Laywomen and the Making of Colonial Catholicism in New Spain, 1630–1790

293 Pages·2018·6.065 MB·English

by  Jessica Delgado

Laywomen and the Making of Colonial Catholicism
1630–1790
in New Spain,
InthefirsthistoryoflaywomenandthechurchincolonialMexico,JessicaL.Delgado
showshowlaywomenparticipatedinandshapedreligiouscultureinsignificantways
byengagingcreativelywithgenderedtheologyaboutwomen,sin,andguiltintheir
interactionswithchurchsacraments,institutions,andauthorities.Takingathematic
approach and using stories of individuals, institutions, and ideas, Delgado illumi-
natesthediverseexperiencesofurbanandruralwomenofIndigenous,Spanish,and
Africandescent.Bycenteringthechoicesthesewomenmadeintheirdevotionallives
andintheirrelationshipstotheaspectsofthechurchtheyregularlyencountered,this
study expands and challenges our understandings of the church’s role in colonial
society,theroleofreligioningenderedandracializedpower,andtheroleofordinary
womeninthemakingofcolonialreligiousculture.
JessicaL.DelgadoisAssistantProfessorintheDepartmentofReligionatPrinceton
UniversityinNewJersey.
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cambridge latin american studies
GeneralEditors
KRISLANE,TulaneUniversity
MATTHEWRESTALL,PennsylvaniaStateUniversity
EditorEmeritus
HERBERTS.KLEIN
GouverneurMorrisEmeritusProfessorofHistory,ColumbiaUniversity
andHooverResearchFellow,StanfordUniversity
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(Continuedaftertheindex)
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Laywomen and the Making of Colonial Catholicism
1630–1790
in New Spain,
JESSICA L. DELGADO
PrincetonUniversity
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Informationonthistitle:www.cambridge.org/9781107199408
DOI:10.1017/9781108185639
©JessicaL.Delgado2018
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NAMES:Delgado,JessicaL.,1972–author.
TITLE:LaywomenandthemakingofcolonialCatholicisminNewSpain,1630–1790/
JessicaL.Delgado,PrincetonUniversity.
DESCRIPTION:NewYork:CambridgeUniversityPress,2018.|Series:CambridgeLatin
Americanstudies
IDENTIFIERS:LCCN2017052814|ISBN9781107199408
SUBJECTS:LCSH:CatholicChurch–Mexico–History–Spanishcolony,1540–1810.|
Catholicwomen–Mexico–History–Spanishcolony,1540–1810.
CLASSIFICATION:LCCBX1428.3.D452018|DDC282/.7208209032–dc23
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ForKaya
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Contents
Acknowledgments pageviii
PartI
Introduction:TroublingDevotion 3
1 SacramentalLearning 33
2 PublicandScandalousSin 73
3 AmbivalentWitnesses 110
PartII
PlacesandPracticesofCloister 141
4 CloisterforthePoorandVirtuous 145
5 CloisterfortheUnrulyandUnhappy 191
6 IntheConventbutNotofIt 220
Conclusion:LaywomenMakingColonialCatholicism 259
Bibliography 262
Index 274
vii
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Acknowledgments
It would be impossible to properly thank everyone who deserves my gratitude
here.Thisbookwaswrittenwiththehelpandsupportofcountlessfriendsand
colleagues and is the culmination of a very long journey. What follows is by
necessityutterlyinadequate.
Tomymanymentors,thereisapartofeachofyouinthisbook.Pleaseknow
thatyouhavetaughtandgivenmemuchmorethanwhatIcanexpresshere.
IbeganmygraduatestudiesattheUniversityofCaliforniaatSantaCruzand
incurred many debts there. Akasha Hull inspired and affirmed my interest in
women and spirituality. DavidSweet showed methe importance of individual
lifestoriesbuiltfromfragmentsandthepossibilityofgoodhistoryasaformof
justice making. Farnaz Fatemi first taught me to write and then taught me to
believe in where my writing could take me. Her friendship then sustained me
through the years. Marilyn Westerkamp modeled determined and precise
scholarship about religion and early modern women, and she supported my
work,evenwhen itledme toleaveherprogram. LisbethHaastaughtmethat
