Keeping Traditions Alive in America: Heidi's Story

"To me, religion is a blessing, Having faith is one of the most beautiful things one can ever have."

After talking about how she has felt in the community and what it is like to be a part of the community, we began talking more about religion and the importance it has played out in her life. Here are some of the things Heidi had to say when I first asked her about religion:

"To me, religion is a blessing, Having faith is one of the most beautiful things one can ever have. As Mexicans, we have our customs and we have our beliefs. It is very different how we receive Catholicism in English or in churches where they only offer service in Spanish. To me, the English mass is very cold, very superficial. On the other hand, in our language, it is different and much stronger."

Though Heidi has mostly attended Spanish mass while at Sacred Heart when she is unable to make her regular mass she attends the 10 AM English language service. When asked why she found English mass “cold” and “superficial” she responded by saying that in English services, it feels as though people only attend because they feel like they have to, not because they want to or feel very strongly about being in the presence of God. The music, for her, is also one of the boring things. In the Spanish services, she sings happily and joyously with other children to the noise of guitars, tambourines, and drums.

"Everything that we would usually do in Mexico, we do it here, now, to the best of our abilities."

This difference affects the way Heidi's children practice their faith. Because Heidi was born in Mexico and raised with her own Catholic traditions, she says that being in the United States has been a little challenging because her kids wanting to do things in English or the "American" way.

"I always have them pray before they sleep, and also before they eat. It is very important to me. Independently of the English church, we follow faith the way it has been followed in Mexico. Praying to our God, praying to Our Lady of Guadalupe. Everything that we would usually do in Mexico, we do it here now to the best of our abilities. Here it is different but I follow those customs since I have been here. And I think this applies to the church in general and to many of the community members. Like for example right now, my two oldest kids just did their First Communions in Spanish. They had to learn the prayers in Spanish. Even though it is funny because one of them wanted everything in English and I said no. In Spanish."

Heidi misses home and being able to practice her religious traditions the way she was so used to doing when she was a child. "It has gotten much harder for our children now," she said. The following were her final words when asked what she would like for people to know about faith, religion, Catholicism and her community:

"I think religion is something personal for all humans, and the deeper and stronger you live it, then the closer you will be to God. The church and the priest help out a lot but it is also a lot of personal beliefs and practices. Because even though you may have the best priest in the world or the best church, someone who is not close to God personally and is cold to their faith and beliefs is not good."¹