ASIA/PHILIPPINES - Bishops issue “Oratio imperata” for peace in Mindanao

Tuesday, 24 February 2015

Manila (Agenzia Fides) – The Bishops of the Philippines have launched an Oratio Imperata for peace in Mindanao. Aware of the difficult moment the country is living following the massacre on 25 January in Mamasapano, on the island of Mindanao, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines has issued a special prayer for peace to be distributed to every diocese and prayed incessantly in every parish and in every community during the whole of the month of March.
“As the nation continues to weep for the tragedy in Mamasapano, the best contribution we can offer is to encourage all our people to pray” Archbishop Socrates Villegas, President of the Bishops’ Conference writes in a letter addressed to the dioceses presenting the initiative. Fides was informed that the prayer will be recited after communion at every celebration of Mass from 1 to 28 March.
Here are excerpts of the prayer: “Grant us a sense of urgency to activate the forces of goodness, of justice, of love and of peace in our communities. Where there is armed conflict, let us stretch out our arms to our brothers and sisters. Where there is despair, let there be hope in the Good News… Where there are wounds of division, let there be unity and wholeness. Where there are lies and deceit, let your Truth set us all of us free.
Where there are thoughts of vengeance, let there be healing and forgiveness… Help us to be committed to the Gospel of peace. In spite of our differences in faith traditions and ethnic roots, Teach us Your spirit of mercy and compassion”.
The urgency of peace was also underlined in an address by Cardinal Orlando Quevedo, Archbishop of Cotabato (Mindanao), who called all Filipinos, including all politicians to “heed Mindanao”, rejecting all temptation to use the Mamasapano tragedy to stop the process of talks for peace. It is necessary now, said Cardinal Quevedo, to offer Mindanao an opportunity for peace and reconciliation”. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 24/2/2015)


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