PHOTOS: Faith and Culture Come Alive at Blessed Miguel Pro Catholic Academy's Día de los Muertos Fiesta
- Guest Contributor
- 4 minutes ago
- 3 min read
By Tracy Seul
It was a night of remembrance, music and faith, coinciding with the Church's Hallowtide. The school community at Blessed Miguel Pro Catholic Academy in Westminster came together for their fourth annual Día de los Muertos Fiesta, honoring those who had gone before and blending liturgical prayer with cultural tradition amid the All Saints and All Souls feast days.
Colorful and lively, the school’s Día de los Muertos celebration was carefully grounded in Church teaching and wove together different cultural celebrations. Parent organizers were busy warming tortillas and preparing the tamales and red chile for the nearly 400 guests who were to arrive soon. Vibrant decorations and more food and drink tables lined the gym for the festivities. Dancers adjusted ribbons and shawls for their traditional dresses, and the ofrenda, the traditional altar of family members who have passed, was assembled with pictures of loved ones adorning the space.
Among the practical preparations, faculty and families were sure to spiritually prepare students to understand the theological meaning behind the imagery — not worship of the dead, but remembrance rooted in Christ’s Resurrection.
“This evening allows us to bring our unique school cultures together," remarked Jim Schoepflin, the school's principal. “It's a way that we can remember our loved ones, reminds us that our hope is in Jesus Christ, and we will see them again. The joy and color of this celebration also reminds us that our life does not end here, but continues beyond, and is something that we can celebrate as a community of learners and of faith."
For Jessica Carrillo, event coordinator and parent who grew up celebrating Día de los Muertos, bringing the event to her school community at Blessed Miguel Pro is a privilege and joy.
“Thank you to all the sponsors, and those who worked the event and came to the show!” she said.
(Photos by Tracy Seul)
And the event was indeed a community effort. Parents and grandparents worked all week to prepare the traditional Mexican food, including homemade tamales and red chile. Sponsors helped by donating tortillas, chips, queso, rice and beans. One of the event organizers even spent the entire day making Mexican desserts for everyone to enjoy!
“Dia de los Muertos at BMP is a vibrant community gathering, full of food and entertainment for young and old, and everyone in between. My favorites this year were the face painting, the mariachis, the dancers and the Mexican dinner plate. I wanted to try some pizza, ice cream and other desserts, but by then I was too full!” shared participant Rachel Knight.
Once everyone was seated, the dancers twirled to traditional music. Their colorful skirts and embroidered shirts swirled in motion, each dance telling a story of region, faith and resilience. Guests leaned forward, phones in hand, capturing the movement, while children gazed at the beautiful dancers with candles on their heads. There were even children participating, proudly sharing their tradition with the crowd. At one point, the dancers invited partygoers to dance with them. Luckily, the moves were easy and the dancers patient!
During a break, the mariachi band began filtering through the crowd dressed in traditional charro suits, their music rich and exuberant, echoing through the gym. Some guests arrived with decorated faces, but the face-painting line extended across the room as more children joined the line.
"This year’s Dia de Los Muertos Fiesta hosted by BMP was enjoyed by our whole family! What a wonderful way to share our culture and celebrate our loved ones with our community through traditional, authentic food, music, activities and entertainment. It’s a BMP tradition that our entire family looks forward to every year," expressed one parent, Amanda Ortega.
“Blessed Miguel Pro was a man of joyful courage,” said Principal Jim Schoepflin. “In fact, our mission statement says: forming joyfully fearless disciples. He lived his faith in Mexico in the early 1900s in the middle of hardship, using humor and creativity to share Christ. This celebration does the same. It shows our families that faith and culture are not separate.”
For Blessed Miguel Pro Catholic Academy, Día de los Muertos is not simply a cultural event; it’s a reminder that Catholicism is both universal and deeply personal, capable of speaking every language and celebrating every culture.
And so the people of Blessed Miguel Pro Catholic Academy could say, with the same confidence as their patron: ¡Viva Cristo Rey! — Long live Christ the King!
