WAHNETA | In a remote town outside Winter Haven, a community mostly made up of Mexican immigrants rose in the early hours before dawn. It was Dec. 12, 2025, and the crowd gathered to witness the story of the appearance of Our Lady of Guadalupe to Juan Diego, a native of the Nahua tribe. The Blessed Mother came to bring peace during a tumultuous time, the invasion of Spain. Today, she still comforts Mexicans all over the world amidst trying times.
Flavio Villanueva attended a Juan XXIII retreat in 2013 that changed his faith journey and led him to get involved in the theatrical presentation at Wahneta’s Centro Guadalupano Mission. At first, he played a secondary role as the servant of the bishop. The following year, when the man playing Juan Diego had to back out, Villanueva stepped in to replace him. For the past two years, he has directed the production for his community.
Two days later, on Dec. 14, the community gathered for a procession with Our Lady of Guadalupe, followed by the celebration of Mass, food, and cultural presentations. The fact that his people are undergoing scrutiny and facing hardship is not lost on Villanueva. Still, the faithful of Wahneta are coming even more diligently to Mass.
“The Virgin has always given us shelter, ever since our arrival in this country. She offers refuge and leads us to her son, Jesus Christ. She covers us with her mantle. When she appeared to Juan Diego, she was pregnant. She presented herself as a tabernacle. So, we commend ourselves to Jesus, through her,” said Villanueva. “In those difficult moments, I think every Mexican seeks her protection and in that of the Church.”
Because he credits Our Lady of Guadalupe as “a basic foundation” of the Mexican culture, he hopes young people do not lose devotion. He recalled how she is intertwined with the country’s “history of her evangelization when Spain conquered Mexico.” He added, “She was critical in the evangelization of the Aztec people. When Mexico fought to separate from Spain, she became part of our flag. She appeared during that time to bring peace.” He believes she continues to still the heart of his people.
Today, more than 75% of Mexicans are Catholic and the feast day is particularly significant.
Madela Luz Moreno arrived in Wahneta 27 years ago on Our Lady of Guadalupe’s feast day. She came to help her sister care for her then three-year-old son and later, her daughter. “For me the Virgin is the heart of Latin America. She symbolizes our culture and our roots. She united the indigenous and Europeans – always an advocate for unity,” said Moreno. She recalled how the Cristeros, Mexican Catholics who fought the bloody war against the persecution of the Church during the presidency of Plutarco Elias Calles (1926-1929), clung to her in faith as well.
Today, her people are once again facing persecution. She said it is the faith of her people that sustains them. “Every time I leave my house, I tell the Lord and the Virgin, ‘If I don’t go with you, don’t let me leave here.’ That is my daily prayer,” she said.
With her nephew and niece grown, she often wonders why she is still here. Believing nothing is left to chance, she is convinced God and Our Lady have kept her here for a reason. “I believe God uses us for His purposes,” she said. So, she continues to volunteer at the mission and serve the Lord and Our Lady of Guadalupe wherever she is able.
“The Virgin of Guadalupe has always been here for me. No one else could have kept me going other than her,” she said. During Dec. 14th Mass, she proudly proclaimed the Word in the second reading. She plans to continue singing in the choir and praying the rosary she carries wherever she goes. She describes it as “the greatest weapon for protection, through our Lord and the Virgin Mary.”
By Glenda Meekins of the Florida Catholic staff, December 19, 2025