“That duality of culture…”

Nicole Martinez-LeGrand, Multicultural Collections Coordinator, Library and Archives Division, Indiana Historical Society.

Transcript for Our Lady of Guadalupe Church

I feel like the Irish or the Eastern European, like, Slovaks, the Croatian, the Hungarians – they all have their own churches. And so, the Mexicans had their own church, and it was Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. So, there’s three different iterations. They first started on Pennsylvania Avenue, “Pennsy,” and then, in the early 1940s, they were able to build a brick structure on Deodar Street. I think, like, probably – I think is the church history that I found, like, on September 15th, 1940 – I think 1942, they celebrated Mass at, you know, former – you know at the first Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, closed the doors, and we have a really great photo of this procession. Ten blocks from Pennsy to Deodar, to start, you know, their new parish life and this church. A very beautiful old motorcycle and there’s flanked on either side of this motorcycle, and one is holding an American flag and one is holding a Mexican flag. And then you have this long procession out of focus of, you know, altar servers. I think you can see some nuns, some, you know, the statue of Our Lady. So, it’s a really – it’s a really moving photo. That duality of culture that has really struck a chord within me.

Source of Illustrations

Wedding at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Deodar Street, circa 1950
Michaelene Olguin-Rivera, Indiana Historical Society
ID: LFD2016_0247_71_Bonilla_and_Gonzalez_Wedding

Inaugural Mass for Our Lady of Guadalupe Church
Peter Ayala, Indiana Historical Society
ID: LFD2016_0297_Inaugural_Mass_Our_Lady_Guadalupe_1942

Hold a Conversation

Can you imagine leading a conversation about this story? Where? With whom? What kinds of questions would you pose? (See How to use the questions for reflection for one approach.) Please email your questions to us or post them in the comment box for our consideration. If you use them in an actual discussion, let us know how the conversation went.