Mexican Catholic Culture
Sarah Collins
University of Kentucky
Abstract When one thinks of a different country they generally don’t put much thought in to how different they are from their own. One may consider the different foods or clothing, but there is so much more to contemplate. When one actually begins studying and learning about the different cultures, it is quite amazing and very interesting. The paper will focus on traditions, roles-man vs woman, and religion/believes. Mexican Cultures Mexican culture traditionally has different roles for men and women. In general men are
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According to Global Security “Roman Catholicism is the main religion in Mexico; 88 percent of the population, five years of age and older identified themselves as Roman Catholic in the 2000 census” (Pike, 11) Mexican’s may go above and beyond when it comes to their religion. They are stereotyped as praying to Mary and this is not true at all. They simply honor her because she is Jesus mother and according to the Ten Commandments we should honor our mother and father. According to, Countries and their Cultures Religious Practitioner: The most important practitioners are Catholic priests, who conduct regular masses and officiate over events, that Mexicans consider crucial such as birth, weddings, death, and quince años (the initiation ceremony for girls). Priests also perform more quotidian rituals such as the blessing of new houses or cars.”(PANSTERS) A couple of things that have become a typical stereotypical believe for the Catholic Church is the thought that all priests, are child molesters (usually of young boys). This started with allegations against one priest and within a short time was discovered that several others were also accused and investigated. Now when one thinks of the Catholic Church or of priests it tends to be one of the first thoughts that tend to come to mind. Also, the Catholic Church is stereotyped as believing the Pope is the absolute power this is also not true. Mexicans celebrate many holidays and each is determined by the Catholic calendar and by the family dynamics. Families come together to reconnect, family reunions, and holidays. Of all the religious celebrations they have, Easter is the most important. Another religious celebration they recognize is Day of The Dead. Days of the Dead are a celebration for those that have passed on, this is to show respect for the dead. It is a celebration for the living, which honors those that have passed on. According to Pansters “On this
Almost all religions are differentiated into ‘institutional’ and ‘folk’. These are the two different types of organization of religions. Institutional is a top-down order of religion, so the rules and practices are set by the elites of the religion. Whereas folk is a bottom-up religion, which means that the general public implements a rule or practice out of necessity or rationality, which then becomes commonality and is adopted by the whole religion. The U.S.-Mexico borderlands’ religion is the “Mexican folk Catholicism” which is a bricolage version of the institutionalized Catholicism, a religion that was first enforced on them by the Spanish, because it is a mix of the traditional Catholic beliefs and some of the indigenous
The Mexican culture places a high value on family. They are close-knit and united. It is common for the extended family to reside with the family in the same home. The Mexican men role is to be the support system in the household. In the Mexican culture, they are called machismo, which confirms the dominance and authority in the family. Violence is a characteristic of the machismo’s culture. They are known to be respected and seniority over the women. The women are required to tend to the house chores and take care of the children. They are expected to follow all directives given by the husbands. The husband being the head of the household is a culture norm for Mexicans. The children are to be respectable and obedient and reside with their parents regardless of the age until they are married.
The overall culture and society in Mexico is greatly influenced by Catholic traditions that have been practiced for generations. These traditions are looked at as social events in Mexican communities (Hoffman 258). A quinceñera is one Catholic rite of passage that is considered to be an important milestone as it represents the transition of a girl into a woman on her fifteenth birthday. Friends and family are expected to attend Catholic ceremonies such as these despite any religious affiliation because of how intertwined Catholicism is with Mexican society (Euan Alvarado). This connection means that the majority of religious Mexicans are Catholic, and makes it difficult for other religions to grow. The Catholic Church also creates a sense of
Major Religious Influences The past culture of the Aztecs and the Spanish influence of Roman Catholicism play a huge role in what the Mexican culture believes today regarding religion and tradition. Life and death were viewed as two very opposite ideas that were complimentary of one another; they were both parts of the life cycle. Death is still viewed in the Mexican culture as an extension of life; this in turn places great value on the bonds that the family will continue to have with their loved ones after they have passed. There is the belief in their culture that there is a connection between the physical and spiritual realms, and that you maintain a bond with your loved one through that connection (Russell-Kibble, 2011).
