Gifts from Hispanic Culture Enriching Christian Worship

September 17-18, 2005

Read about and see pictures of the Hispanic Workshop. *pdf file

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Good Samaritan by Josué Sanchez Cerron, from missio Aachen, Art Calendar, 1984 Peru

San Fernando Catholic Cathedral, the oldest Cathedral sanctuary in the U.S., has recently undergone architectural and artistic renovation. The building itself and small museum are “schools” of the Spanish Christianity of the 1700’s meeting and blending with cultures here. Father Jake Empereur, SJ, of the Cathedral staff will share. Miguel Cortinas, UIW Fine Arts professor will speak on religious themes and roots in local art. Dr. Dolores Martinez, Director of the Office of Worship, will share on the importance of music in worship and Christopher and Covita Moroney will share ancient roots of Hispanic music. Sr. Martha Ann Kirk will design prayer with examples of drama and movement.

Performance on September 18: José Rubén De León, will share Juan Diego, a one-man drama he was commissioned to create for San Fernando Cathedral. De Leon, a UIW Theater Arts and Music graduate, will also share on his calling to use his drama and music for spreading the gospel.

September 17, 2005, Saturday, Workshop

9 a.m. Starting at San Fernando Cathedral with Father Jake Empereur, SJ, the art and architecture of the cathedral as a window to faith and prayer.

12 noon continuing at the University of the Incarnate Word with lunch in Marian Hall

1 to 4 p.m. Workshop continues in the UIW Chapel with Dolores Martinez on music, Miguel Cortinas on art, Christopher and Covita Moroney on musical roots from the native peoples of the Americas.

5:30 p.m. Those who wish are invited to Eucharist with Spanish music at San Fernando.

Sunday, 3 p.m., Chapel, University of the Incarnate Word, Administration Building - Juan Diego, a drama by Jose Ruben De Leon, UIW Chapel

Presentations and Prayer by

Miguel R. Cortinas was born in Corpus Christi, Texas in 1955. He completed the requirements for the B.F.A. degree from Texas A&I University, Kingsville, Texas in 1977. In May of 1982 he received the M.F.A. degree from The University of Texas at San Antonio. Miguel has exhibited locally, nationally, and internationally since 1977. His work in drawing, painting and printmaking investigates issues related to social justice and spirituality. He has been an art instructor for over 20 years at various institutions in and around San Antonio, including the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, Palo Alto College, the Southwest School of Art & Craft, Southwest Texas State University, and St. Philip’s College. Currently, Mr. Cortinas is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Art and Music of the University of the Incarnate Word.

José Rubén De León is a composer, singer, pianist, actor, and playwright contributing both in the area of religious music and drama and to other productions. San Fernando Cathedral commissioned him to create Juan Diego a one-man drama based on the story of Guadalupe. After he graduated from the University of the Incarnate Word with a B.A. in Theater Arts with a minor in Music, he developed Mark’s Gospel: A Drama of Hope. This one-man drama has been published as a video by Sheed and Ward and has been performed nationally in religious groups and churches. He wrote and composed music for Francis of Assisi, another one-man drama which has been extremely popular. De Leon created the CD On Borrowed Time, Tiempo Prestado, original music and song written in his personal journey of grieving the death of his mother. This led to a music ministry with those involved with death, dying, and grieving. The music opens the doors to healing and resurrection. He has shared this in many churches, retreats, and conferences. His play Lorca based on the life of the Spanish writer has been supported by grants and received excellent reviews.

Jake Empereur, S.J., vicar and liturgist at the San Fernando Cathedral in San Antonio, Texas, was for many years a professor of systematic and liturgical theology at the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley and the Graduate Theological Union.  During that time he founded the Institute for Spirituality and Worship, a nine-month renewal program which has trained people from all around the world.  He was also the founding editor of Modern Liturgy Magazine that still continues today. At Berkeley he was very much involved in the area of theology and the arts. He also taught courses in the enneagram and spiritual direction.  In 1994 he moved to San Antonio, Texas, to work in Hispanic ministry at the San Fernando Cathedral and to be the cathedral liturgist.  There he continues his work in teaching and writing while being engaged as a full time parish priest.  He is the author of several books and articles in the field of liturgy and sacraments.  Recently,  he completed a book on Hispanic sacramental theology and practice.

Sr. Martha Ann Kirk, Th.D. Project Director

Martha Ann Kirk holds a Th.D. in Theology and the Arts from the Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley. She is a Professor of Religious Studies at the University of the Incarnate Word teaching Worship, Arts for Worship, Lay Leadership of Prayer and Preaching, Prayer and Spirituality, Women in Christian Tradition, and other classes. Since 1986, she has been Director of the Liturgical Outreach Program providing guest presentations to churches and groups, as well as coordinating various workshops on campus. She has frequently shared arts for prayer and worship nationally and internationally, such as in the Padare at the World Council of Churches 50 th Anniversary in Zimbabwe, on the worship team for the National Presbyterian Women’s Meeting in Purdue, and in the International Christian Dance Fellowship Conference in Jerusalem. She has authored books, articles, and videos published by Liturgical Press, Sheed and Ward, and Resource Publications including Dancing with Creation: Mexican and Mexican American Dance in Worship and Education and the video Work Made Flesh, Danzando con la creacion.

