La Voz - February 2022

February 2022 Vol. 35 Issue 1 San Antonio, Tejas

Esperanza, venga lo que venga!

Hope, come what may!

2022. And still, we struggle to make sense
of our lives under the COVID watch. It’s been 2 years of

La Voz de turmoil that we’ve been held hostage by the COVIDs: the
Esperanza
original virus, then deadly Delta and, now, OMICRON—
February 2022
Vol. 35 Issue 1 the three most prominent of the variants. What lays ahead,

Editor: Gloria A. Ramírez we know not. There will be more variants, and perhaps, we may need to learn to live with
Design: Elizandro Carrington
it. ¿Quien sabe? This country is in shambles; the world, in worse shape. Every conceiv-
Cover Art: Liliana Wilson
able problem that we’ve had impact our society before, has multiplied with new challenges
Contributors
ahead. I can’t even begin to list all of the problems that we are now facing and will have
Tarcisio Beal, María De la Cruz, Rachel
Jennings, David Rodgers, Marilyn Wallner to face in the near future. Two years ago in 2020, at the Esperanza, we had a wonderful

La Voz Mail Collective evening with queer writers from the Association of Writers & Writing Programs (AWP)

...is sheltering at home due to COVID-19 but reading on Friday, March 6th. Everyone was giddy with the prospect of seeing and hear-
will return when it is safe. Extra funds are being
ing friends read their works. Not fully realizing what was to come, they greeted each other
raised to pay for the folding of La Voz.
with elbow bumps, laughing awkwardly. The 30th anniversary of the International Women’s
Esperanza Director
Day March followed that Sunday, March 8th, celebrated with a small march. To go, or not
Graciela I. Sánchez
to go?—people were just beginning to weigh their options concerning COVID. Then the
Esperanza Staff
inevitable happened: cancellations, shutdowns, quarantines and isolation. For Esperanza, the
Elizandro Carrington, Kayla Miranda,
Paul Plouf, Natalie Rodríguez, René Saenz, most significant early cancellation was Monica Palacios’ show that was slated for the end
Imane Saliba, Susana Segura, Amelia Valdez,
of March. After that, it was cancellation after cancellation with our annual in-person events
Rosa Vega
altered or called off: Paseo por el Westside, Día de los Muertos, and Peace Market/Mercado
Conjunto de Nepantleras
—Esperanza Board of Directors— de Paz. Noche Azul’s monthly concerts led the way back to programming with live-streamed

Richard Aguilar, Norma Cantú, Yasmina Codina, concerts beginning on April 2020 that developed into In-Casa Sessions in Azul’s home by
Brent Floyd, Rachel Jennings, Amy Kastely,
Angie Merla, Jan Olsen, Ana Lucía Ramírez, May of 2020. Suddenly, it seemed, meetings, programming, workshops and exhibits all
Gloria A. Ramírez, Rudy Rosales,
Lilliana Saldaña, Nadine Saliba, went virtual with everyone zooming from home. Live audience events came to a halt for
Graciela I. Sánchez, Lillian Stevens
everyone—except for those with desktop computers or virtually-ready phones. This fall we
• We advocate for a wide variety of social,
economic & environmental justice issues. gingerly began to explore the possibility of returning to face-to-face events, but that has all

• Opinions expressed in La Voz are not changed and we remain in limbo, once again. Still, we must remember that we have learned
necessarily those of the Esperanza Center.
to cope, we are struggling to be sure—but are not down and out. There is hope, hay esper-
La Voz de Esperanza
is a publication of anza. Let’s continue to do what we can to keep our communities moving forward in the best

Esperanza Peace & Justice Center way possible working for social justice issues to make this a better world for all.
922 San Pedro, San Antonio, TX 78212
210.228.0201 • www.esperanzacenter.org —Gloria A. Ramírez, editor

LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • February 2022 Vol. 35 Issue 1• Inquiries/Articles can be sent to: Vernal Fever
[email protected]
for Philip Simmons
Articles due by the 8th of each month
Our winters are not hard. brings a longing
Policy Statements
No snow, no sleet for things green,
* We ask that articles be visionary, progressive,
instructive & thoughtful. Submissions must be no icy streets fragrant, warmed by sun
literate & critical; not sexist, racist, homophobic,
violent, or oppressive & may be edited for length. high tree-toppling winds not layers of cloth
* All letters in response to Esperanza activities
the worst. or logs or thermostat
or articles in La Voz will be considered for
No days we cannot as the immutable
2 publication. Letters with intent to slander
individuals or groups will not be published. leave our caves seasonal imperative trembles

if so desired. in the sap and marrow

Yet the between time of every living thing.

late January, February —Marilyn Wallner

Credit: Esperanza Winter, Gloria A. Ramírez

ATTENTION VOZ READERS: If you have a mailing address correction please send it to lavoz@
esperanzacenter.org. If you want to be removed from the La Voz mailing list, for whatever reason, please let us
know. La Voz is provided as a courtesy to people on the mailing list of the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center.
The subscription rate is $35 per year ($100 for institutions). The cost of producing and mailing La Voz has
substantially increased and we need your help to keep it afloat. To help, send in your subscriptions, sign up as a
monthly donor, or send in a donation to the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center. Thank you. -GAR

VOZ VISION STATEMENT: La Voz de Esperanza speaks for many individual, progressive voices who are
gente-based, multi-visioned and milagro-bound. We are diverse survivors of materialism, racism, misogyny,
homophobia, classism, violence, earth-damage, speciesism and cultural and political oppression. We are
recapturing the powers of alliance, activism and healthy conflict in order to achieve interdependent economic/
spiritual healing and fuerza. La Voz is a resource for peace, justice, and human rights, providing a forum for
criticism, information, education, humor and other creative works. La Voz provokes bold actions in response
to local and global problems, with the knowledge that the many risks we take for the earth, our body, and the
dignity of all people will result in profound change for the seven generations to come.

