June 16-19, 2011

from Anonymous
to almalopez310@gmail.com
date Sun, Jun 19, 2011 at 7:06 PM
subject [Alma Lopez] New comment on Our Lady of Controversy.

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Our Lady of Controversy":

I think people should know the truth about the Catholic faith!!! NOT a bunch of lies like this book is.

 

 

A ROMAN CATHOLIC

 

from Aimee
to almalopez310@gmail.com
date Sun, Jun 19, 2011 at 7:06 PM
subject [Alma Lopez] New comment on Our Lady of Controversy.

Aimee has left a new comment on your post "Our Lady of Controversy":

I am looking forward to reading your new book on the Our Lady controversy. My dissertation includes a section on the event. I am a PhD student in anthropology at UCSC. Are you still in the Bay area? I would be honored to interview you.

 

from Eduardo Diaz
to almalopez310@gmail.com
date Sun, Jun 19, 2011 at 7:06 PM
subject [Alma Lopez] New comment on New Blog.

Eduardo Diaz has left a new comment on your post "New Blog":

Alma LOpez
Im a mexican painter and I live in the east bay. A Senior Lecturer in English from Canarias "M del mar Perez Gil. invited me to place a painting about the paint "Virgin Zapatista with child" I in the same chapter she wrote about your painting "Our lady. This painting really make feel some very deep about chicano art when I saw it many year ago. I really liked it a lot. You were the one that make feel to work with the concept of the virgen of Guadalupe as comun point in chiacano culture and mine. Here is the Biography:
Paul Hardwick & David Kenedy
The Survival of Myth, Canbridge Scholars Publihing . Thanks

 

from Laura Gómez Pimentel
to almalopez310@gmail.com
date Sun, Jun 19, 2011 at 4:18 PM
subject Sé de ti

Hola, acabo de saber de tu existencia... por la controversia. ¿Interesante no?

Ya sabes, acerca de la Virgen de Guadalupe y otras queer? santas. No sé, la verdad, pensé tres veces antes de escribirte, leí tu página y algunos mails, veo que hay de todo. De cualquier forma no quiero dejar pasar la oportunidad de expresarme, finalmente yo no pierdo nada y quizá nunca tendrás tiempo de responder y comenzar un diálogo sincero con los creyentes contra quienes dices no querer atentar, los mails posteados indican entre líneas esto.

Sin embargo, tengo una pregunta, si no deseas ser ofensiva, si es válido lo que expresas, si el arte debe ser una manera de manejar emociones y presentar el mundo, si whatever... ¿porqué la comunidad LGBT se indigna tanto y acusa de tantas cosas cuando alguien se atreve a publicar cualquier cosa que levemente manifieste un dejo, un roce de crítica? Conste, no estoy diciendo que acepte la homofobia ni nada de eso, es pregunta, ¿porqué? En cambio, ¿porqué sí se atreven a, ya no digo rozar, sino manosear lo que otros consideramos sagrado? ¿Porqué manifiestan que las críticas provienen de la censura de la 'iglesia católica' (entiéndase jerarquía) y no expresan que son creyentes de a pie los que nos sentimos confundidos y lastimados con lo que dices, porqué habría de defender tu derecho a lastimarme? Es pregunta, sé que te ha redituado la actuación contestataria, sé que reditúa la controversia, es marketing, pero eso, ¿es artísticamente congruente?

Un saludo desde México y, perdona, pero no espero que me respondas, si lo haces, me sentiré complacida y feliz de poder continuar la charla.

Gracias, si me has leído.

--
Laura Gómez

 

From: Twomey, Pat (Physics) 
Sent: 17 June 2011 16:50
To: Finnegan, Nuala
Subject: Forthcoming Exhibition

Dear Prof. Finnegan,

  I'm sure you're a very busy person so I'll be very brief.  I'm a great admirer of the concept of academic freedom, freedom from censorship, freedom of speech and all that it entails but I think it's wrong to insult the deeply held religious convictions of even a tiny minority.  With all humility may I ask you to reconsider the decision to mount the "Our Lady and other Queer Santas" exhibition. Such an exhibition may give rise to a lot of negative publicity and do little to enhance the reputation of UCC.

