THE TRADITION BEHIND ASH WEDNESDAY

The use of ashes and dust with religious, magical or medical meanings was common among the ancients, says the New Catholic Encyclopedia. Ashes were often symbolic of mortality, mourning or penance.
In the Hebrew Scriptures, after Jonah has announced the destruction of Nineveh and the news reaches the king, he rises from the throne, lays aside his robe, puts on sackcloth and sits in ashes. The king then proclaims a fast. Nineveh mourns its sins and does penance (Jonah 3:1-6).
In foreseeing the destruction to come upon Israel, Jeremiah says, "O daughter of my people,...roll in the ashes. Mourn as for an only child with bitter wailing, for sudden upon us comes the destroyer" (6:26). Jeremiah calls Israel to conversion.
In the Gospel of Matthew Jesus reproaches Chorazin and Bethsaida saying, "For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes" (11:21).
Christians, then, seem to have taken the use of ashes as a sign of penance from Jewish tradition. According to the New Catholic Encyclopedia, ashes were originally signs of private penance. But early on they became part of the ritual for public penance.
Adolf Adam, in The Liturgical Year (Pueblo Publishing Company), points to Tertullian and Cyprian, in the third century, as evidence early Christians were familiar with ashes as a sign and part of the ritual for public penance.
As early as the 300's, local churches had a ritual for the beginning of public penance at the start of Lent. Those who had been guilty of public serious sins like murder, apostasy, heresy or adultery were clothed in a penitential garment and sprinkled with ashes.
The sinner was then expelled and led from the church as Adam had been cast out of Paradise. Later those ending their penance (which could go for years) were received back into the Church on Maundy Thursday. They were led back into the church in procession as part of a rite of reconciliation.
According to Herman Wegman in Christian Worship in East and West (Pueblo Press), texts and ceremonies were added to the rite for the reception of penitents in the ninth century, and carried over into the Pontificale Romanum of the Council of Trent.
Adolf Adam says public ecclesiastical penance disappeared around the end of the first millennium. Wegman suggests that the severity of the practice was at least partially the reason for its disappearance. But there was also a growing conviction that every person is a sinner and must do penance.
Pope Urban II (1088-1099) recommended the custom of all receiving ashes to all the churches. Ashes were put on the heads of men and the sign of the cross traced with ashes on the foreheads of women, presumably because their heads were covered.
In the 11th century there appeared a special prayer for the blessing of ashes. And the 12th century gave rise to the rule that the ashes used on Ash Wednesday are to be made from the palm branches of the previous year.

http://www.americancatholic.org/Messenger/Jul1996/Wiseman.asp

Kabankalan Sinulog

More than the noise of drums, the festival has a laudable origin. It dates back when Kabankalan was just a barangay of Ilog, the once capital of Negros Island and Siquijor. Since Ilog was navigable, it was the center of commerce and had been very progressive, to the envy of Muslim pirates who were about to conquer the place but with people gathering in Church and praying, a small Child with the shining sword atop the Church’s roof drove the pirates away. People believed that it was Sto. Niño, and to honor him, dances were offered first by the sacadas but because it was attractive to tourists, it has later become a festival.

Sinulog derived its name from "Sulog" a Hiligaynon word for current, as Ilog is a river. Actually, the festival for me had been paganized before, as you can see women in two-piece suit carrying Sto. Nino, leads the tribe while dancing and drunk men raise their bottles of beer shouting, Viva, Senor Sto. Nino. Thanks to Father Henry Pineda's valiant homilies. He also used to tell the difference between 'pang-fiesta and merry-making'. When you go to the place and attended the fiesta, you are with the community in thanksgiving to their patron. But if you just went there for fun, that's merry-making and not pang-fiesta. (I read somewhere that Sto. Nino cannot be a patron because he is the Second Person of the Trinity, that is why Cebu's patron saint is Our Lady of Guadalupe).

Never did I enjoy the merriment at the plaza, probably because of my introverted personality. I often stayed at home to accommodate guests, if there was any. I sometimes question how the celebration had been commercialized and how people had been pre-occupied by the menial tasks thus losing the real meaning of the celebration, that is, Jesus, was born amongst us and had been a child such that, we must have that childlike dependence on God, yet doing our best in every endeavor.


http://www.misyononline.com/misyonforum/index.php?q=node/716

Sinulog Activities

January 18, 2008 (Sunday)

5:30AM Fluvial Procession from Barangay Talubangi to Lugway, Barangay 8, City of Kabankalan

7:00AM SUGAT sa LUGWAY of the Image of Señor Sto. Niño

8:00AM Concelebrated Mass at the Public Plaza

Most Rev. Patricio A. Buzon, SDB, D.D.
Bishop, Diocese of Kabankalan
Main Celebrant

Choir St. Francis Xavier Cathedral Choir

Sponsors

Kabankalan City Sinulog Foundation, Inc.
Kabankalan City Officials & Employees
Lions Club of Kabankalan
Rotary Club of Kabankalan
Bangkal & Molasses Jaycees
Apex Club & Apex Ladies Circle
Parish Pastoral Council

Other Sunday Masses Schedule

6:00AM 4:30PM 6:00PM

NOVENA MASSES IN HONOR OF SEÑOR STO. NIÑO

JANUARY 9, 2009 (FRIDAY) 5:00PM

Celebrant: Fr. Charlie Reyes
Choir: St. Francis Xavier Cathedral Choir
Sponsors: Barangay Officials & Pumuluyo sang Barangays I & Tan – awan, Mother Butler Mission Guilds, MGP Store, Cha-Rose Store, Fix and Mix Bake Shop, Mang Inasal, Wow Chicken, BBJ Chicken Haus, Chicken Ati – Atihan, Bank Employees: RCBC & Bank of Commerce

