Saint Juan Diego

Saint Juan Diego: Feast Day Dec. 9th

Today we celebrate Saint Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin, an Aztec man who was visited by the Blessed Virgin Mary as Our Lady of Guadalupe in 1531. Our Lady told Juan Diego that she was "the ever Virgin Holy Mary, Mother of the True God" (Catholic News Agency) and that she wanted a church to be built where she appeared to him. Through his faith in Our Lady and her words, Juan Diego passed her message on to his bishop, and through his humble obedience, was instrumental in helping thousands of Native people to convert to Catholicism. To have a humbleness and faith like Saint Juan Diego is something which we all can be inspired by and strive to emulate.

Celebrating Through Food:

Since sweet potatoes originated in South America and Central America and spread to Mexico, make sweet-potato and black bean quesadillas. Here is a kid friendly recipe, from Taste of Home, that my family loves! I make the following modifications: I cut my sweet-potatoes into wedges and place them in a dutch oven. I then sprinkle them with olive oil, cover, and cook at 425 degrees for 35 minutes. When you pull them out of the oven, you can mash them directly in the pan with a spoon. I then drain and rinse one can of black beans and mix them directly into the mashed sweet-potatoes (pictures below show these steps).

My kids don't like pepper-jack cheese, so I add sharp cheddar to their quesadillas. I then serve our quesadillas with Mexican rice and pico de gallo. My mom makes delicious homemade Mexican Rice using this Mexican Rice recipe. With three kids under five, however, I typically buy Goya Mexican Rice because it's easier to make. For dessert, if your family likes a little spice, you can try making Mexican Hot-Chocolate with this recipe from "The Food Network."

Celebrating Through Crafts:

Have your children color this picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe from “Super Coloring.” You can then discuss with your kids the symbolisms within the picture that led numerous Native people in Mexico to convert to Catholicism. The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis has this wonderful article that discusses the symbolism found in the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Additional Reading:

This article, from Catholic News Agency, gives more information about Saint Juan Diego if you and your family are interested in learning more about him.

Happy Feast of Saint Juan Diego to you and your family! May you have a truly blessed day, and continued blessed Advent! Saint Juan Diego, humble and faithful servant of Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us!

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