Deed for Dead

Bicolano youths today are still confused about the essence of celebrating the Undas or All Saints Day and All Souls Day; while, the old ones are busy preparing for the fest of the departed ones. Is it a deed for dead?

Undas as described by the Wikipedia is the Filipinized version of All Saints/Souls Day where Filipinos troop to memorial parks, mausoleums, and municipal cemeteries. The most common practice is going to the cemetery to clean the graveyards and paint the tombs of their departed loved ones. During these days, cemeteries are fully packed with people. Relatives from far-off provinces, or even abroad often go to the cemeteries where their loved ones were buried. They light candles and offer flowers in memory of their dead relatives. It also a sort of family reunion where family members would gather together in the cemeteries bringing foods and beverages, play card games and other forms of gambling, deafening loud speakers and drinking sprees even though authorities strictly prohibits such nuisances.

Fr. Mickey Cardenas, CBCP Media explained in his article that in the month of November in which the universal Church traditionally commemorates all of the faithful departed, visits to the graves of loved ones has been a popular custom in the Philippines. However, he expressed his observations what the Catholic Church celebrates as a solemn commemoration has turned into occasions of rather inappropriate pastimes such as gambling, drunkenness, noise-making, or simply the senseless crowding of people that has led to road rage and shooting incidents. Fr. Gerry S. Patio, editor of Theological Centrum Documentation Service, said that there is a need for a greater understanding of the Christian reverence for the bodies of the dead as well as of Christian death in general in the light of the promise of a future resurrection. The very purpose why the Church calls the people to gather together is for them to pray and to console one another and to meditate together about the meaning of God being with us whether in life and or in death. Fr. Patio stressed, "We visit cemeteries to pray for the dead, not to disturb them." Patio, a Theology graduate of the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome and with more than 10 years of pastoral work experience behind him, has observed that in the Philippines, people are generally and openly pious and the state still respects, in some way, the religious heritage of the people. He added that the government, no matter under whose administration, facilitates the commemoration of these Christian traditions by declaring these days as public non-working holidays and by providing assistance of the police and other agencies to maintain public order.

As Leslie Ann Aquino revealed in her article entitled, Halloween blamed for youth forgetting meaning of Undas what Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president and Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo said that because of Halloween parties, the youth often forget to pray for the saints and the dead during All Saints and All Souls Day. Lagdameo added that sometimes they are already tired from attending a Halloween party the whole day that come November 1 and 2, the days when they are supposed to be praying, they are at home resting or sleeping. Lagdameo said it’s the obligation of every Catholic faithful to pray for the dead, saying a time will come that they’ll be the ones who will be in need of prayer.

Brende Piquero in her article entitled, Austere All Saints’ Day rites seen, boldly expressed her opinion that despite the country’s severe financial meltdown that finds the worth of the peso tumbling down by the minute, All Saints’ Day traditions, being another occasion for a family reunion, prevail among millions of Filipino families, perhaps minus the excesses. While families brought more than substantial food in the past, preparations this year are expected to be less extravagant than past celebrations of All Saints’ Day. Because age-old Filipino traditions are not easy to fade away, they stay for generations to come, even in the harshest of times. However, Seven out of 10 Filipinos consider themselves poor, an increase of more than four percent from the last survey, according to the October poll conducted by research organization Ibon Foundation as noted by Ellalyn De Vera stating in her article entitled, More Filipinos rate themselves poor. Meanwhile, Executive Vice President-Luzon/Marketing and Business Development, Dr. Mildred Vitangcol explained that Filipinos have very strong family ties and a deep sense of relationship. We continuously love our kin and our friends even if they have already gone from this world. This is a distinct and notable Filipino trait which we eventually tend to set aside as we are preoccupied with the frenzy of our daily lives. We believe that we should rekindle this value as we also wouldn’t want to be forgotten (by our loved ones) when that time comes.

The word Undas does not merely reflect the way of fest for our departed ones, but it unveils our Bicolano youths’ ignorance reminding them the essence of life after death. This reminds us that life on earth is just a temporary respite of happiness, but death is permanent. It is to be remembered that our body dies, but our good deeds remain.