Nalzaro: What’s wrong with ‘kalag-kalag’?

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

IF WE strictly follow the Roman Catholic calendar, today is the appropriate time for the faithful to visit the graves of their departed loved ones to light candles and offer flowers and prayers. Today is All Souls' Day.

But people usually flock to the cemeteries on Nov. 1, All Saints' Day, which was yesterday. The day was declared a holiday.

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All Saints' Day, often shortened to All Saints, is celebrated on Nov. 1 by some Christians in the West and on the first Sunday after Pentecost by Christians in the East in honor of all saints, both identified and unidentified.

In the Western Christian theology, the day is for those who have attained beatific vision in heaven. It is a national holiday in many Catholic countries like the Philippines.

All Souls' Day is for the departed. It is observed principally by the Catholic Church, although some Anglican churches also celebrate it.

The Roman Catholic celebration is associated with the doctrine that the souls of the faithful, who at death have not been cleansed of temporal punishment due to venial sins and from the attachment to mortal sins, cannot immediately attain the beatific vision in heaven. They may be helped to do so by prayer and by the sacrifice of the Mass.

The official name of the celebration is the “Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed.” Tagalogs term it as “Undas.” Cebuanos call it “Kalag-kalag.”

I heard on radio Msgr. Esteban Binghay, an episcopal vicar, criticize the used of the term “Kalag-kalag.” He said it’s not appropriate because it tends to make fun of what is supposed to be a solemn occasion.

We have been using this term for a long time now. What's wrong with it? Kay atong gidoble-doble?

Mahilig man gyod tang mga Bisaya sa doble-doble nga termino Mons, di ba? Tago-tago, hayang-hayang, iring-iring, dulog-dulog, humol-humol. Ayaw na lang na daginota Mons kay panahon pa nang Mampor terminoha.

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With the advent of advanced technology, almost everything can now be had at the tip of our fingers. Note that even masses, wakes and burials are now done online.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) recently launched its new website for the Filipino tradition of “Undas.” The features of this website are specifically for Filipinos abroad who cannot make it to their parish for All Souls' Day.

All they need is to go to the website undasonline.com and click the box below the “request for masses” title and list down the names of the persons whose souls they wish to offer mass to by filling out the form.

Those who wish to send their mass request via email may do so at undas_cbcp@yahoo.com.

The names of the persons will be mentioned in masses officiated by CBCP officials from Nov. 1 to 8. The mass is free. Those who want to donate an amount may do so by clicking the “donation” button above the form.

Some high-end funeral parlors also offer added services to their customers, whose relatives abroad cannot make it to the wake and burial. They offer e-lamay (wake) and e-burol (burial). All the activities during the wake and burial will be on line so that the relatives abroad can watch through the internet. Of course, with an extra pay.

High tech na gyod ta. Sunod ani, bisan sa ilawom sa lubnganan makita na nato ang patay inig lubong.

(bobby@sunstar.com.ph)