2021 LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • February 2022 Vol. 35 Issue 1•

A Virtual Year
in Review

The year 2021 saw the Esperanza take on a full calendar of virtual cultural, social and
historical events including exhibits, films, música, pláticas, annual celebrations and
workshops that we hosted or co-hosted beginning with the fight against COVID and for
the survival of families and homes during the pandemic. In February 2021, Esperanza staff
made phone calls and home visits throughout the city to arrange for vaccine appointments
for almost 1000 people as part of a citywide effort to combat COVID. Esperanza staff
continued to assist Buena Gente in accessing assistance for survival during the pandemic
whether that meant paying for rents, providing for food or applying for COVID assistance
to keep families afloat. Esperanza’s commitment to community included advocacy
work in housing issues and for the protection and preservation of Westside homes and
neighborhoods throughout 2021.

3

LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • February 2022 Vol. 35 Issue 1• Two keystones of Esperanza’s cultural arts
programming, MujerArtes and Noche Azul
found creative ways to reach Buena Gente in
2021 with concerts, presentations, exhibits,
demonstrations and sales for the community.
MujerArtes opened their own virtual store

(mujerartes-store.esperanzacenter.org/
mujerartes) and hosted sales of their creative

clay works throughout the year providing
customers with safe by-appointment shopping
or pickups at their studios at 816 S. Colorado.

4

Noche Azul’s monthly concerts, LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • February 2022 Vol. 35 Issue 1•
a staple of Esperanza’s cultural
offerings branched out with virtual
Noche Azul Home Concerts featuring
musicians, artists, poets and chefs in
Azul’s home and streamed in from
Mexico. Noche Azul 2021 attracted
a wide variety of audiences from
San Antonio to Mexico City and
beyond! In addition, concerts were
often offered over a two-day span to
accommodate both English language
speakers and Spanish speakers.
Bilingual audiences benefitted by
enjoying both sets of concerts!

Annual celebrations of Paseo por el Westside,
Día de los Muertos and the Peace Market/
Mercado de Paz reflected the resurgence of
and gradual ebbing of COVID during 2021.

All workshops & programs for the Paseo were
conducted virtually, while Día de los Muertos
altars were exhibited outdoors with an outdoor
concert featuring the Esperanza trio and other

musicians. The addition of the Viviendas y
Jardines project to the Muertos celebration gave
buena gente the chance to work together outside

to beautify the Westside. A smaller version of
Peace Market (El Mercadito of 2021) returned
with local vendors outdoors in tents and tables
and a limited number of customers allowed into
the first floor’s Esperanza tiendita that featured
items from our international vendors who were
absent this year. Still, el Mercadito saw record

sales for all vendors. With a new COVID
variant arriving at the end of 2021, challenges

for 2022 remain. ahead.

5

As in previous years, Esperanza cultural programming
included films, pláticas, historical commemorations,
exhibits and workshops impacting multiple communities
while honoring cultural traditions or serving community
needs. A sampling of 2021 programming included:

Films

1921 Flood Commemoration

LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • February 2022 Vol. 35 Issue 1• Workshops Exhibits Pláticas

6 ¡Feliz Año Nuevo! This La Voz
overview of 2021 highlights the
important work the Esperanza
community accomplished from
cultural programs, to preservation
work, to community advocacy.
We could not have done it without
you! Thank you for your continued
participation and support. To support
Esperanza’s work, consider becoming
a Monthly Donor or making a
donation.Visit our website at www.
esperanzacenter.org/donate to learn
more. To access the video presentation,
Saludos 2021. go to: YouTube.com/
esperanzacenter. Adelante con 2022!

Mi Nina:
The woman who shaped my life,

Dolores Solis.

By Maria A. De la Cruz

I had not realized, until the day Veracruz, there was a dreamy fondness

of, that my madrina had been born in her voice.

100 years ago on October, 2021. Few Asking mother for more details,

people recall her story because, even she says that Lola knew how to write

though she was well connected, she English well, which means she learned

was an only child with no family of the language during her elementary

her own. Our lives intertwined during school years in the U.S. Mother makes

the last 24 years of her life, when she her way to where I’m sitting and whis-

helped raise me as if I was her own, pers in my ear, “Estaban huyendo.” It

and although I lack the knowledge seems Lola’s maternal grandfather or

to dig deep into the intricacies of her great-grandfather had taken prisoner a

past, I will do my best, with the help president of Mexico, perhaps Madero,

of my mother’s recollections, to tell and the family had to flee to safety.

