Texas Gulf Coast Catholic (Corpus Christi, Tex.), Vol. 14, No. 29, Ed. 1 Friday, December 8, 1978 Page: 1 of 6
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From the
Bishop’s Desk...
by the MOST REV. THOMAS J. DRURY
Our Blessed Mother rates three beautiful feast days during the month of
December. Foremost among them is the day on which she became Mother. It
happened long ago on the 25th of the month when in Bethlehem of Judah, she
“brought forth her first-born son and named him Jesus’’. Now, perhaps, one
can say that giving birth to a child is no extraordinary happening. However, in
the case of Mary, her child was the Son of God: He was and is God: therefore
Mary is the Mother of God and no greater title could be bestowed on her. But,
beautiful Lady that she is, she prefers to step back into the shadows in order
that Jesus, her son, may be given all the glory that has surrounded his birth.
For this reason, the Church has chosen the Octave of the feast of the Nativity,
that is January 1st, as a special holy day and names it the Feast of Mary, the
Mother of God.
The second great celebration of our !>hdy in December falls on the 8th — the
feast of the Immaculate Conception. For centuries the Catholic faithful held to
the doctrine that since God had chosen Mary to become the Mother of His divine
Son, she could never, for even one moment, be subject to Satan, the father of
sin. She had to be the Most Pure Virgin from the moment of her conception in
the womb of her own dear mother, St. Ann. She was, therefore, an exception to
the human race since all the rest of us inherit original sin at the first moment of
life. It should be added here that St. John the Baptist, from the time of the
meeting of Mary with his mother Elizabeth prior to his birth, was born free of
original sin.
In the middle of the 19th century, at the universal request of the Church, by
solemn declaration and speaking ex cathedra, Pope Pius IX defined as a matter
of faith to be held and believed by all the faithful, that Mary was conceived and
born free of sin. About that time, in her apparition to Bernadette of Lourdes,
and in answer to a question by the young girl, Mary said, “I am the Immaculate
Conception”.
Our third honor of Mary in December falls on the 12th and is named the Feast
of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Every school child knows about the apparition of
Mary to the gentle and quiet young man — an Indian whose devotion brought
him to the altar of God for daily Mass.
Not only in Mexico but also throughout the western hemisphere and
particularly in our part of the United States, we honor Mary in a special way on
this Feast day.
Here in our Diocese of Corpus Christi several of our churches and chapels
bear the name of Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe. This year of 1978 the religious
and faithful of the City of Corpus Christi have completed plans for a city-wide
celebration to be held at the Coliseum at 8 p.m., on the 12th. A beautiful
program is being planned that will center around a concelebrated Mass to be
offered by the Bishop and clergy in the Spanish Language, and which will
include all of the parishes of the city and surrounding areas. To this celebration
we invite not only our Catholic people but also all those who, like ourselves,
believe that Mary, the Mother of Jesus, deserves special honor. For she is also
the spiritual Mother of all of us.
Handel’s Messiah
The Corpus Christi Symphony will Clyde Roller conducting and with the
present the annual free performance Corpus Christi Chorale under the
of Handel’s Messiah on Sunday, direction of C.M. Shearer. Soloists are
December 10, at 4:00 p.m. The Flicka Wilmore, soprano; Marilyn
performance will take place'in the Found, contralto; James Davis,
new Bayfront Plaza Auditorium with tenor; Robert Anderson, bass.
Linda Perales (right) works with the Scouts who will be doing an Aztec ritual
dance during the offertory procession of the Mass.
Ce ebration to honor
Our Lady of Guadalupe
A bilingual celebration honoring
Our Lady of Guadalupe will be h°ld
Dec. i2 in Memorial Coliseum in
Corpus Christi.
Dec. 12 is the day on which
Catholics, expecially in the Americas
and the Southwestern United States,
celebrate the apparition of the Virgin
Mary to an Indian, Jean Diego, in
Mexico 447 years ago.
Music is scheduled to begin at 7:15
p.m. A mini-pageant, dramatizing the
events around the historical appari-
tion in 1531, will begin at 7:30 p.m.
Students from Incarnate Word
Academy will re-enact the vision
directly in front of an atlar, which will
he set up for a Mass at 8 p.m.
