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Nagueños
"Magnificent...a tour de force...(Aureus' fiction) would convince us, with its physics and metaphysics, its wit, passion, and nostalgia for the baroque, pre-conciliar Church, that life, resurrection, not death, is the last word." -Gregorio C. Brillantes
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First published January 1, 1997
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 29, 2020
This brilliant collection of short stories, bound together with the common location, deserves much more public attention than it has received. The like of James Joyce’s “Dubliners” and Sherwood Anderson’s “Winesburg, Ohio” as well as other episodic depictions of a place as a social structure composed of the voices of various city dwellers, it presents a wide selection of characters and topics that have to do with the changing face of a modern urban environment.
What makes “Nagueños” different is the era it describes. If Joyce and Anderson showed the on-going changes brought by the advent of the 20th century with its industrialism and the demise of strict societal norms, Aureus presents with a personal touch the picture of a small city on the verge of the third millenium, where old and traditional meets new — the moment in history which is scary and enticing at the same time. The city, largely conservative in its views, is being overtaken by technological advances — jets, modern cars, mobile devices, the internet. The puritanism and celibacy are giving way to the radical liberation of personal life, drastically different than what it was even several years before. Is the population of Naga ready for these changes?
Against this background of hi-tech development, Aureus shares his thoughts concerning the place of the Church within the changing world of the 21st century. Many male characters in the book seem to be largely autobiographical. They are strong characters of the Faith — priests and scholars — and they all share one common belief: the Roman Catholic Church must either adapt to the requirements of the evolving society, or it will perish. They take a firm stand against blind dogmas and call upon a more open dialogue between religion and its followers. They think that the evolution of values does not contradict the fundamental nature of belief. They assume that people who indulge themselves with deeds considered immoral by the Church may have reasonable grounds for such diversions — the modern world is not black and white, as it was seen centuries ago. What’s more, they dismiss certain laws and regulations, deeming them harmful to the society — several characters criticise the Church’s position on birth control, which leads to the spread of poverty; one character has to deal with the aftermath of domestic violence, which is sanctioned and the Church’s silent indifference, its obstinacy and unwillingness to admit the harmful consequences. They also consider the changes introduced by the Vatican II to be totalitarian rather than liberating, reverting the world to the age of Inquisition rather than keeping up with the times.
No sane person would dare accuse Aureus of not being religious enough. His characters are firm believers — of a thinking kind. Their resistance to fundamentalism springs from their benevolence, their support for those miserable ones who seek understanding from the institution they’ve trusted all their life, those on whom this institution turns its back. If a priest is questioning the Church’s condemnation of a woman who went through physical abuse, it must not lead to the priest’s ostracism — rather, it must pull the trigger to healthy discussion between the society and its institution whether old norms are adequate or the word has changed so much that these ancient grounds of humanity be re-evaluated. Some of Aureus’s characters even believe that alterations from the dogmas of the Church will lead the doubtful person back onto the path of chastity and moral purity.
There is one important principle that Aureus regards as fundamental for the world to function and develop; this principle is called love. Love comes to Nagueños in all shapes and sizes: as sexual desire and subsequent awakening; as affection and compassion towards one’s terminally ill husband; as grief of a mother recuperating from her son’s untimely passing; as helping hand outstretched to a parishioner. Aureus’s own understanding of love is different but equally important: he loves his native city, despite everything. Every word that he puts on a page expresses such love and devotion to Naga that one can’t but feel the enormous spirit of this ever-changing place.
What makes “Nagueños” different is the era it describes. If Joyce and Anderson showed the on-going changes brought by the advent of the 20th century with its industrialism and the demise of strict societal norms, Aureus presents with a personal touch the picture of a small city on the verge of the third millenium, where old and traditional meets new — the moment in history which is scary and enticing at the same time. The city, largely conservative in its views, is being overtaken by technological advances — jets, modern cars, mobile devices, the internet. The puritanism and celibacy are giving way to the radical liberation of personal life, drastically different than what it was even several years before. Is the population of Naga ready for these changes?