her story. Her generosity and kindness Because the family was in movement,

can be attributed to the rich history of they spent their time in San Antonio,

events she lived through, as well as Laredo, and Monterrey. While in the

the social life she experienced amidst Westside of San Antonio, she lived

her cousins and close friends. “en las casas verdes.” When visiting

In 1921, the world had just come from Mexico, she would stay with

out of World War I and the Spanish María A. De la Cruz pictured as a child with her her cousin, Anita Ortiz (married name

Flu pandemic of 1918. The Mexican madrina, (“Nina”), Dolores Solis, also known as “Lola” Sosa). She later lived on Torreon St., LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • February 2022 Vol. 35 Issue 1•

Revolution had ended 3 years prior. in the property of Teresa Navarro’s

Polio epidemics occurred every summer. Race wars were father, José. (In adulthood, Teresa Navarro, who never

going on with activity from the KKK. Eight years later, married, was a career teacher in the Westside, as well as a

The Great Depression would occur. And 10 years after landlady, having inherited her father’s property, including

that, WWII would begin. along Guadalupe St. Teresa and Lola were close childhood

Felipa Dolores Solis, known as “Lola” or “Lolita,” friends and, both being only children, would call each

was born in the Westside of San Antonio, TX. The Great other “prima” even though there was no blood relation.)

Depression forced her family to move to Mexico, where For the sake of chronology, I will sidestep into my

the dollar could stretch further. She had a younger sister, mother’s story, so I can introduce Lola into the time frame

but the baby died and is buried in San Fernando Cemetery when I knew her. María Angélica De la Cruz (senior),

I. Much of Lola’s education occurred in Mexico, and her most commonly known as “Angelita,” worked in house

secondary education certified her as a shorthand transcrip- labor and office cleaning. Mother’s cousin, Herlinda, had

tionist. She was very close to her mother, María Pabla Bar- a house catty-cornered to where Botello’s store is located,

rios Solis, and rarely mentioned her father, Demetrio Solis. on El Paso St. and S Smith in San Antonio’s Westside. In

Early black and white photos show her in an elementary 1954, when mother and her Tía María came to San Anto-

school play or dance in Mexico for Independence Day; her nio from the Mexican border, they stayed with Herlinda.

look seems serious. In youth, she looks joyful and extro- While buying tortillas at La Blanca Molino, which at that

verted in the company of other happy young women. In the time was located on S. Brazos, between El Paso and San

U.S., she worked with eggs and in “La Juvenil,” sewing in Fernando, where the present Dollar Tree and Guadalupe

the Levis Factory. It seems Lola liked to travel; there are Dance Co. are, Tía María asked if they needed workers.

several photos of her young years in Veracruz, Mexico, The answer was yes; one was needed at the molino, and

in what looks like a group trip; whenever she mentioned another at the owner’s house. The name of the lady who

7

was a finger partially covering the lens, obscuring faces in the Great Depression, years of want and need, that made

the process.) Nina so generous. That generosity came hand in hand with

Nina’s life was full of celebration. She would close the lots of work and clientele. Weekends were by far the busi-

business for Thanksgiving, and host dinner for her ex- est days. It was still dark outside when Nina would get out

tended family. During the Christmas season, gatherings for of bed to receive the delivery of barbacoa. She would put

rosaries would take place during Advent, the tree would be the roasters out to cook it, so she could sell it along with

bulging with gifts for family and friends, and bonuses were the fresh made corn tortillas. Shortly after the delivery,

in store for her employees, Chonita, Panchita, and Angé- mother would get up to rinse the nixtamal, which had been

lica. During the Epiphany, Toña Barrios and her daughter, cooked the previous evening over giant, open flame burn-

Malu, would come ers, and she would

over to “levantar start the molino to

el nino.” Easter make masa, carry

season saw the heavy balls of fresh

most activity dur- ground masa to a

ing Good Friday, table to knead it and

when Guadalupe make sure the con-

Shrine would host sistency was correct

the Passion of for tortilla mak-

Christ procession ing, and then either

in the neighbor- her or Nina would

hood. Easter itself turn on the tortilla

brought lots of making machine,

Lola’s relatives which was a tiered

together around the conveyer belt sur-

dining table, where Lola had sewing know-how, not tortilla know-how. Her experience came from working in the Levi factory. rounded by fire. 
conversation would Work was long,

take place that Sunday with lots of cafecito and pan dulce. hot, and busy. One of the workers would stand at the end

New Year’s was more low key, but we would still have a of the machine to receive the fresh tortillas, and sort and

ham for us, three.  pile them into a tin baño lined and covered with red and

Aside from cousins, Lola also had many ahijados— white checkered tablecloths. The full baños would then go

LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • February 2022 Vol. 35 Issue 1• godchildren that she sponsored for baptism. She baptized to the counter, which was stacked with squares of butcher

employees’ and friends’ children or grandchildren. Christ- paper used as wrapping when the tortillas sold.

mas gifts, Easter baskets, and birthday cards would be Being in a neighborhood where family finances were

available for them every year. It was my Nina who, with unpredictable meant that Lola offered credit to customers

Tere’s encouragement, taught me my colors, numbers and who could not afford to pay at the time of purchase. Her

letters before going to school. I learned to count by rolling ledger was a lined spiral notepad. In the back pages, she

change in preparation for bank deposits. Once in school, would keep tabs for customers. Although some would pay