JANUARY 10, 2009 (SATURDAY) 4:30PM

Celebrant: Fr. Ludovico To – ong, Jr.
Choir: CFC – FFL Choir
Sponsors: Barangay Officials & Pumuluyo sang Barangay II, CFC – FFL, Bong – Bongs Pasalubong Center, Merci Bakeshop, Quest School of Technical & Applied Arts, Palawan Pawnshop, M Lhuillier, Cebuana, Lhuillier, LIBRA Mart, Chua Tiong Commercial, Sunsmile Pharmacy, Minodoj Restaurant, Iko Asalan, Bank Employees: PNB & Land Bank of the Philippines

JANUARY 11, 2009 (SUNDAY) 4:30PM
Death and Resurrection of Christ “
Celebrant: Fr. Romeo Tayco
Choir: BVYM Choir
Sponsors: Barangay Officials & Pumuluyo sang Barangays III & Binicuil, BVYM, Bank Employees: Allied Banking Corporation & Banco de Oro, M’s Pharmacy, LOPUE’s Department Store, Frieda’s Sea Oil Station, Allsektor, Kraftiez @ Raphnet Internet Café & Vince Tavern

JANUARY 12, 2009 (MONDAY) 5:00PM

Celebrant: Fr. Eugene Lucerna II
Choir: KCC High School Choir
Sponsors: KCC High School & Elementary Faculty, Staff & Students, Barangay Officials & Pumuluyo sang Barangays IV & Hilamonan, Catechists, PNP – Kabankalan, NOCECO, DPWH, Bank Employees: DBP & Bangko sang Kabankalan

JANUARY 13, 2009 (TUESDAY) 5:00PM
Celebrant: Fr. Carlos Ybesate
Choir: KCC College Choir
Sponsors: KCC College Faculty, Staff & Students, Barangay Officials & Pumuluyo sang Barangays V & Talubangi, Legion of Mary, El Shaddai, Treeways Trading, Florete’s Drug Haus, Shell Gasoline Station Farmer’s Corner Center, Dr. Gumersindo Garcia Memorial Hospital, PO’s Marketing, Bubbles & Blossom


JANUARY 14, 2009 (WEDNESDAY) 5:00PM

Celebrant: Fr. Rolando Nueva
Choir: Barangay Sang Virgen/ Senior Choir
Sponsors: Barangay Officials & Pumuluyo sang Barangays VI & Orong, Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals, Krystal Pisces Glass & Aluminum, BJM Caltex, EMCOR Appliance, Mercury Drugstore, Earth Drugstore, CENRO - DENR, SONEDCO – PA & KABILOG – PA, Jollibee – Kabankalan & Imperial Appliance

JANUARY 15, 2009 (THURSDAY) 5:00PM
“
Celebrant: Fr. Jiver Alipo-on
Choir: Bukas Loob sa Dios Praise Ministry
Sponsors: Barangay Officials & Pumuluyo sang Barangay VII, Bukas Loob sa Dios, Catholic Women’s League, Parish Youth Council, SCAP, PYO, Knights of the Altar, Market Vendors, Bank Employees: Bank Victorias, City Savings Bank, Nig Marketing, Golden Key Trading, Reegals, Rivson Commercial& Belciña Pawnshop

JANUARY 16, 2009 (FRIDAY) 5:00PM

Celebrant: Fr. Jose Severino Nacional III
Choir: CFC - Singles for Christ Choir
Sponsors: Barangay Officials & Pumuluyo sang Barangays VIII & Camugao, CFC & its Family Ministries, Handmaids of the Lord, Singles for Christ, Youth for Christ, PLDT, Public School Teachers & Pupils, Kabankalan Water District, Grace Pharmacy, Petron Gasoline Station, PELCO Gasoline Station, ATM Water Refilling Station & GAISANO – Kabankalan

JANUARY 17, 2009 (SATURDAY) 4:30PM

Celebrant: Fr. Enrique Pineda
Choir: CFC – FFL Choir
Sponsors: Barangay Officials & Pumuluyo sang Barangay IX, Kristianong Katilingban, Lorenzo D. Zayco District Hospital, Southern Negros Doctors’ Hospital, Extraordinary Eucharistic Lay Ministers, Lectors & Commentators, Knights of Columbus, Adoracion Nocturna Filipina, Kabalikat – Civicom, AVON, Natasha, Triumph International & FREMAN


VIVA! EL SEÑOR SANTO NIÑO

Christmas Mass Schedule

December 24, 2008 (Midnight Mass)

8:30 PM “Halad sa Paskwa”
Featuring St. Francis Xavier Cathedral Choir

10:00 PM
Main Celebrant: Most Rev. Patricio A. Buzon SDB, D.D.
Choir : St. Francis Xavier Cathedral Choir
Sponsors : Parish Pastoral Council
Parish Finance Council
LOMAS

December 25, 2008

Theme: “Treasure in Earthen Vessel”

6:00AM
Choir : Senior and BSV Choir
Sponsors : Barangay sang Virgen

8:00AM
Choir : BLD Praise Ministry
Sponsors : Catholic Women’s League & PYC

10:00AM
Choir : KCC College Choir
Sponsors : Kabalikat Civicom
Couples for Christ & its Family Ministries
4:30PM
Choir : BVYM Choir
Sponsors : Barangay sang Virgen Youth Movement & Legion of Mary

6:00PM
Choir : Singles for Christ
Sponsors : Mother Butler Mission Guilds