SPIRITUALITY
Spirituality and religion were recurring themes in the texts of this course. In many early towns the presence of religious institutions helped to provide a foundation for the larger community. Religious belief and practice as well as upbringing were defining characteristics in the lives of some women.
| Shadows on the Rock by Willa Cather. Though religion is not a main focus in this book, the setting of this book helps to illustrate the role that religion held in early French communities. The setting of the book is Quebec city, which featured a number of religious centers and organizations. Religious figures also held powerful positions in the social structure of the community, and acted as authority figures within the settlement. |
| My Mother's Walls by Lanette Landry Petrie. In Petrie's account of her mother's walls, religious belief emerges as an important factor in her mother's life. Religious pictures are on several walls in her mother's house, showing the relationship between family and spiritual belief. Within her family it was also important to obtain a Catholic education, which was one way that the author was impacted by the beliefs of her elders. |
| Nuns/Early Pioneers: In the early part of the semester we also spent time reading about Catholic women who came to North America in order to bring their faith and help to the new world. These women played numerous roles in many communities including New Orleans and the early Quebec settlement. |