Yours respectfully.
Pat Twomey

 

 

 

from Gonzalo.Fernandez
to almaloveslupe@gmail.com
date Thu, Jun 16, 2011 at 1:24 PM
subject !Ánimo!

Estimada Alma:
Soy amigo de "America needs Fatima", muy devoto de la Virgen y con
especial cariño en su advocación guadalupana.
Sin embargo, tampoco me parece su obra de arte tan irreverente como mis
buenos amigos de "America needs Fatima" me la habían puesto: me parece
que tiene sentido del humor y elegancia y que Nuestra Señora tanto
desde su Casita del Tepeyac como desde el Cielo sonreirá complacida
ante tan divertida gracia.
Un saludo, Alma, y rece por mí a Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe al tiempo
que rece también por Isabel y Paloma:
Gonzalo Fernández Hernández,
Área de Conocimiento de Historia Antigua,
Avenida de Blasco Ibáñez 28,
E - 46010 Valencia.

 

from Ed Wade
to "almaloveslupe@gmail.com" <almaloveslupe@gmail.com>
date Thu, Jun 16, 2011 at 11:36 AM
subject You

You are one sick chick

 

from Niamh McNamara
to Alma Lopez <almalopez310@gmail.com>
date Thu, Jun 16, 2011 at 6:49 AM
subject transatlantic controversy

Hi Alma, thought you might like to know that the controversy has arrived on Irish shores (cyber-wise anyway).

The department has been inundated with emails protesting the conference because of your images and book. They are emailing three different addresses, however, ironically one is to someone who is out on medical leave and the other (Head of Events) is in charge of publicizing events rather than actually creating/delivering them so ANF have more than likely helped build interest in attending rather than in protests. Time will tell...

I know you asked people to send photos of the protests in Oakland, would you like us to send you a copy of one of the emails? It's a generic email with very little variety, if any, between them but the university staff email has restrictive space so the secretarial office will be deleting them soon.

http://americaneedsfatima.blogspot.com/2011/06/catholics-of-ireland-attention-terrible.html

Best wishes,
Niamh

 

From: Maurice O'Brien [mailto:mauriceandjaneobrien@gmail.com] 
Sent: 16 June 2011 22:34
To: Finnegan, Nuala; Farrell, Michael (Secretary); Hill, Valerie; Mallon, Anne
Cc: office@cashel-emly.ie; socochlain@ucc.ie
Subject: Forthcoming Conference under the UCC Centre for Mexican Studies

Dear Professor Finnegan and All,

   I am writing as a member of the public to formally lodge a protest concerning the planned inclusion of the display titled: Our Lady and Other Queer Santas" and the launch of a book "Our Lady of Controversy - Alma Lopez Irreverent Apparition" at the "Chicanoconference" Event at the University's O'Rahilly Building  on June 23-25th. It is fully detailed on your websitewww.chicanoconference.ie

    I contend that the display of such  material would be blasphemous and likely to cause serious and widespread offence to adherents of Religion. It would be particularly offensive to Catholics. The University would do well to consider whether it incurs obligations in this matter in the light of the legislation in Ireland prohibiting blasphemy. Moreover to cause grave offence to large sections of the public is hardly appropriate conduct for the University and unlikely to encourage a positive view of the University.

A further question is whether the matter was debated at the highest levels in UCC ( i.e. by the full Governing Body) in consideration of the gratuitous insult which would be offered to the Catholic Religion by this event. What is the University's  Policy on such matters?.

 

    From my knowledge of Mexican Culture I would say such a presentation would seriously misrepresent the attitudes and disposition of the majority of Mexicans. The Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe is held in high regard throughout the Americas and has been a place of pilgrimage for the Christians of the Continent for centuries.

    I call on UCC to withdraw the planned inclusion of the blasphemous excerpts.

     I am putting on copy both the office of the Archbishop of Cashel Most Rev Dr. Clifford, the foremost representative of the Catholic Community in the Munster Area and Fr.S. O'Cochlain,  Catholic Chaplin to UCC. Please note that the entire Catholic Community, lay and clerical would be insulted by the outrageous display which is presently contemplated.

   It is ironic that the planned display is to take place in a University building named after a past President of UCC who was an outstanding example of Christian commitment and himself became a distinguished cleric after his retirement from the College. 

      Kindly acknowledge this email with your comments.

        Yours faithfully
  
         Maurice O'Brien