catholicmexican

[catholicmexican]

Works Cited

List of Synonyms and Antonyms of the Word: Hindu Art and Culture, canacopegdl.com/keyword/hispanic-home-shrines.html. 

Central Intelligence Agency, Central Intelligence Agency, www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2127.html. 

Vatican, www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P2V.HTM.

 “12 Quotes from Pope St. John Paul II on Our Lady of Guadalupe.” TOM PERNA, 12 Dec. 2016, tomperna.org/2014/12/12/12-quotes-from-pope-st-john-paul-ii-on-our-lady-of-guadalupe/.

 Agren, David. “Separation of Catholics and State: Mexico's Divisive Religious History.” 

The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 12 Feb. 2016, www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/12/mexico-catholicism-politics-religious-history-pope-francis. 

Alcañiz, Lourdes. “Traditional Hispanic Beliefs and Myths about Pregnancy.” BabyCenter, 9 Oct. 2018, www.babycenter.com/0_traditional-hispanic-beliefs-and-myths-about-pregnancy_3653769.bc. 

BabyCenter. “Most Common Baby Names in Mexico.” BabyCenter, 9 Oct. 2018, www.babycenter.com/0_most-common-baby-names-in-mexico_10341179.bc. 

Capecchi, Christina. “The Patron Saint Of Pregnant Women.” The Huffington Post, TheHuffingtonPost.com, 16 Dec. 2012, www.huffingtonpost.com/christina-capecchi/st-gerard-majella-pregnant-women-patron-saint_b_1962214.html. 

Donoso, Juan Carlos. “On Religion, Mexicans Are More Catholic and Often More Traditional than Mexican Americans.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, 8 Dec. 2014, www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/12/08/on-religion-mexicans-are-more-catholic-and-often-more-traditional-than-mexican-americans/. 

“Education and Schools in Mexico.” Expat Arrivals, www.expatarrivals.com/americas/mexico/education-and-schools-méxico. 

García, Judit Covarrubias. “Mexican Family Culture.” LoveToKnow, LoveToKnow Corp, family.lovetoknow.com/family-values/mexican-family-culture. 

“Hispanic Traditions.” Quinceanera History, Traditions | Sweet Sixteen Traditions, www.quinceanera-boutique.com/hispanic-traditions-pg-19.html. 

“Inside Mexico.” Inside Mexico, Inside Mexico, www.inside-mexico.com/10-most-popular-mexican-last-first-names/. 

“Library : The Importance of the Christian Name.” Fathers of the Church | Catholic Culture, www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=9588. 

“Mexican Funeral Customs Differ from Ours.” Press-Republican, 5 Dec. 2007, www.pressrepublican.com/news/local_news/mexican-funeral-customs-differ-from-ours/article_f93a7231-0389-5ca7-9161-ffaeb7b523e2.html. 

Mila. “Amigas De Manualidades.” 12 De Diciembre, 1 Jan. 1970, amigasmanualidades.blogspot.com/2011/12/12-de-diciembre.html. 

“Our Patron Saint.” Saint Anne Catholic Church, www.saintanne.com/saint-anne/. 

Teacher, Retired. “Travels of a Retired Teacher.” Mitla - The Place of the Dead, 1 Jan. 1970, ilovemexico2013.blogspot.com/2013/11/mexico-city-final-chapter.html. 

“The Religious Conflict in Mexico.” CQ Researcher by CQ Press, library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/document.php?id=cqresrre1926080100. 

“Welcome Your Baby: Catholic Traditions.” Beliefnet, Beliefnet, Inc. and/or Its Licensors, www.beliefnet.com/love-family/parenting/2000/05/welcome-your-baby-catholic-traditions.aspx.

[catholicmexican]

There is a heavy Mexican Catholic streak in my movies, and a huge Mexican sense of melodrama. Everything is overwrought, and there's a sense of acceptance of the fantastic in my films, which is innately Mexican. So when people ask, 'How can you define the Mexican-ness of your films?' I go, 'How can I not?' It's all I am

Guillermo del Toro. Mexican filmmaker.

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I die, but God does not die. Viva Cristo Rey!

Gonzalez Flores. A rebel martyr for the Catholic religion. 

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The famous portrait of Maria Guadalupe (Our Lady of Guadalupe) that was found in the cloak of Juan Diego. 

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Church in the outskirts of Mexico City, in Mixquic. You can see the Spanish design while still maintaining the Mexican culture and the large park in front. 

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Catedral Metropolitana de la Asunción de la Santísima Virgen María a los cielos) in Mexico City. Translates to Metropolitan Cathedral of the Assumption of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary in Heavens. 

