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The Catholic Puzzle: Faith in the Borderland Narratives Of THE CATHOLIC PUZZLE: FAITH IN THE BORDERLAND NARRATIVES OF CARMEN BOULLOSA AND ROLANDO HINOJOSA. A Dissertation by HECTOR ENRIQUE ANTONIO WEIR GIL Submitted to the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies of Texas A&M University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Chair of Committee, Alessandra Luiselli Committee Members, Richard Curry Brian Imhoff Norbert Dannhaeuser Head of Department, María Irene Moyna December 2016 Major Subject: Hispanic Studies Copyright 2016 Hector Enrique Antonio Weir Gil ABSTRACT The Catholic experience in the Texas-US borderlands represents a void within the humanities. The attitudes that surround the topic of religion in socio-historical and literary studies have limited the scope of works. Two of the most problematic biases are the pro and anti-Catholic discourses that have been intertwined with national political agendas in both countries. They have created important obstacles that complicate the study and understanding of the identities that have arisen since the conquest. In the border, a significant percent of Mexican families maintain strong links to Catholic practices and beliefs despite living under the pressures of Americanization and secularization that are deeply rooted in the anti-clerical discourse. On the other hand, pro-Catholic approaches often lose sight of the realities found in the margins of society, as they can be over-reactionary to perceived attacks. Taking this counterpoint in consideration, this dissertation studies the multiple faces of Catholicism portrayed in the contemporary narratives of Texas: La Gran Ladronería en el Lejano Norte 2013 of Carmen Boullosa and in Generaciones y Semblanzas 1977, Claros Varones de Belken 1986 and Becky and her Friends 1990, all three novels of Rolando Hinojosa’s Klail City Death Trip Series. This analysis is situated within pro and anti-Catholic discourses, as well as with the critical works on cultural change of anthropologists such as Fernando Ortiz, Gonzalo Aguirre Beltrán, Clifford Geertz, Elizabeth Fernea, and Dan Rose. Some of the historians considered with regards to the subject of Mexican-American culture and religious change are Albert ii Camarillo, Robert Wright O.M.I, Carlos E. Castañeda, Timothy Matovina, and Robert Treviño. The works of these critics, in conjunction with the study of the borderland titles, allow for the possibility of re-tracing the Mexican-American Catholic experience in the Rio Grande Valley starting from the years that immediately followed the treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo in 1848. Ultimately, this dissertation allows for a better understanding of the religion shared by many generations of Mexican Americans and proves that Boullosa and Hinojosa’s works are crucial in understanding the processes responsible for the generational shifts and reactions that many historiographers have noted in the study of the borderlands. iii DEDICATION To Katy Giles Weir and Kit Elizabeth Weir. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to begin by acknowledging the late Dr. Rosalinda Aregullin (1950-2016), my undergraduate advisor. Dr. Aregullin was a most influential mentor and advocate during my time at the department of Hispanic Studies. A mother to all of the graduate students and a source for inspiration to many who met her, her support and our many conversations during the years were indispensable for the completion of my graduate work and this dissertation. I also want to thank my committee chair, Dr. Alessandra Luiselli, and my committee members, Dr. Richard Curry, Dr. Brian Imhoff, and Dr. Norbert Dannhaeuser for their guidance and support throughout my years at Texas A&M University. The completion of this dissertation is the direct result of the many conversations we’ve sustained throughout the years. I truly can’t thank all of you enough for your mentorship in my education and your support and encouragement for my research. I also want to thank the College of Liberal Arts and the Department of Hispanic Studies for their continuing economic support over the years. I especially want to thank Dr. Eduardo Urbina, Dr. Hilaire Kallendorf, and Dr. Stephen Miller for their hard work during their time as Directors of Graduate Studies. These mentors, along with the other members of the faculty and staff gave me the support system I needed at Texas A&M University to succeed. Without their hard work, and economic support this dissertation would not have happened. v In addition to the educational support, I’d like to thank every colleague that has helped me to complete this dissertation as well as my friends and family. The many friendly debates and discussions that we’ve had over the years have been the spark that ignited my research vocation. Thank you for challenging me and helping me to become a better researcher, scholar, and professional. Finally, I want to thank my family for their encouragement, love and patience. To my parents Enrique and Karine Weir and my grandparents for sowing the seed for this journey, and to my wife Katy Giles Weir and my daughter Kit, who have helped cultivate my enthusiasm in this journey. Pequitas, thank you for walking with me in these long years. I look forward to the many new adventures that we will face together. vi CONTRIBUTORS AND FUNDING SOURCES Contributors This work was supervised by a dissertation committee consisting of Professor Alessandra Luiselli [advisor] and Professors Richard Curry, Brian Imhoff of the Department of Hispanic Studies and Professor Norbert Dannhaeuser of the Department of Anthropology. All work for the dissertation was completed independently by the student. Funding Sources Graduate study was supported by a Graduate Teaching Assistantship from Texas A&M University and a College of Liberal Arts Summertime for Advancement in Research Award. vii NOMENCLATURE KCDT Klail City Death Trip KCDTS Klail City Death Trip Series O.M.I Oblates of Mary Immaculate NHN New Historical Novel viii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT .............................................................................................................. ii DEDICATION .......................................................................................................... iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...................................................................................... v CONTRIBUTORS AND FUNDING SOURCES ..................................................... vii NOMENCLATURE .................................................................................................. viii TABLE OF CONTENTS .......................................................................................... ix 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................... 1 1.1 Historical and Critical Theory Frames ................................................. 6 1.2 Summary of Contents and Chapter Organization ................................ 10 2. TOWARDS A NEW HISTORIOGRAPHY OF BORDERLAND CATHOLICISM IN TEXAS .............................................................................. 18 2.1 The Church and Catholicism ................................................................ 20 2.2 The Problem of Writing a History of Borderland Catholicism in Texas ............................................................................ 25 2.3 Anti-Catholic Discourses vs. The New Evangelization ....................... 29 2.4 Mexican Catholicism and Its Diffusion to the US ............................... 34 2.5 The First Texas Missions: 1680s – 1848 .............................................. 38 2.6 The Cavalry of Christ: Borderland Catholicism in the Rio Grande Valley ................................................................................ 41 2.7 Memoirs of a Texas Missioner ............................................................. 44 2.8 A Heretic Saint in the Border ............................................................... 50 2.9 Raids, Robberies, and Violence Across the Rio Grande Valley ................................................................................ 56 2.10 The Make of a Texas-Mexico Catholicism .......................................... 62 2.11 Conclusions .......................................................................................... 66 3. BORDER CATHOLICISM IN CARMEN BOULLOSA’S TEXAS (2013): FAITH AT THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY ....................................................... 68 ix 3.1 Texas: La gran ladronería en el lejano Norte (2013) as a New Latin-American Historical Novel ....................................... 70 3.2 Towards an Ethnographic Reading of the Rio Grande Valley ................................................................................ 77 3.3 Dan Rose Revisited: Characteristics of an Ethnographic Novel .................................................................................................... 81 3.4 Ethnographic Novel vs. New Historical Novel .................................... 83 3.5 An Ethnographic Reading of Carmen Boullosa’s Texas (2013): Faith at the Rio Grande Valley ............................................................. 86 3.6 Diffusion and the Ignition of the Cortina War ..................................... 88 3.7 The Rise of a Popular Devotion or the Creation of a Cult? ................. 96 3.8 The Raid of Brownsville ...................................................................... 103 3.9 A Historiographic Comparison of Boullosa’s Texas: La Gran Ladronería en el Lejano Norte (2013) ....................... 107
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