MEXICO CITY — If you're a priest and you go to Mexico to learn Spanish for your ministry, there's no better way to begin than by celebrating Mass at the main altar of the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

You might not know much Spanish by then, but you'll be standing under the image of Our Lady, which was miraculously imprinted on the burlap-like poncho of a simple Indian more than 400 years ago.

From that moment on, you'll be under her mantle and you'll understand a lot about Hispanic culture. Not only is the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe all over the place in this vast country, but it's also profoundly imprinted on the hearts of the Mexican people.

Immersion in the Mexican lifestyle and religious experience is what a trip to Mexico this past summer was all about for Bishop Allen Vigneron of Oakland, Calif., and a group of priests from the United States. Upon arrival to Mexico City, the bishop and the diocesan priests celebrated their first Mass at the main altar of the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe for thousands of pilgrims who came from Cuauhtitlśn, St. Juan Diego's birthplace, north of Mexico City.

“How impressed I was with Mexicans’ simple faith, fervor and devotion to priests,” said Father Robert Schriber, administrator of St. Mary Mother of the Church in Garner, N.C. “You could never learn these things from books in the United States.”

The diocesan priests from California, Illinois and North Carolina participated in the first Curso de Hispanidad that took place in Mexico this summer.

The course, sponsored by the Legionaries of Christ, is designed to actively involve priests in listening, reading, speaking, writing and understanding Spanish, with particular emphasis on its pastoral usage.

“I had never studied Spanish nor had I ever been in a Spanish-speaking nation,” said Bishop Vigneron, who became bishop of Oakland in October. “After a month in Mexico, I can understand much of the language, handle a simple conversation and celebrate the sacraments in fairly good Spanish. I delivered my first two homilies in Spanish at two Mexican parishes. I came back to Oakland confident that I could pas-torally minister to the 35% of my diocese's Catholic population who are Hispanics.”

Tutoring is essential to the program, tailoring its objectives and contents of the course to the skills and needs of each participant.

Father David Mulvihill, pastor of St. Mary of Humility in Zion, Ill., joined in order to celebrate the sacraments in Spanish. “I achieved that goal,” he said. “I was happy, moreover, to have learned the basics of Spanish grammar and an incredible amount of things about Hispanic culture.”

Hispanidad

Hispanidad — Hispanic culture and character — is the backbone of the course. “Even if you don't learn any Spanish,” said Father John Mulvihill, a judge on the Archdiocese of Chicago metropolitan tribunal and brother to Father David Mulvihill, “learning so much about Hispanics makes the course worth taking.”

The priests celebrated Mass in the cathedrals of Mexico City, Cuernavaca and Veracruz. They also said Mass in two parishes of Amecameca, a town south of Mexico City, where they baptized seven children and gave first Communion to more than 300. Everywhere they went, people welcomed them wholeheartedly, asked for blessings, kissed their priestly hands and offered hospitality.

“Mexican hospitality is overwhelming,” Father David Mulvihill remarked.

Legionary of Christ Father Alfonso Aguilar, director of the program, provided participants with Spanish grammar and pastoral textbooks, a dictionary, a Bible in Spanish, a ritual de los sacramentos (the rites for sacraments), a book of blessings, missalettes, liturgical documents, maps, tapes with Spanish homilies and a variety of other practical materials. He taught Spanish grammar and how to celebrate each of the sacraments in Spanish.

Other professors led seminars on aspects of Hispanidad, including the history and culture of Latin America, the complex social and political situation in Latin American countries, Hispanic religious life and popular devotions. Additional lectures dealt with different aspects of Our Lady of Guadalupe taught by Msgr. José Luis Guerrero and Father Fidel GonzÁlez, postulators of St. Juan Diego's cause for canonization, as well as José Aste Tönsmann, a scholar who, after examining Our Lady's tilma for more than 20 years, has identified 13 people relected in each of the Virgin's pupils.

The program also integrated relaxation and cultural experiences. Guided by experts, the bishop and priests visited Mexico City's historic center, Xochimilco, and the complex of the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe; the cities of Puebla and Cholula in the state of Puebla; Córdoba and Veracruz in the state of Veracruz; Taxco in Guerrero; and Cuernavaca in Morelos.

They also visited the first churches, convents and religious centers ever built on the American continental soil as well as the famous pyramids of TeotihuacÁn (state of México), Cacaxtla (state of Tlaxcala) and Cempoala (state of Veracruz), where they watched the celebrated flyers of Papantla, who perform a pre-Hispanic ritual dedicated to the Sun God.

All meals consisted of typical Mexican dishes (with optional chiles and spicy salsas). No one ever got sick.

“We loved to learn about the variety of foods, fruits and drinks,” Father John Mulvihill said. “We always enjoyed eating at typical Mexican restaurants, sometimes accompanied by festive mariachis.”

What was the Curso de Hispanidad's unique feature?

“The priestly character,” Bishop Vigneron said. “I could have taken a similar course with other programs like Berlitz, but I would have missed the priestly and pastoral approach we had.”

Father Joseph Looney agreed.

“Every day we concelebrated Mass and prayed Vespers in Spanish before the Blessed Sacrament,” said the pastor of St. Margaret's parish in Waterbury, Conn. “We lived these days in a friendly, priestly environment. I really enjoyed it. I will keep in touch with my fellow students.”

The bishop and priests were given a diploma on Hispanidad accredited by AnÁhuac del Sur University in Mexico City at a graduation ceremony Aug. 22.

“But we received much more than a certificate,” Father David Mulvihill said. “We received many graces, deep religious and cultural experiences, terrific lessons. We made loads of wonderful friends. I hope hundreds of priests will join this program in the years ahead. My brother and I will retake it in a year or two.”