Filipino Catholics,sacraments and catholic faith.

[Dhugz]

Just want to share practice of the Filipino catholics in our country that most maybe 70-80 percent don’t go to confession before receiving the communion. Most will attend only the mass for if there is great feasts like, black nazarene etc, also on Palm sunday only, many do not know the importance of the sacraments, like confession, confirmation, marriage and anointing of the sick. Some will attend mass only for devotion to a saint like Mary, some will attend the mass for healing and miracles, some will attend mass only for the blessings of the palm, oil, and water on easter sunday. Some believe that they will just attend the Mass for the forgiveness of their sins, some believe that St. May is God, Many filipino catholics do not participate in the Parish programs, Many Catholics believes in faith healers or those witch doctors. Many of us here also are using contraception, and are unaware that it is a mortal sin. And, many things beyond the Catholic Faith.

I amaze when I read many things in this forum, American or the english speaking catholics are very aware of our catholic theolgy and beliefs.

 

[ConstantineTG]

Just want to share practice of the Filipino catholics in our country that most maybe 70-80 percent don’t go to confession before receiving the communion. Most will attend only the mass for if there is great feasts like, black nazarene etc, also on Palm sunday only, many do not know the importance of the sacraments, like confession, confirmation, marriage and anointing of the sick. Some will attend mass only for devotion to a saint like Mary, some will attend the mass for healing and miracles, some will attend mass only for the blessings of the palm, oil, and water on easter sunday. Some believe that they will just attend the Mass for the forgiveness of their sins, some believe that St. May is God, Many filipino catholics do not participate in the Parish programs, Many Catholics believes in faith healers or those witch doctors. Many of us here also are using contraception, and are unaware that it is a mortal sin. And, many things beyond the Catholic Faith.

I amaze when I read many things in this forum, American or the english speaking catholics are very aware of our catholic theolgy and beliefs.

You know when I go to Confession when I was in the Philippines, because Masses are said one after another, there’s maybe 5-10 minutes in between Masses. And confession typically starts as soon as one Mass ends. And the priest is there until around the Our Father of the next Mass when he have to leave and prepare to help in distribution of Holy Communion.

I don’t know what you are saying about no one going to confession. I always find that confession lines are long.

 

[Dhugz]

You know when I go to Confession when I was in the Philippines, because Masses are said one after another, there’s maybe 5-10 minutes in between Masses. And confession typically starts as soon as one Mass ends. And the priest is there until around the Our Father of the next Mass when he have to leave and prepare to help in distribution of Holy Communion.

I don’t know what you are saying about no one going to confession. I always find that confession lines are long.

I am speaking to majority of the filipino catholics, have you been with the churches in the provinces? Maybe you are only talking in Manila area.

 

[ConstantineTG]

I am speaking to majority of the filipino catholics, have you been with the churches in the provinces? Maybe you are only talking in Manila area.

You either put forward verifiable statistics to substantiate your claim. Otherwise, you are just making this up.

 

[johndoe100]

Yes, I know what you are talking about, because I have been married to a Filipina for the past 23 years. We have been abused and condemned by these “Holier than Thou” American Catholics. Most high class American Catholics simply do not have any tolerance or understanding for the underdogs in the Third World.

 

[Dhugz]

You either put forward verifiable statistics to substantiate your claim. Otherwise, you are just making this up.

I am verifying it as true and correct. Yes I admit that there are filipinos aware of the Catholic teachings but not all, specially if you go to the provinces many of them do not know the teachings of the church.

 

[ConstantineTG]

I am verifying it as true and correct. Yes I admit that there are filipinos aware of the Catholic teachings but not all, specially if you go to the provinces many of them do not know the teachings of the church.

Are you some sort of authority on this? Sorry, you are making unsubstantiated claim here supported only by your own word and your own observation. You don’t even have hard statistics on this. For one thing, your claims are contrary to my own experience. So now its your word vs. mine. In the grand scheme of things, we two are not authorities in this matter. So either produce HARD evidence on your claim or withdraw making such disparaging remarks on such a faithful and God-fearing people.

 

[Dhugz]

Are you some sort of authority on this? Sorry, you are making unsubstantiated claim here supported only by your own word and your own observation. You don’t even have hard statistics on this. For one thing, your claims are contrary to my own experience. So now its your word vs. mine. In the grand scheme of things, we two are not authorities in this matter. So either produce HARD evidence on your claim or withdraw making such disparaging remarks on such a faithful and God-fearing people.

I will respect your own opinion, true, that is my own observation beacuse I am part the filipino catholic community in our country, i am not disparaging or under-estimating my fellow catholics here, i just want to share all of you that many of us here are like that. I am not the one only observed it, catholic priests too in our area are aware of it. Again, its just an observation of mine. Hoping you understand that.