Nina became a “room mother,” and would bring snacks for in a timely fashion; others were always behind. Through

the class, and spend time with us during recess, teaching it all, I never heard of her denying anyone food, and she

us songs and games and never kicked anyone out of their home when they fell

how to play fair. The behind on rent. Moreover, she sometimes gave small loans

other mothers enjoyed to acquaintances who had fallen behind on their electric or

her company, and the water bill, or who needed a few extra items from the gro-

teachers and parents cery store when food stamps did not suffice. Those were

were grateful for her the acts of kindness that most stand out in my mind in this

presence. For school day and age, when trust is hard to come by.

and church festivals, she La Blanca Molino would get the breakfast crowd, the

would donate masa for Church crowd from various Masses, the lunch crowd, and

gorditas. the day would peter out with those looking for tortillas to

Celebration and serve with dinner. Chicharrones were also popular. People

presents makes it sound begged her to also make flour tortillas, but she remained

like Nina had a very loyal to corn. During the Christmas season, people would

joyful and trouble-free put in orders for masa for tamales. The consistency of

8 Lola as a young woman life, but I think it was masa for tamales is different from that for tortillas. Angé-

rented the space for the molino was Callita (Arcadia En- mother became ill and bedridden to the point of having to LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • February 2022 Vol. 35 Issue 1•
riquez), and she took Angélica as housekeeper for her and be transferred to a nursing home, where she did not last
her two daughters. Over time, having built trust, Angélica long; separation on top of illness transitioned her quickly. 9
was brought to work at the molino on weekends, as it Angelita saw the great vacuum left in Lola’s heart after
seems Callita could not trust the other weekend employees her mother’s passing early in the 1970s. A few years later,
to stay away from the money drawer.  a shock came into Angelita’s life—me. She lost her job at
the molino because the strength and activity needed to per-
For many years, Callita had rented the building for form were too much for a pregnant woman. With lack of
La Blanca Molino from the owner, el Señor Picini. Picini support, she had to work extra jobs, and expanded into res-
asked Callita to vacate the property because he wanted taurant support staff; there was no such thing as planning
to sell it. The land was eventually sold to HEB. Around
1958, Callita relocated the for a baby. Knowing and see-
molino across the street from ing Lola’s grief and solitude,
Guadalupe Shrine on El Paso St. Angélica asked Lola if she
She rented the building from la could baptize the child. Saying
Señora Tules Eguia, who also that Lola was overjoyed would
owned the bakery building still be an understatement. Photos
standing in that location on El show Lola and the baby as
Paso and Brazos. At that time, almost inseparable. 
tortillas were formed with a
small machine similar to a pasta Lola became my madrina
maker. As the tortillas spun out, less than a month after birth.
someone would catch the tortilla My young tongue could not
and toss it on the comal. Mother say “madrina,” so my name
says that was Panchita’s job, but for her became “Nina.” Our
she also learned how to do it. neighbors in the rental house
compound were as follows:
In 1962, one of Callita’s Tencha lived next door to Lola
daughters married, and Callita on the corner of El Paso St and
no longer wanted the molino. Kickaster Alley, Toñita and
The employees were temporar- La Blanca Molino de Nixtamal her son Chuy, the boxer, were
ily displaced. When Lola took over the property lease and in the center facing the callejón, and in the back were two
ownership of the business, Callita asked if she could em- houses. In the one sharing the callejón with Toñita lived a
ploy the ladies, seeing as how they were already experts at solitary gentleman and his dog, and the house on the inner
their jobs. Mother doesn’t know whether Lola wanted them corner was rented by my mother. Not until I experienced
or not, but the truth is that Lola had sewing know-how, not pneumonia 3 years in a row after birth did Nina realize I
tortilla know-how. needed more warmth and care, so she invited us to live
under her roof.
The molino, like other small businesses on the West- The best summary of our lives together comes in the
side, came with living quarters attached. At the time the form of a Thanksgiving photo (see below). In the photo,
business exchanged hands, the molino had one small Olivia Barrios is holding me. There, too, are Viola Bar-
bedroom, a bathroom, and a small kitchen, which was rios with her husband, José, and 3 children, Diana, Tere-
especially cramped because it also served as a storage area sita, and Luis Alberto, Anita and Roberto Sosa, parents to
for the sacks of corn to be cooked for nixtamal. Eventually,
Lola went from renting the property to buying it, Lionel, Robert,
along with four additional houses behind it, from Daniel, and Mary
la Señora Eguia. Once the property was hers, Christine, and a
Lola started making improvements, both to her few other people
home and business and to the additional homes I do not recognize
she rented out. By 1968, Lola upgraded business offhand, perhaps
production by purchasing a full-scale, automatic Beatrice and
tortilla making machine; it shaped tortillas from Gollo (Gregorio)
masa and cooked them without the need for a Ortiz, and her
separate comal.  best friend, Tere
Navarro. (Nina’s
Lola had moved to the molino along with signature on any
her elderly mother. She would have taken care photo she took
of Doña Maria at home until death, but her

lica would work after-hours to make the special masa. For and independence, she longed for the view to the street she

the consistency to change, the stones in the molino had to used to have at the Molino, and for the days when her family

be shifted; Angélica would have to play with them to get the and friends could stop in any time to visit with her, stepping

right kind of grind.  through the open doors of La Blanca. 

