.' (1956) This will go into effect on Monday, Jan. 2, 2023.”

Christina Casas-Moreno, a Barrio de la Victoria resident and community organizer, said the neighborhood is  overwhelmed with joy at the decision to not sell the chapel.

"However, we will continue to work together to push for services to be held in the chapel, as it has been a special place of worship for generations,” Casas-Moreno said.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel has served Barrio de la Victoria families for 60 years, according to Casas-Moreno.

On Saturday, Oct. 1, St. John's announced its intention to sell the chapel at a presentation meeting on the "History and Future" of the property.

Several parishioners and community members, including Casas-Moreno, implored St. John's not to sell, highlighting the chapel's historical, cultural, and social significance.

"That chapel is the heart of that community," Casas-Moreno said, choking back tears. "We have faithfully waited, through COVID, to have those doors opened. And for us to hear this, that these are the only options, it's very painful."

On Wednesday, Nov. 2, Barrio de la Victoria residents hosted a gathering at Victory Gardens Park celebrating Dia de Los Muertos and the history of Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel.

Neighbors were invited to share stories and bring pictures of their loved ones to a celebration featuring several guest speakers and performers, including Bobbie Garza-Hernandez, owner of Pink Consulting and a leader with the Indigenous Cultures Institute, Dr. Anna Juarez, former professor of Anthropology, and the Matlachines Dance Group, directed by barrio resident Blanca Castillo.

City Mayor Jane Hughson, Indigenous Cultures Institute Founders Mario Garza and Maria Rocha, and Historic Preservation Commission Chair Ryan Patrick-Perkins, also attended the event.

Casas-Moreno described the event as "a lovely evening celebrating the history and culture of the Guadalupe Chapel and the impact the chapel has had on the families of the neighborhood, many of whom are the first Hispanic families of San Marcos."

Casas-Moreno said attendees shared stories "of attending mass with their families and the unity and sense of family they felt."

"One story that was very touching was shared by a single mother, Jessica Mejia, who said she grew up Catholic and remembered her grandmother telling her about Our Lady of Guadalupe," Casas-Moreno recalled. "She always felt drawn to her, but her family moved away from the faith, and she felt an emptiness when she could no longer have a relationship with Our Lady.

"[Mejia] said when her grandmother passed away, she inherited her statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe and still has a special connection to her."

Our Lady of Guadalupe, or the Virgin Mary in Roman Catholicism, is a divine figure who appeared in a vision to St. Juan Diego in 1531 and "holds a special place in the religious life of Mexico."

As Encyclopedia Britannica writes, "During her first apparition, she requested that a shrine to her be built on the spot where she appeared, Tepeyac Hill. The bishop demanded a sign before he would approve [the] construction of a church, however. Mary then appeared a second time to Juan Diego and ordered him to collect roses.

"In a second audience with the bishop, Juan Diego opened his cloak, letting dozens of roses fall to the floor and revealing the image of Mary imprinted on the inside of the cloak—the image that is now venerated in the Basilica of Guadalupe."

"The Guadalupe Chapel serves and carries that same message today. That no matter your background, we are all the children of God," Casas-Moreno said. "She is our mother, and like our earthly mother, she is our safe place, our anchor and root to our cultural history."

Although Guadalupe Chapel is no longer in jeopardy, Casas-Moreno acknowledged the challenges that lie ahead.

"We are grateful it will not be sold. However, we are still working to keep the chapel open for mass," she said.