| |
 |
 |
|
| Comment on this report, or find other reports. |
|
| Our Mystery Worshippers are volunteers who warm church pews for us around the world. If you'd like to become a Mystery Worshipper, start here. |
|
| Find out how to reproduce this report in your church magazine or website. |
|
|
| 1704: Catedral
de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, Tijuana, México |
|
 |
|
Mystery Worshipper:
Amanda B. Reckondwythe.
The church:
Catedral
de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, Tijuana, México.
Denomination:
Roman Catholic, Archdiocese
of Tijuana.
The building:
This is Tijuana's "old" cathedral, soon to be replaced
by a new building some distance away. Land for the new cathedral
was obtained in 1978, but construction did not begin until 1996,
delayed in part by the assassination of the cardinal archbishop
by gunmen who mistook His Eminence's car for that of a certain
notorious drug lord. The present church, at the intersection
of Calle Segunda and Avenida de los Niños Héroes, dates from
1909 and is in the Spanish Renaissance style, with twin towers
flanking the west door. The interior is not at all lavish, but
there is still an impressive crystal chandelier, a lantern dome
with some lovely stained glass, and a high arched sanctuary.
The marble table was removed from the high altar, leaving only
the back, over which there is a tall throne for exposing the
Blessed Sacrament. A wooden communion table sits in front. Side
altars are dedicated to St Joseph (on the right) and the Sacred
Heart of Jesus (on the left); the latter is also the altar of
reservation for the Sacrament. A side chapel does triple duty
in honor of St Jude, St Frances Cabrini, and Our Lady of Loreto.
In the back near the doors there is a statue of a young altar
boy, Juanito, holding an alms box.
The church:
The cathedral is a popular venue for baptisms and weddings.
There are twelve masses each Sunday, beginning at 6.00am and
continuing through 9.00pm, and five masses each weekday, including
one in the evening.
The neighborhood:
Tijuana, in the northernmost part of the Mexican state of Baja
California, sits just south of the border between the United
States and Mexico and is easily reached via light rail from
San Diego, California. Upon walking across the border, one is
immediately confronted by squalor: beggars sitting (or in some
cases lying) in the streets; emaciated, mangy stray dogs raiding
trash cans; open-air eateries with more flies than patrons.
But if one ignores the strip clubs so popular with sailors and
marines, the ramshackle hotels that rent rooms by the hour,
and the street hustlers who speak perfect English but who (one
suspects) may not exactly be welcome any longer north of the
border, one discovers the back streets of Tijuana. Here one
can find panaderías featuring fresh Mexican baked goods
for a few pesos, and bargain shops where the natives buy their
toiletries, clothes, shoes, and handmade leather goods for a
fraction of what one would pay elsewhere. Even so, there is
not much to write home about, except perhaps a restaurant called
Caesar's, allegedly the birthplace in 1924 of the Caesar salad.
Tijuana does have its well-to-do sections, where attractions
such as casinos, upscale restaurants and clubs, a bullfighting
ring and even a greyhound track are nestled amid wide tree-lined
avenues framed by manicured gardens, but the tourist on foot
seldom gets to see these.
The cast: No names were given, but I am going to assume that the two priests involved were the Revd Juan García Ruvalcaba, pastor, and the Revd José Arcadio Ávila Huitimea, vicar. Two lay sacristans and a nun also had roles to play.
The date & time: Friday, March 20, 2009, 11.00am.
What was the name of the service?
Exposition and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
How full was the building?
I counted room for about 500 in the pews. There were about 100 people in the cathedral at any given time – people tended to wander in off the streets, pray for awhile, and then leave.
Did anyone welcome you personally?
No, unless you include the beggars in front of the cathedral asking for money.
Was your pew comfortable?
Fairly so – bare wooden pews, rather worn, but roomy.
How would you describe the pre-service
atmosphere?
