Spiritual Renewal

Spiritual Renewal.

I just came back from making the annual procession to the Cross of the Martyrs. It's the last event of the annual Fiesta. The fiestas have always had a religious aspect, but most people participate in the secular stuff, the burning of Zozobra, the two parades, the fashion show, the parties, balls, melodramas etc. But originally, the Fiestas were just religious-- they still are-- but they seem to get overshadowed by everything else. I've never done the religious celebrations. Tonight Mom, who in her 70 years or so of living, had never participated in the candlelight procession. I've spent the whole day with her and it was quite lovely. Anyway, we met the rest of our "parish" (we aren't officially members of the church we attend. I think we're still on the rolls at the Cathedral Basilica but that's where we felt most comfortable) in front of the the cathedral to walk up to the cross of the martyrs to complete the fiestas. It was an incredibly beautiful and spirtual moving experience. The marachis' played and we song the old, beautiful Spanish songs which I grew up with, it was a pretty solemn walk but it was truly fun too. Of course, I hate walking in processions because EVERYONE WALKS SO SLOW. I have no patience for little strides. But that's ok. At the top , there was a service, supposedly ecumenical, but it's truly obvious that this is still largely a Catholic town.

My family has been part of Santa Fe/Northern NM for over 400 years. It's been really wonderful participating in the old traditions of my family and renewing my faith in the spiritual and religious traditions I grew up with as well. I hope that I do have a child or two to pass down my culture, my history and even my faith to among other things.

Hmmm... also, I saw a really attractive guy tonight. He actually looked a lot like what I envision one of my characters to look like in my novel. :::sigh:::


This is what it looks like by day. There is some good history



Also, I must show this to my mother: "I wonder if other dogs think poodles are members of a weird religious cult." - Rita Rudner

Finding One's Self

The landscape of Northern New Mexico is truly amazing. It makes sense that so many people are able to find spirituality here every day. There are days when I just go for a drive, look at the awesome land surrounding me and truly feel connected to my own spirituality. It's usually a little thing, a rainstorm, a sunset, the view coming in along I-25 on a beautiful cloudy or clear day for what it's worth that reminds me that there is something bigger than ourselves. There has to be. I truly believe that God exists. I think that there are many paths to find Him. For me, it's my Catholicism, but for someone else, it might be something different.

I stumbled upon this article on PBS. I watched the video as well. The text is the transcription actually and thought I'd post it. It's interesting but I think barely touches the subject of spirituality in New Mexico, which goes back to days long before the Spanish came, bringing both Catholicism and crypto-Judaism to this land.

I've also been following the news from Paris about the death of Cardinal Jean-Marie Lustiger, Archbishop of Paris. Today was his funeral and before the Funeral Mass, his relatives said Kaddish for him in front of Notre Dame. It's been interesting to read all the news about his personal life and how despite his conversion to Catholicism, he still felt very tied to his Jewish past. Albeit, his was recent, as he was born to Polish Jews and converted to Catholicism as a young boy.

I suppose part of me is so intrigued is because here in Northern New Mexico, there are so many families who are descended from Sephardic Jews and are now discovering it. While they have pretty much been raised as Catholics for generations, (though some probably with no religion and others as protestants) but suddenly this knowledge makes things about their lives so much clearer. As for me, I don't really know if my ancestors were Jewish. I have last names dotting the family tree which are very obviously Sephardic, but I don't know of any rituals or traditions that are suspected to be Sephardic. The sad thing for me is that the ones who would know are long gone and my parents don't seem to remember any of those stories. And even if I learned my ancestors were Sephardic Jews fleeing persecution, it wouldn't change my faith today. I would, however, be able to say I was tied to a Jewish past too, but I wouldn't be a Jew. Still, it's all very interesting. Hopefully, I'll find that out.