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The strong religious orientation of Newfoundland traditional cuhure, including its
expressive behaviours and fonns, appear to be typical among maritime people. I In Tilting,
my question as to the means of confidence and protection from the danger of braving the
sea prior to motor boats and modem equipment, received an automatic answer: "they'd go
oul and Ihey had the faith."2 Faith was sustained by a number of attending practices and
beliefs. On visiting the cabin of a longliner, I found a small bottle of holy water, a
religious piclUre with the words "bless us, Father, ere we go" and some medals fixed by
the wheel. To Ihis day, holy water is kept in a large aluminium container placed in fronl of
the church nave for individual tapping. Some houses have several smaller receptacles fixed
to the wall, and filled from this supply. From several elderly ladies in the community, I
heard of the practice of "shaking the holy water," or dipping one's fingers and making the
sign of the cross. My host explained that she did so before entering her bed at night and
during a storm.] She signed herself from a receptacle hanging in the porch each time she
len her house, even, she said, when going to the grocer's only a hundred yards away.
Religious pictures and objects are displayed in practically every community house, and
provide much of the interior decoration. Of all representations, the most common are those
of Mary's Immaculate Heart and the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Both show tortured and
bleeding heans, with flames and lovebeams radiating from them: the first represents the
Blessed Virgin's heart pierced by a dagger and !.he other, Christ's head bleeding under a
crown of thorns. The dedication printed underneath this sizeable frame undersigned by
each member of the household and the parish priest suggests the assurance of His
protection in return for faith and fidelity to the Church:
The Sacred Hean of Jesus has been solemnly enthroned in this home on
Ihe 22nd day of May 1957 by the consecration to Him of all the members
of the family present or absent, living or dead. By this act of love and
reparation we desire to recognize Jesus as our Lord and Master. We
accept in their entirety the Commandments of God and of his Holy
Church; we express our horror at the sacrilegious violation of his
Sovereign Rights by individuals, by families and by nations; wt"condemn
the attacks upon the holy laws of Christian marriage, and finally we
submit with our whole heart and mind to the authority of Ihe Roman
Pontiff Ollr Holy Father the Pope. Filled with gratitude for the honour
which Jesus confers on us by coming to take up his abode with us, we
1Lacroix 13.
2From personal ficldnOICS.
3Scc also Lacroix 25 and 46; MUNFLA FSC 63·00lu.