Juniors Gabe Ang and Keira Locricchio Share Feast Day Experience
A Message from Chesterton Junior Gabe Ang
Hello Chesterton families! I am Gabriel Ang, a Junior at Chesterton Academy of Our Lady of Guadalupe. I will begin by thanking my teachers, especially my music teachers, Mrs. Woodcock and Mr. Weil. They have worked hard; they have pushed us hard and they have carried our choir to new heights. For all of this, I thank them, also on behalf of the other Chesterton students. I would like to share my experience from this past Saturday, December 12, at the Feast Day Mass of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Though I have been at Assumption Grotto many times, I never cease to be amazed at the great architecture and artworks within the vast church. The church has awesome acoustics and an excellent organ. One’s voice can really carry out through the church! I felt that this church really improved our sound as a choir. I also felt that our voices really rose to the heavens, and were literally transcendent (a bit bold, I know). The Mass as well was beautifully done. I found that our singing and the Mass enhanced one another. The combination created a unique experience that both gave me chills and made me proud. Fr. Bustamante also delivered a powerful homily with some great insight on our patroness, Our Lady of Guadalupe. I was surprised by the many and mind-blowing miracles that have happened with the Tilma, especially the self-repairing miracle. Overall, I believe that this has been one of the best Novus Ordo Latin Masses I’ve been to.
I hope that this Mass pleased Our Lady and has brought people who have strayed from the Church back. For those that have lost fervor for the Church, I hope that the Mass has reignited the flame of zeal within you. As for my fellow students, I hope that the Mass brought joy to your souls, brought you closer to the Church, and has made you love sacred music and Our Lady all the more. I again thank the teachers of Chesterton Academy and their commitment to the school and to us students. I finally thank God for the opportunity of discovering and learning in this school, for it is changing me for the better. May God bless all of you.
A Message from Chesterton Junior Keira Locricchio
My name is Keira Locricchio and I'm a Junior at Chesterton Academy of Our Lady of Guadalupe. I was blessed to be a part of the Mass for the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe and sing in the choir. It was a beautiful experience to be able to sing with my classmates and offer up my voice to Our Lady. I was able to find the beauty in the hymns at Mass because of the choir classes. The choir classes have formed a community and a bond among the students because of the ways we have been pushed to use our voice for something greater than ourselves.
A picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe was brought to Mass. The picture is a third-class relic that touched the original Tilma of Our Lady. The experience was surreal to feel that Our Lady was present in the Mass and we were able to offer our voices to her. The bond the students have created singing together has built a strong feeling of community and a deeper connection and participation with the Holy Mass. It was truly a beautiful encounter and such a blessing that I got to experience this with my friends and family.
Apart from being in the choir at Mass, I am able to fully indulge in the blessings of the faith by understanding the Latin Mass on a deeper level. One of the many blessings that I receive from going to Chesterton Academy is my Latin classes. Latin has helped me become more confident in the Liturgy of the Mass because I am able to understand the meaning of the songs and prayers. By going to Chesterton Academy I have been able to be more confident in my faith and I have been blessed to be surrounded by a strong community that encourages and equips us to build each other up.
