ARTICLES

Strongest Catholics

Why It's Filipinos at Daily Mass

By Robert Kumpel

Once part of Mexico, San Diego was named for a Franciscan saint whose remains are interred in Spain. Father Junipero Serra founded the first of California's missions here in 1769. Father Luis Jayme was martyred by the Indians a few years later. In San Diego it only makes sense that Mexicans would be the most stalwart Catholics in the diocese -- right?

Wrong. At parishes throughout the diocese, the most faithful Catholics are often Filipinos.

On a Friday night during Lent, forty Filipinos ranging in age from 4 to 74 pack the living room of a townhouse in Mira Mesa to pray the rosary, pray the stations of the cross, and sing devotional hymns, facing a homemade shrine of 25 statues and framed images of Jesus, Mary, and saints. The Miraculous Santo Niño Block Rosary Group has been meeting every Friday and Saturday night since 1979. After nearly two hours of reverent prayer and song, hardly anyone can wait to sample the potluck dishes in the patio. As I enter the front door, I am met with smiles and offers of food.

Dado Namcillo is a retired Navy man who plays in a folk group that is committed to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in San Ysidro, St. Joseph's Cathedral, downtown, and Our Lady of the Rosary in Little Italy. He is one of the founding members of this block rosary. "It's like going from one block to another. We go from one private home to another. Sometimes we meet in North County or East County or South Bay."

Namcillo came to San Diego from the Philippines in the Navy in 1954. In his view, Filipinos are more committed to Mass attendance than other groups because of history. "When the Spaniards liberated the Philippines, Christianity was introduced, and there was no other religion. Magellan gave an image of the Holy Infant Jesus -- the Santo Niño -- to the wife of the Rajah, who was like the king."

"'Conquest' is the word known by the whole people from generation to generation, but to me, it was a liberation. We were liberated from paganism."

As a folk group member, Namcillo is aware of older liturgical music styles, but he and guitarist Ed Oli seem convinced that the current, pop-sounding religious songs are what the Church prefers. "Within this prayer group, we started because at every prayer session, we have gospel songs between the mysteries of the rosary. The majority of them are from the Glory and Praise books, and Breaking Bread, and this one." He holds up a copy of Today's Missal Music Issue published by Oregon Catholic Press. "I guess we don't come under the more traditional music."

Filipinos like Namcillo seem to go along with changes in Catholic worship. One explanation for this might be their respect for priests combined with a gentle nature. "The changes have been made ... we were told by a priest himself that the changes have come because of ... not church necessities, but ... 'pastoral necessities.' I don't know if that is true. I still do things the old traditional way. Like communion. I don't take it in the hand. It makes me feel holy to do it the old way."

Erlinda Amarento is the host for this evening's rosary. Amarento thinks that the difference in Filipino Catholics is faith and catechesis. "Not all Filipinos are close to the Catholic faith either. There are many Protestants now and Jehovah's Witnesses. I think it depends on how the person was brought up and if they understand their Catholic faith, because there are a lot of people I have talked to who were born Catholic and brought up Catholic but as they grew older, something happened to them that changed their mind and made them change their religion. My mom was very strong and was always explaining everything to us and always let us know that everything we enjoyed came from God. I have two kids that I'm bringing up, and I let them know that everything we are enjoying, our good health -- not so much the material things -- I teach them that this comes from Him."

Amerento's friend, Virgie Cataulin, jumps in and again the topic of history comes up. "Magellan was the one who introduced the Catholic religion to the Philippines. Thank God we were brought up that way. Your experience will increase your faith. If you pray to God and pray to the saints, they will answer your prayer."

Like Amarento, Cataulin does not take it for granted that all Filipinos will be faithful Catholics. As our discussion turns to politics, I ask her how it is that a people so devoted to the Catholic faith can vote for pro-abortion candidates. "Are you pro-abortion? Because I'm not! Some Filipinos are kind of joining the bandwagon -- their friends are pro-abortion, so they go along with it, but I don't do that. I believe what I believe."

Amarento is a member of a group devoted to Our Lady of Lourdes, one of many devotions that stand out among Filipino Catholics. "I wear a uniform every first Saturday. I made a promise that I would always wear it then. It's a white dress with a blue sash." Another popular devotion among Filipinos is to the Sacred Heart. Devotees are often spotted at Mass wearing a large red scapular. "That's a promise, too."

