Written by Mary Lance, Interfaith Welcome Coalition
Each Wednesday, Alice Moreno, a 20-year member of the Society of Guadalupanas at St. Anthony de Padua, sews prayer flags with the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
“My mission in making Our Lady of Guadalupe Flags is not like selling tacos or tamales, but to promote devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe and help others to follow her example to be humble, loving and caring.”
But beyond Moreno’s mission to promote devotion to the example set by Our Lady, she receives a donation of $25 for each flag to benefit immigrants currently asking for asylum at the southern U.S. border.
Moreno joins eight other women at the University Presbyterian Church, who sew prayer flags, sometimes by hand, sometimes on a machine, from hundreds of yards of donated cloth. Moreno and the others all are members of the Interfaith Welcome Coalition, a non-profit founded to support the recent surge of asylum seekers from Central America.
“The donations for our flags go toward a very humanitarian and caring cause – showing our brotherly love and concern, for these souls who are our brothers and sisters at the border,” explains Moreno.
The Our Lady of Guadalupe cloth images are donated by Dianne McAlister, a member of Holy Redeemer Church. McAlister is a devoted quilter who bought the Guadalupe images at a local fabric sale.
She says her contribution is in support of the crisis on the Texas border.
For information about an exhibit of Our Lady of Guadalupe Prayer flags at your parish, contact Alice Moreno at morenoa4562@gmail.com.
To learn about the Interfaith Welcome Coalition, a non-profit, faith-based movement go to Interfaithwelcomecoalition.org. Among hundreds of volunteers from all faiths is a leadership team consisting of nuns from the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul and Sisters of the Presentation. Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Antonio also works with the coalition.