Category: Events News

Please note an important update to our Sunday liturgy schedule.

In lieu of the regularly scheduled 7:00 p.m. evening liturgy, all members of the OLLU community are invited to gather for the Homecoming Alumni Liturgy at 10:00 a.m. in Sacred Heart Chapel, which will honor the Class of 1976 Our Lady of the Lake University graduates and the Class of 1966 Our Lady of the Lake High School graduates.

The Visual & New Media Arts program is collaborating with the Sueltenfuss Library to host the Women’s Caucus for Art’s group exhibition, “Becoming & Belonging.” Curator, Paola Nunez Solorio, will announce artist awards and moderate a panel talk with artists. Join us in celebrating Women’s History Month with this art exhibition on March 5th from 6:00:8:00pm.

Becoming & Belonging is a visual arts exhibition exploring the evolving identities of individuals and communities within society and across history. It reflects on the tensions and harmonies between selfhood and society, migration and rootedness, memory and transformation.

In a world shaped by movement and change, identity is never fixed. It unfolds through relationships, environments, and lived experience. This exhibition invites viewers to consider how we shape ourselves—and how we are shaped by others. How does identity evolve over time? Where, and how, do we find spaces of belonging? Do we inhabit existing structures, or do we create new ones?

Through diverse artistic perspectives, Becoming & Belonging speaks to personal journeys of growth, migration, and self-discovery while also engaging collective narratives of heritage, displacement, resilience, and the longing for home. The works on view celebrate multiplicity and transformation, embracing identity as an ongoing act of becoming.

Together, these artists offer a powerful meditation on what it means to belong—reminding us that belonging is not simply a place, but a process.

Mark your calendars! Campanas de América 2027 will take place on February 6, 2027 — and we can’t wait to celebrate with you.

As we look ahead, we also want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who attended the Campanas de América concert earlier this month. With your incredible enthusiasm and the widespread sharing of our Scholarship QR code, this year’s concert became the most profitable Campanas in the past 24 years.

Your support continues to elevate this cherished OLLU tradition and the mission it advances. The energy in the room, the generosity of our community and the shared spirit of celebration made this year truly unforgettable.

Tickets for Campanas 2027 will go on sale this fall!

The OLLU International Folk Culture Center (IFCC) invites you to a special Spring Artist-in-Residence workshop with acclaimed writer, dancer, and healer Xelena González on February 28.

This dynamic, two-part experience is rooted in González’s curative guidebook Lotería Remedios and blends writing, reflection, and gentle movement into a restorative healing practice. Participants are welcome to attend one or both sessions.

Cost:

• FREE for OLLU students, faculty, staff, and alumni
• Community participants are welcome with a sliding scale of $8–$88, ensuring accessibility for all income levels

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about xelena González

González practices the healing arts through writing and movement. She is a storyteller, dancer, and visiting author who centers self-love in her multi-disciplinary workshops for all ages. Her picture books include the award-winning titles ALL AROUND US (Cinco Puntos Press, 2017), WHERE WONDER GROWS (Lee & Low, 2022), and REMEMBERING (Simon & Schuster, 2023). Her writing for adults includes poetry, essays, fiction, and screenwriting. LOTERIA REMEDIOS is her collection of reflections, divinations, plant and animal medicine, and other tools for self-healing based on the time-honored game (Hay House, July 2024). A former librarian and enrolled member of the Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan Nation, Xelena has become a sought-after speaker on topics such as radical self-love, creative early literacy strategies, inhabiting story through music and movement, and reclaiming indigenous identity in Latinx communities.

Homecoming 2026 is almost here—“Rooted in Tradition. United for the Future.” And this year, we’re excited to introduce a brand-new event to the celebration: Lotería Night!

This special evening is a reimagined lotería and a tribute to San Antonio’s distinctive culinary scene. Celebrated as a UNESCO designated city for Creative City Gastronomy, come learn about the variety and culture behind many of our flavorful dishes. 

Lotería will be delivered by Que Sabor, bringing a vibrant and flavorful twist to this beloved tradition.

Our Lady of the Lake University Ministry would like to welcome the OLLU community to begin the Lent season with a mass and distribution of ashes.

University Ministry will hold Ash Wednesday Mass and services in Sacred Heart Chapel at 12:30pm, on Wednesday, February 18, 2026.

The distribution of ashes will be held twice, first at 10:00am, and again at 5:00pm on Wednesday, February 18, 2026.

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For those looking for quiet reflection and spiritual conversation this Lent season, Sr. Dianne Heinrich would like to extend two opportunities to all members of the OLLU community to engage in quiet reflection and spiritual conversation in support of the upcoming Lent season.

Beginning on February 23, join a guided prayer experience in Scripture (Lectio Divina) every Monday during Lent, from 12:30–1:00 p.m. in the Constantineau Chapel, located directly under the Sacred Heart Chapel, for the chance to pause, pray, and reflect at the beginning of the week.

Additionally, on select Thursdays during Lent from 1:30-3:30 p.m., Sr. Dianne is available for 15 or 30-minute conversations for support and space to reflect in the Elliott House. To sign up, please consult the PDF for a complete list of dates, and email Sr. Dianne Heinrich at dheinrich@cdptexas.org with your preferred date and time— or feel free to drop in to see what times are available.

For any questions, please contact University Ministry at ministry@ollusa.edu

When Belle Ortiz (Class of 1971), known as the Godmother of Mariachi, returned to Our Lady of the Lake University over two decades ago, she contributed a gift that has since become a tradition.

Belle had a passion for educating young people on their culture and traditions.  In 1970, she started the first high school mariachi program at Jefferson High School and after graduating from OLLU with a B.A. in Performance and Music Education, she extended her talents to other west side high schools, including her alma mater Lanier.  Now, over 2,500 school districts, colleges and universities throughout the world offer their students mariachi education. 

In 1978, she and co-founder Juan Ortiz renamed their mariachi group to Campanas de America.  It was an act of love.  Their name “Campanas” being a translation of Belle’s name.  They married four years later.

Over twenty years ago, Belle brought the Campanas de America Valentine’s Day serenata to OLLU to help raise funds for scholarships.  That tradition continues.

This year, Campanas de America will perform their Valentine’s Day Serenata on Saturday, February 7 at Thiry Auditorium.  Tickets range from $25 to $35.  Keeping it affordable so that people of all ages can share in Belle’s passion and commitment to education.

You can purchase your ticket online through this link while they still last.  Bring all your loved ones to this beautiful performance.