KANSAS CITY, Mo. — There is so much history, there's a lot of heart, and just as much memory in the Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine in Kansas City, Missouri.
"I have pictures of my baptism; I attended weekly mass here; my friends and I would walk together," Susan Miller, the chair of the Friends of Our Lady of Guadalupe Committee, said.
Of course, more than 100 years of time is kind to no building. It'll take a lot of work to save those memories — work that's already started, but work that'll take help to finish.
"So this is where they settled in a new community to start a new life," Miller said as she walked between church pews. "One being my great grandmother and my grandfather."
She's talking about the Mexican immigrants who first came to KCMO to work in the early rail and stockyard industry.
They were set on work, but they needed somewhere to pray.
"And it was dedicated officially in 1922 as Our Lady of Guadalupe," she said.
Her grandparents would marry at the church six years later. Her family came every week until it became a shrine in the 90's.
"They passed the mantle to us," she said.
She doesn't take it lightly.
"It is our privilege and our duty and our honor to save this church, for our community, for our ancestors who came here for a new life," Miller said.
John Fierro, rhe chair of the finance council for Sacred Heart Guadalupe Parrish, explained what works needs to be done.
"Definitely we need to address the ceiling," he said.
He went on to explain that the new roof is phase one.
What will follow is more work on some crumbling exterior and front steps. After that comes interior work and painting.
He also explained what it'll cost.
"According to the estimates we've received, it's just about $900,000," he said. "And that is inclusive of the exterior work, as well as the interior work."
They're getting the word out, and at only a tenth of the way there, they need donations from anyone who'll give.
You can donate and learn more about the building's history by clicking this link.
There's a theme here — new life.
Immigrants came here for a new life, they gave life to Miller and many other families, and now Miller hopes they can return the favor.
"It is our privilege, our duty, and our honor to save this church for our community, for our ancestors who came here for a new life," Miller said.
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