Against this background of hi-tech development, Aureus shares his thoughts concerning the place of the Church within the changing world of the 21st century. Many male characters in the book seem to be largely autobiographical. They are strong characters of the Faith — priests and scholars — and they all share one common belief: the Roman Catholic Church must either adapt to the requirements of the evolving society, or it will perish. They take a firm stand against blind dogmas and call upon a more open dialogue between religion and its followers. They think that the evolution of values does not contradict the fundamental nature of belief. They assume that people who indulge themselves with deeds considered immoral by the Church may have reasonable grounds for such diversions — the modern world is not black and white, as it was seen centuries ago. What’s more, they dismiss certain laws and regulations, deeming them harmful to the society — several characters criticise the Church’s position on birth control, which leads to the spread of poverty; one character has to deal with the aftermath of domestic violence, which is sanctioned and the Church’s silent indifference, its obstinacy and unwillingness to admit the harmful consequences. They also consider the changes introduced by the Vatican II to be totalitarian rather than liberating, reverting the world to the age of Inquisition rather than keeping up with the times.
No sane person would dare accuse Aureus of not being religious enough. His characters are firm believers — of a thinking kind. Their resistance to fundamentalism springs from their benevolence, their support for those miserable ones who seek understanding from the institution they’ve trusted all their life, those on whom this institution turns its back. If a priest is questioning the Church’s condemnation of a woman who went through physical abuse, it must not lead to the priest’s ostracism — rather, it must pull the trigger to healthy discussion between the society and its institution whether old norms are adequate or the word has changed so much that these ancient grounds of humanity be re-evaluated. Some of Aureus’s characters even believe that alterations from the dogmas of the Church will lead the doubtful person back onto the path of chastity and moral purity.
There is one important principle that Aureus regards as fundamental for the world to function and develop; this principle is called love. Love comes to Nagueños in all shapes and sizes: as sexual desire and subsequent awakening; as affection and compassion towards one’s terminally ill husband; as grief of a mother recuperating from her son’s untimely passing; as helping hand outstretched to a parishioner. Aureus’s own understanding of love is different but equally important: he loves his native city, despite everything. Every word that he puts on a page expresses such love and devotion to Naga that one can’t but feel the enormous spirit of this ever-changing place.
September 17, 2024
as a Nagueña, respectfully, i hate this fucking book
August 18, 2025
4.5 ⭐
So much feelings after this one...
I've always been of the opinion that being a Roman Catholic and a Filipino Roman Catholic are two different things, and these stories really highlight that. You have to feel the weight of the Church as an institution that is both foreign yet of our blood, a faith forced onto us yet transformed anew. These stories tackle the situation of the Church forced to rethink its role in the 21st century, as well all the festering weeds still stuck within. It feels extremely personal for me as well, despite not being a Nagueno myself, I find echoes of it in the Jesuit teachings, family relationships, and above all, the woman-ness of it.
Favorites: 'Flakes of Fire, Bodies of Light', 'The Night Train Does Not Stop Here Anymore', 'Typhoon'
Trigger warnings for some serious content: rape, frat violence, sexual harassment. -0.5 because I'm honestly not too keen on the whole adult-male-gaze on young, barely legal girls. I understand why that's the POV it mostly takes, though.
So much feelings after this one...
I've always been of the opinion that being a Roman Catholic and a Filipino Roman Catholic are two different things, and these stories really highlight that. You have to feel the weight of the Church as an institution that is both foreign yet of our blood, a faith forced onto us yet transformed anew. These stories tackle the situation of the Church forced to rethink its role in the 21st century, as well all the festering weeds still stuck within. It feels extremely personal for me as well, despite not being a Nagueno myself, I find echoes of it in the Jesuit teachings, family relationships, and above all, the woman-ness of it.
Favorites: 'Flakes of Fire, Bodies of Light', 'The Night Train Does Not Stop Here Anymore', 'Typhoon'
Trigger warnings for some serious content: rape, frat violence, sexual harassment. -0.5 because I'm honestly not too keen on the whole adult-male-gaze on young, barely legal girls. I understand why that's the POV it mostly takes, though.
July 18, 2024
*read the second edition published by ateneo de naga press
October 24, 2024
maximalist-catholic prose in a way a maximalist-catholic country could articulate
April 10, 2013
The book is composed of different short stories depicting Catholicism from chinita, sanctuary, Typhoon and other stories. The author is indeed a very religious person because he knows what was indeed the writings of the churches and he identified what perhaps be missing, wrong and/or to be placed in it. Hence, the author could clearly convey the emotion he wants to the readers. From the point of view of the person in love, in tragedy, in death, in despair and many more.
March 12, 2013
So much to say about this, will post a critical review on my bag soon.
April 22, 2016
its good
Read
February 28, 2018Pahiram nalang ako ng book. sino meron? badly needed ko kase sa school but can afford to purchase a new one.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews