Today we observe All Souls’ Day, after All Saints’ Day, two solemn religious holidays that are a significant element of Philippine culture, referred to, collectively as todos los santos, undas, and in Cebuano, kalag-kalag. Starting last weekend, people started trooping to the different cemeteries, here in the city or in their hometowns. To avoid the traffic rush, I made sure to have the lapida or tombstone marking my husband’s grave, together with the remains of my father and mother, refurbished and repainted and decked with fresh flowers before prices for these services increased for this holiday observance. Then, I shall pray for them and other departed relatives and friends tomorrow at anticipated Sunday Mass. May all their souls and the other departed rest in God’s peace.
In previous years when my annual visits to my children in the States would extend through November and Thanksgiving Day, I would also participate in my grandchildren’s excitement over grinning pumpkins, and “trick or treat” visits in the neighborhood for Halloween. However, I would remind them also of the religious significance of All Hallows’ Eve, now “secularized”, even “commercialized” into Halloween with them costumed as ghosts, witches and other horror figures.
After Cebu was spared from Typhoon Ofel which ravaged parts of Luzon, Eastern Visayas, and Mindanao, I am sure we all watched aghast on TV last Wednesday and in the papers the next day, the incredible devastation brought on by Hurricane Sandy in 11 states in the US northeast, particularly New York City and Washington, D. C. where many Filipinos live and work. Thankfully, adequate warnings and preparations before Sandy hit land have resulted in fewer fatalities than would have been expected. It’s a lesson we in the country should take to heart, with our sometimes “wait-until-it-happens” attitude.
In the devastation Sandy inflicted, the whole frontage of a building was ruined, revealing four rooms completely intact with furnishings and picture frames on the wall (!). A fire (in a raining typhoon?) wiped out a section of the Queens district of New York City. Everyone monitoring the telecast, particularly we in the broadcasting industry, admired the professionalism of on-the-scene reporters, men and women doing their job despite the chill wind threatening to blow off caps, and as they struggled against the onrush of flooding waters here they stand. Kudos!
This onslaught of Hurricane Sandy has temporarily cramped the election campaigning, what with US Election Day come Nov. 6th next week.
With the canonization of St. Pedro Calungsod, and the visit around parts of the country of his official image which figured in his canonization Rome, we look forward to honoring him on Nov. 30 in his templete to be hopefully completed by then at the South Road Properties. By the way, did you know that our new saint, when he was then Blessed Pedro Calungsod, was included in the impressive historical, religious and cultural monument by Philippine sculptor Castrillo at Cebu’s Parian?
Cebu Daily News’ Jose “Jobers” Bersales and The Freeman’s Bobit Avila shared their memories of the canonization on their visits to Rome in their respective columns, which I hope you also read. They brought back memories of my earlier three or four visits to Rome and Italy, thanks to a couple of Stateside grants and my late daughter Raquel.
Now for the Zonta and Cebu Council Girls Scouts of the Philippines meetings I attended last month.
Our Zonta Club of Cebu general membership meeting last Oct. 18th under our newly-elected president Lucille Colina took up administrative concerns regarding organization and membership. We also discussed details of a projected 44th anniversary celebratory trip to Zonta past president Rufia Tanchan’s place in Barili on Nov. 10th.
The next day, Oct. 19th, we held our 4th Executive Committee and 2nd Council Board meetings of our Cebu Council of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines. Significantly, the day was also the 65th anniversary of our Cebu Council.