The Blessed Sacrament had been exposed in a sunburst-style monstrance as tall as a person; the monstrance rested on the throne above the high altar. As mentioned, turnover in the congregation was constant. Two lay sacristans puttered about the sanctuary setting up for mass which was to be celebrated at noon.
What were the exact opening words of the
service?
One of the sacristans said something in Spanish which must have
meant "Please stand," as everyone stood.
What books did the congregation use during the
service?
None.
What musical instruments were played?
None.
Did anything distract you?
There was a swarm of about a dozen or so flies circling in the air above the center aisle under the lantern dome. I was wishing I had a can of bug spray with me. Would killing the flies deconsecrate the cathedral? I thought to myself. After all, weren't insects routinely excommunicated during the Middle Ages? Also, someone had let go of a red helium-filled balloon which lodged itself firmly against the ceiling of the lantern dome.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or
what?
Well, it was different, that's for sure. People sat or knelt
in silence for the most part, but some expressed their devotion
in interesting ways. One woman knelt in the side chapel, her
right hand gripping the hem of Our Lady of Loreto's gown. A
gentleman, sombrero in hand, came up the center aisle on his
knees. I had heard of this custom but had never witnessed it.
All the while, a priest (I'm going to assume he was Padre Juan,
the pastor) vested in alb and purple stole sat in front of the
St Joseph altar hearing confessions; a long queue had formed.
Suddenly he got up and returned to the sacristy, leaving a long
line of unshriven penitents looking rather surprised. After
a brief moment, another priest (and I'm going to assume he was
Padre José, the vicar) came out similarly vested and stationed
himself in one of the confessionals; the queue reformed. At
length one of the sacristans emerged from the sanctuary, faced
the Blessed Sacrament, and sang some hymns in Spanish – no one
seemed to join him, though, and I neither understood the words
nor recognized the tunes. When this was done, a nun double-genuflected
in front of the Sacrament (and she was the only one to do so),
ascended a staircase to the throne where the monstrance was
resting, and pulled a rope which closed a white curtain. Finally,
the sanctuary bell was rung and the first priest, who had been
hearing confessions at the St Joseph altar, entered the sanctuary
to begin mass. There was no benediction – in fact, I couldn't
imagine how anyone could lift that person-sized monstrance in
order to give benediction!
Exactly how long was the sermon?
There was none.
Which part of the service
was like being in heaven?
Despite the oddity of the service, I was impressed by how people, both young and old and from all walks of life (and quite a few of them men), just wandered in off the street to spend some time on their knees in front of the Blessed Sacrament.
And which part was like being in... er... the other place?
The flies! Let them be excommunicated!
What happened when you hung around after the service looking lost?
Nothing. I didn't stay for mass, as I felt I had witnessed enough of a service to be able to report on it. Besides, the acoustics were not good, the PA system distorted what was being said, and I hadn't been understanding the Spanish up to that point anyway. So I deposited my Mystery Worship calling card in the Juanito statue's alms box and left.
How would you describe the after-service
coffee?
There was none. After crossing back into the United States,
I stopped at McDonald's for lunch before boarding the trolley
back to San Diego.
How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
1 – It's really impossible to say. I don't live in Tijuana, and if I did I doubt I would attend church downtown. It will be interesting to see how the new cathedral turns out when it is finished.
Did the service make you feel glad to be a
Christian?
Yes. I felt at one with these people who were expressing their faith, each in his or her own individual way.
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time?
The gentleman who came up the aisle on his knees. |
|
|
|
 |
|
| We rely on voluntary donations to stay online. If you're a regular visitor to Ship of Fools, please consider supporting us. |
|
 |
|
| The Mystery Pilgrim |
|
| One of our most seasoned reporters makes the Camino pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Read here. |
|
 |
|
| London churches |
|
| Read reports from 70 London churches, visited by a small army of Mystery Worshippers on one single Sunday. Read here. |
| |
|
|
|
|