Every now and Before the years started closing on Lola, she had a

then, when the few memorable escapades. Although she and Tere had

machines would taken me on trips to the interior of Mexico in the 1980s,

act up beyond a during her older years, in the ´90s, she was able to

common repair, el travel to Europe with her second cousin Lionel Sosa and

Señor Escamilla his family. The trips to Italy and France were foremost

would have to be in her mind, and stayed with her until her end of days.

called. He not only When Nina parted to the next life, she took with

sold the machinery her a large chunk of my and mother’s heart. Mother, in

and serviced them, her mind, always considered Lola her employer; upon

he would also get death, her heart informed her that Lola was her closest

new customers friend. For me, Nina was a second mother and my great-

trained by send- est champion and role model. No one can ever replace

ing them to Lola, her, and my few words here cannot completely retell all

who never charged María Angélica De la Cruz my memories of her. 
for demonstrating (in back) with Felipa Dolores Lola’s favorite color
the equipment and Solis, lifelong comadre and
employer was yellow, the color of

procedures, and richness and the sun. Her

answering questions. The most memo- kindness was deeply rich,

rable trainees were the Arabes who, after and her compassion had

being trained, invited Lola to visit their the warmth and intensity

country and offered to pick her up from of the sun. This year, 100

the airport in their limousine. The most years after her birth, I

consequential trainees were the people unconsciously surrounded

from HEB. On several occasions, HEB myself with the colors

had offered to purchase tortillas from La yellow and gold—colors

Blanca Molino to sell at their store, but that keep her alive in my

LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • February 2022 Vol. 35 Issue 1• Lola felt that her small business did not memory—by immersing

have the capacity to meet their demand. myself in Esperanza’s

Eventually, a team from the company marigold project at Rinc-

rolled into the molino, and Lola and An- oncito. I hope this spark

gélica showed them how to make their of memory will ignite

own tortillas. Author, María De la Cruz (right), with buena gente around a box of marigolds Lolita’s memory in others

Although La Blanca Molino was pop- who may have known her

ular, business started faltering when neighbors were displaced and who are reading these words.

to build La Plaza and other developments in the neighbor- Mother adds, “Viola Barrios fue la única que me dio las

hood. Streets that used to be filled with playing children and gracias. No me las tuvo que dar. Dijo, ‘Angelita, estoy muy

street festivals became quieter. Old customers would come for agradecida contigo y tu hija por haber pasado sus últimos

a visit every now and then to see how the old neighborhood años de vida con Lola.’“ Without us, Lola would have spent

was doing. It wasn’t quite the same.  her last years alone.

Even though the Molino was not doing well, Nina held on Likewise, I am grateful to Lola, for having been in moth-

as long as she could … most likely to retain the semblance er’s life when she was alone with child, and for having been

of family she had. However, once she became seriously ill, mi Nina - my teacher, friend, and protector. I dedicate this

mother could not keep the business going on her own, espe- writing and all my labors with the Dia de los muertos project

cially as she was also acting as Lola’s nurse, and I was trying this year, 2021, to the memory of Dolores Solis, and others

to finish my undergraduate degree, and having difficulty with like her who shelter, mentor, and help those in need. Be good

the stresses at home. With no end in sight to her illness, Lola always, for you do not know whose life you will impact.

sold el Molino in 1997. BIO: Born and raised in San Antonio, Maria is an alumna of

Although her life expectancy was short after being UTSA, Seton Hill University, and Peae Corps. She leaves parts of
herself in the geographical memory of the lands and the people
diagnosed, she lived two additional years at the San Jacinto where she travels and does projects to help others.

10 Senior Community. Illness and age stripping her of strength

The Holocaust
and Its Deniers

By Tarcisio Beal, Ph. D., S. T. L.

It is beyond belief what we have been seeing and hearing ever Christians should not eat or drink with Jews, not admit them to

since Donald Trump won the Presidency in 2016: pro-Nazi feasts, nor cohabit with them, nor bathe with them. Christians

demonstrations, the praising of Hitler, and even the denial of the should not allow Jews to hold civil honors over Christians,

slaughter of more than 6 million Jews in the concentration camps or to exercise public offices in the state.” Interestingly, the

of Germany, Austria, and of Nazi-occupied Eastern Europe. Now, Church, especially in medieval France, was often managing its

we even have State authorities and parents protesting the teach- finances with money borrowed from Jewish bankers. Yet, the

ing of the intensely-documented historical facts of the Holocaust papacy kept Rome’s Jewish ghetto until 1870 when Rome was

and of the racist record that has tainted American history. In fact, overtaken by the Italian Unification Movement. Pius IX shut

anyone who knows what the Nazis did and how they succeeded himself inside the Vatican and refused to recognize the new

in obtaining the support and participation of common Germans in Italian kingdom. When he finally came to terms with an inde-

the extermination of the Jews will detect some scary and forebod- pendent Italy through the Lateran Treaty of 1929, the benefi-

ing similarities in today’s America, ciary was none other than the Fascist

including strong opposition against State of Benito Mussolini.

