User talk:Maya.pilar

Filipino Devotion to Religion
One trait of Filipino culture present in the modern world is the Filipino devotion to the religion of Roman Catholicism. Roman Catholicism started during the reign of the Spanish in the Philippines, while as time passed, from colonzation to colonization, Catholicism expanded inside and for overseas Filipinos, outside the country. Today, the Philippines has more than 80% of individuals practicing Roman Catholicism (De Achutegui, 1984). While the Philippines had a quite different dynamic when it came to adapting the religion as compared to other countries under the reign of Spain, Catholicism became more Filipinized. Incorporating previous Filipino devotions such as statues and fiestas allowed for the Filipino community to still have that splash of indigenous beliefs still present in their devotion to the religion. Because of particular devotions to the Santo Nino and to Mother Mary, Catholicism has permeated to Filipinos even living abroad to continue to celebrate this devotion (Cornelio, 2018). It is particularly the religion’s unique devotions that have “Filipino” Catholicism panning out across generations simply because every devotion means something special to every individual.

The many ways for Filipinos to practice their religion has allowed citizens of different demographics to continue their devotions no matter the circumstance. Devotions, fiestas, silent prayer, meditation, and public service are just some of the ways Filipinos can practice their religion (Cultural Atlas, 2021). Given that the world is always changing, and individuals are always adapting to societal changes, it’s important to realize that even religion has been changing. Because people have been more liberal nowadays, more and more scrutiny towards the Catholic faith has been prominent. This liberal mindset has even caused many to back away from the Catholic faith, but regardless of this, it seems the Catholic faith here in the Philippines has certain attributes that allow its believers to be proactive in their belief in the faith. Perhaps this is why Pope Francis himself gave a subtle yet powerful “shoutout” to Filipinos in his mass commemorating 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines. His exact words were: “You received the joy of the Gospel: the good news that God so loved us that he gave his Son for us. And this joy is evident in your people. We see it in your eyes, on your faces, in your songs and in your prayers” (CNN Philippines, 2021). The great numbers of Filipino Catholics around the world speaks entirely about the attitude Filipinos carry about their faith. They are so loyal yet humble about their faith and how much these qualities affect them. Perhaps at the end of the day, surviving in the modern world, whether you are a person, or a cultural trait, requires devotion and commitment. This is precisely what Filipinos carry when they practice their faith.

References

Cornelio, J. (2018). The diversity of contemporary Christianity in Southeast Asia. Journal of Archaeology and Fine Arts in Southeast Asia. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.26721/spafajournal.v2i0.582

CNN Philippines. (2021). Pope Francis hails Filipinos on 500th year of Christianity in PH. CNN Philippines. https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2021/3/14/Pope-Francis-Filipinos-500-years-Christianity-Philippines-.html

DE ACHÚTEGUI, P. (1984). The Catholic Church in the Philippines: A Statistical Overview. Philippine Studies, 32(1), 77-106. Retrieved March 25, 2021, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/42632683

IES (2021). The Cultural Atlas. Retrieved from: https://culturalatlas.sbs.com.au.

Watkins, D. (2021). Pope Francis celebrates Mass for 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines. Vatican News. https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2021-03/pope-francis-mass-500-anniversary-christianity-philippines.html