Patricia Martinez
Staff Writer
Americans in the modern world seem to be searching for meaning. Through relationships and careers, they hope to meaning that will bring happiness. According to Father Allan Figueroa Deck, president of the Loyola Institute for Spirituality, “hopping in and out of bed with someone” is not the answer.
Neither is working hard in order to make more money. There is something more that needs to be addressed, and Father Deck recently told an audience at Pepperdine University’s Graduate School of Education and Psychology what he believes is the answer.
A global traveler, writer, activist and theologian, Deck spoke at Pepperdine during spring semester, for the fourth installment of the university’s Diversity Speaker Series.
Deck has a Ph.D. in Latin American Studies from Saint Louis University and doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. The well-known Jesuit priest addressed topics of spirituality from a Latino perspective. With autobiographical snippets in between, Deck delivered his speech with enthusiasm and a sense of humor.
The overarching theme of his speech was the significance of religion. “Faith and religion are an important part of human formation,” Deck said. However, faith is not something that you pick up in school.
In Latin culture, it is common for grandmothers to pass down religious beliefs and customs to their grandchildren. This is true for Deck. He attributes his education about his Latino heritage and Catholic faith to his grandmother. A devout Catholic who spoke only Spanish, Deck’s grandmother molded him into the person he is today. Her influence on his life, embedded from love and care, is fondly remembered.
To better understand the power of religion in the Latin culture, Deck used historical examples, focusing on the formation of the United Farm Workers of America. The movement, led by Cesar Chavez, is comparable to the Civil Rights Movement for African Americans. Both used religious principles and symbols to keep the spirit of their campaigns alive and to justify their desire for social change.
“Religion can motivate people to do things that are very difficult,” he asserted.
Symbols that have been historically important for Latinos are the Virgin Mary, better known as Lady Guadalupe in Latin culture, and the suffering Jesus on the cross. These symbols remain powerful reminders of faith, but Deck has recognized that people have become quieter about their religious beliefs.
In modern American society, religion has become a private part of an individual’s life. People are more comfortable with a secular approach to everyday issues. Deck believes this is evident in choosing a career instead of a vocation. A career and vocation are two different things. A vocation adds the dimension of responding to God’s call for a person’s chosen field. It has nothing to do with salaries and everything to do with faith.
“We are taught that if you do well, you will be rewarded. That is not the ultimate reality,” Deck continued.
When compared to Latinos, Americans have a great sense of individualism. Latin culture brings the fundamental ideas of family and community into the religious arena. The Catholic Church, then, is one thing in which Latinos can identify as a community of faith. This explains why Deck believes that Latinos “relate more easily and naturally to the spiritual.” The ancestry of Latinos does not hurt in this aspect either.
“They are oriented to their feelings and the mystery of nature and the reality of the world of the spiritual,” he continued.
For his eleven-month sabbatical of study, reflection and renewal, Deck took time to appreciate other cultures besides those composing Latin America. During this time, he traveled in the United States and lectured at different universities, including the University of Notre Dame. He also lived in a South Carolinian monastery for two months, and traveled across Europe. Toward the end of his journey, he spent time in the Philippines, China and Japan.
In Xiamen, on the coast of China, he spent four hours a day teaching English to Chinese middle-school teachers. He was well received and able to concentrate on his writing despite the arduous days of teaching.
When asked about the spiritual climate of the Far Eastern nations, Deck observed that religious practices, particularly of Buddhist monks, were motivated by fear. They seemed afraid that terrible things might happen to them if they did not follow religious practices. Deck does not limit this way of worship to Buddhists. He believes Americans, and a certain number of people in each religious sect are driven by fear. This thought saddens Deck who strongly believes that God is a god of love.
Deck’s points appeared to have sparked interest in audience, made obvious by the amount of questions he received after his speech. His outlook on religion from a Latino standpoint definitely struck a chord in the minds of those who were present that evening. Hopefully those who listened found the meaning they were seeking.
06-10-2006