The Most Rev. Thomas J. Drury
will offer the concelebrated Mass. He
will be assisted by the Rev. Richard J.
Shirley, pastor of Corpus Christi
Cathedral, and the Rev. Mark
Chamberlain, pastor of St. Paul the
Apostle Church in Flour Bluff.
Other priests from throughout the
diocese will be eoneelebrants with the
bishop The Rev. Chevy Pantoja will
deliver the homily.
The entrance procession of the Mass
will consist of various parishioners
carrying colorful banners, and
dancers from the Ballet Hispanica
Fantasia, who will carry “Ojos de
Dios” (Eyes of God), an artform
made of yarn and wooden sticks.
Theif dance will be based on one
from Michoacan, Mexico.
Several Boy Scouts from Troop 6
will make up the offertory procession
in the Mass. Their performance will
be based on an Aztec ritual dance.
Music will be provided by the Coro
Mariachi, under the direction of
Rogelio Pro; Father Roger Smith,
assistant pastor of Corpus Christi
Cathedral; the Cathedral choir;
Ramiro Trevino from Our Lady of
Guadalupe parish in Corpus Christi;
Sister Elizabeth Riebschlaeger,
C.C.V.I.; and Estella Amador from
Christ the King parish in Corpus
Christi.
The celebration is free and open to
the public.
Celebration to be
discussed on TV show
Our Lady of Guadalupe Celebration,
which will be held Dec. 12 in Memorial
Coliseum in Corpus Christi, will be the
topic of the Gulf Coast Catholic TV
show at 7:30 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 10, on
Channel 6.
Sister Janie Barrera, host of the
Catholic talk show, will interview
Sister Elizabeth Riebschlaeger,
C.C.V.I.. from Our Lady of Guadalupe
parish in Corpus Christi about the
various parts of the celebration which
will include a mini-pageant and Mass.
Sister Diane Burgess, I.W.B.S.,
;
from Incarnate Word Academy, will
discuss her drama students’ parts in
the production of the mini-pageant in
whicli the apparition of Our Lady of
Guadalupe to the Indian, Juan Diego,
in Mexico in 1531, will be portrayed.
Linda Perales, who is directing
eight young men from Troop 6 of the
Boys Scouts of America, will talk
about the Aztec ritual dance the boys
will do.
Dancers from Pallet Hispanica Fantasia, under the direction of Chris
Davila, will take part in the entrance procession of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Celebration Dec. 12. They are pictured here with ‘‘Ojos de Dios” (Eyes of
God), v hich they will use in a dance from Michoacan, Mexico.
Give food and toys
Catholic Charities needs your
help to make a Christmas a little
bit merrier for needy families
this year.
Anyone wishing to donate food
and toys may contact the office at
884-0651.
PRice - lOc
J'J'vfi!
X
texas gulf coast
CATHOLIC
T), moj..,,.,
Vol. XIV, No. 29
Official Newspaper of the Diocese of Corpus Christi
Friday, December 8,1978
Aztec dance in reverence to Mary
(Editor’s note: The following article
was research and compiled by Linda
Perales, who has been working with a
group of eight Boy Scouts from Corpus
Christi to put on an Aztec ritual dance
during the Our Lady of Guadalupe
Celebration Dec. 12 in Memorial
Coliseum.
What follows is a description of the
dance and of how it fits in with the
liturgy of the Mass and the feast of
Our Lady of Guadalupe. The dance
will be part of the offertory
procession. Mrs. Perales works for
MH-MR and is a talk show host on
Channel 28.)
The apparition of Our Lady of
Guadalupe has had a profound impact
on the sociological development of the
Mexican peoples, as well as an
obvious religious impact.
The place where Our Lady of
Guadalupe chose to appear,
“Tepeyac,” was a sacred place to the
indigenous people of Mexico. A
sanctuary was located at “Tepeyac”
in honor of the mother of the gods,
“Coatlicue.” The Indians called her
“Tonantzin,” meaning “our Mother.”
The sanctuary at “Tepeyac" was
located at one of the four cardinal
points, the north point. This also made
the pilgrimage to “Tepeyac” of great
significance to the Indians, since the
main activities of their religious
festivity took place at the four
cardinal points, north, south, east,
west, and at their intersection, center.
