The annual pilgrimage of Our Lady of Guadalupe and San Juan Diego in Los Angeles began this Thursday with a special visit to agricultural workers in Southern California, as a preamble to the traditional December celebrations, which this year will be marked by the pandemic of the coronavirus.
The tour of the images through the growing areas of the city of Moorpark was led by Father Juan Ochoa, pastor of the parish of Cristo Rey in Los Angeles and president of the Commission of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
The priest blessed the farm workers, recognizing their important contributions especially during the current pandemic.
“During this unusual year that COVID-19 has changed the way we live, work, pray and socialize, this is an opportunity to celebrate and thank farm workers. These essential workers touch all of our lives, wherever we live or whatever we do. It’s about how we treat those who put food on our table, ”Ochoa said in a statement from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
The effigies were decorated with farm produce such as kale, radishes, parsley and leeks, as the procession made its way through the farm field in a flatbed truck.
A group of mariachis and fourth and sixth grade students from St. Joseph School in La Puente participated in the visit.
“I hope our students appreciate those essential workers, who are the backbone of our society,” said Mark Padilla, a sixth grade teacher at St. Joseph, who also volunteers to transport the images during the pilgrimage.
This is the first visit of the pilgrimage of the images to farm workers, and it was made possible thanks to the Union of Farmers (UFW) and Muranaka Farms, owner of the farm.
Approximately 40 farm workers participated in the celebration.
The images will continue the pilgrimage until December through different parishes.