Monday, February 25, 2013

Saint Augustine Mission - Isleta Pueblo

         

I attended Mass yesterday at Saint Augustine Mission Church in Isleta Pueblo approximately 14 miles south of Albuquerque.The Mission church belongs to the New Mexico Missions established by the Franciscan Friars. Saint Augustine is one of  the oldest of the Missions as it was originally built in 1612, making it one of the oldest churches in the United States. The church was abandoned in 1680 at the time of the Pueblo Indian Revolt and was later restored from ruins in 1692 when the Spaniards under De Vargas returned to Isleta Pueblo. It was subsequently rebuilt with its original four foot adobe walls in 1716 when its name was changed from Saint Anthony to Saint Augustine, the patron saint of Isleta Pueblo. In 2007 the Church underwent restoration owing to water damage to the historical adobe walls.
                                                                                                                                                                     The white-washed church is located in the center of Isleta town and fronts a large courtyard. It dominates the landscape of Isleta Pueblo as well as provides a space for religious festivals, tribal ceremonies and other public gatherings. Architecturally what stands out are the massive adobe walls which were built wider at the bottom to bear the weight of the higher adobes. The bell towers, which were added in the 18th century by the direction of Bishop Lamy, reflect his French influence on regional Spanish mission churches. Entering the main church portal one notices the winding wrought iron staircase leading to the recently constructed choir loft. The floor has been rebuilt with wood and the ceiling vigas are darkly stained and horizontally line the interior length of the chapel. The immediate impression is that this is a long and narrow church belying its external image, created by the outward appearance of its massive adobe walls. Indeed the inside of the church is 110 feet by 27 feet and is lighted by 4 large recessed stained glass windows, one a depiction of  Kateri Tekakwitha, the newly sainted Native American. The altar is also recessed with a statue of the crucified Christ hanging from the ceiling by chains. An over-hanging lamp, the only artificial light in the church, illuminates the Christ figure..  There are large oil paintings hung, one on either of the long walls depicting Saints Batholomew and Rosalia respectively.

In my research on this Church I came across the the stories of Padre Padilla and the Blue Nun which are worth summarizing for the sake of their historical and religious interest. According to historians, New Mexico's first Catholic martyr, Padre Juan Francisco de' Padilla, who accompanied Coornado in 1542 in his search for the city of gold, was killed by Indians after leaving Coronado to minister to tribes on the western plains. It was said that his body was subsequently brought for burial to the Mission Chuch in Isleta. Reportedly his cottonwood coffin rose to the surface of the church's earthen floor on several occasions. On the second time in 1819 the coffin was opened and the body was observed to be remarkably intact. He was redressed in a new robe and  fragments of his old clothing were then used by the Native Americans of Isleta for healing purposes. In a different version of this story, Padre Juan Jose de' Padilla, the pastor of Laguna Pueblo died while visiting Isleta Pueblo in 1756 and it was his body that was buried in the coffin. In either case Padre Padilla now rests in peace for during a 1962 restoration of the Church's sanctuary, his coffin was covered with concrete.
The story of the Blue Nun is more mystical than that of Padre Padilla. In the early 1600's a group of  Jumanos Indians traveled to Isleta Mission to be baptized upon instruction form the Blue Nun. In Spain, Sister Maria de Agreda, wrote in her memoirs  that she was" biported" during a  religious trances from her abbey in France to the American Southwest to do missinoary work with the Native peoples of the Rio Grande. These claims brought scrutiny from the Spanish Inquisition who commissioned a Franciscan Friar panel to travel New Mexico to investigate the Nun's claims. When these Franciscans arrived at the Isleta Pueblo they interviewed several Jumanos Indians who described a Blue Nun, similar to the description of Sister Maria de Agreda, visiting them frequently in visions to teach them about Christ and to encourage their baptism. Upon their return to Spain, the Francisca Friars reported their findings to the Spanish Inquisition who released Sister Maria de' Agreda back to her abbey with a pledge to cease missionary work in the New World. Although Sister Maria de Agreda remains a controversial mystic of the Catholic Church, a banner in her honor hangs from the right altar railing in Saint Augustine's chapel.
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The Sunday 10 A.M. service I attended at Saint Augustine Mission was packed  but there was no difficulty finding a pew. I sat right behind the youth group who filled the front right pews. The new catechumens about to receive the Sacraments of Baptism and/or Confirmation sat with their sponsors in the reserved front left pews. They were acknowledged by Father George Pavamkott just before the offertory and they received hearty applause from their fellow church members. The church choir was led by guitarists who descended from the choir loft to play the offertory hymn in front of the congregation. When the service had ended they also played Happy Birthday to an elderly woman in attendance. People stayed in their pews and sang along. Several parishioners greeted me after the service and I joined some of them for coffee in the adjacent CCD building.  My overall impression was that Saint Augustine Church, for all its historical relevance to the Southwest, was a neighborhood church within a close knit, predominantly Native American community yet was very welcoming to visitors such as myself.  My insight while driving back to Albuquerque from Saint Augustine's in Isleta was that the Catholic Church in New Mexico is truly Catholic - universal in its appeal to the faithful.  I encourage Catholic pilgrims to visit Saint Augustine's Church in Isleta Pueblo. Join your fellow worshippers and stay for a celebration of the Mass.

