Catholic Church religious organizations

Are they still around? Years ago, there were several Catholic organizations here on Saipan. The League of San Tarcisius, the San Luis, the San Stanislaus, the Holy Name of Jesus Society, the Nina Maria, the Hijas de Maria, and the Christian Mothers. I was a member of the League of San Tarcisius, the martyred acolyte. My cousin, Sister Remedio, MMB, used to see that I was good every day. Each organization had a large Membership. We took care of the church, the kalesa for the procession, and other church activities like decorating the altar, setting up the Nativity scene, the preparation for the Holy Week, etc. And then, there was the church choir under the aegis of choirmaster William S. Reyes (WSR).

Such beautiful songs as Tafan Magof Todos (a combination of the German song Freud Eus des Leben and and except from the “War of 1812,” Ave Verum Corpus, Pie Pelecane, Queen of the May, In Nae Hao Maria ni flores gualo siha, an echo of that beautiful song Queen of the May, like “Bring flowers of the fairest, bring flowers of the rarest from gardens, and woodlands and hillsides, and dales,” etc. I still see elders who were part of the church organizations. We would reminisce about the church activities we used to do, the songs like the complicated Pie Pelecane, the Ave Maristella, the long procession down Beachroad into Chalan Kanoa and back to the church with the Niña Maria on floats pushed by members of the Holy Name Society, the San Luis, San Estanislao, etc., the high pitch voices of the Hijas de Maria, blending with the singing of the Mt. Carmel Church regular choir and members of the Catholic community. It was the Hijas de Maria who used to crown the representation of the Blessed Virgen Mary with flowers every May. Boy, Catholic Saipan was great then. Fr. Jose Tadio, Bro. Gregorio, Fr. Ferdinand, Fr. Arnold, Fr. Sylvan, Fr. Anthony, Ft. Canice “the Irish jig dancing Red-haired priest,” Fr. Tony the martial artist, Fr. Raymond the lecturer, Fr. Lee the boxer and coach of the Mt. Carmel football, basketball, and softball teams, etc., Monsignor Guerrero, and Monsignor Martinez. And then there were the MMBs-the Mercedarian sisters of Berriz, Spain, like Sr. Felicia, Sr. Dolores, Sister Joaquina, and the contingent of Saipanese sisters like Sr. Remedios, Sr. Solidad, etc.

But now, are Catholics shying away from the Church and its religious organizations? Now, I only know of the student organization at Mt. Carmel Catholic School, the Knights, which is a splendid reminiscence of days gone by in Church’s activities. I know attendance has dwindled to a handful of evening lisayo participants (Tafan Lisayo Kada haane, sa i Santos Lisayo yaben i langit) and morning mass attendance. Why is that? I do know that Fr. Reyes and Fr. Balajadia are doing their best to revive religious activities. But, Is it pressure from daily living and work and school schedules, and other un-define schedules that Catholics are not seen in Church? I only see the church near full during Mass for Christian burials. Or is there a revival in church attendance and activities that I don’t see or am I aware of? Are there still Catholic members belonging to any of the above-church organizations? I remember the Knights of Columbus and the Knights Sylvester. Where are they now? This new student organization “The Knights of Mt. Carmel School” is a good example of a young Catholic organization starting out on the good foot. Who started that splendid student organization? I hope the Knights take good care of the Cathedral since the other Church’s organizations seemed to have vanished. Or is the Knight only a social organization? And guess what. My friend, Ft. Ryan Jimenez, is now our bishop. For a long time, I had been teasing him that someday he would be a bishop. I even called him “bishop” in light instances. But now, it’s a reality. I don’t have to tease him anymore. He is our bishop appointed by his Holiness, Pope Francis. Great day for the Catholic Church here. Congratulations Bishop Ryan.

Rudy M. Sablan
Garapan