Materializing Poverty by Taylor Erin B.;

Author:Taylor, Erin B.;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: undefined
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Published: 2012-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

The material differences between the two churches reflect their structures of governance: the Catholic Church is a centralized, global institution, whereas the Pentecostal churches are often disconnected, each one managed and funded by its own pastor. The largest Pentecostal church in my area consisted of a one-room, detached building with a floor area that was equivalent to that of a small house. It was run by a local man who at the time owned the only four-story house in the area. His home was perhaps fifty meters from his church, meaning that the pastor was in daily contact with his congregation, most of whom resided very close by. The pastor and his wife lived on the top floor of their building and rented out the other floors. The house was well finished, painted with embellishments, and boasted ornate balcony railings. For this pastor, the autoconstruction of his church had facilitated the construction of his home and the improvement of his socioeconomic position.

Both the Catholic and Pentecostal presence permeate street life. Besides holding religious services inside their respective churches, they also stage weekly services in public spaces. Every Thursday afternoon, the Catholic church holds Mass in the yard of a member of the congregation, rotating weekly around the barrio’s six sectors. Given the public nature of private life in the barrio, these events are generally not at all hidden from view. Indeed, their point is to give the church visibility and increase attendance. They are also intended to demonstrate the church’s commitment to the poor by taking Mass out of the church and into the yards and twisting alleyways of the congregation’s worst-off members. These outdoor Masses are run by the congregation’s leaders, who set up chairs, tables, and other props. They open Mass, lead the congregation in prayers, read bible verses, help the priest to administer communion, and at the end of Mass announce upcoming community activities. A Jesuit priest delivers the main sermon, wearing white vestments over his button-up shirt, jeans, and sneakers. Occasionally, if the priest is away, a nun will step in to give the sermon. The Catholic congregation also holds small weekly prayer meetings, almost exclusively attended by women who gather in a private home. Indoor Mass, held three times per week in the large new church, is more formal and more widely attended.

While La Ciénaga is predominantly Catholic, it is the Pentecostals who most saturate the senses of residents due to the enthusiasm with which they bring their proselytizing into the streets. The Pentecostals’ outdoor cultos (lit. cult, meaning “religious service”) tend to be more lively and spectacular than Catholic Mass. In fact, they are a form of barrio entertainment that attracts Pentecostals and Catholics alike. Once per week, the tiny Pentecostal church across the road from where I lived in La Clarín would put plastic chairs out on the street, set up a loudspeaker system, and hold boisterous meetings in the cool evening air. Pentecostal services are largely run by church members, and dozens of different ones are held throughout La Ciénaga and follow a similar format.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.