Késsinnimek - Roots - Racines

Catholicism, Border Style

by Louise Dubrule

The very word Catholic means ‘universal’, and our Baltimore Catechism books reminded us that our religion was constant wherever we were. When the Masses began to be said in the vernacular of each region, the rites were still what we knew….only the language was different. Ah, but there are exceptions.

In 1956, we were a young military couple assigned to Ft. Bliss in El Paso, Texas. When we arrived, short of cash and without a car, we walked to the nearest church for Sunday Mass and entered a new religious experience in a Hispanic setting. The first thing we noticed was the décor: highly ornate, many statues, and as much gilt decoration as the parish could afford. The crucified Christ and the martyred saints had obviously suffered, as evidenced by the copious blood painted on the icons. It was quite a departure from the more “civilized” and sanitized statues we grew up with. The parishioners at Our Lady of Guadalupe welcomed warmly and shared the Spanish hymnals with us.

As we met more and more of the parishioners, it startled us to find that they often named their boys Jesus (pronounced haysoos). It seemed so sacrilegious…there was only one Jesus, after all. We then noticed that everyone added a little something to the sign of the cross: the Amen was concluded with a movement toward the chin or lips, with the thumb or the fingers. We have been in El Paso for over forty-eight years, and we have questioned a great many people about the gesture, and we get shrugs, “I don’t really know” or “That’s what my mother taught me” as answers. Just this month, a young priest finally gave us an explanation. The proper procedure is to make a cross with your thumb over the center section of your forefinger, and the Amen is sealed with a kiss to the cross of our Redeemer. What a lovely custom!

December arrived, and with it the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, now the patroness of the Americas. The Hispanics have a great devotion to this Madonna, and her Mass on December 12 is standing room only with great celebration and music. There is enough interesting history connected with this feast day that it may warrant a separate article on this alone. Christmas approached, and we were soon entranced by the appearance of luminarias: lunch-size brown paper bags with a folded top collar, the bottom filled with some clean sand for a solid base, and then a small votive candle nestled in the sand. These are set up along roof edges, driveways, fences, and other surfaces. Here, in El Paso, they also set up thousands of the luminarias along the mountain road called Scenic Drive. After dark, the candles are lit, lending a golden glow to the bags and a magical atmosphere to the area. Closer to Christmas, many posadas are held. These are small gatherings that go from door to door, in imitation of Mary and Joseph looking for shelter in Bethlehem. Each neighborhood has a destination where the “pilgrims” will find food and music and prayers.

The feast of the Three Kings is El Dia de Los Reyes, and there is a special bread to mark the occasion. The bakeries make round, braided breads called roscos, and each one has a little plastic baby baked inside. During the family gathering, whoever gets the baby in his slice must host a party on February 2, the Day of Presentation.

Lent brings the familiar ashes of Ash Wednesday and the days of fast and abstinence. On Holy Thursday, many people make it a point to go to seven different churches to say a prayer while they meditate on the seven last words of Jesus. On Good Friday, many parishes have a procession around the grounds, carrying a depiction of the dead Savior, whether this depiction is a large painting or a life-sized form. There is also a custom whereby someone kneels while wearing a heavy robe called a pesame as a representation of the suffering our sins have caused. People take turns wearing the weighty garment. Our area is graced with a very large statue of the risen Christ on a mountaintop (Mount Christo Rey), and the devout make the arduous trek to the base of the statue, reciting the rosary as they make the climb. They often face danger from bandits from across the Mexican border who are known to frequent the trail

All Souls Day is Dia de los Muertos. Originally, families visited the cemeteries and washed grave stones, cleared weeds, planted flowers, and said prayers. Some families have the actual bones of their dearly departed, and on this day, the bones are taken out and washed. Custom also dictates that food and drink be left at the grave site. As with many other holidays, commercialization has taken root and many of the older people complain that the youngsters forget the meaning of the holy day. Now, there are candies and cakes in the shape of grimacing skulls, skeleton decorations, and parties.

There are several ceremonies and rites that are exclusive to the Hispanic culture, and until recently, the parish priests have formulated prayers to fit these rites. Naturally, the prayers varied from parish to parish, town to town. In November, 2004, the Council of Bishops recognized the needs of the Hispanic people in the United States and they issued a standardized text to cover these practices.

In the Hispanic culture, girls hold a special place. Baby girls are dedicated to Mary at a ceremony when they are three years old. The biggest event in the life of many Hispanic girls is their fifteenth birthday, called Quinceanera. This custom blends Spanish heritage with ideas going back to the Aztec and Mayan civilizations. The celebration starts with a Mass and it is usually followed by a party, and here it can get elaborate….and every bit as expensive as a wedding. The girl will wear a white bridal gown, but no veil. If she follows the tradition she will have an escort and a “court” of fifteen girls and fifteen boys, and all of these attendants practice dance patterns to perform at the party. Dressmakers are busy creating formals, limousines are hired, halls rented, bands and caterers booked.

A Hispanic wedding brings out more unique customs. There is the lazo, which can be in the form of a garland, a double loop of satin rope, or a rosary. This is draped over the shoulders of the bride and groom while prayers are said for the new unity. Sometimes, there is a velacion, a veil or shawl that wraps over their shoulders instead. Someone from the pews will bring up a gift of coins called arras, with prayers that will ensure the bride and groom will be good stewards.

There is one other aspect of Catholicism that has roots elsewhere. During the Spanish Inquisition, many Jews converted in an attempt to save their lives. They came to the New World with new identities and tried to fit in with the other Spanish settlers. In time, the descendants forgot their origins, even while some kept Jewish practices such as covering all the mirrors in the house for ten days after a death, or keeping prayers on a slip of paper in the doorway. Graves were marked with a six-petaled flower that was a form of the Star of David. Visitors to graves left a pebble on the headstone. All this was done without knowing why, except that it was what was always done in the family. In recent years, many families in New Mexico, Colorado, and Texas have embarked on searches for their roots and have learned about a heritage that was lost in the shadows of the past.

In spite of the differences in culture, the Catholic Church is, indeed, universal, and we all draw strength from the same source. We’ve learned that it doesn’t matter if we say “Our Father”, “Notre Père”, “Pater Noster” or “Padre Nuestro.”

Késsinnimek - Roots - Racines
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