researchcouldandshouldbenourishing;herunfailingsupportfollowedmefar
beyondmydaysatUCSC.BettinaAptheker,EmilyHonig,TylerStovall,Alice
Yang-Murray,EdmundBurke,MaríaElenaDíaz,PedroCastillo,SoniaAlvarez,
and Guillermo Delgado each played an important role in my formation as
ascholarandinthelongpathtothisbook.Iamgratefulalsotothewonderful
HistoryDepartmentstafffortheyearsofsupport.Myfellowgraduatestudents,
too numerous to mention, also inspired and supported me. Tiffany Wayne,
Rebecca Hall, and Rick Warner stand out as exceptional intellectual
compañerosandlifelongfriends.
I completed my doctorate and the dissertation version of this book at UC
Berkeley, where I was blessed with exceptional mentors and colleagues.
My advisor, William B. Taylor, deserves more gratitude than anyone else for
myabilitytobeateacherandscholar.ThoughIhaveacceptedthatIwillnever
achievethestandardofexcellencehisexamplereflects,Iwillcontinuetostrive
viii
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Acknowledgments ix
toward it. This book owes much to his gentle pushing, generous critique, and
infinite curiosity. I trust that he knows how grateful I am for his ongoing
support, collaboration, and friendship. Margaret Chowning has challenged,
inspired, and fortified me in equal parts throughout graduate school and
beyond. Her precision, astute guidance, and loyal friendship have been
indispensable. I thank Walter Brem for years of archival support and lessons.
WorkingashiscuratorialassistantattheBancroftLibrarywasagreathonorand
aidedmyresearchincountlessways.IamalsoindebtedtoDavidKesslerforhis
expert assistance, his warmth and humor, and the delicious sandwiches made
fromhisfamoushomemadebreadthatgotmethroughlongdaysofwork.Iam
eternally grateful to the wonderful and amazing Mabel Lee and the fantastic
BarbaraHayashidafortheirincrediblygenerousadministrativesupportandhelp
through numerous logistical problems. Dalia Muller, Camilo Trumper, Celso
Castilho, and José Refugio de la Torre will know that this brief expression of
thanks for their companionship, intellectual engagement, and unforgettable
friendship could never do justice to what we shared and built together in our
Berkeley years. I thank them anyway, from the bottom of my heart. I thank
JenniferHughes,thetrickstergeniusofourfieldandmypartnerinmischiefand
discovery,forsharingresources,researchtravails,andfriendship.Iwanttothank
Sylvia Sellers-Garcia, Brian Madigan, Sean McEnroe, Paul Ramirez, Karen
Melvin, Kristin Huffine, and especially Brianna Leavitt-Alcantara for their
friendship, support, company, critique, suggestions, and continued
collaboration.Mayitcontinueforyearstocome.
I am deeply indebted to many scholars, friends, and archivists in Mexico.
GabrielaCanoandBrianConnaughtonsponsoredmeasaFulbrightscholarwhen
I began my research, and their assistance and good advice were indispensable.
ThePortillafamilyhasprovidedshelter,wonderfulfood,importantintellectual
connections,warmth,andfriendshipforalloftheyearsofresearchthatwentinto
thisbookandeveryyearsince.ToTina,Santiago,Dulce,andAnita,Itrulycould
nothavewrittenthiswithoutyou.ThisisalsotrueforLourdesJuarezMarusich,
whose friendship and generous hospitality has supported me for more than
a decade. I am grateful to the Colegio de Mexico and UNAM Itztapalapa for
institutional sponsorship. I owe an enormous debt to the skilled and generous
archivists and staff at the AGN, Condumex, AHAM, and Vizcainas. I cannot
possiblynameeveryoneindividuallywhohelpedmewiththeirexpertise,time,
and energy, but I am grateful to them all. Berenise Bravo Rubio and Marco
AntonioPerezIturbideofAHAMdeservespecialmention,however.Largeparts
ofthisbookwouldnothavebeenpossiblewithouttheirgenerosityandthedepth
of their knowledge. Many historians of Mexico will understand what I mean
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