The End Of One, The Beginning Of Another?
Today, December 31 (Manila time) is the day of the Holy Family of Jesus, Joseph & Mary according to the calendar of the Roman Catholic Church worldwide. In the Philippines, the only Roman Catholic country in Asia, the interjection ‘susmaryosep!’ actually has the names of the Holy Family but in a different order: Jesus, Mary, Joseph. The order has significance in Philippine culture, which is familial and, yes, matriarchal: At home, a mother is more important (and more powerful) than a father. The mother mentioned before the father; I don’t know about St Joseph, but as a father, I don’t mind.
I don’t mind feeling less important because I feel that, actually, to the Filipinos neither the mother nor the father is important – the family is. That is why divorce is anathema to our culture and will always be so; you can sculpt that on stone.
Full essay
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January 1st, 2008 at 12:10 am
[...] I don’t mind feeling less important because I feel that, actually, to the Filipinos neither the mother nor the father is important – the family is. Click here for the full essay [...]
January 1st, 2008 at 6:52 pm
Jan 1 6:49 p.m.
HAPPY BEW YEAR!
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I READ THIS PIECE YOU WROTE ABOVE!!! I AM AWED WITH YOUR ‘GEN YOUS’! MABUHAY KA FRANK, DA KING! and your BIG fanily!!
January 8th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
[...] post info By frankahilario Categories: Quote Unquote Selections & quotes from Frank A Hilario’s ‘Lists & Families. The End Of One, The Beginning Of Another?’ [...]