Few Catholic priests in the Philippines are “pure Chinese.” There are many who have mixed Chinese and Filipino ancestry whose families practice the Catholic faith actively, so when they decided to enter the priesthood, the choice of vocation was seen as a blessing. Young Catholics from traditional Chinese families often find it difficult to explain […]
We are going to war, Dad said the night before he enlisted. A month later, the soldiers came for my older brother, Ethan. He was going to graduate from high school this year. Mom was so distraught afterwards, the rim of her eyes were a constant red and the dark circles underneath her eyes got […]
My ahia Benjamin Sim studied animal husbandry, taught biology in Davao, and became spiritual shepherd to many Tsinoy Catholics. As the first-born son in a Tsinoy family, the path to priesthood for him took determination to follow. Ahia was tapped to join the family retail business, and his choice to become a priest met with […]
The title of “Father” embodies Benjamin Sim, pastor to parishioners in Mary the Queen Parish, where he had served from the 1990s to 2004 and Sacred Heart Parish in Cebu City. He is fondly called Angkong by his many parishioners, people who had served and are still part of his staff and members of communities […]
In the midst of chaos and despair, a candle burns, giving light to others. This sentiment sums up how people see this octogenarian. The Lim family – Adeline, her sister Gerry, brother Ellery and mom Luz – describe Father Benjamin Sim, 80, as supportive but firm, generous, humble, simple and low key. Other parishioners remember […]
Zhou Chu (周處) of the kingdom of Wu (吳) had lost his father at a young age during the Three Kingdoms Period (222-280 AD). By the time he turned 20, he was already a man of great strength that no ordinary person could match. But he had never cared to learn good manners and right […]
Ferdinand Blumentritt (1853-1913), best friend of our national hero Dr. Jose P. Rizal, was one of the greatest experts on Philippine history, culture, language and geography in his day. He was an Austrian and had never been to the Philippines. Yet here we are referring to him in relation to the Chinese in the Philippines. […]
In the Philippines, there are three worms that cause the most health problems: roundworms (Ascaris lumbricoides), whipworms (Trichuris trichiura) and hookworms (Necator americanus and Ancylostoma duodenale). These three have been a burden to humanity for centuries. They are called soil-transmitted helminthiasis and are found in the soil. Helminths. Helminths are really parasitic worms (like aliens) […]
Family weddings are a wonderful time for family reunions and for exchanging gifts. My relatives from overseas flew in this month with suitcases bulging with gifts. In turn, I was ready with my own gifts to give out. Those who appreciated Chinese art received a hardbound copy of the book His Legacy Our Heritage: Professor […]
Hokkien, on the tongues of Tsinoys, has grown and evolved, taking a life of its own.Sometimes words simply fail us. With some creativity, Tsinoys have strung together words to form colorful phrases that simply hit the bull’s eye.Here are some expressions unique to Hokkien as favored by Tsinoys. Idioms, expressions Hokkien pronunciation Literal translation Meaning […]