My Grandmother, Thomistic Theology & Brother Edwin Reggio, C.S.C.

Brother Edwin Reggio,C.S.C. &  María de los Dolores Reyes de Irureta Goyena

 

In that last century I was not only a photographer. I was a writer, too. It was frustrating to write as I was often told not to get too personal and to stick to my subject.

Now my daily blog is my personal magazine. I am the publisher, editor (not a very good one I have been told), writer, art director and photographer. I can do as I please and I relish doing just that.

I often write here that what makes us human is our ability to associate disparate subjects. I will do that, lots here.

Because my mother, for most of her life when we left Buenos Aires in 1952 for Mexico City, and even before then, was a busy teacher trying to make ends meet. My grandmother was the person who educated me. My father had voluntarily left the house in Buenos Aires in 1950 as he was a serious alcoholic.

 I will write about her and Brother Edwin Reggio, C.S.C.  They were the two responsible for whatever small amount of wisdom I may have.

My abuelita never told me, “Alex, don’t do that.” It was always, “Alex, if you do that, you will have these consequences.” Even though I adored her she often told me that you inherited a family but chose your friends. She was a devout Roman Catholic so she was able to inspire me to the teachings of that doctor and evangelist that was St. Luke. Believing in religion or not does not diminish the wisdom of “Nobody is a prophet in their own land” or “Do this in remembrance of me.” She quoted lots from Don Quijote and from the Argentine prose poem Martín Fierro. One of my fave of her suggestions was when I complained I was bored. "Chúpate el codo." That translates to, "Suck your elbow."

I find it astounding that before my abue died in 1970 she met my Rosemary. And of course my Rosemary met Brother Edwin Reggio, C.S.C. whom I had first met in 1958.

Brother Edwin taught me many things but there is one day in our religion class (it should have been called Thomistic Theology) that will be forever with me. We liked to waste time (so we thought) by asking Brother Edwin silly question to get him off his lesson plan for the day. We asked, “Brother Edwin, did Hitler and Judas go to hell?”

His answer, in this age of hate and criticism, is an apt reminder for me to moderate my criticism and stay away from politics and religion.

He said, ““Class, when we are born, part of us is an indelible and inherent quality I call human dignity. It is part of our distinct soul. We are born and die with it no matter what we do or not do with our life.No I don’t know if Hitler and Judas are in hell."

The Man that Was Brother Edwin 

I will never while I am alive ever say, “I hate so & so.”

Wisdom imparted by two important mentors of my life.