♥ Folk Catholicism

Conversion of the country to Roman Catholicism happened already but rural people are still oriented toward local traditions and the pre-Christian beliefs in spirits and charms such as the mangkukulam, the anting-anting, the nuno sa punso, the aswang and the like. The rural folks continue to placate the malevolent spirits to whose displeasure they attribute disease, crop failures or any other catastrophe.

There are social anthropologists who used the term “folk Catholicism to describe this situation. A distinction was made between official Catholicism, non-official Catholicism and folk Catholicism.



1.Official Catholicism
-refers to the doctrines and rituals which are prescribed, approved of and maintained as normative.
Ex. Sign of the cross and Communion
2.Non-official Catholicism
-comprises the elements which are viewed as harmless but suspect an unorthodox by
officially designated church authorities.
Ex. Walking to the altar on one’s knees, going on pilgrimages, dancing before the image of the saints or wearing an habito or distinctive dress in honor of the Virgin Mary or some saints.
3.Folk Catholicism
- includes the non-official elements, but only where these beliefs or practices are o popular derivation and are sanctioned in the community where it is found.

Philosophers

1.Pal
- According to him the barrio folk revolves around the will of Bathala – their Supreme God. Everything which happens such as birth, marriage, death, good crops and accidents are attributed to the will of Bathala. This reflects the fatalistic attitude of people means believing that all things will happen by fate.
2.Arens
- According to him, there is a widespread observance of animistic rituals in planting, harvesting, fishing, building houses and taking care of the sick. Among them were stripping before planting and hanging a carabao’s horn or a cat’s paw to dissipate the threat of evil influences. There was widespread belief in encantados (spirits) residing in tress and the widespread use of anting-anting (amulets and talismans) with Christian prayers and beliefs.
3.Nydegger
- He made a similar observation in their study of Tarong, a barrio in the Ilocos people recognized God as omniponetent and supreme, their relation with him is powerless and remote as there is no contact with him except in the poblacion church.