Like Namcillo, Amarento prefers tradition to innovation. "I go to Holy Rosary -- I mean, Our Lady of the Rosary, downtown. Sometimes I go to Good Shepherd here too, but I sing in the folk group at Our Lady of the Rosary. Each parish has something in mind. Some people who live in this area seem to like a plain church, but I like a church where it looks holy and there is something to look on while you are praying. The block rosary is a great tradition. In the Philippines, each block had a rosary group, which is how it got its name. Most of the families are Catholic, so every night they would go from house to house to honor the Blessed Virgin. Here we go from one friend's house to another."

Amarento points out the saints in her living room shrine. "There is only one Blessed Mother, but she is known by many different titles. That's Our Lady of Peace, Our Lady of the Rosary, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Our Lady of Remedy, Our Lady of Fatima, Our Lady of Lourdes, Our Lady of Manaoag. There are different titles of the Santo Niño, with different titles based on where he appeared. This one is the original that Magellan brought to the Philippines. This one is the Santo Niño of Suerte. This is the Santo Niño Pescador, for fishermen. This one, Santo Niño Atocha, is known in Mexico. When he appeared on the streets of Mexico, he appeared poor, and this is what he was wearing. San Lorenzo Ruiz, over here, was the first Filipino saint. Over here is St. Peregrine, patron of cancer patients. This is Santa Lucia. The graces we've received from our devotion to these images is something unexplainable. It's out of this world."

Ed Oli thinks that Catholic parenting makes the difference for Filipino families. "We have the small children lead the prayers. We teach them the rosary at an early age. Because of the strong family ties, everybody recognizes their father and mother and treats them with respect. The parents respect the child, and there's a mutual respect God can work there, and it brings strength to the faith. A lot of us can say that we don't have time for Mass and for prayer, but we make the time. It's not always an easy thing, but somehow we are always here." Cataulin agrees. "I'm so proud of the kids here who already know how to say the rosary."

The craving for tradition is more apparent when the tape recorder is turned off. I'm barraged with questions: Why do they hide the tabernacles in our churches now? How do we know which way to genuflect? How come no one has the forty hours devotion any more? Why are there so many eucharistic ministers when the priests can do it?

In Paradise Hills, St. Michael's Church sits nestled in a residential neighborhood. The majority of St. Michael's parishioners are Filipino. On this Sunday, the vestibule and cry room are filled with people at the 11 a.m. Mass, with many forced to stand outside the doors and listen.

Mina Barona sits at a table in the shade outside the church, ready to sell prayerbooks, rosaries and scapulars as keepsakes for a new First Communion class. Barona came to San Diego in 1977. "I grew up in the Philippines as a Catholic, and that's what I want my children to be. My parents brought us up Catholic because that's the number one religion in the Philippines. We were discovered by the Spanish Catholics, so that's how I grew up."

Barona sees little difference between the Church in the Philippines and the Church in the United States. "It's almost the same. I think in the Philippines, they make more observance, like at Christmas. In the Philippines, we like the folk Mass too. It's livelier. We have the organ there, too -- same thing as here. Even when we were there, they mixed English and Latin at Mass. I tell that to my sons."

In spite of her Catholic upbringing, Barona is pro-choice. "I think it's up to the individual. It's against my religion, but I cannot answer what ... uh ... I am kind of against it."

"Anna," 34, stands outside the cry room with her five-year-old daughter who takes off on a run every few minutes. "I don't really belong to the parish, but I usually attend Mass here. All of my family is Catholic, and we've just been brought up like this. We like going to church every Sunday. Even when we were in the Philippines, it's like a tradition. I came here from the Philippines three years ago. We were brought up to be very religious people. We have strong traditions, like in Advent season, we do a lot of fasting. I don't think most Americans do that."

Reflecting on the struggle between Cardinal Jaime Sin and former president Ferdinand Marcos, Anna thinks the Catholic culture of the Philippines helped bring Marcos down. "We believe more in religion than in politics or government. They want to pray more rather than believe in politics."

When asked if she is pro-life, Anna is initially confused. "No I am not. Wait! Do you mean do I believe in abortion? I don't. I'm against abortion. I don't know about how others vote, but it affects how I vote. I prefer politicians who are more religious. If they are parishioners and go to church more then they must believe in God more, so I believe in them."

After hearing her criteria for political support, I inform her that Assemblyman Juan Vargas attends Mass every Sunday with his family, yet votes for pro-abortion and pro-homosexual legislation. "Really? I don't think you can call yourself a Catholic and keep those things separate. If you believe in God, you shouldn't believe in hurting someone who's not yet born."