For Mass times and more info on Saint Augustine's Church click on -

St Augustine Parish Isleta, NM 87022


 
 
For more historical info on this Mission click on


Isleta


southwest.library.arizona.edu/spmc/body.1_div.16.htmlCached - SimilarShare






 


 


Sunday, February 17, 2013

Lenten Confession

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    The pre-Easter period of atonement, Lent, is upon us with the distribution of ashes this past Wednesday. The Catholic Bishops recently have encouraged Catholics to attend confession regularly during the 40 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter and have asked parish priests to make confession more available, particularly by hearing confessions at designated times on Friday evenings. Considering the Catholic Bishops appeal to Catholics to revisit the Sacrament of Reconciliation, I will advocate for this sacrament as vital to Catholic Christian pilgrimage.
A fundamental goal of pilgrimage is conversion. For Catholic pilgrims that means an inner reconversion, a return to God with one's whole heart and soul. Baptism was our first conversion. It washed us free of sin and we received God's graces. In the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we are able to renounce our sins and renew our relationship with God as He is all merciful and welcomes us back to His graces. As in the " parable of the prodigal son", we are welcomed back by God without reservation.
I have heard that confession is losing its favor amongst many Catholics. Yet almost every Catholic, even those who have stopped participation in this sacrament, will attest that making a good confession of their sins and receiving absolution was experienced as a sense of forgiveness. They felt spiritually renewed and often recommitted themselves to lead holier lives. Most of us feel a need to confess our sins and receive God's forgiveness. Of course, one can confess privately to God by saying an act of contrition but when we go to confession, we receive sacramental grace.There is an understanding that the Catholic priest who hears our confession, does so in the person of Jesus Christ. He sets us free of sin in the light of Christ to renew God's plan for us.
I advise New Mexico Catholic pilgrims to take advantage of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, particularly during Lent. Go often to receive God's graces. If it has been a long time since one's last confession, and you don't know where to start, just ask the priest to help you. He will spiritually direct you. If necessary arrange a private appointment with a priest for the purpose of confession. There is reason for humility in receiving this sacrament. If Catholic Christian pilgrimage entails conversion to God's graces, the Sacrament of Reconciliation may begin that process.                                                                                                                                                                                                              For further perspective on Catholic confession please link to Father Robert Barron's video below:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                                                                     
           http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cun9F-XCang&feature=player_embedded                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Sunday, February 3, 2013

Eucharistic Adoration

 On this past first Friday evening of the month, I attended the Eucharistic Adoration liturgy at San Felipe de Neri Church in Old Town, Albuquerque.  The Holy Eucharist was on display for private visitation and prayer in the Donato Gasparelli chapel which is entered from the courtyard just to the west of the main San Felipe de Neri chapel. The Eucharist was displayed in a gold Monstance on an altar with adjacent votive candles.  There were a row of pews and kneelers and an assorted group of  young and old adults were praying. After an hour of private devotion, the pastor Father Dennis Garcia arrived in his vestments, lifted the Monstrance with a wide band of cloth across his shoulders( humeral veil) and carried it to the altar in the main chapel, where he was joined by an altar server bearing an incense thurible and by the worshippers. The incense was lit and the Adoration and Benediction liturgy began with the Latin hymn "O Salutaris Hostia" and concluded with the  hymn "Holy God , We Praise Thy Name". Between these hymns the priest led the congregation in the prayers "The Litany of the Sacred Heart", "Benediction", "Oh Sacrament Most Holy" and "The Divine Praises" and paused after each prayer for private reflection. Thruout  the fragrance of burned frankincense wafted upwards, symbolizing the prayer of the faithful rising up to heaven. The liturgy ended when the Eucharist was returned to the Tabernacle and the priest left the chapel. When the worshippers dissembled there was a pronounced hush, commensurate to the sacred ceremony that they had experienced. I, too, quietly left the church with the sense that I had just been blessed to have been in His Real Presence. I encourage Catholic pilgrims to seek out and find opportunities for Eucharistic Adoration in the Catholic Churches of New Mexico. I believe it is the essence of Catholic pilgrimage to find time to meditate and pray before our Lord and Savior.
For more information on the history and Catholic Christian theology pertaining to Eucharistic Adoration, click on
www.ewtn.com/library/homelibr/historea.txt
 
or click on Father Robert Barron's Sermon 25 "The Real Presence" by clicking on file below
    http://c275449.r49.cf1.rackcdn.com/25.mp3