liberalism and true democracy, both Given the current state of affairs

major targets of Nazism and Soviet in America, including the swelling

Communism. numbers of “white supremacists” and

Sadly, the history of Christian their antisemitism and Nazi tendencies

Churches shows that they stood idle (remember the Nazi/Fascist rally of

and seemingly agreed with all kinds Charlottesville!), and even their denial

of anti-Jewish biases and, mostly of the Holocaust, we should look into

failed miserably to defend the life and some well-documented historical facts

human rights of the Jews. Although about the Holocaust corroborated by LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • February 2022 Vol. 35 Issue 1•

Roman imperial authorities did not many serious and respected authors.

distinguish between Christians and Some elderly Jews freed from the Nazi

Jews until the 5th century, discrimina- concentration camps by the Allies at the

tion and hostility towards the Jews end of World War II have also testified

began to arise in the 4th century. Until about the horrors of the concentration

then, Christians routinely frequented camps. Not surprisingly, antisemitism

the cultic worship of the synagogue in Central Europe had been growing

and had no problems socializing with steadily since the late 19th century,

the Jews. That irritated the Church fueled especially by intellectuals such

Father, St. John Chrysostom, who as Guido von List, Rudolf Johannes

believed that the only way to keep Gorsleben, and Lanz von Liebenfels (a

Christians from the synagogues was to former Cistercian monk). Von List’s an-

instill hatred of the Jews. His sermons tisemitic writings became the blueprint

of 386 and 387 were filled with anti- The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, was a blatant anti-Jewish for Hitler’s infamous Nuremberg Laws
Jewish tirades: “But the synagogue is
not only a brothel and a theater; it is propaganda document written by a Russian secret agent stationed of 1935. A great deal of anti-Jewish
in Paris and published in Russia (1903), in Germany (1914), in Great
propaganda was also fed by the Pro-
Britain and in the USA (1920), and in France (1934).

also a den of robbers and a lodging tocols of the Elders of Zion, a blatant

for wild beasts… When God forsakes a place, that place becomes forgery connected with the trial of Captain Alfred Dreyfus, a Jew

the dwelling of demons… This is true not only of the souls of the falsely accused of selling French military secrets to the Germans.

Jews, as I shall try to prove at the end of my discourse.” Unbe- In fact, the author of the Protocols was a Russian secret agent

lievable! And we call such a character a saint!... stationed in Paris and his concoction was published in Russia

Actually, throughout the Middle Ages and into late 19th cen- (1903), in Germany (1914), in Great Britain and in the USA

tury, the Church usually got the support of the State in spread- (1920), and in France (1934).

ing the anti-Jewish religious biases of the masses. In 1442, 11Continued on Page 14
Pope Eugene IV decreed that “from now on, and for all time,

Cuatro estrofas de esperanza Four stanzas of hope

Cuando centenares de cuervos se congregan When hundreds of crows gather

en los árboles que rodean a mi hogar in the trees that surround my home

siento que sus aleteos cargan mensajes de apoyo I feel that their wing beats carry messages of support

y me elevan el peso del desaire de la humanidad. and they lift the weight of humanity’s snubs.

Humanidad que ha dejado de serlo en algunos Humanity that ceased being such in some

ejemplares de los efectos que zozobran examples of the effects that flounder

cuando la falta de conciencia cultural when the lack of cultural consciousness

esquiva el histórico robo de la historia. dodges the historical theft of history.

Cuando la cultura y costumbres de siglos When the culture and customs of centuries

es sistemáticamente alterada por capricho ajeno is systematically altered by foreign whims

se asimilan nuevas ideas corrosivas a las tradiciones new ideas corrosive to traditions are assimilated

hasta que el robo de la historia pasa a ser historia. until the theft of history becomes history.

Pero los cuervos saben lo que los humanos ignoran But the crows know what the humans ignore

sólo unos cuantos escuchan y aprenden only but a few listen and learn

y la sabiduría de siglos se ofrece and the wisdom of centuries is offered

para que las mentes jóvenes recuperen la historia hurtada. so that the minds of youths recoup the stolen history.

© 14 de diciembre de 2021 © 14 December 2021

LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • February 2022 Vol. 35 Issue 1• —David Rodgers —David Rodgers

12

At the Texas Prison Museum I see the electric chair (Old Sparky), The connectors of my brain,
the re-created death chamber the cells of my body
At the Texas Prison Museum, with its electric generator and lever, absorb these sights,
I see a fake guard tower the actual sponge placed on heads weighing them,
with a dummy guard in the window. of electrocuted prisoners. understanding them
I see a replica of a prison cell, I see the actual syringes used as someone’s narrative.
its bunk beds, chrome toilet, for the first lethal injection in 1982. I do not shed tears,
little metal desk and seat. gasp with fake drama.
I see a miniature model Who in Texas can say,
of the Huntsville Prison “We didn’t know
with its red brick walls, what was happening?”
chapel with a steeple and cross,
and adjacent Prison Rodeo At the end of the tour,
that entertained fans I buy several post cards
until its condemnation in 1986 with images of the prison,
and eventual demolition. Old Sparky, the Rodeo.
I see old video of the rodeo Back home in San Antonio,
on an ever-playing loop. I see for the first time
I see prisoners’ drawings, that the usual blank space
hand-tooled leather, for each card contains
intricate carvings of wood or soap, a lengthy printed caption
ingeniously crafted objects in over-sized font.
such as a skull pipe, string banjos, I had wanted to write
liquor stills, shanks, a Monopoly game. to family, friends:
“If only they had used their talents,” “The prison is a sad place” or
says another museum patron, “We have to end the death penalty.”
“instead of doing what they did.” Try as I might, I cannot write
between the lines or get
a word in edgewise.

