Highlights
- Grandparents and the elderly have a huge role in passing their tradition, culture, and religion to their children and grandchildren according to Fr. Joselito “Litoy” Asis, Episcopal Vicar for Catholic Migrants and Refugees of the Archdiocese of Melbourne.
- Aside from the Filipino language, good manners like hand-blessing, respect for elders, and being religious are some values that Lola Ofelia Manongdo wants for the next generation.
- Census 2021 shows that Catholicism is the majority religion for Filipino-Australians with 76.3%, followed by Christianity with 6%, Protestantantism 3.2%, no religion with 2.8%, and other religions.
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Even with a busy schedule as a Secretary for the group PEASER or Pilipino Elderly Association Southeastern Region, 75-year-old Ofelia Manongdo still find time for her grandchildren.
Ofelia Manongdo with her grandchildren Source: Ofelia Manongdo
Ofelia wants to be part of her grandkids' upbringing and teach the good values she was taught growing up.
I think there's a lack of good manners and right conduct, so it's important to start moulding these kids at home. You build the foundation at home, so you will always go back to the values instilled by your family.
It is important for Ofelia to start from the roots, especially with the recent Census showing Australians identified with no religion is very high.
The number of people reporting 'no religion' continues its upward trend, now at 38.9% of the population.
Ofelia Manongdo with her grandchildren Source: Ofelia Manongdo
One of those who reported to having no religion is Abe Middleton who was raised in an Anglican household and went to an Anglican school.
"It all came from childhood with the pressure of religion being forced at school and through parents. And being forced into something didn't seem like the right way of going about it to me, along with other things I saw over the years. So it's always been "no religion" on the census for me."
The Assistant Bishop of the Melbourne Anglican Diocese, Bishop Genieve Blackwell, has one idea why this is happening.
"I think what it particularly says is people who, who might have in the past said I'm Christian because of a family tradition are no longer doing that. And I think that's where we're largely seeing the decrease."
Filipino Catholic Mass in St. Brigid's Parish Fitzroy, Victoria Australia Source: SBS Filipino
As the Catholic Church celebrates World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, Reverend Monsignor Joselito “Litoy” Asis Episcopal Vicar for Catholic Migrants and Refugees in the Archdiocese of Melbourne encouraged grandparents to keep the faith and pass the culture and tradition to the next in line of their families, especially on their grandchildren.
He also acknowledges that migrant communities play a big role in the religious faith of Australians whatever or no religion these may identify with.
There's a cultural and ethinic diverse in the church so when you come to the church, youll see that it's not dominated by white people, let's say by English people but it's coloured. You will see the presence of migrants. So because of this, migrant comunities and ethnic groups can be an inspiration to others.