The Indians brought offerings to
“tonantzin” in the form of "ears of
corn and of wheat,” which were
symbolic of their gratitude and which
reaffirmed their faith in the ultimate
decision of the gods. Due to the later
Aztec influence, the human sacrifice
was offered to the goddess,
“Tonantzin.”
During the time of the conquest, the
priests were faced with the task of
converting the Indians into Christi-
anity. Fortunately, incidents like the
apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe
facilitated the conversion of the
Indians to Christianity. Since our
Lady of Guadalupe appeared to Juan
Diego at “Tepeyac,” the feast of Our
Lady of Guadalupe was easily
substituted in place of the feast of
“Tonantzin,” in ,the minds of the
Aztecs.
The human sacrifice was
eliminated by the priests, and was
substituted with the symbolic
sacrifice of Jesus Christ during the
Mass.
In present day Mexico, the festivity
at “Tepeyac” in honor of Our Lady of
Guadalupe, continues in much the
same manner as it was carried
several hundred years ago Singing is
done in "Nahuatl,” the language of
the Aztecs, and the language that the
Virgin of Guadalupe chose to
communicate with Juan Diego.
Dancing also continues to play an
important role in the homage to Our
Lady of Guadalupe. The dancing is
performed before, during and after
the celebration of the Mass.
The ancient Mexicans performed
the ritual and ceremonial dances
solely for the purpose of reverence.
The homage to the gods was executed
in a respectful manner; therefore,
dances were performed in the best of
taste. Each step in a dance has a
religious significance and each
direction in the choreography of the
dance also has a religious signifi-
cance. It also has to be taken into
consideration that every aspect of
their lives had religious sigificance.
Mexican women to get new
by JOHN FOLEY
At a time when Planned Parenthood
is reporting success in teaching a
natural Ovulation Method of birth
control — effective as the “Pill” and
the IUD — a drug company has
announced its intention to test a new
birth control pill that surpresses
female fertility for up to six months.
Public release of plans to test the
drug on Mexican women were
contained in a report on the NBC
Today show on Dec. 1. The
announcement indicates the new
hormone drug, now being introduced
in Mexico, causes prevention of
release of the female ovum for up to
six months. It has been successfully
tested or» baboons over the past four
years.
No reason was given as to why this
new pill will not be marketed in the
U.S. at this time. Presumably it is
because of strict human experimenta-
tion regulations the Food and Drug
Administration issued, after the
seriously adverse medical side-effects
caused by other female reproductive
control drugs and devices became
known. (These effects, suspected at
the time several pills and LUD’s were
marketed, took years to be
confirmed.)
Drug manufacturers have resisted
such federal regulations, claiming
medical doctors prescribing birth
control pills and IUD’s had been
advised of the many contraindica-
tions. In practice, however, women
generally were not well informed
before reaching their birth control
method decisions.
Since the public requirement that
each package of contraceptive pills
include the warning of adverse side
effects, use of the pill has dropped
sharply. Recent reports indicate that
of the women who begin taking the pill
up to 60 percent are no longer taking it
a year later.
Artificial birth control continues to
be a controversial topic. Among
Catholic leadership, news media
speculation was that Pope John Paul
II might relax traditional Church
teaching — that all sexual activity
should be open to new life and that
artificial contraception, sterilization
and abortions are not approved as a
means of birth control — proved
premature. The new Pope has
indicated his continued support for
traditional Church policy, which
condones only natural means of
family planning as morally
acceptable.
Ironically, use of this new drug in
Mexico follows a recent report in
“Planned Parenthood News” that the
Ovulation method of Naturn Family
Planning — when properly taught by a
motivated teacher to a receptive
client — is a highly effective means
for a couple to achieve their family
planning goals.
Marsha McKay, of Planned Parent-
hood, Portland Or., reports “contra-
ceptive success” in teaching the
Billings Ovulation Method. She “won
support and encouragement of others
on the clinic staff, received highly
favorable community reaction and
wide interest from individuals learn-
ing more about the method.”