—Rachel Jennings

A Child Imagines Her Execution

In old movies, guards I slip free of the leather straps Gallows, garrote, guillotine, The game goes on.
gas, gunfire, gurney,
drag the handcuffed man or break a buckle. Sometimes grill chair, gang plank. Naughty little cheat. LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • February 2022 Vol. 35 Issue 1•
I survive them all. I sulk. I pout.
to the wooden chair the lever does not work. What is the point I refuse being tagged
of dying? Dead Man Out.
that has leather straps, A guard orders me back
—Rachel Jennings
metal buckles, to my cell, where I climb

and wire coils. out a window with rusty bars.

The chair is named Old Sparky In the next episode,
like the teacher’s paddle every gunman in the firing
is named The Sizzler. squad
She smirks and laughs. misses his mark. One gun
is unloaded. I walk free.
They strap the prisoner
into the chair. Is it true a man who
has been shot or hanged
“May God have mercy on your will mess his pants?
soul,” That would be awful.
the man in the suit and tie says. As I stand on the gallows,
the rotten rope breaks
In pretend games, or the noose loosens,
I grunt and struggle letting me wriggle free.
as the guards drag me,
but I never die. Walking the gang plank
If they kill me, at sword point, I step
what is the point into the sea, hands bound,
of the story? but swim to safety
The game ends. where a lantern shines.

I twist and grimace, 13
but I escape.

Visit https://tcadp.org/what-we-do/annual-conference/ to register and for more information

Holocaust The Nazi sterilization program and eugenic policies were
Continued from Page 11
already spelled out on July 14, 1933, during the same Cabinet

meeting that approved the ReichsKonkordat. The German bishops

The saddest part of the ugly story of the Holocaust points to went along with those Nazi policies as long as Catholic parents,

the failure of the Catholic and Protestant authorities, and even of physicians, judges, nurses, and other employees would not be

the Papacy, to stand up firmly for the Jews and to denounce the subjected to conflicts of conscience. When Cardinal Von Gallen

horrors that the Nazis never tried to hide. Oddly enough, one of alone protested, Cardinal Michael Faulhaber of Munich, speak-

the early propagators of the Protocols was the French Monsignor ing for the German episcopate, called Von Gallen’s remarks

Ernest Jouin, who was elevated to the rank of a bishop by Pope unwarranted and disrupting. Faulhaber viewed Hitler’s authority

Benedict XIV. Pope Pius IX, in a private audience to Jouin, stated as “willed by God.” In fact, exemptions from the Nuremberg

that “the Jews are our worst enemies.” To argue that the Chris- Laws for Catholic doctors and nurses employed by the State were

tian Churches could have done nothing against the Nazi power denied and some German intellectuals, including two Prussian

is to deny the evidence, to cover up the facts, and to ignore that theologians and the Benedictine monks of Beuron, could not

Hitler greatly feared the concerted opposition of the Christian detect any problems of conscience. Even the Vatican relented in

Churches. When Clemens von Gallen, Cardinal-Archbishop of 1941. In the late 1930s and early 1940s, Jews living in some Ger-

Muenster, vehemently denounced Hitler’s euthanasia laws and man towns were forced to carry posters on their backs with the

killings, thus provoking a public outcry, the euthanasia laws af- words “I am a Jewish pig! You may spit on me!”

fecting Christians and Christian Jews were promptly withdrawn. Actually, the Soviets set the pattern for the Nazi persecution

Unfortunately, the German Lutheran authorities of the States of of Jews, and Christian authorities again failed to stand up and

Mecklenburg, Thuringen, Saxony, Nassau-Hesse, Schleswig- denounce it. Bishop Achile Ratti (later Pius XI) displayed his anti-

Holstein, Anhalt, and Luebeck, following the anti-Jewish biases Semitism already as Nunzio to Poland (1918-1921), denying the

of Martin Luther, went as far as advising the expulsion of all ugly reality of the Soviet pogroms against the Jews and calling

converted Jews and the adoption of the “most severe measures the Jews a threat to the Polish nation. In 1932, as Pope, he

against the Jews and their banishment from German lands.” told Mussolini that the Church’s problems in Central

However, the Lutheran Church split Europe were partly caused by the

over the support of Hitler, giving birth to “antipathy of Judaism towards Chris-

the Oyenhausen Church that opposed Nazi tianity.” Neither did he ever censure

antisemitism. But the German Catholic bish- La Civiltà Católica and L’Oservatore

ops, with a few exceptions, placed their “Ger- Romano, the Vatican’s newspapers that kept

manism” above their Christian duty and sup- alerting Christians to the ”Jewish danger.”

ported Hitler’s policy of imperial aggression His encyclical Mit brennender Sorge (With

and war. The Vatican, presided by Pius burning Preoccupation) condemned the

XI and his Secretary of State Cardinal Nazi myths of race and blood, but never

LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • February 2022 Vol. 35 Issue 1• Eugenio Pacelli (later Pio XII), mentions the Third Reich directly. In June

accommodated Hitler by sign- 1938, he commissioned the American Je-

ing the Reichskonkordat of July, The star the Nazis suit John LaFarge to prepare an encycli-
required Jews to wear
1933. The Concordat prohibited Catholic clergymen cal denouncing racism and ant-Semitism.

