On weekends in April, Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Santa Barbara has been going blue.
To mark Child Abuse Prevention Month, blue lights illuminate the church’s exterior and blue ribbons decorate trees and doors of the parish, which is located on the east side of the city and has a predominantly Spanish-speaking congregation of some 3,000 families. Confirmation students also celebrate a “Wear Blue Day.”
The couple behind the commemorative decorations and events is Anthony Rodriguez and his wife, Bianca, Our Lady of Guadalupe parishioners since 2000 when they wed.
Both are victims of child sexual abuse.
Rodriguez has made it his mission to encourage children to speak up by visiting churches throughout the Archdiocese of Los Angeles to share his story and show a video about his journey from victim to survivor, produced by an independent documentary filmmaker.
“I need to make sure…
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