 

[ConstantineTG]

I will respect your own opinion, true, that is my own observation beacuse I am part the filipino catholic community in our country, i am not disparaging or under-estimating my fellow catholics here, i just want to share all of you that many of us here are like that. I am not the one only observed it, catholic priests too in our area are aware of it. Again, its just an observation of mine. Hoping you understand that.

If it is just your personal observation, then state it that way. Saying that 70-80 percent, as you did in your original post, points that what you are presenting is factual and that it is backed by a verifiable study that proves this statistic. For one thing, you do not know if it is indeed 70-80 percent. Second, you do not know if people actually go to confession or not. You know that “hiya” is a big thing in our culture and most Filipinos will not go to confession in their own parish. I in fact did that when I lived there. I traveled a long distance to go to a parish where I usually do my confession. First is because I want it to be far away from my regular parish, and second is that I found a good confessor there. Now I cannot say for certain that everyone does this and I’m sure there are some who do go to confession in their own parish, but knowing our own cultural quirks and by sharing with people, that this happen more than a few times. Besides, its normal practice for us also to go to Mass wherever. Depends where we happen to be on a Sunday.

I’m not trying to pick a fight here, but you are putting up some big claims here and you even try to put forth some statistic. Before you make such remarks, make sure that what you are putting forth is accurate and true, and if they are just your opinions then clearly state it to be your opinion. Otherwise people will have a bad image of Filipino Catholics when the piece put forth is nothing but an opinion piece by one person based on his/her own observation. You need to be fair to all Filipino Catholics.

 

[johndoe100]

I agree that we should be fair to all Filipino Catholics. When I sent for my wife’s baptism certificate my sister-in-law told me that the Catholic Church tightenen up lately. But, that was not the way it was 23 years ago when we got married over there. These American Internet Catholics with their Canon Law condemned us for not being married in Church. What a joke! Heck, there wasn’t an Internet with search engines back then. Not to mention the mud roads.

 

[Crescentinus]

A very obvious problem is the lack of priests here in the Philippines.

 

[Lapey]

A very obvious problem is the lack of priests here in the Philippines.

If there is a lack of priests there, why are so many Philipino priests in the US? It seems to me that we have so many here because there is an abundance there, am I wrong?

 

[Lapey]

Yes, I know what you are talking about, because I have been married to a Filipina for the past 23 years. We have been abused and condemned by these “Holier than Thou” American Catholics. Most high class American Catholics simply do not have any tolerance or understanding for the underdogs in the Third World.

Please describe what a “high class American Catholic” is and looks like; and be specific on how they “abused and condemned” you and your wife.

 

[Crescentinus]

If there is a lack of priests there, why are so many Philipino priests in the US? It seems to me that we have so many here because there is an abundance there, am I wrong?

I think the reason for the shortage is due to one reason, and it’s because most Filipino young guys (myself included) prefer marriage to the priesthood. Ultimately, it is God who calls people to vocations and up to us to accept a vocation.

 

[Lapey]

Just want to share practice of the Filipino catholics in our country that most maybe 70-80 percent don’t go to confession before receiving the communion. Most will attend only the mass for if there is great feasts like, black nazarene etc, also on Palm sunday only, many do not know the importance of the sacraments, like confession, confirmation, marriage and anointing of the sick. Some will attend mass only for devotion to a saint like Mary, some will attend the mass for healing and miracles, some will attend mass only for the blessings of the palm, oil, and water on easter sunday. Some believe that they will just attend the Mass for the forgiveness of their sins, some believe that St. May is God, Many filipino catholics do not participate in the Parish programs, Many Catholics believes in faith healers or those witch doctors. Many of us here also are using contraception, and are unaware that it is a mortal sin. And, many things beyond the Catholic Faith.

I amaze when I read many things in this forum, American or the english speaking catholics are very aware of our catholic theolgy and beliefs.

You could say in many ways your post describes American Catholics. I don’t believe this is a localized problem, its more like a Church wide problem. Mass attendance is somewhere in the mid to upper 20% range for the Church as a whole. Less than a third of Catholics go to Mass on Sunday.

I’ll try to find the stats I am quoting.

Update, for 2011 US Catholics; 22% report going to Mass at least once a week. The only number I see for the Philippines is for 2004 and it is much better than here in the USA at48%.

cara.georgetown.edu/CARAServices/requestedchurchstats.html

 

[Dhugz]

You could say in many ways your post describes American Catholics. I don’t believe this is a localized problem, its more like a Church wide problem. Mass attendance is somewhere in the mid to upper 20% range for the Church as a whole. Less than a third of Catholics go to Mass on Sunday.

I’ll try to find the stats I am quoting.

