By: Winston Irias Calix

A messenger of God in Catacamas

He disseminated and practiced the message of love, faith and hope, which are the essence of the doctrine of Christ. He defended indigenous rights obtaining legal titles for their lands. He punished and converted the sorcerers and students of the School of Witchcraft operating in Catacamas, which closed, warning them they were excluded from the grace of God, as expressed in the Bible in Galatians 5. He performed miracles that will build the basis for his future recognition as a saint of the Catholic Church.

These are some of the many activities that the Spanish missionary, Father Manuel de Jesus Subirana, made in Catacamas in 1860, as a part of an intensive evangelization campain, according to the story told by my great-aunt and second mother, Miss Francisca Irias Calix, to whom my sister Dilcia, due to a bad pronunciation of her name called Mi Chacha.

As told by his father, my grandfather, Mr. Antonio Irias, who met Father Subirana when that holy man was heading from Santa Maria de El Real to Catacamas, Father Subirana told the crowd that met him: “We are heading to the Catacamas Lagoon.” When they told him the town is located on land, he insisted on the name he had mentioned.

About the name Catacamas Lagoon several people say there is plenty of shallow water in the Valley of Catacamas. For decades the city had eyes of water or surface sources, such as the ones that existed in the zone of Ojo de Agua (Water Eye), which 40 years ago was a village of the municipality, just like El Hatillo is now. Both are now neighborhoods of Catacamas.

At that time a stream ran along Second Avenue in the same place the Rosmunda Herrera School was located, where now is the Municipal Library. But there’s more: the flow of the Catacamas River, which previously flowed into the Guayape, was reduced by the collapse of a hill at its source, back in 1940.

During the tragedy caused by Hurricane Mitch, bulky water jets came to the surface on the hills and slopes of Catacamas.

People in Catacamas say that missionary Subirana predicted that the city would be destroyed by the Piedra Blanca Mountain (White Stone Mountain), and that until that disaster did not happen the town of Santa Maria de El Real would never prosper.

In this regard, my aunt reassured me that Father Subirana made such fatal prediction in order to make the residents of Catacamas repent for their sins, praying every day to our Lord to keep the city safe.

Father Subirana was staying at the site once occupied by the Rosmunda Herrera School, a place I consider to be the most suitable for the operation of the Catacamas Museum, near the Municipal Library.

The School of Witchcraft reappears

My great-aunt told me that some sorcerers disobeyed the order of Father Subirana and continued their anti-Christian practices.

At the beginning of the twentieth century the Shool of Witchcraft reemerged in Catacamas, it was located at the place where now is the Juan Pablo II School (John Paul II), in Barrio La Cruz (The Cross Neibourghood). At night their “students” turned into apes and walked hand in hand through the downtown streets unto the square where now is the Central Park. They played in the leafy branches of the ceiba tree, and then returned to their place, emerging furtively, now in their human form, according to the story.

The Indian Rojas assured me that the “students” of the school turned into monkeys at a site located about 300 meters to the west of their witchcraft center, which operated in the place where now is located the Juan Pablo II School. According to tradition, in order to turn into animals the sorcerers left their souls in a gourd, which they hid with extreme caution, and in returning they would drink it, thus regaining their human form. If anyone shed the soul he or she would remain as an animal for life, according to popular belief .

But the Spanish missionary made a new miracle after his death, according to my great-aunt. The school building began to collapse and the warlocks were somehow identified by their relatives, friends and curious people. People reminded them how their ancestors had been punished and converted by Father Subirana and many of them convulsed at the mere mention of his name. Repentant, they did not exercise again their witchcraft practices.

From the book “Catacamas: Del ayer al año 2000” by Winston Irias Calix.

By Jorge Montenegro

My friend Luis Hernan Sevilla (RIP) told me long ago in the city of Danli a story that made me think and fueled my imagination. Many years ago in the (also known as) City of Hills there was a passion for classical music, literature, spiritism and poetry, and many young people embraced some of these special inclinations, including Jorge, a young pianist who had a beautiful two-storey house. He delighted performing with his skillful hands the most beautiful melodies, people passing by his house stood or sat on the sidewalk to listen to him, he exerted such fascination with his music that people from other places went to hear him perform with such mastery.

One afternoon Jorge left home to take his usual walk around the city, visiting relatives and close friends, he talked with many people, and when the sun threatened to give way to darkness, the young man continued his walk towards home.

A deep blue-eyed woman was walking in the opposite direction. When he saw her he greeted her politely, but without knowing how he felt trapped by the influence of that living statue’s stare. With her crystalline smile she captivated even more Jorge’s heart, who invited her to enjoy a private concert.

“I always listen your performance from the garden, you have such a delicacy to play the piano, so I feel very honored to be the first woman you invite to your house to hear the most beautiful melodies.”

“On the contrary, the honor is mine, I never thought to find in my life’s way a woman so beautiful, so ethereal, so special.”

“I have learned to know your soul from every tune that emerges from your piano, you are a good and sensitive man who loves music and nature.”

With that conversation Jorge felt different, he finally found the woman he idealized for so long, he knew that his loneliness was about to leave him.

Little by little, walking through the streets of Danli, they were getting to know each other.

“I have to say goodbye,” she said, “I cannot spend much time outside my house because I did not ask permission, my father is very strict and it would be distasteful to be late.”

“I understand … but you still haven’t told me your name.”

“My name is Diana and I hope to see you again.”

“Tell me where I can find you.”

“I will find you, I know where you live, and as long as you talk to your piano, I will always be around.”

That night the neighbors listened a true concert, the hands of Jorge ran through his piano’s keyboard with extraordinary mastery, pulling out the most beautiful notes that delighted the neighbors. No one complained, everyone was enthralled with the impromptu concert.

