By Haidee V. Eugenio
Variety Assistant Editor

BISHOP Tomas A. Camacho of the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa will no longer allow food to be served in eight of the nine nightly rosary for the dead, or “lisayon matai,” in any parish church or social hall, citing the “quite extravagant” full course meals served on these occasions that have become additional financial burdens on the family of the dead.
The bishop said he is also concerned about the spiritual and physical well-being of the community, especially with the type of food served on these occasions.
Food may be served, however, on the day of the funeral.
The bishop’s policy will take effect on Sunday, March 11, the same day that his pastoral letter will appear in the diocese’s newsletter, the North Star.
The food prohibition is drawing support from members of the community.
“Nightly rosaries are getting expensive. It’s not our culture,” said a 68-year-old grandmother of six who declined to be identified.
“Back in the old days, people would go to the rosaries to pray and not expect to be fed every night. If food was served during those times, coffee, bread and biscuits were fine. Now not all families can afford to serve food for nine nights. It’s an additional burden on a family who has just lost a loved one,” she said yesterday.
Besides the burden on the family, she said she has also known many members of the community who go to nightly rosaries mainly for the dinner served and not really to pray with the family and console them.
“There are people who go to funerals just to get food and then go home. That’s too much, don’t you think? You will notice that. In Mount Carmel, for example, you see that during the rosary there are only a few people but when dinner is about to be served at the social hall, there are plenty of people,” she said.
The bishop, in his pastoral letter, clarifies that the food restriction only applies to the rosary for the dead held in church social halls or on church premises.
“Please note that if families still want to serve food during the lisayo at their homes, they are welcome to do so,” said the bishop, adding that food may also be served after Mass at the end of the family rosary and on death anniversaries.
“However, efforts should be made to choose a healthy and simple menu for these occasions,” the bishop said, noting that often the food served during these rosaries negatively affects the health of the people.
He said the CNMI ranks third in the world in terms of the percentage of people with diabetes. This is a staggering statistic for such a small group of people, he said.
Gloria Hunter, 59, of San Antonio, yesterday said families of the deceased often feel obligated to feed large numbers of people on the nine nights of the rosary for the dead.
“It’s hard for them to lose a loved one and then they also have to serve food for everyone, besides the expenses of the cemetery and funeral services. It’s an additional hardship, especially with the high cost of food,” she said.
Camacho said in the past, family members of the deceased offered coffee and “biscocho” to those who came and prayed with them as a gesture of appreciation for sharing the period of pain and sorrow. The time spent after the rosary could also be an opportunity to console one another and deepen family and friendship ties.
“Over time, however, the feeding of people after the rosary has become quite extravagant, often involving full course meals for nine consecutive days. This practice, as we are all aware, places so much financial burden on the family that a phrase has been coined: ‘Matataina I manlala’la’ kinu I matai’ or ‘those left behind are even deader than the dead,’ ” the bishop said.