How we cite our quotes: (Section.Paragraph)
Quote #1
"[W]ith all the money we spent to bury your grandfather, and the tithes we've paid to the church, we don't have anything left." (7.12)
This quote, from Pedro's mother, shows that the Páramos are devout and had enough money to participate in religious life… but that the Church took so much of their money that they're now flat broke.
Quote #2
He stopped by the shelf where the picture of the Sacred Heart stood and found twenty-four centavos. (7.17)
This spatial juxtaposition—of a religious image and some pocket change—sets the tone for the love-hate relationship between religion and money for the rest of the novel.
Quote #3
He placed a handful of gold coins on the prie-dieu and got to his feet: "Take this as a gift for your church." (13.14)
Here Pedro shows that he is able to buy everything he wants—both on earth and in heaven. It doesn't matter what evil his son might have committed: It can be remedied with cold, hard cash.
Quote #4
Father Rentería picked up the coins, one by one, and walked to the altar.
"These are Yours," he said. "He can afford to buy salvation. Only you know whether this is the price. As for me, Lord, I throw myself at your feet to ask for the justice or injustice that any of us may ask… For my part, I hope you damn him to hell." (13.14-16)
Father Rentería is a weakling. Since Pedro Páramo has more economic power than he does, the Father is at Páramo's mercy. Here we see Rentería pathetically asking the Lord to damn Miguel's soul to hell, even after Pedro has essentially bought his son's way into heaven.
Quote #5
He walked to the sacristy, threw himself into a corner, and sat there weeping with grief and sorrow until his tears were exhausted.
"All right, Lord. You win," he said. (13.18-19)
This scene is very ambiguous. Father Rentería is struggling with his choice over whether he should pardon Miguel's soul or not, and his guilt over accepting Pedro's money. It's unclear what he means when he said that the Lord has won. But hey, it's a drop of in the spooky ambiguity bucket that is Pedro Páramo. No one said a haunted Mexican town was going to be straightforward.
Quote #6
"Let us give thanks to the Lord our God, who has taken him from this earth where he caused such harm; what does it matter if He lifted him to His heaven?" (14.26)
Father Rentería finally decided to pardon Miguel. Here tries to excuse himself to his niece (who was raped by Miguel) by acting as though it doesn't matter whether or not an evil person is forgiven or not. There's one tiny problem: all the innocent lower-class people who aren't forgiven and who are doomed to wander Comala forever.
Quote #7
It's all my fault, he told himself. Everything that's happening. Because I'm afraid to offend the people who provide for me. It's true; I owe them my livelihood. I get nothing from the poor, and God knows prayers don't fill a stomach. That's how it's been up to now. And we're seeing the consequences. (16.4)
This look into Father Rentería's thoughts shows that he honestly understands his mistakes and his weaknesses, even if he can't fix them. Aww. We kind of feel bad for him… until we remember that he's condemned the impoverished members of his community to purgatory or worse.
Quote #8
"I mean maybe, just perhaps, with Gregorian masses. But for that we would need help, have to bring priests here. And that costs money."
And there before my eyes was the face of María Dyada, a poor woman still ripe with children.
"I don't have the money. You know that, Father."
"Let's leave things as they are. Let us put our hope in God."
"Yes, Father."
Why did she look courageous in her resignation? And what would it have cost him to grant pardon when it was so easy to say a word or two—or a hundred if a hundred were needed to save a soul? (16.12-17)
This tearjerker of a negotiation explains why Eduviges is still in Comala. It also lets us see how Father Rentería treats the poor people of the town: as though they were buying a car on Craigslist instead of trying to save their souls.
Quote #9
"The priest wants sixty pesos to overlook the matter of the banns. I told him he'd get it in due time. He says he needs it to fix the altar, and that his dining room table is on its last legs. I promised that we'd send him a new table. He says you never come to mass. I promised him you would. And since your grandmother died, he says, no one ever here has tithed. I told him not to worry. He'll go along." (22.1)
More wheeling and dealing here—Father Rentería knows how to work Pedro, allowing him to get away with some sins, or play hooky at mass, as long as he pays the price.
Quote #10
"Tell them to go away. Have they come for money for the Gregorian masses? She didn't leave any money. Tell them that, Justina. Will she have to stay in purgatory if they don't say those masses? Who are they to mete out justice, Justina?" (41.13)
Susana is the only one with the guts to stand up to Father Rentería and the Church, distrusting their authority to decide who will go to heaven or not. Susana calls it like she sees it: Rich evil people can pay to get into heaven, while poor righteous people have to suffer for eternity.