Romeo Bautista DeCastro

Visitation for my uncle was last night and again today. I'm totally amazed at the number of people who were there last night, some family whom I haven't seen in a long long time and hundreds of friends. The place/chapel was overflowing.

I'm also bothered at how superstitious beliefs can rule one's life. One of the long removed aunts refused to let Christian music be played during viewing even after my cousins and aunt requested it. It had to be one of those sad wailing Catholic music that only depressed everybody. We explained to her that we wanted to celebrate Uncle Romy's life and that he would not have wanted us to grieve so much.

She's also the one who won't let the family bring home some of the leftover food that was brought to the chapel. She also can't explain why. Most of the food had to be thrown out.

I was once a Catholic before I became a Christian. I prayed the Rosary before and attended Catholic church. But my relationship with my Savior now is more personal. Last night, they prayed the rosary not once but twice. The second time, they changed the words. It appeared to be more of chanting, more of repeating one kind of prayer over and over, prayed by people who probably did not even know my uncle.

When it was the Christian chaplain's turn to pray, I noticed the total disrespect of the Catholic ladies present. They started talking and laughing amongst each other while the chaplain was speaking and reading from the Bible. Unbelievable.

Tonight, I will have a chance to speak my eulogy. Hopefully, people will listen. We'll see.