Talk:Folk Catholicism

I've been curious
One thing I've long been curious about is:

Does each Spanish-speaking country have it's own form of Folk Catholicism? Gringo300 01:00, 31 May 2005 (UTC)
 * I think in some sense. Aztec, Mayan, and Incan tradition has sometimes been included within Folk Catholicism, Day of the Dead is a perfect example. I think Latin American is more about region than country. --Willthacheerleader18 (talk) 12:24, 14 November 2010 (UTC)

minor expansion of article
I expanded this article slightly, based on a couple of considerations:

1. The original article described folk Catholicism as "deviating" from official orthodoxy. Maybe this is a quibble, but to my ear the word "deviating" sounds judgmental (not the aimed-for neutral pov), so I rewrote it to state that varieties of folk Catholicism "often vary" from orthodoxy.

2. I point out that there are practices that can be identified by neutral observers as "folk Catholic" in every Catholic community. The practices in Latin America and the Caribbean are often identified (even stigmatized) as Folk Catholicism because they vary from the practices familiar to European Catholics, but Catholicism in Europe is equally rooted in local ("folk") customs.

If someone wants to expand this article, it could also be pointed out that many standard Catholic celebrations such as Christmas have their origins in "folk" accommodations to pre-Christian local celebrations in Europe.

Finally, to answer the question posed by "Gringo300," I would say that the essence of "folk Catholicism" is the adaption of standard Catholic practice to local conditions. In this sense, not only does each country have its own form, but each Catholic community (not only Spanish-speaking, but also French-, Polish-, Irish-, German-, and English-speaking communities) has its own folk forms of Catholicism. Potosino 14:09, 9 December 2006 (UTC)

Oddly specific line
"Modern folk Catholic beliefs and practices include miracle stories about priests in Ireland, stories about apparitions of the Virgin Mary and other saints in Spain, and folk practices surrounding vows to saints in Latin America and Europe."

Miracle stories are ubiquitous in Catholic saints (both recognized and unrecognized), many of whom were priests, so they are not exclusive of Ireland. Marian apparitions also lists examples in several countries other than Spain, and are not even exclusive of Catholicism.--Menah the Great (talk) 02:57, 23 November 2013 (UTC)

Apparitions...
The Church either approves or condemns individual apparitions, however the approval of an apparition is not dogmatic therefore one could be a completely faithful Catholic without believing in particular approved apparitions without contradicting one's Catholic Faith. However, the article cites Medjugorje, which is a condemned apparition. Perhaps Fatima or Lourdes would be better examples? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 103.9.42.136 (talk) 11:22, 8 February 2014 (UTC)
 * Hi, 103. I was trying to think of some gray areas of Catholic devotional practice that might fit the definition of "folk Catholicism".  While Medjugorje has indeed been condemned by at least two of the local ordinaries, the pontiff may take several more months before he makes the final decision on the Vatican commission's report.  So while the Church does indeed either approve or condemn individual apparitions, it doesn't do so overnight.  The root of the problem with the article is that its definition of "folk Catholicism" needs to be made more clear.  (I'm not sure I could accept some anthropologist's definition if it tried to say that Voodoo, for example, is a form of Catholicism, because it isn't.)  --71.178.50.222 (talk) 00:22, 9 February 2014 (UTC)

Considerations in the Article
There is a distinct lack of citations in the article. Sources are listed but not referenced and the only piece with citations comes at the very end and all together. The sources (not necessarily the references) seem like they would be reliable ones but there is no way to verify that those sources informed the article since they are not cited. The article states that the Church considers the death cult in Mexico as blasphemous but the article it is referencing does not say the Church but talks about a cardinal of the Church. And he seems to be trying to separate the Church from the drug cartels more than anything else. BrightestTwilight (talk) 22:26, 5 February 2018 (UTC)

Should be expanded
suggestions: there is an en.wiki article on a cathedral in Marseille called Notre Dame de something or other, with an extensive description of all the offerings left with prayers about the sea by sailors. Also, Acoma and Laguna Pueblo have a procession of the Virgin Mary. The virgin of Guadeloupe should probably also be mentioned Elinruby (talk) 08:45, 19 July 2022 (UTC)