Beginning weeks ago, thieves crossed some of the remaining taboos in a suffering a part of the city. They broke right into a garage room at Our Girl of Guadalupe Catholic Church in East San Jose and stole $25,000 price of musical tools and sound equipment.

Actually, they did it thrice -- on June 27 after which on July 3 and four -- virtually as though a unmarried insult weren't sufficient to a parish that depends upon the apparatus for its Sunday Mass. It was like robbing anyone many times of a voice.

While Our Woman of Guadalupe isn't a wealthy church, it's been touched by eminence.

Cesar Chavez was probably the most first parishioners. Bobby Kennedy visited in 1968. One of the most church's first priests, the Rev. Donald McDonnell, introduced the gospel of social justice to the neighborhood.

And what took place Thursday evening within the wake of the burglaries proved the adage that misfortune can evoke the perfect in us.

Under the management of the Rev. Jon Pedigo, who has simply been assigned to the parish, the church individuals hit at the concept of a mariachi pageant. It might elevate cash to interchange the equipment, which the church's musicians had purchased with labor and taco sales.

A large turnout

With best 4 days' notice, among FOUR HUNDRED and 500 folks coated up outdoor the church to pay $10 apiece to listen to teams like Mariachi San Jose, led by school kids, and Mariachi Tapatio, a mythical band with roots

in Guadalajara.

I requested one of the vital emcees for the event, lawyer Fernando Zazueta, why the thefts had such resonance.

"The thieves violated sacred ground," mentioned Zazueta, who grew up local at THIRTY FIRST and San Antonio streets. "We knew they'd no appreciate for assets. However they violated the neighborhood instantly. Nobody desires to see a church desecrated that way."

Zazueta could not assist however upload one more reason for the large turnout: "We advised other people it was going to be mariachis."

To their nice credit, the mariachis donated their products and services. Monique Borceguin, probably the most participants of Mariachi San Jose, instructed me the church had contacted the group's supervisor -- and all 9 contributors of the band, who come with youngsters who've long gone to Stanford, Massachusetts Institute of Generation and Santa Clara University, confirmed up.

Contributions

And there have been extra other people than simply mariachi lovers serving to out. Closing Wednesday, Zazueta stood up sooner than the downtown San Jose Rotary Membership and instructed them concerning the church's plight.

One of his listeners was Greg Nelson, a San Jose Town Faculty administrator who introduced to assist. SJCC now not has a marching band, however the college has unused tools and kit he was prepared to donate.

The police haven't but made any arrests within the burglaries, regardless that police Leader Chris Moore visited the church on Monday. "The case is not closed," mentioned police spokesman Jason Dwyer, who delivered there has been no bodily proof left on the crime scene. However that was nearly inappropriate on an evening extremely wealthy in satisfaction and a decision to not be overwhelmed by thieves. Because the sounds of "Cielito Lindo" light away and Mariachi San Jose left the stage, I requested Pedigo what the development meant.

"It presentations this neighborhood is pulling together, that we're more potent than the robbery,'' he stated. "THAT IS a possibility for an outpouring of grace."

Contact Scott Herhold at sherhold@mercurynews.com or 408-275-0917.