Update, for 2011 US Catholics; 22% report going to Mass at least once a week. The only number I see for the Philippines is for 2004 and it is much better than here in the USA at48%.

cara.georgetown.edu/CARAServices/requestedchurchstats.html

Pardon for that statement but in general specially in the poor catholic communities are not aware and do not give importance on attending Mass. It is hard to admit but it is the reality happened in the Church here in the philippines, the only consolation is that though Most Filipino catholics are not really that much devoted or knowledgeable to the teachings of the Church, but they have that rigid faith that they will not leave their catholic faith. In their own, in their heart, and in their mind, they are catholic and have strong belief in God that is why they are practicing Catholic not according to full teachings of the Church but it is according to their own ways to praise God. As you can see in the feast of the Black Nazarene, millions of devoted filipino participated in the procession of the relics or the icon of Christ the Nazarene, they didnt follow the Priest to reroute the procession, but for them it is ok to finished the prosession even it will finished until the next day. That is the way of our fellow Filipino Catholics in praising God. I am just telling you in this thread that we Filipino Catholics are not that much strict regarding to the Code of Canon law, our Priest may or will baptize those who want to convert themselves in the Catholic Faith. We dont have RCIA here, as long as the former protestant accept the Catholic Faith and promise to live in the Catholic Faith, the priest may accept them and baptize them without any rite of acceptance.
I observed here in our Forum, that the Church outside in the Philippines are far from our practices, that the Code of Canon Law are strictly implemented. Just my thought.

 

[Dhugz]

If there is a lack of priests there, why are so many Philipino priests in the US? It seems to me that we have so many here because there is an abundance there, am I wrong?

In reality, there is a lack of priests here, meaning Diocesan Priests…

 

[thistle]

Just want to share practice of the Filipino catholics in our country that most maybe 70-80 percent don’t go to confession before receiving the communion. Most will attend only the mass for if there is great feasts like, black nazarene etc, also on Palm sunday only, many do not know the importance of the sacraments, like confession, confirmation, marriage and anointing of the sick. Some will attend mass only for devotion to a saint like Mary, some will attend the mass for healing and miracles, some will attend mass only for the blessings of the palm, oil, and water on easter sunday. Some believe that they will just attend the Mass for the forgiveness of their sins, some believe that St. May is God, Many filipino catholics do not participate in the Parish programs, Many Catholics believes in faith healers or those witch doctors. Many of us here also are using contraception, and are unaware that it is a mortal sin. And, many things beyond the Catholic Faith.

I amaze when I read many things in this forum, American or the english speaking catholics are very aware of our catholic theolgy and beliefs.

I totally disagree with your remarks about Mass attendance.
With regard to Mass the average attendance rate in the Philippines is 80% every Sunday. My parish Church has 10 Masses every Sunday to accommodate everyone.
No matter where in the country I have attended Mass (Manila and the provinces) they have ALWAYS been packed so your statement that MOST do not attend Sunday Mass is absolute nonsense.

 

[Dhugz]

I totally disagree with your remarks about Mass attendance.
With regard to Mass the average attendance rate in the Philippines is 80% every Sunday. My parish Church has 10 Masses every Sunday to accommodate everyone.
No matter where in the country I have attended Mass (Manila and the provinces) they have ALWAYS been packed so your statement that MOST do not attend Sunday Mass is absolute nonsense.

Pardon for my mistake, maybe many is the right term. But you must agree that most of in the Poor community, attending Mass is not their Priority. How many Filipino Catholics in Manila, do they all attend the mass in sundays? You must consider the population of Manila than that of those devotedly attend the Mass every Sunday, Those 8 millions who participate in the Black nazarene prosession, do they actively participate in the Mass every sunday? Are there at least 5 million of them regularly present in the Mass? I doubt! Even the Bishops may agree with me that many Filipino Catholics not attending Mass regularly, Many areas in the Philippines that when a Priest say Mass every Barangay community only 10-15 people will participate, and many of them are children. Let us face this, that yes there is problem within the Church. I just open this issue to you on how to convince these fellow catholics who do not give importance on our obligations to the Church.
I will respect your opinion, but please dont call me non sense!

 

[Lapey]

Pardon for my mistake, maybe many is the right term. But you must agree that most of in the Poor community, attending Mass is not their Priority. How many Filipino Catholics in Manila, do they all attend the mass in sundays? You must consider the population of Manila than that of those devotedly attend the Mass every Sunday, Those 8 millions who participate in the Black nazarene prosession, do they actively participate in the Mass every sunday? Are there at least 5 million of them regularly present in the Mass? I doubt! Even the Bishops may agree with me that many Filipino Catholics not attending Mass regularly, Many areas in the Philippines that when a Priest say Mass every Barangay community only 10-15 people will participate, and many of them are children. Let us face this, that yes there is problem within the Church. I just open this issue to you on how to convince these fellow catholics who do not give importance on our obligations to the Church.
I will respect your opinion, but please dont call me non sense!

You speak in such general terms, as though you have your finger on the pulse of the entire Catholic population and the statistics show that you are not correct in your judgments.