The Mexican community is a diverse one, and one that has a distinct culture. To begin, there are subgroups within the Mexican community, but the biggest subgroup is mestizo which is 60% of the population (Zimmerman, 2015). Also, there are many languages inside their communities. The main one is Spanish at 92.7%, but there are also indigenous languages such as Mayan or Nahuatl. There are some common words that come from the indigenous languages such as tomato, coyote, and chocolate (Zimmerman, 2015). Another huge part of their culture, is their religion. 82% of the Mexican people identify with Catholic. Other religions include Jehovah’s Witnesses, Methodists, Baptists, and Anglicans. There is diversity in their culture just like everyone
Jesus and telco the day he was born, and the quinceaneras is the day a teenage girl turn into a woman with the permission of her parted by throwing her a lavish party. These rituals are beliefs most Latinos stand by and has been practiced from generation to generation; it is natural to embrace the matters. My family and I don't go a year without
Religion and politics in Hispanic culture is tied in with the strong family social unit. Over 90% of Hispanics in California are Roman Catholic. They especially respect Patron Saint’s day; to many, it is more important than one’s birthday. The Virgin of Guadalupe (the Virgin Mary) and
Mexican culture dates far back as the 13th century. This is when the Aztecs were prevalent in northern mexico. Aztecs were a people who were all about war and honor. They made many enemies going to war with smaller tribes and brutally killed their enemies. In the 16th century the Aztecs Empire crumbled due to the invasion led by Hernan Cortez. Disease, superior weapons, and aid of the Aztec’s enemies were all contributing factors to the Aztecs downfall. Fast forward September 16th 1810 when Mexico gained its independence from Spain Mexico's identity started to develop. Mexican culture is defined by many things, its food, its language, its clothing, its art. However, There is one aspect that defines Mexican culture and that is family life. Mexicans have a very rich family life that defines the culture. The way that family is organized and the way each member acts can be traced back to the very beginning. It's a mixture of the indigenous peoples culture as well as the Spaniards culture. The indigenous peoples pass on their ideas of honor and machismo and the Spaniards pass on their ideas of catholicism, and family value and structure. I fit into this because I grew up on these ideas and my family still practices some of these ideas today.
During the Spanish conquest and colonization of Mexico, Roman Catholicism was founded as the main religion of Mexico, and today, about 89% of Mexicans identify themselves with Catholicism. Evangelical religions have grown in
The reason this is such a big issue is because they are expected to be just like the rest. The term “different” doesn’t quite apply to their customs. An example from the source “Gender Roles in Hispanic Culture” states, “The primary role of man under the Hispanic culture is emphasized as “machismo” which means that a man is the great provider of the family.” This demonstrates what the life of a man in the Mexican culture is like. However, the article also stated, “Most women under this culture are responsible, religious and self sacrificing.
Every culture has their own unique and distinguishing characteristics. One’s cultural identity defines who they are as an individual, group, and community. Their cultural identity may be reflected in numerous ways such as: language, communication styles, religion, beliefs, values, clothing, or other types of aesthetic markers. Cultural identity is formed by many of these traits but is not limited to these specifically. This essay will provide detailed information on Mexican Americans, and their ancestry and heritage. I will also explain about this cultures central beliefs and values, while incorporating information on Mexican Americans, cultural patterns, cultural identity, and their cultures communication characteristics and styles.
In general Latinos are very religious, 90% of Latinos are Catholic or Protestant. The church serves as a guide for perceptions and behaviors, influencing decisions and judgments. The church is often an important source for social support and interaction. Latino churches also teach the value of family and are often a place where there are Spanish language masses.
One of the big unique teaching that affected the teaching in Mexico was Juan Diego. He reported to seen the Virgin Mary, he went back to the same place because people didn’t believe him. He brought back rosses and the facial imprint of the Virgin Mary. This made it easier for people to embrace the catholic faith. They view women as strong and important in there culture placing them in higher levels.
As a little girl, I learned a lot about my Mexican heritage. I even joined my parents in their dance group and still involved in it today. Over the years it’s been so fun, and it helped me learn a lot about different Mexican counties. Who would've thought that I would learn so much just by dancing. I know it sounds crazy, but it’s the truth. Also being a little girl I learned about “Day Of The Dead” which in Spanish is called “dia de los muertos” which is a two day celebration. The day’s in which this takes place is September 1 and 2nd. September 1st we honor the children and September 2nd we honor the adults. When I was little I never fully understood why we celebrated people deaths. I always thought when someone dies we show our respects and grief about it, but throwing a whole
The Mexican culture is very family centered. The extended family is just as important as the immediate family and provides stability within. The