Mark Standingeagle Baez leads the Prayer of the Four Directions at an interfaith service at San Fernando Cathedral. (Photo from the San Antonio Express by Maria J. Avila)

Dr. Dolores Martinez has served the Archdiocese of San Antonio as the director of the Office of Worship since September of 1993. Prior to this position, Dolores has also served as liturgist and music ministers at both the diocesan level and the parish level in Lubbock, Austin, and Dallas. Dr. Martinez is a nationally recognized speaker representing such organizations as: Oregon Catholic Press, the National Association of Pastoral Musicians in which she serves as the Chair of the Hispanic Section, and the North American Forum on the Catechumenate serving as a liturgist/musician team member. In addition, she serves on the Board of Directors of the Southwest Liturgical Conference. She has served as an Advisor to the Bishops' Committee on the Liturgy. In 1987 she was responsible for the 500 voice choir which sang during the Papal Visit to San Antonio. Her music has been published as part of the Flor y Canto, 2nd, edition Hymnal.

Christopher and Covita Moroney , founders of the SAVAE, the San Antonio Vocal Arts Ensemble, are known for their reconstruction of ancient music. Now as they work on a new album, La Noche Buena - Christmas in the cathedrals of Latin America, for World Library Publications giving some of the roots of church music in the Americas in the 1500’s, they will explain some of their process of exploring the prayer of these peoples woven into music. They first shared their research and reconstruction of ancient Christian music of the Americas at San Fernando Cathedral in 1996 with the album, Native Angels. They continued to delight people with Guadalupe, Virgen de los Indios (1998), and El Milagro de Guadalupe (1999).

They have been attempting to capture the melding of the indigenous American and the colonial Spanish musical styles that began to fuse during the colonial period — the dawning of the American Hispanic culture. The music comes from cathedral archives throughout Latin America, and has been transcribed from the original manuscripts by various scholars. Several of the pieces were composed by Native Americans who had been converted to Christianity. Christopher writes, “This music, now coming to light after centuries of dormancy, is a precious part of our heritage in the Americas and has given me the greatest sense of respect, admiration, and pride for the civilization that produced it.”

We will deepen our appreciation of the roots of spirituality in the Americas as we hear of SAVAE’s use of Mesoamerican wind and percussion instruments based on Aztec artwork and early paintings from the first decades following the Conquest. Instruments used include the huehuetl (vertical drum), teponaztli (horizontal log drum), huilacapitzli (clay flutes), atecocolli (conch shell trumpet), deer antlers, lajas (stones), chicahuatzli (rain stick), ayacaxtli (a variety of rattles and shakers), omichahuaztli (rasp), Native American flute, European recorders, tambourine, and guitar. The rhythms used are adapted from syllabic drumming patterns found in the codex Cantares Mexicanos, compiled in the 16th century by Aztec musicians and historians.

Juan Diego , an original one-man play by Jose Ruben De Leon

Christopher Moroney, Artistic Director of SAVAE explains “In 1531, ten years after the Spaniards conquered the great Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan, now Mexico City, the devout Nahua Indian Juan Diego saw a vision: a dark-haired, dark-skinned young woman surrounded by rays of resplendent light. She told him she was the mother of the true God and was there to love, help, and protect him and all those who placed their trust in her. According to sacred tradition, the apparitions took place from December 9th through the 12th, outside Tenochtitlan on the hillside of Tepeyac. In 1649 the story was recounted in great detail in the Nican mopohua, the Aztec oral history of Guadalupe which was published in Nahuatl by Luis Laso de la Vega, the vicar of the little church at Tepeyac. It is believed the story originally came from Juan Diego himself and was first put on paper sometime between 1540 and 1580 by Don Antonio Valeriano, a Nahua Indian and learned scholar who served as Indian governor of Mexico City for more than 35 years.

“The events of December, 1531, including the appearance of the Virgin’s image on Juan Diego’s cloak, or tilma, are considered miraculous by many. The Virgin had appeared to Juan Diego at the same sacred location where the Aztecs had worshipped their goddess Tonantzin, a name which means “Our Mother.” This event signaled the fusion of a new people and a new spirituality—Spanish Catholic and Native Mexican. The symbol of the Virgin of Guadalupe was so powerful that within a few years hundreds of thousands of Native Mexicans had converted to Christianity. That, some say, was the greater miracle—el milagro de Guadalupe.”