1. Catholic Beliefs in Pedro Páramo
By Alex Rihm and Tessa Waldhausen

2. The Seven Sacraments
• “An outward and visible sign of an inward and invisible Grace”
Baptism (wipes out Original Sin, must for Heaven)
Confirmation (bestows the Holy Spirit at app. age)
Holy Eucharist (Communion)
Penance (Confession - for sins other than Original Sin)
Anointing of the Sick (Last Rites = Eucharist, Penance, Anointment)
Holy Orders (Deacons, Priests, Bishops)
Matrimony
• Except for baptism, only ordained members of the clergy may administer sacraments

3. The Role of the Priest Forgiving sins Performing the Eucharist
Acts as a vessel of God
Main intercessor between the people and God
Seven Sacraments
Only a priest can grant penance and administer last rites
Only a Bishop can perform confirmation

4. Absolution Forgiveness of sins, penance
A priest can refuse absolution
Refusal or postponing of absolution
When a penitent has gone a long time since last confessing
When a penitent seems unworthy of absolution

5. Priestly Intercession
Act as a vessel of God
God’s answering machine on Earth
Make Christ present in every moment of life
Use of sacraments to keep the Church present in everyday life

6. The Wages of Sin Types of Sin Venial Sins (forgivable)
Can be left unconfessed.
Mortal Sins (condemn you to Hell unless confessed)
Penance: after confession of sin and absolution by priest, eternal punishment eliminated, but temporal punishment still in place. One must do penance to remit this temporal punishment = praying and being remorseful.
Types of Indulgences
Plenary: remits all temporal punishment for sin
Ex: Praying the Rosary in a Church or Family, praying the stations of the Cross in a Church, devoutly kissing the Cross on Good Friday
Partial: remits some of the temporal punishment for sin

7. The Afterlife
Death --> Immediate Judgment --> Heaven, Hell, Purgatory
Final Judgment: Jesus returns, World Ends, New Heaven and New Earth
Heaven: If you die in a state of grace, have confessed all your sins and not sinned again since confession, and have paid all your penance in life --> Straight to Heaven
Hell: For those who freely chose to reject God and his love. An everlasting separation from God.
Purgatory: Temporary state of purification for the soul who has been assigned to Heaven, but still must complete penance for earthly sins.

8. Intercession for the Dead
Obtain a plenary indulgence for a dead person --> straight to Heaven
Prayers offered on behalf of dead - accelerates the process of purification
Gregorian Masses (expensive)
Can only be offered for 1 person at a time
Must be offered for 30 consecutive days.

9. Pedro Páramo
Priestly intercession: Offering Pedro’s money for Miguel to God
“Only you know whether this is the price. A for me, Lord, I throw myself at your feet to ask for the justice or injustice that any of us may ask…” (26)
Role of the Bishop: Confirmation
“None of us still living is in God’s grace… At least that’s what the Bishop said. He came through here some time ago giving confirmation… he rode off on his mule, his face hard, without looking back, as if he was leaving an image of damnation behind him. He’s never come back” (52).
Last Rites
“This isn’t a confession, Susana. I’ve just come to talk with you. To prepare you for death… I will leave you in peace, Susana. As you repeat these words I tell you, you will drift off, as if you were crooning yourself to sleep. And once you are asleep, no one will wake you… You will never wake again” (113).

10. Pedro Páramo Absolution: Refusal or forgiveness
“No, Father, my hands are not sufficiently clean to grant you absolution. You will have to go elsewhere to find that…You cannot continue to consecrate others if you yourself are in sin” (71).
“Can you pardon what you’ve done?” “I can’t, padre. But you can. That’s why I’m here.” “Well, you won’t go to Heaven now. May God forgive you.” (74)
“Any of you who feel you are without sin may take Holy Communion tomorrow” (75).

11. Pedro Páramo
Wanderers in purgatory - only one priest to perform Last Rites, must perform penance in purgatory
“And that’s why this place is swarming with spirits: hordes of restless souls who died without forgiveness […]” (52).
Mortal sin
Eduviges’ suicide
“So many good acts stored up for her salvation, and then to lose them like that, all at once!” (31).
Donis’ sister feels the weight of her unforgiven mortal sin:
“Don’t you see my sin? Don’t you see those purplish spots? Like impetigo? I’m covered with them. And that’s only on the outside; inside, I’m a sea of mud” (51).
Donis’ sister: living hell, sin is eating her away causing her physical death

12. Pedro Páramo Attempt at a plenary indulgence for Miguel Páramo (p. 26)
“Who knows how many people are praying for him! You are alone. One prayer against thousands. And among them, some much more intense than yours - like his father’s” (28).
Prayers for the dead
“There’s so many of them and so few of us that we don’t even make the effort to pray for them anymore, to help them out of their purgatory. We don’t have enough prayers to go around. Maybe a few words of the Lord’s Prayer for each one. But that’s not going to do them any good. Then there are our sins on top of theirs. None of us still living is in God’s grace. We can’t lift up our eyes, because they’re filled with shame” (52).

13. Works Consulted http://www.medjugorjeusa.org/gregorianmasses.htm