The next day Jorge wrote the lyrics of a song that highlighted the beauty of Diana, then he patiently began to feel within his soul a deep inspiration to compose a sublime music for those lyrics. He barely took a cup of coffee during the day, he ate nothing because his food was the melody for those lyrics.

In the evening he was able to capture what he wanted in the staff: a unique and special song, a song that came out of his soul, out of his spirit. Upon arriving the night the work was finished. He felt no fatigue, his energy increased when his hands ran through the keyboard performing Diana, the melody of his inspiration. He went for a walk as usual, a bit puzzled because he didn’t know where the woman who had stolen his heart lived.

Suddenly he felt someone holding his hand, it was her, his beloved Diana. Together they walked through the deserted streets of the City of Hills, they said to each other so many things.

“I made a song for you, Diana.”

“Can we go to your home to listen to it?”

Thus, hand in hand they arrived at Jorge’s home, the piano was located near the bedroom. There he performed the melody of his inspiration. She wept with emotion and surrendered into the arms of Jorge. Kissing her passionately he took her to bed. That was the night when loneliness left Jorge.

The dawn’s early light projected by the bedroom window, Jorge felt that something was slipping between the sheets and something cold was rubbing his legs. Upon opening the door he saw with astonishment that an enormous snake was leaving his bed, going out through the window and falling into the garden, he tried to stop it, he was confused.

When he went to the garden he knew the truth, Diana was a snake, a snake that listened to his performance fascinated every night, hidden among the flowers.

They say the pianist locked himself in his house and played his piano day and night until it stopped sounding. His family and friends went to bury him and upon throwing the last shovelful of dirt, a huge snake passed very near the grave.

From the book “Cuentos y Leyendas de Honduras” by Jorge Montenegro.

In Honduras, just like in Bolivia, Spain, Italy and other countries, Father’s Day is celebrated on March 19, being this the day of St. Joseph, foster father of Jesus according to the Bible, although the decree that gives official sanction to this celebration in Honduras does not mention the Saint or Jesus.

Father’s Day is a time to celebrate fatherhood, to remember and ponder the virtues of good parents.

Although not as popular as Mother’s Day, Father’s Day is celebrated in schools, and the children give to their fathers the handicrafts they made specially for them in their day.

Merchants take advantage of Father’s Day to promote their products and services, urging to make an acknowledgment of love for those who are fathers with gifts to their liking.

Although the Mother’s hymn is well known, Father’s hymn does not enjoy the same diffusion.

Father’s Day is a timely opportunity to ask reflection to irresponsible fathers, those who only drop the seed and go away, leaving the entire burden of raising children on women.

While Catholic priests are called “fathers”, the Father’s Day is not for them. The Catholic Church has designated Maundy Thursday as the day to commemorate the institution of the priesthood by Christ, according to Catholic doctrine.

Hondurans are very Christian, and above all they trust in their Heavenly Father to guide them and help them to be better people.

San Cristobal hill in the background.

By Lidia Maria de Calix

Many years ago Danli was just a small village, whose inhabitants engaged in agriculture and small livestock. At that time no car had yet entered the town, people used to made their trips by mule or on foot.

They say that by that time something very strange happened on the hill of San Cristobal, northern guardian of this city. The villagers heard at all hours of the day the crowing of a cock and saw clothes hanging on the hill every day. Such was the curiosity of the people that they once arranged a trip to meet the family who lived there, they wanted to befriend them.

Upon arriving there they were surprised to find only pines, rocks and an uninhabited cave. When they were returning to Danli they continued seeing and hearing the same things.

When this town was visited by the revered and admired priest Manuel de Jesús Subirana the people of Danli told him what happened and he witnessed the events; and thinking it was a thing of the devil he decided to go and bless the hill with a group of residents.

Upon arriving at the base of the hill, the priest began his blessing, and when he was approaching the middle of the hill (place of the strange event) they say the hill began to grow, and as the people and the priest went on, the hill grew further and further, so they could never reach the site they wanted to bless.

It is said that this hill will explode with tongues of fire in the future, trying to destroy the population, but at the same time, the rock of Apagüitz, Southern guardian of Danli, will burst in water, which will offset the fury of the San Cristobal hill.

Taken from the book “Danlí en el recuerdo”, by Dario Gonzalez Caceres.

The age of consent is the age at which people can have sex permitted by law. It is understood that sex should be voluntary, without coercion, because otherwise it would qualified as rape or sexual abuse.

The Honduran law does not explicitly define an age of consent, although some authors, making analogies with other legal systems, consider the age of consent in Honduras to be of 15 years old.

The age of majority in Honduras is reached at the age of 21. At the age of 18 young people are considered “citizens” and have the right to obtain their identity card and cast their votes, but do not enjoy the full exercise of their rights.

Minors can only marry with parental permission. The minimum age for marriage is of 17 for women, and 18 for men.

Having sex with a woman between 15 and 17 years old abusing a position of trust, hierarchy or authority is considered estupro (corruption of a minor). The law does not cover the crime of estupro in the case of male victims, and no mention is made of homosexual relations.

Some people interpret that if there is no abuse of trust, hierarchy or authority (estupro), and no incest, no crime is committed. So the Honduran law would allow consensual sex at the age of 15. This means sex with minors is allowed in Honduras.

In the case of estupro or abduction of a woman over the age of 14 but under the age of 18, the offender will be free if he marries the girl.

The Honduran Code of Childhood and Adolescence prohibits the recruitment of people under the age of 18 for the making of pornographic scenes.

References
Penal Code
Family Code
Code of Childhood and Adolescence.