- From December 20, 2002, edition of the Catholic News & Herald -
BY JOANITA M. NELLENBACH, CORRESPONDENT

ANDREWS - The 24-man group, wiping the sweat from their faces, ran down Aquone Road and up the steep concrete steps in front of the church, singing "Guadalupana." One carried the torch, another the banner with the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
At the top of the steps, with other parishioners crowding around, Jose Ponce held out the torch so Father Michael Kottar, pastor of Holy Redeemer Church, could light a thick white candle that would be placed in front of the picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe already enshrined in the church.
Father Kottar asked if the men would like to freshen up after their run, but they were eager to begin the Dec. 12 Mass in honor of Mary, the mother of Jesus. They carried the banner and the candle down Holy Redeemer's center aisle, standing the banner in the sanctuary and placing the candle amid bouquets of roses.
The banner and the torch had been carried in a procession of vehicles and running men 18 miles from St. William Church in Murphy to Holy Redeemer in Andrews. The men had taken turns running the distance, but all had run the last mile to the church.
This is the first year that Holy Redeemer has held such a celebration, but it's a custom they knew in Mexico and are keeping alive in Western North Carolina-processing to a church to honor Our Lady of Guadalupe.
"In my town, a bunch of people gather and they go to the basilica (in Mexico City)," said Holy Redeemer parishioner Jose Escobar. "They do prayers and dance outside the basilica."
He had started the celebration day with other Hispanic parishioners, praying and singing in the church from 5:30-6:30 am. At some churches, he said, people pray all night. Escobar worked all day at his carpenter's job; other parishioners would spend at least part of the day preparing the evening's feast they will share in the church hall. The meal would feature arroz con pollo (chicken and rice) and posole, a spicy red-brothed: soup rich with pork and purple Indian corn. In Escobar's native Almoloya de Alquisiras, Mexico, people honor Mary by walking a week to Mexico City, arriving on the feast day, Dec. 12.
Holy Redeemer parishioner Santiago Sanchez also knows the custom well and wants to keep it alive here. People walk from his town, Vera Cruz, to Mexico City-a six-hour drive, but a two-day walk. People take turns, walking a while then sleeping in the accompanying cars. The trek doesn't stop until they reach the basilica.
So Sanchez and his fiancé, Charlaina Rice, with help from Holy Redeemer parishioner Maria Seqile, organized Holy Redeemer's first Our Lady of Guadalupe celebration.
"This is very important to the people of Mexico," Sanchez said. "Every year we celebrate this."