Ramon A. Gutierrez
“When Jesus Came, the
Corn Mothers Went Away”
Marriage, Sexuality, and Power in New Mexico, 1500-1846
I recommend reading the entire book and in this instance at least the
entire chapter to best comprehend the emotions and mentality of the
colonialists in those hard and trying times. This event is from
Chapter 6 “Honor and Virtue” and was of particular
interest to me in that the principle, Francisco Montes Vigil was the
father of my 8X Great Grandmother Maria De Las Nieves Montes Vigil
born in 1688 in Mexico.
On a cold November night in 1726, Catharina de los Rios of Santa Fe
lay sick in bed , feverish, delirious, her body totally covered with
a pox-like rash. Fearing that death was near, and wishing to die with
a clear conscience, she summoned Fray Francisco Romero, the local
representative of the inquisition, to confess her sins and to
denounce herself and her paramour, Francisco Montes Vigil, for the
sins of heresy, blasphemy, and the desecration of sacred images.
Catharina thought that her sickness was God's punishment for her
desvergozada conducta, her shameless conduct. The priest
arrived and Catharina recounted the following story. On several
nights, some ten years earlier, she and Francisco had consumed large
amounts of corn brandy and under its influence had undressed and
engaged in the carnal act. At the point of ecstasy Francisco had
blasphemed the name of the Almighty, uttering heretical words by
shouting: “I am God and my pleasure is even better than if I were
in heavenly glory.” The desecration of the sacred images occurred
after coitus, when Francisco asked Catharina to remove the rosary and
medals she wore around her neck and place them in her partes
vergonzozas (shameful parts). Catharina had never confessed this
deshonor (dishonor) because she feared reprisals from
Francisco. He had told her that their acts were not a sin, and if she
confessed them he would have her exiled from New Mexico. Fearing him,
Catharina never complained until the day she thought eternity was at
hand. 1
pg.
376 Chapter 6
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