The Ovulation method does not
involve calendar calculations nor
temperature recording. The
Ovulation Method teaches women to
identify fertile days by interpretation
of their natural cervical mucus, which
“most women recognize as their
normal vaginal discharge,” Marsha
McKay reports. The “mucus
(characteristics) change noticeably
with changes in the levels of estrogen
and progesterone in the cycle”, Ms.
McKay continued.
These changes enable the woman to
detect the time she releases the ovum.
Ms. McKay reports she has personally
has used the method successfully for
three years. She considers it
important for the teacher to “under-
stand it through direct experience, if
she is to teach effectively.”
Ms. McKay acknowledges Catholic
influence — the majority of the users
in previous published reports. The
profile of her 350 clients, over a 9
month period in contrast shows: 52
percent single and independent; 31
percent married and 11 percent living
together, but unmarried. Seventy-five
percent were childless. Four in five
years were between age 21 and 30;
Sixty percent had some college, and 25
percent were college graduates.
Earlier ovulation metho 1 literature
six-month birth control pill
indicated the method was used by
mostly Catholics, and the average
family size was four or more.
Almost all (99 percent) of the 350
clients Ms. McKay taught had
previously tried other birth control
methods: 64 percent one or two
methods; 21 percent three methods
and 14 percent had tried four or five
methods before switching to the
Billings Method.
“Clearly, by the time some women
get through the other birth control
options and haven’t found anything
compatable with their own health and
personal needs, they are ready to try
periodic abstinence and regular
checking and charting of mucus,” Ms.
McKay reports.
“No method failures”
Significantly, none of the women
who followed the rules exactly has
reported a "method failure”. The
importance of the cooperation
achieved in getting the male partner
involved in natural birth control
decisions is another plus Ms. McKay
reports. She has had the help of the
clinic medical director, who refers
women to the classes and answers
questions regarding exceptional
cases. Her success had resulted in
some of the clinic staff themselves
switching to the Ovulation Method,
though she admits to “some contro-
versy among our staff as to its
effectiveness.”
The World Organization 'ulation
Method Billings has sponsored
teacher training seminars in the
method since the early 1970’s.
Mercedes Wilson, of Covington, La.,
president of the organization in the
U.S. has traveled throughout the
States; to Central and South America;
the Carribean and is presently in
Rome, Italy, with Drs. John and Lynn
Billings, at an international seminar
for Ovulation Method leaders. It is
taught in 71 countries throughout the
world. There are 20 regional cneters
in the U.S. Qualified M.D., R.N.’s and
para-professional user-couple
teachers have been trained in the
method in every state of the Union.
N.F.P. in Southwest Texas
Mrs. T.F. Harrigan, R.N., of Corpus
Christi has been teaching the method
for five years. She too reports
successful family planning — both in
achieving desired pregnancies,
spacing children or avoiding a
pregnancy — among more than 1000
she personally has taught. In addition,
she has qualified additional
instructors since her certification in
July by Dr. John J, Billings, of
Melbourne Australia. With his wife,
Lyn Billings M.D., he pioneered the
research in developing the “Billings"
method which is now recognized
world wide.
Effectiveness
Contraceptive Technology 1978-
1979, a respected reference of the
Texas Department of Human
Resources Family Planning Division
reports. "Creative approaches for
teaching, evaluation, and practicing
the natural methods are proliferat-
ing." The editors acknowledge the
fact that it was "the active
involvement of the official Catholic
(See Family Planning, pg. 2)
FIRST ANNUAL NOTRE DAME FAMILY MASS
AND BREAKFAST SUNDAY
MASS
Corpus Christi Cathedral
9 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 10
BREAKFAST
Ramada Inn (following Mass)
601 N. Shoreline Drive
Corpus Christi, Texas -883-7271
NOTE
Our Bishop, the Most Rev. Thomas J. Drury, will join us as we honor Our
Blessed Mother along with the Notre Dame faculty and students, other Notre
Dame clubs, alumni and friends through the United States, on the Sunday
following the feast of the Immaculate Conception.
BRING YOUR FAMILY TO THIS ANNUAL CELEBRATION!
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Freeman, Robert E. Texas Gulf Coast Catholic (Corpus Christi, Tex.), Vol. 14, No. 29, Ed. 1 Friday, December 8, 1978, newspaper, December 8, 1978; Corpus Christi, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth840516/m1/1/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .