Towards the end of Lent our local parish was host to a
diocesan gathering of parish “confradías”- which are home-based prayer groups
that are also caretakers of beloved holy statues or paintings. Along with the
bishop, about 1500 people attended- many dressed in traditional outfits. These
groups foster a devotion to the particular saint, or to a moment in the life of
Jesus or Mary captured in the image they venerate.
The confradías and the popular piety they foster served an important role during the time in the 19th century when the Catholic Church in Guatemala was persecuted through an anti-clericalism that left the country with few priests. Popular piety served to maintain and transmit the faith, and continues to be a vital expression for parishioners here.
Interestingly, while the Catholic Church sided with the
wealthy and the powerful during the 19th century (causing the
anti-clericalism during the reign of liberal governments that had power then),
during the conflicts and civil war of the late 20th century the
Church was seen by the government as inappropriately siding with the indigenous
poor- and so worked to discredit and reduce the influence of Catholics. The
local pastor here tells me that the United States’ CIA even funded
Protestant missionary activity here in order to weaken the Catholic Church’s
influence by depleting it of its members. (I haven’t been able to research
this, though.) But the result of intensive American Protestant missionary
activity is that towns and neighborhoods are now dotted with many small
independent Protestant churches (charismatic and often virulently
anti-Catholic). In addition, Mormons from the United States have asserted a
strong presence here in recent years- all of the towns I have visited have
Mormon churches, which are usually the most beautiful and modern buildings in
the town. (In an effort to reject the yoke of colonial religion and the
religious influence of American and European culture, many now seek to reclaim their
ancestral pagan religions- seen even in some of the Mayan school projects
required of the kids.)
Our parish has twelve of these confradías, and each year on
the feast day of the saint whose image is captured in the statue or painting,
the group in charge of the image builds an elaborate “float” (called a
“procesión”) that is carried throughout the town on the shoulders of 20+ men
(with replacements switching in and out throughout), accompanied by music,
crowds and fireworks (usually long rolls of firecrackers and mortar-style
noise-makers). The procession can last for hours, and ends at the parish for Mass. Mass is followed
by another lengthy procession with all of the accoutrements of the first round,
as the image is returned to the home where it is kept during the rest of the
year. Our town of Parramos is often host to a war of sound- with highly
amplified music and ecstatic preaching powered from within small Protestant
churches were few are in the seats, but a mighty sound blares out into the
neighborhood and even reaches my house at NPH. The Catholics do their part with
the processions and fireworks, often beginning at 4am. I have often said that
the noise pollution here has been one of the most difficult things for me to
get used to.
Sadly, relations between Catholics and Evangelical
Protestants here is generally not good. Each side tends to think of the other
in terms of caricature: Catholics perceive the Evangelicals as led by pastors
with no formal theological training, focused too much on individual religious experience,
avoidance of vices like alcohol and tobacco, and pentecostalist-style worship. Catholics are perceived by Evangelicos as
idol-worshippers (reinforced by the regular processions through town) and
drunkards (abuse of alcohol is indeed a problem here).
During the processions, the streets are covered with
“alfombras” (literally, “rugs,” but made with pine needles, flowers and flower
pedals, fruit, and colored sawdust), that those in the procession walk over.
The procession this day was that of the “Holy Innocents,”
the patrons of our parish. It was amazing to witness the display of faith and
piety by all who attended the event and walked in the procession, as well as
that of those who elaborated the “alfombras” and lined the streets to watch it
all.
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CHAPEL UPDATE
I had hoped to have a more celebratory update on the chapel
construction prior to Easter, but we are still a few weeks away from signing a
contract for construction. Happily, we have the final plans and bids from four
contractors. Getting the project approved so that the money can be sent down
here is a bit of a complicated process, put into place some time ago by
NPH-International to avoid graft and corruption in the homes. In the parish we
could work a bit more “on the fly,” and parishioners trusted that if we ended
up with extra money for a project, we would have no problem putting it to good
use. Here, we need to account for every dollar we need before the project can be
approved and begin, which is difficult with something as detailed as a
furnished chapel built to seat four hundred people. Also, because cash flow is
so tight, we need to have the money in hand before starting.
Fortunately, we have enough money ($190,000) to build the
structure and move the power lines that currently hang above the site. We’ll
need about $40,000 more for things like the altar, sound system, pews, bell,
etc. But I am confident we can get started soon; I will worry about funding
these other items once we get moving. And I suspect that other donors may
appear and help out once that they see that this project is a reality and in
process. If need be, we can prioritize those items, and I can even work to fill
in whatever gaps remain after I return to the States in June 2015. I think it
will only take seven or eight months to build, and so I will be here see it
completed and (I hope) consecrated by the bishop.
I promise to post again as soon as I have more information
about the construction schedule, as well as updated images of the plans.
Wishing all who are following my journey here at Nuestros
Pequeños Hermanos a Blessed Easter. Please continue to keep me and the kids
here in your prayers, and be assured that I will remember you in my prayers,
especially those at the altar as I celebrate Mass on Easter Sunday.