Rodelio Dantes, 51, thinks Filipinos cling to their faith so well because of family. "We are brought up to believe in God. The majority of us are Catholics. I came to the United States from the Philippines in 1989."

Although he remembers the problems of the Marcos regime, he is reluctant to credit the Church for the change of government. "I strongly believe that in politics, they should not be involving themselves. We should always pray for the betterment of our government, but it is the people's decision. Government is different from religion."

His views on abortion are ambivalent. "I don't believe in abortion, but I have a friend -- not really a friend -- I know somebody that found that their baby had Down's syndrome. I think they already had an abortion, but maybe it's for the best. Generally, I think once it's conceived, it's already a human being. I don't know about how others vote. When I am voting, if they are pro-choice, I don't like them. It's amazing that in politics, let's say that you kill someone who is pregnant, then it's 'Oh, you murdered a child!' But abortion is murder too."

Edward Dauz, 23, was born in San Diego and graduated recently from UCSD. He works with disturbed children at the San Diego Center for Children and lives at home. He has already been to Mass this morning and is standing outside, waiting for a friend in the church. "I think it's our upbringing that makes us strong Catholics. You have to respect your elders and all that, and it applies to religion too. I went to public school and they're religion-free, so my parents always brought me to church. They made me go to CCD, and I was required to become confirmed as a Catholic. Every year, my whole block has a rosary for each house -- a block rosary. If I'm home from work, I'll go to that."

After looking at videotapes from his parents' vacation to the Philippines, Dauz noticed a big difference between the Church there and in the U.S. "They have patron saints for each city and things like that. I've never been there."

Dauz is reluctant to qualify his position on abortion. "I'm like, in-between. It depends on the situation. If someone got raped and they don't want to keep the kid, then they have the right to, uh, not have it. But if it was like an accident, like, premarital sex and they don't want it, then I don't think so. My political views are sometimes different from the Church. It's probably my college upbringing.

St. Michael's pastor, Father Ron Cochran, seems uncomfortable when asked why Filipinos thrive in the Catholic faith while other ethnic groups tend to secularize. "I've been instructed not to judge. I think Filipinos are delightful people. I love to see such heavy Mass attendance in all age groups I don't understand a lot of their culture yet, and they don't understand some of mine. I've only been the pastor here since November, so you should come back and ask me again in 12 years!"

The 32nd St. Naval Base's Catholic chaplain, Father John McKenzie, O.S.B., says Filipinos' faithfulness is a part of an ethnic integrity. "They have a great sense of doing the right thing. They're very community-oriented. Wherever they go, whether it's church, work, anywhere, they are always a very positive influence. If you look at the Navy itself, they are very good workers. They are very dedicated and have a great sense of commitment. No matter what ethnic group they are with, they are real team players. They get along very well."

Father McKenzie thinks the Church was essential in avoiding a bloody revolution when President Marcos lost the 1986 election to Corazon Aquino. "Cardinal Sin saved that country from a civil war. He appealed for calm. He asked everyone to take a sensible approach, and because of that, there was a peaceful transition of government."

"I've been to the Philippines twice and I'd go back in a heartbeat. I loved it. They're very kind people and are very family-oriented. Children are very precious to them."

The topic of children turns the conversation to Filipino voting patterns and abortion once again. Father McKenzie: "A lot of the Filipinos I know support the pro-life candidates. Here's the thing: My people settled in Boston when they came over from Ireland, yet if you look at the Boston area, a lot of Catholics will support Edward Kennedy. If you bring up that Edward Kennedy has a pro-abortion voting record, they'll say, 'Oh, that's tragic -- but there are other issues.' The Filipinos that I have known have transcended that. They don't block-vote like the ancestors in Boston would do. If it's there, I don't know of it, because the ones I know have taken a pro-life stand."

Another Benedictine, Father Stephanos Pedrano at Prince of Peace Abbey, a Filipino himself, claims that he grew up as a Navy brat "out of touch with the Filipino culture," but his observations suggest he understands the culture quite well. "Thanks to Spain, the Philippines had no Protestant missionaries -- they came with the U.S. government. Is this to give credit to 350 plus years under the Spaniards? Did the passage from Spanish to U.S. government after the Spain-American War have some sort of paradoxical side-effect of confirming the material expressions of Catholic culture? This would all make a great socio-religious dissertation or thesis!

"I do know that devotional life is still strong in the Filipino culture. For instance, Good Friday is a national holiday when everything closes and everyone fills the streets, going on foot to visit church after church after church for much of the day. But my soul is more U.S. than Filipino."

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