[catholicmexican]

I have great hopes in your love for Christ and for men. There is a great deal to be done. Let us set out with renewed enthusiasm; united with Christ, under the motherly gaze of the Virgin, Our Lady of Guadalupe the sweet mother of priests and religious. In fact, when the first missionaries who reached America from lands of eminent Marian tradition taught the rudiments of Christian faith, they also taught love for you, the Mother of Jesus and of all people. And ever since the time that the Indian Juan Diego spoke of the sweet Lady of Tepeyac, you, Mother of Guadalupe, have entered decisively into the Christian life of the people of Mexico.

Pope St. John Paul II on Our Lady of Guadalupe

[catholicmexican]

La muerte

Death is inevitable in life and it’s something that needs to be planned ahead of time. It’s a bit morbid if you ask me.

In the Mexican culture, funeral homes are not that common - instead we have funerías where you can buy caskets or urns.

When someone dies, the body is given back to the family so that they can mourn in their own home. 1-2 days after death, the family will hold a velario or a candlelight vigil. Here, family and friends will come pay respect and mourn with each other. Rosaries are said and prayers and tears will be exchanged. (https://www.pressrepublican.com/news/local_news/mexican-funeral-customs-differ-from-ours/article_f93a7231-0389-5ca7-9161-ffaeb7b523e2.html)

Mexicans believe that the spirit will come back once a year on...

Dia de los Muertos

This occurs on November 2nd each year, the day after All Saints Day. On Dia de los Muertos, family will gather in the cemetery and paint tombstones, put up offerings, and celebrate the lives of the deceased. It is believed that the souls of the dead will come back to earth on this day. It is to be a day of celebration with a candlelight vigil and sometimes a rosary prayer. 

I can thank Dia de los Muertos for my knowledge of my ancestors. On this day once a year, I get to hear all of my family share stories of our ancestors, who they were, and what they did. It is a highly religious day that is filled with prayer, food, dance, religious artifacts, and candles. 

I am and will be forever grateful for my ancestors, even the ones all the way back during the colonization. Although it would have been nice to keep Mexico how it was originally with the indigenous groups, I can’t help but thank the Catholic religion for giving me the opportunity to celebrate and practice with my family. 

[catholicmexican]

Como se llama su bebe?

Jesus de la Cruz Garcia Pedraza

My husband and I chose a very Catholic-influenced name for our child. 

Jesus - named after Jesus Christ. This is so that Jesus will protect him in all that he does.

de la Cruz - “of the cross.” This refers to the crucifixion of Jesus and the sacrifice he made for us.

Garcia - my maiden name

Pedraza - the last name of my husband

Even though I strongly believe that my son will make a good life for himself, it is also comforting to know that he is named after the son of God and he will be watching over and protecting him regardless. 

[catholicmexican]

Embarazada

Pregnancy is a very respected thing in the Catholic-Mexican culture. Dar a luz is how to say “give birth” in Spanish. This translation means that you are actually giving a light to the world. Since us mothers are pretty conservative when it comes to our bodies, we prefer female doctors and caretakers. When I am out in the town, people will come up to me and touch my stomach and some will even say prayers for the baby and a safe delivery, 

It is 2 weeks before I am due, and my mother has moved into our home to help us set up the nursery and get us ready for the baby. 

Many people seem very concerned with my baby. There is an old wive’s tale that dates back to the Aztecs. “If you watch a lunar eclipse during your pregnancy, your baby will have a cleft lip.” The Aztecs believed that during an eclipse, there is a bite taken out of the moon, therefore, if you watch one while you’re pregnant, the same will happen to your baby. Even though this has been debunked by science and genetics, very religious people still don’t want me to take the chance. (Similar to vaccines causing autism)

Patron saints

People told me told me to pray to St. Rita of Cascia if I wanted children. Not going to lie, I did say a prayer here-and-there.

St. Gerard Majella is the patron saint of pregnant women, general. The irony is that he is a man. 

St. Anne is the patron saint of women in labor. St. Anne was also the mother of the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ.

St. Brigid of Ireland is the patron saint of newborns and infants.

Baptism will be a big deal in my family, as it is for the rest of the Catholic-Mexican people. Babies wear white to signify “purity, joy, and new life.” In the sacrament of Baptism, my baby will let the Holy Spirit into his heart.

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An example of a shrine in the home.

http://canacopegdl.com/keyword/hispanic-home-shrines.html 

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La Casa

We bought our first home, and now we are waiting on the priest to come and bless it for us. I am expecting him to bring over his holy water and some incense to bless the home. This is important to me because this is where we will start our family. We have collectively decided that we will raise our future children to be Catholic, as well. 