from expressing opinions on political matters, lifted the Source: Historical LaFarge entitled his work Unitas Generis

episcopal prohibition of Catholics to join the Nazi Party, Humani (The Unity of the Human Kind),
Museum in Wroclaw condeming totalitarian state systems,
consented to the “Aryan Clause” that disallowed Jews

from entering the Catholic priesthood, and eliminated forced collectivism, and the subordination of religion to racial

Catholic associations and labor unions. In 1937, Cardi- nal programs, with indirect references to the persecution of Jews in

Konrad Groeber, of Freiburg a. Breisgau, President of the Ger- the Third Reich and a condemnation of anti-semitism. It seems,

man Bishops Conference, published a booklet stating that the however, that Pius XI never saw the proposed encyclical becau-

Concordat was “a proof that the two powers, totalitarian in their se it fell into the hands of Vladimir Lechodowski, Head of the

character, can find an agreement if their domains are separate Society of Jesus. However, in a meeting with a group of Belgian

and if overlaps in jurisdiction become parallel or, in a friendly pilgrims in the late 1930s, Pius XI said that “antisemitism is a

manner, lead to make common cause.” Groeber also began pro- hateful movement, a movement that we cannot, as Christians, take

moting the Nazi Police Force (SS) already in 1933, while speak- any part in. It is inadmissible, for we are all spiritual Semites.”

ing of the right of the German people to do whatever necessary to However, when, in 1942, the Allies spoke vigorously against

maintain unpolluted their racial origin. The German bishops also the extermination of the Jews, the Vatican’s Secretary of State

condemned armed rebellion and the plot to eliminate Hitler while was asked to have the Church join the protest. His answer was

hundreds of Catholic priests were being killed in the concentra- “no” because “the Church can only condemn immoral actions

tion camps. In the Dachau, for instance, the American soldiers in general.” Well, if the Nazis’ deportation of 7,000 Roman Jews

freed no less than 300 Catholic priests. Actually, Hitler himself right under the nose of Pope Pius XII did not result in a strong

commented that, in excluding the Jews from German society, he protest against the Nazis, what else would?!? It is quite clear that

was simply repeating what the Christian Church had done for a prophetic stance by the Christian Churches would have saved

centuries. In fact, the Jewish ghetto in Rome was dismantled only the lives of million of Jews. In fact, when Cardinal Von Gallen,

14 in 1870, not by the Pope, but by the leaders of the Italian unifica- in October of 1942, publicly protested the scheduled deportation
tion that ended the Papal State and made Rome their capital.
of 52.000 Slovakian Jews to concentration camps, Adolph Ei-

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chmann immediately cancelled the order so as to avoid “political Some are still doing today when they insist that “salvation is LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • February 2022 Vol. 35 Issue 1•
complications.”
found only in the Catholic Church” or stick to the nonsense ut-
But we should also note that the French, Belgian, and Dutch
bishops became very vocal critics of the Nazi atrocities. On a let- tered in 1302 by the bull Unam Sanctam of Pope Boniface VIII:
ter sent from the Roman Curia to Paris’ Cardinal Suhard, on June
11, 1940, French Cardinal Eugene Tisserant, who had pleaded “We declare, state, define, and pronounce that it is altogether
with Pius XII to issue an encyclical advising Catholics to follow
their conscience, said the following: “I fear that history will necessary to salvation for every human creature to be subject
reproach the Holy See with having practiced a policy of selfish
convenience and not much else. This is extremely sad, especially to the Roman Pontiff.” Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI
for those of us who have lived under Pius XI. Here everyone is
confident that, after Rome has been declared an open city, mem- spoke strongly against anti-Semitism, but still did not call on all
bers of the Curia will not suffer any harm. This is a disgrace!”
As we can see, Tisserant had witnessed major changes in the last Catholics to engage themselves in the defense and protection of
years of Pius XI’s pontificate, especially what the Pope said to the
Belgian pilgrims and his commissioning of the Jesuit LaFarge to Jews everywhere. Rightfully says the Jewish theologian Abraham
prepare the encyclical The Unity of the Human Kind.
Joshua Heschel: “The fate of the Jewish people and the fate of
Now, after the Second Council of the Vatican (1961-62),
Catholic theologians and historians have been able to expose the Bible are intertwined… Any conversation between Christian
many of the failures of the highest Church authorities and of
popes who betrayed the Gospels and “divinized” their power. and Jew in which the abandonment of the other partner’s faith is

a silent hope must be regarded as offensive to one’s religious and

human dignity.”

The present political conditions of the U.S. call now, more

than ever, for all Christians to stand up and live the essential of

their faith, which calls for the love of neighbor, no matter what

his/her ethnicity, skin color, or place of birth.

BIO: Tarcisio Beal is professor Emeritus of History at the

University of the Incarnate Word. [Note: Sources used for this 15
article can be obtained from [email protected]]

LA VOZ de ESPERANZA • February 2022 Vol. 35 Issue 1•

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