In the heart of Little Village, there’s a small, hardly noticeable, church. Since it opened five years ago, this congregation has become a well-known beacon of activism for the rights of undocumented immigrants.
On any given day, there are several parishioners working on campaigns. There are families fighting deportation orders, workers trying to recover lost wages and a recent successful hunger strike that persuaded local hospitals to help three undocumented young men receive organ transplants.
This weekend Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission celebrated five years of mixing faith and activism. Dozens of members of the congregation attended a special mass on Saturday and later a party to celebrate the anniversary.
[Photos by William Camargo]
Salvadorean Father Jose Landaverde who founded the Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission in Little Village, prepares to speak at the press conference which is celebrating its 5th anniversary helping the community fight injustices.
The wall of newspaper clips showing the media coverage the church has received during its five years of existence.
Rev. Landaverde, who founded Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission in Little Village, prepares to speak at the press conference. The church is celebrating its 5th anniversary helping the community fight injustices.
Rep. Lisa Hernandez speaks to the media about Rev. Landaverde and what his church, Our Lady of Guadalupe, has done for the Latino Community.
U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez talks to the media on the importance of the 5th anniversary of Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission before mass on Saturday.
Rev. Jose Landaverde and U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez talk about the importance of fighting for immigration reform. Gutierrez joined Landaverde during his congregation’s 5th anniversary.