It started some years ago when the Guam Medical Referral Office thought it would be a good thing to enshrine an image of Our Lady of Camarin, Guam's patroness, in the chapel of Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles, where many Guam patients receive medical care when referred to mainland doctors.
Once that was accomplished, an annual Mass to celebrate her feast of the Immaculate Conception began, observed on the Saturday closest to December 8th or on the actual date when it falls on a Saturday.
Since 2009, a Guam Capuchin, Father Eric Forbes, has come every year to celebrate and preach.
There are always a hundred or more participants, mostly from the Southern California area but there are always a few from Guam and elsewhere.
Whenever there happens to be Guam patients in the hospital, especially in ICU, Father Eric goes to their rooms to visit and sometimes anoint them. One year, a family, not Chamorros, were looking for any Catholic priest, as their loved one was close to death and Father Eric anointed the patient moments before death.
Every year, the standing committee of volunteers who organize this event reach out to the Chamorro community to help provide for the luncheon after Mass. There is always a nice spread of food and people spend hours after the Mass in fellowship.
BIBA SANTA MARIAN KAMALEN!
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