Guadalupan Torch Run 2002 Mexico-New York 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, And 2002 For the first time an Historic Event, the run will Bring the Torch from the Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City to St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City.

By Venessa Santos-Garza Caller-Times Contact Venessa Santos-Garza at 886-3752 or [email protected]
November 8, 2002

When Margie Munoz was a little girl, her mother always told her to slow down when dashing from home to the store and back. Now, years later, Margie is still running errands - just for a different mother.

On Sunday, she will lace up her Nikes and hit the pavement as runner 001 in the Antorcha Guadalupana, an international religious pilgrimage from the Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City to St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City.

Runners left Mexico City on Oct. 29 and will arrive in New York on Dec. 12, the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

"I run all the time . . . at least three times a week for as long as I can remember. When I was little, my mom would tell me to slow down, but I would tell her I do it because I like to run," Munoz said. "I get to carry the torch for an organization that helps the gente pobre (poor people) and for the Virgincita (the little virgin)."

Runners in each city along the relay's path will carry a torch to symbolize the faith of the Mexican people and to bring light to immigration issues, said coordinator Mario Najera of the Asociacion Tepeyac de New York.

"For the Mexican people, religion and culture are often tied together, and the Virgin represents their identity. She symbolizes a change in the Catholic Church and its move to protect the indigenous people of Mexico from the Spaniards," Najera said. "Now the people are working through a different struggle - being exploited here in the United State. It is important for us to stand up for them and their rights. With the run, we are able to honor the Virgin of Guadalupe at the same time."

The Tepeyac association is a nonprofit network of 40 community-based organizations whose mission is to promote the social welfare and human rights of Hispanic immigrants, specifically undocumented immigrants in New York City.

The torch run began as a way to celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Young runners from each of the five New York boroughs would carry torches to neighborhood Catholic churches to show the city that their pride, culture and faith was alive in each of their communities.

Last year, Cardinal Edward Egan of New York challenged runners to bring the torch from Mexico to New York.

Munoz will run part of the 64-mile stretch from Corpus Christi to Beeville, and she may be doing it alone.

"When I first registered, I joked about running 10 miles . . . but I was just joking," she laughed. "I could probably run about 5 if I had to, but not the whole thing."

Yvonne Garza, who is handling registration for the run's Corpus Christi home base, said as of Thursday afternoon Munoz was the only person signed up to run.

"We have had a lot of calls, but no one else has come in to sign up," Garza said. "I think they heard Beeville and got nervous because they thought they had to run the whole thing."

Joe De La Garza of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Society, who is helping to sponsor the event locally, said runners are only asked to complete as many miles as they can and then another runner will take over. He encouraged people to come out and participate.

"We need to show our support for our fellow Latinos and for our culture," he said.

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Ana Guevara

Ana Gabriela Guevara  (www.latinmex.com), athlete from Sonora State, Mexico, major athletic promoter and a proud representative of Mexico, shows her solidarity with Mexicans and other Latino immigrants to the United States by confirming that on October 29, 20002, she will be at the Basilica of the Virgin of Guadalupe in Mexico City, at 9:00 AM, to launch the International Guadalupan Torch Run. Her participation will promote the message of dignity for a people divided by the border, a message that will be brought on foot by relay runners, all the way to New York City on December 12, 2002, via 45 cities (9 in Mexico and 36 on the East Cost of the United States) where hundreds of thousands of Mexicans have migrated.

Alex Lora

Likewise, Alex Lora of  Mexican urban rock band, “El Tri”, (www.rockska.com/eltri.html), and devout follower of the Virgin of Guadalupe, has confirmed he will take his turn at the Basilica of Guadalupe on October 29, the launch of the torch run, and that he will sing to the Virgin of Guadalupe so she might give strength to the messengers who will run relays to promote the message of dignity for the millions of undocumented Mexicans who live in the United States.Alex lora the singer of one of the best Mexican Rock Band " El Tri" will be in the Basilica of Guadalupe on October 29 at 9:00 Am.