12th annual international relay run of the Antorcha Guadalupana called a “journey of faith, journey

For the 12th year, the International Relay Run of the Antorcha Guadalupana will be passing through the Diocese of Corpus Christi. Bishop Michael Mulvey will celebrate Mass for the runners at Sacred Heart in Corpus Christi at 7 p.m. on Oct. 31.

After stopping at the immigrant cemetery in Sarita where some 36 undocumented immigrants are buried, the runners will arrive at St. Martin’s parish in Kingsville on Oct. 30 and will leave the following day for St. Anthony’s in Robstown and St. Mary’s in Calallen. They will arrive at Sacred Heart in Corpus Christi on Oct. 31 at 5:30 p.m.

They depart Corpus Christi on Nov. 1 and will make stops at Sacred Heart in Mathis and St. Joseph in Beeville. On Nov. 2 they leave Beeville heading to San Antonio and ultimately arriving in New York City on Dec. 12 in time to celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

This will be an 81-day run from Mexico City to New York and involves 7,000 relay runners from both sides of the border. The run promotes the devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe in hopes for a miracle for immigration reform.

This year’s torch run began on Sept. 22 at the Basilica de Guadalupe, Mexico’s most visited church, where a Mass was offered for all the migrants who go through Mexico, for Mexicans who have left their country and for their families who stayed behind.

These “messengers for the dignity of a people divided by the border,” as the participants in this religious pilgrimage call themselves, also carry a traditional torch. They will be praying to the Virgin for the legalization of the 12 million undocumented immigrants–five million of them Mexicans in the U.S.

“The American dream” has turned out to be death for those unable to continue the walk through the rough rugged areas of South Texas as well as other borders of Mexico and U. S. Raids, deportation and divided families are part of the immigrant’s reality.

Those interested can follow the route on www.tepeyac.org.