As we have
for the past several years, Mars and I again spent Christmas visiting with
Bram, Monica and Cheyenne (son, daughter-in-law, and rescued greyhound
grand-dog), in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
"Santa Fe
(English pronunciation: /?sænt??fe?/; (Tewa: Ogha Po'oge, Navajo: Yootó)) is
the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico.
Santa Fe (literally “holy faith” in Spanish) had a population of 67,947
in the 2010 census. The city’s full name
when founded was La Villa Real de la Santa Fé de San Francisco de Asís (“The
Royal Town of the Holy Faith of St. Francis of Assisi”)." (Wikipedia)
You might
think that a town with this etymology in its past would be intensely Catholic
and vigorously pro-animal. And you would
be at least partially right. The
religious icons and characters of the largest Christian church are firmly
imbedded in the works of art and crafts that fill the museums and emporiums
that proliferate in the “city different”
Although not “churchy people”, one of our
regular stops is The Monks' Corner Gift Shop. The store supports the work of
the Monastery of Christ in the Desert; a Benedictine community of more than
thirty members located in Abiquiu, New Mexico -- about one hour away. Among its
merchandise are religious themed items such as: a pictorial calendar of Russian
church icons and various straw or silver crosses; useful theological objects
like rosary beads and liturgical stoles; and plain old secular jewelry.
A couple of years ago Mars mentioned that
the goods in the Monk’s Corner aren't that different from other gift shops in
Santa Fe, which also feature Virgin of Guadalupe and other saintly images. To
which Bram responded, "But at the Monk’s Corner they aren't ironic."
These sacred
objects, ensconced in secular surroundings and created with temporal goals in
mind, now convey a meaning exactly opposite from their original literal
meaning. Yet, paradoxically, many
purchasers and admirers seem to experience an odd, earthly spiritual aura not
found in other nonreligious artwork.
Still, The
Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi, aka Saint Francis Cathedral, is
a dominant part of downtown Santa Fe.
"The cathedral
was built by Archbishop Jean Baptiste Lamy between 1869 and 1886 on the site of
an older adobe church, La Parroquia (built in 1714–1717). An older church on
the same site, built in 1626, was destroyed in the 1680 Pueblo Revolt. The new
cathedral was built around La Parroquia, which was dismantled once the new
construction was complete. A small chapel on the north side of the cathedral
was kept from the old church." (Wikipedia)
It is the
mother church of the Diocese of Santa Fe and the building upon whose grounds I
found the following sign.
I showed the
photo to Bram who immediately recognized the location – and the incongruity
“That's at,
of all places, St. Francis, isn't it?”
Santa Fe is
probably the most canine-friendly town Mars and I (non-owning dog lovers) have
ever been in. Hounds are welcomed in
hotels, retail establishments and restaurants throughout town. Cheyenne herself has joined the four of us
out for lunch numerous times.
Pet advocate
websites such as the gopetfriendly blog and ohmidog.com extol the town’s
openness to including man’s best friend into every part of its daily lifestyle.
Apropos of
that pup-friendliness, just a few blocks from The Cathedral Basilica of Saint
Francis of Assisi and its exclusionary signage is this statue of the eponymous
holy man himself deep in conversation with a native New Mexican Prairie Dog.
And although
Genus Cynomys, family Sciuridae is technically more squirrel than Canis Canidae
– the point remains.
According to
Kevin E. Mackin, O.F.M. of the monastic order based upon the principals of
Saint Francis:
"[Every year
in early autumn] at Franciscan churches, a friar with brown robe and white cord
often welcomes each animal with a special prayer. The Blessing of Pets usually
goes like this:
'Blessed are
you, Lord God, maker of all living creatures. You called forth fish in the sea,
birds in the air and animals on the land. You inspired St. Francis to call all
of them his brothers and sisters. We ask you to bless this pet. By the power of
your love, enable it to live according to your plan. May we always praise you
for all your beauty in creation. Blessed are you, Lord our God, in all your
creatures! Amen.'”
My initial
response to Bram (modified to fit into haiku form after he recognized its
potential) had been:
Saint Francis was, I
believe, ambivalent on
household animals.
Clearly,
according to those who are seriously attempting to live their lives in
accordance with the beliefs and practices of the patron saint of animals, my initial (somewhat flippant)
answer was incorrect.
Perhaps
however the sign-making clergy at The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of
Assisi are not in fact Franciscan Monks and therefore not adherents to the
nature-loving lifestyle of the gentle Italian friar and preacher.
Or perhaps, if
they are O.F.M.s, in their new postmodern seminary they now take vows of
Poverty, Celibacy – and Irony.
