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From Gossip to Grace: Understanding Marites Culture through Catholic Doctrine and the Formation of Ethical Speech

Submitted: February 21, 2026 | Published: June 30, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.63130/hijcre.v3i1.230

Authors

Keywords:

Catholic Church, Digital Communication, Gossip, Intercessory Prayer, Marites Culture

Abstract

Marites culture, a contemporary expression of gossip in Filipino society, has become increasingly visible within offline and digital Catholic communities. This study examines how gossip operates in these relational settings and explores its moral and pastoral implications for the Catholic Church. Drawing on synthesized literature on gossip, Filipino cultural values, social networks, and Catholic moral teaching, the study highlights both perceived benefits such as bonding and shared awareness and harms, including mistrust, anxiety, and weakened communal harmony. These patterns reveal a moral tension consistent with the Eighth Commandment’s call to truthfulness, necessity, and charity. The study further evaluates intercessory prayer and charitable speech commitments as formative practices capable of transforming harmful communication, enabling Catholic communities to move “from gossip to grace” in everyday interactions.

About the Author/s

Jonald De Leon

Dr. Jonald C. De Leon is an Associate Professor II at Holy Angel University in Angeles City, Philippines, where he is a member of the Christian Living Education Department (CLE) under the Institute for Christian Formation and Social Integration (ICFSI). Dr. de Leon furthered his expertise by earning Master of Arts in Religious Education and a PhD in Educational Management from Holy Angel University, after acquiring a strong foundation in philosophy from Mother of Good Counsel Seminary in San Fernando, Pampanga. He is deeply passionate about theology, religion, and environmental education, and he engages college students through dynamic theology courses, fostering profound insights that shape minds and hearts.

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Published

06/30/2026

How to Cite

De Leon, J. (2026). From Gossip to Grace: Understanding Marites Culture through Catholic Doctrine and the Formation of Ethical Speech. Hitik: International Journal of Catechists and Religious Educators, 3(1), 78-90. https://doi.org/10.63130/hijcre.v3i1.230

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