MILWAUKEE – It may be cold, but the weather is not stopping local Catholics from partaking in the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on Thursday, Dec. 12.

Through dance and prayer, students at St. Joan Antida High School gathered for a special mass to honor Our Lady of Guadalupe.

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“I’ve always celebrated since I was little,” senior Evelyn Albañil said.

It’s the feast day faithful Catholics celebrate Jesus’ mother, Mary, and her reported appearance to Juan Diego in 1531 in Mexico.

“We’ve always gone to misa, we have always gone to celebrate La Virgen de Guadalupe,” senior Brianna Macias said. “My middle name is Guadalupe; Brianna Guadalupe Macias, and I feel like that plays a big role in my life. I’ve always looked up to her.”

It’s a sacred religious festivity that’s become a beacon of hope.

“There’s a lot of uncertainty whether you’re looking at the social, political climate, the economy, things like that,” St. Joan Antida High School President René Howard-Páez said. “And so, especially for the Latinos here and for all of our students, it’s a constant reminder of where we come from and what to be hopeful for.”

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People provide offerings like flowers, dance and prayers to give thanks.

“I pray for my family always, my friends, so that their studies, I know college is coming up, finals,” Macias said. “I’m praying for them so they do really good.”

The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is celebrated across the country and around the world.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Jamichael Stillwell had 24 points in Milwaukee’s 88-67 victory over Green Bay on Wednesday night.

Stillwell also contributed 19 rebounds for the Panthers (7-4, 2-0 Horizon League). Kentrell Pullian scored 18 points and added eight rebounds. Erik Pratt had 12 points and shot 4 for 7, including 2 for 4 from beyond the arc.

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The Phoenix (2-9, 0-3) were led in scoring by Anthony Roy, who finished with 20 points. Marcus Hall added 18 points and six rebounds for Green Bay. Isaiah Miranda also had 10 points and two blocks. The loss was the Phoenix’s sixth straight.

MILWAUKEE — It was an all-hands-on-deck effort Wednesday night at Milwaukee warming shelters. Temperatures are dropping to dangerously cold numbers.

“We work together, as a team,” Executive Director of Repairers of the Breach, Pastor James West said.

Staff and volunteers at Repairers of the Breach have the set-up down pat.

“We form an assembly line. We get to stack the bins up, we remove the chairs, and then we begin to lay in a format like that all the way across and that’s what we do for all three floors,” West explained.

West said they have been at capacity already this year.

“Now we’re getting at the temperatures Wisconsin can offer…it’s time to come on in,” he said.

Each person is greeted with a hot cup of coffee, donuts, dinner, and a shower. They’re also welcomed with a warm smile by staff.

“You’ll hear someone shout out, Thank God you saved our life…it is cold out there,” West said.

Repairers of the Breach is open from 7:00 a.m until 4:00 p.m. for breakfast, lunch, and community resources. It opens back up at 7:00 p.m. for the emergency warming room.

Watch: Warming shelters work to get people off the streets

‘It’s time to come on in’: Warming shelters work to get people off the streets

It’s located at 1335 W. Vliet St.

The organization helps people six days a week. It thrives on donations and volunteers.

“We’ve been challenged with being able to keep water. Something that we all have to have just to live. The food, the cups, the plates,” West said.

If you want to donate items to Repairers of the Breach, you can drop them off at the front door.

You can also donate on the website.

Everyday items are also needed down the road at the St. Ben’s Winter Warming Center.

“We could use coffee, we could use all kinds of breakfast bars, and most importantly hats and gloves. Because once people leave here they have to find somewhere else to go throughout the day,” Assistant Director, Kenny Howard said.

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Howard with St. Ben’s said they’ve seen a lot of people come through their doors and this is only the beginning of what could be a very cold winter.

“We need the community to pray for us because we’re going to need all the prayers we can get to get through this,” Howard said.

You can help St. Ben’s by clicking here.

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