They'll have to find a new location for their annual fiesta, but parishioners at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Irwindale are excited about a new administrative building that will break ground Dec. 12. Using a nearby vacant lot --- the traditional site of the parish fiesta --- the new 2-story facility will house parish offices as well as CCD classes.
The current building, according to parishioner Suzanne Gomez, was "much older and smaller. We'll finally have enough room for everything."
This Sunday's 3:30 groundbreaking ceremony is part of the parish's Our Lady of Guadalupe feast day festivities. Amidst the food, music and fun, the ceremony is a reminder of how the parishioners' faith keeps re-creating the church grounds.
The parish was established in 1964, but its roots as a mission church go back to the 1950s, says Gomez. "Many current families can point to previous generations who helped construct the church buildings," she said. "We are just carrying on that tradition with this new building." |