Catholic Rooted by Force & Choice

It may sound like a conceptual oxymoron, but it is as integral as tendrils are to a cucumber vine. I mentioned in Why Chilies and Shamrocks? about my ancestry, having genealogical ties primarily to both the New World and the British Isles. More specifically, I am mostly a blended composition of Genizaro and Irish. They are two groups which may seem quite distinctive and are in many ways, but both do have historically long-perceived heathen and pagan reputations, respectively. However, a majority of the Genizaro and Irish do share foundational beliefs which ultimately became based in Roman Catholic tradition.

There were numerous established Native American tribes in the area of North America which the Spanish set out to colonize. Some of these tribes lived in a particular area and others tended to roam from place to place. Because of how they lived, the Spaniards assumed the Indians to be a heathen lot; uncivilized in appearance and lacking of appropriate religious cultivation, In other words, a spiritual or celebratory dance around a fire hootin’ and hollerin’ didn’t jive with the reverence required to meet the Catholic standard to make it through the pearly gates. The Spaniards could not have been more wrong.

Although there may have been civil variances among tribes, they had their own social orders and spiritual customs. Oral traditions relayed important facets of their histories and were spun with stories which imparted valuable life lessons. In the spiritual realm, there was an emphasis on the natural world which they lived within and were surrounded by. Animals, plants, and weather events were monumental to their survival and held a place of reverence for the Native Americans.

Catholicism was brought to the New World and into what is now the state of New Mexico and surrounding vicinity of the Southwest United States by missionaries who were basically tag-teaming with Spanish militants, otherwise known as, the conquistadors. It was a highly orchestrated ordeal that was effectively a bait and switch, which had a devastating impact on the Native American tribes in the area. The missionaries arrived initially with friendly demeanor (the bait) and then Spanish soldiers followed (the switch) using the Natives for needed labor.

Ideologically speaking, the goal of the missionaries (comprised mainly of Franciscans, but also included Jesuits and Dominicans) were tasks with spreading Catholicism and allegedly rescuing souls that were sure to be damned unless converted. However, this conversion was forced upon Native American communities in brutal and inhumane ways, dispelling their own long-practiced cultural traditions and beliefs. The conversions to the faith were done as a means by the Native American to survive.

Contempt with the conditions brought upon by the missionaries and the Spaniards brewed into the Pueblo Revolt of 1680. This was quite a remarkable feat for the Native Americans. It did not matter the differences between the Native American tribes, such as languages or customs. They were able to overcome and work around those in order to unite against the undue impositions placed upon them. We must not forget that during this general time frame when the missionaries and Spaniards arrived, a new ‘crop’ of people began to emerge, the first and subsequent generations of Genizaro. They had been mostly detribalized, learning the Spanish language from the wee ages, and forcibly indoctrinated in the practices and customs of the Catholic culture.

Across the pond, otherwise known as the Atlantic Ocean, and long before the conversion conundrum in the New World, Ireland experienced a shift from pagan practices to those based in Christianity. If we consider what an isolated world the earliest inhabitants of the Emerald Isle had, the draw of knowledge presented by a druid or shaman would have seemed astonishing. I would imagine the sense of awe was captivating, moving, and provided a spiritual element that resonated an unquestioned plausibility in their natural surroundings for the primitive civilization. There were beliefs in gods, goddesses, witchcraft, fairies, and nature. The natural element extended up to the stars and the roof-box of Newgrange gave this society a means of time gauge. There was a sort of peer pressure to partake in community rituals as cooperation equated survival.

True to the quest for spreading Catholicism, Pope Celestine first sent Palladius and then St. Patrick to Ireland. They each had a measure of success. But for comparison purposes, I would say Palladius was like an airline package of peanuts, whereas, St. Patrick was like the Pearson Candy Company plant manager in charge of production. (They make Salted Nut Rolls and Nut Goodie Bars). Each had their loyal enthusiasts and eager followers in varying numbers. Those who did follow the newly presented religion of Catholicism, were doing so mostly on their own accord, of their own choice.

One of the well-known stories about St. Patrick is that he gave the people of Ireland an explanation of the Catholic foundations utilizing a three-leafed shamrock (or clover) to illustrate the Holy Trinity. He took a simple, everyday item abundant in nature, familiar to the people, and used it to explain a concept that the people would not have otherwise been able to understand. Whether a lore or not with the shamrock description, enough merit was established for Christianity to get a foot-hold and flourish from that era onward in Ireland and eventually beyond their shores.

Two vastly different groups of people and approaches to conversion and each predominately based on the need to survive. The ‘heathen’ Native Americans in the New World bound by force and the ‘pagan’ Irish with a more free-willed choice in adhering to a faith. In my own family tree, representative of both Gerizaro and Irish, the roots of practicing Catholicism are deeply entrenched. Is this so due to blindly following suit with familial expectations in matters of faith and/or being stuck in a holding pattern of sorts? Or was there enough to ideologically and spiritually bind successive generations? I have developed a hybrid mindset in the matter. As a parent, I have conveyed the values I found worthy with our faith. But, there are aspects I challenge and do not support even if dictated that I ought to. I feel fortunate to share these assertions in my genealogical dabbles.