Magtutudlong Catmonanon: May 2009

Kalachuchi Flowers

Hermano Mayor

Hermano (masculine) and Hermana (feminine) are the terms used for the persons who pledged to be the sponsors of a certain fiesta celebration in the Roman Catholic places in the Philippines. Every year, a single person is chosen, traditionally by drawing lots to be the Hermano Mayor, the major sponsor of the celebration. Together with his family, the Hermano Mayor will spend for the celebration, both the religious as well as the social activities. My family is the Hermano Mayor for this year's Flores de Mayo (May 2009). We are doing this to continue the legacy our great grand parents had done many years ago. Our great-great-grandparents Ambrosio Ares and Santas Ares were one of the Hermanos and Hermanas during the post-war period (World War II). Cristina Ares their daughter became the Hermana Mayor last May 1985. I was seven years old when Mommy Tinang (Cristina Ares) became the Hermana Mayor but I can still remember the grand celebration she had sponsored in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This year, we are doing this to continue the family tradition of honoring Christ through the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Controversies

Personal and private matters should never be included in religious celebrations like Flores de Mayo. Our family is just a normal family like everybody else; we have some happy times and of course some not so happy times. We are facing a very difficult situation now, but we just consider this as a trial, a test of family strength and unity. We are doing our best to be a good Hermano Mayor, but as we have the cliche, "we cannot please everybody", so we just turn to Mama Mary for guidance.

Flores de Mayo of Barangay Flores; Home at last!

Barangay Flores Chapel (Reclamation Area, Flores, Catmon, Cebu)

For many decades already, every celebration was done in the Parish Church, but this year we are doing it in the Barangay Flores chapel in the reclamation area. This means the celebration is brought closer to the Floresians (the people of Barangay Flores) and also to our neighbors of Barangay Corazon and Barangay San Jose. The location is safer for the children since they will no longer cross the National Road where they have to watch carefully for the big buses and other motor vehicles.

Santa Cruzan is Back!

There was no Santa Cruzan last year. The reason is another pageantry was done; Rosa Mystica. According to some local church authorities, the right date for Santa Cruzan celebration is the month of October. So we got it wrong for so many years when we do the Santa Cruzan every May. But I think a great tradition that brought many people, adults and children alike closer to the church and Catholic faith, should be preserved forever. Yes, we really don't know the exact date of the Santa Cruzan, but we all know that most of the places throughout the country do it every month of May. But as Roman Catholic Filipinos we have to preserve the tradition, thus preserving the culture and history of our people. I just want to mention about the feast of Black Nazarene which is done every third Sunday of January. If you contemplate and think of the date of the celebration, we will realize that it is not yet the season of Lent, but we still celebrate it since it is the tradition. You try move the Feast of the Black Nazarene of Quiapo on the Holy Week. Do you think people will like it? I'm sure there will be a wild outpouring of sentiments and emotions. Therefore, the best thing to do is to respect and preserve traditions. Thank God, this year we have the Santa Cruzan! With the help of the Flores Youth Organization officers and members, we will witness the much love pageantry again this year and hopefully in the coming years.

The Blessed Virgin Mary