In our 3 bedroom home, we have 15 crosses and crucifixes. Every single room (including the bathrooms) have a cross in it. We aren’t that crazy, our neighbors have 25 crosses in their home!

Shrines

In our living room, my husband and I have set up a shrine of the Virgin Mary. There is the main photo of her surrounded by candles and flowers (I try to use fresh flowers but sometimes I don’t have time to grab some). I try to say a quick prayer before I head out the door for the day (time willing). The first thing that people see when the walk through the door and past the 2 crosses in the doorway is the shrine. Some people have entire rooms dedicated to shrines, but we could only fit it in the corner. 

[catholicmexican]

La Boda

There is a lot that goes into a Mexican wedding in the church.

I asked my maid of honor and best man to be el padrino y la madrina - the wedding sponsors.

They will pay for a few certain things in the wedding. Later in the mass ceremony, they will be the ones to carry las arras to myself and my husband. I’ll talk about las arras later. 

Las Arras

These are wedding coins that my husband will give to me in the middle of the ceremony. There are 13 of them, representing Jesus Christ and his 12 apostles. The coins represent the trust my husband will put into me. This gesture basically says “my money is your money.” 

El Lazo

The wedding lasso! This is a string of flowers and rosary beads placed around the bride and groom’s shoulders in the form of a figure 8.

The figure 8 shape is important in the Bible, as it represents new beginnings. 

La Tornaboda

This is the awesome after party for all of our closest friends and family to celebrate the newly weds!

Since the church and state are now separated, my husband and I have to go to the city hall to sign our marriage license. Even though we were married in the church, we cannot be legally married until we sign those papers. 

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Relationships continued!

Ya tengo novio!

I met my novio at my cousin’s baptism - he is the neighbor to my aunt and uncle. Mexicans often meet a partner through:

academic studies

community social events

cafes and bars

Since the after-party for my baby cousin’s baptism was so big, I got to meet my boyfriend who would later become my husband. 

After parties for religious events are huge in my family - baptisms especially. 

Baptisms represent the baby’s entrance into the Catholic faith. My family will find any excuse to eat, drink, and dance - in the name of religion! The church ceremony is usually much smaller than the reception (aka the after party). The ceremony in the church includes a mass with close friends and family. At the baptism, the godparents stand with the baby - this is their way of saying “I will be committed to teaching you the Catholic faith.”

As for my boyfriend...

On our fourth date, he came up to my door and serenaded me with a whole mariachi band!

A few years pass and now we are engaged and planning for the wedding.

[catholicmexican]

Ya tienes novio?

I got this question every time I would see my family. Since my family has grown up with Catholic beliefs, they thought that I needed a boyfriend to come in and save me - domesticate me. Family values are a huge part of Mexican culture. This has been present ever since before the colonization of Mexico. When the Spanish came, very little in the familial values changed when transitioning from the indigenous religious to Christianity. 

Before the colonization, family structure for indigenous families would be:

Patriarchal - the man would be the head of the household

Patrilineal - the men carry the family name

Extended - aunts, uncles, and grandparents would live together

Organized - everyone had a specific role in the household

Spiritual

Structures - communities were formed around extended families

Sounds familiar, right? That’s because it is. Not much changed for the structure of families after Christianity was introduced. Something that indigenous cultures and the Spanish agreed on. Families were very tight-knit in pre- and post-colonization. Even present day, most of these apply to my family. Our family isn’t so “organized”;however, because everyone in my family helps out with all the roles in the house. 

Contraception

Even in sexual relationships, religion is a huge influence. Women were supposed to be aloof while men had to be macho, strong, and masculine because that is how the women and men were in the Bible.

“Have as many children as God grants you.” 10-12 children per married couple used to be the norm before the 1970s. The mid 1970s came around and more accessible contraceptives were made for women. Now, the average family will have 2.24 children. 

In the old days...

My great-grandparents got married in 1908. They married in the church, which made their marriage official. Until 1910, Church and state were one. So, people who married in the church in 1911 still had to go to their local government and sign a marriage license.

 Officials around this time of the Mexican Revolution of 1910 were afraid that church and state being one would “hold back progress.” 

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Indeed, just 31% of Mexican Catholics favor changes to church policy on the priesthood – that is, allowing priests to marry or women to become priests

Pew Research

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[the name] should reinforce and communicate to the growing child and others one of the essential realities of the sacrament of baptism and Christian life.

Pope Benedict