The
COURIER
Christmas Day December 25
December 2019
Official Newspaper of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Winona-Rochester, MN | dowr.org
Migrants in Our Midst Welcoming the Stranger A Lesson in Solidarity � Las Posadas and
By SR. RUTH SNYDER, OSF
By ISAAC LANDSTEINER
�n October 5 and 7, at Good Counsel in Mankato and at St. Mary’s University in Winona, about 280 people from across the diocese gathered for the Fall Social Concerns Day. In the morning, participants watched the film Abrazos, which tells the story of immigrant children
from Worthington, who returned to Guatemala to meet their grandparents for the first time. Afterwards, many of the children in the film were present to share what that experience was like for them. The conversation continued over a delicious meal of tacos and churros. After lunch, the film’s director, Luis Argueta, spoke for Migrants, cont'd on pg. 4
he story of Christ’s birth has been told and retold for many generations, but in the Hispanic culture, notably in Mexico and Guatemala, it comes to life each year through the celebration of Las Posadas. The celebration commemorates the difficult journey of Mary and Joseph from Nazareth to Bethlehem and their search for a warm place to stay the night. “Posadas” is Spanish for lodgings. For nine days preceding Christmas, the celebration includes a re-enactment of Mary and Joseph’s search for lodging. Two people dress up as Mary and Joseph and a group joins them outside a home to sing a traditional song with various verses asking for lodging. The group inside sings their response, repeatedly refusing lodging. When finally it is made clear that the person asking for lodging is to be the mother of God, a warm welcome is sung and the group is allowed to enter to the joyous song “Entren, Posadas, cont'd on pg. 4
INSIDE this issue
Reading for Snowy Days and Nights page 6
Love: 'The One Possession of Christ's Disciples' page 7
Embracing a Child's Love for All page 15