CBCP releases special prayer for rain

A man and woman use a cloth over their heads to protect them from the sun in Manila, Philippines on Monday, April 29, 2024. Aaron Favila, AP Photo 

MANILA -- As record-breaking intense heat baked the Philippines, the country's bishops on Friday released a special prayer asking for rain. 

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on issued "Oratio Imperata Ad Petendan Pluviam" or the Obligatory Prayer to Request for Rain.

"We are respectfully sending the text of the Oratio Imperata Ad Petendam Pluviam prepared by the Episcopal Commission on Liturgy for your consideration and use according to your pastoral discretion," Msgr. Bernardo Pantin, CBCP secretary general, in a letter addressed to archbishops, bishops, and administrators.

The CBCP has released oratio imperata for previous calamities like drought and storm. There was also a specific prayer during the height of COVID-19 pandemic.

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Due to the impact of El Niño and drought, around 130 local government units have declared a state of calamity to access emergency funds. 

Sen. Francis Tolentino on Friday urged government to declare a nationwide declaration of a state of calamity to trigger price controls on basic commodities.

"They should be really national in scope to trigger the application of Republic 7581 or the Price Act which would result in the freezing of prices of basic commodities especially during this El Nino Season," Tolentino said.

Tolentino also proposed that the government undertake cloud seeding. 

Last April 29, the municipality of Iba in Zambales recorded a heat index of 53 degrees Celsius.

A day before that, Metro Manila logged its hottest temperature in recorded history with 38.8 degrees Celsius.

Below is the full text of the prayer:

Oratio Imperata Ad Petendam Pluviam 

God, our loving Father,
Creator of our earth and of the universe
and of all the wondrous elements of nature
that sustain your living creatures,
we humbly ask you to grant us relief
from the extreme heat that besets your people at this time, disrupting their activities and threatening their lives and livelihood. Send us rain to replenish our depleting water sources,
to irrigate our fields, to stave off water and power shortages
and to provide water for our daily needs.
At your command the wind and the seas obey.
Raise your hand, Almighty God,
to avert the continuing rise in temperatures
so that your people can engage in productive undertakings
and our young people can pursue learning in tranquility and comfort. 

Merciful and generous God,
open our eyes to the richness and beauty of your creation and instill in us a deep love for this earth
and all that is in and around it.
Teach us to be wise stewards of your creation
so that we may always use them responsibly
and protect them from abuse and exploitation.
At this time of crisis, dear Lord,
move us to share more, to serve more and to love more. 

Loving God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
you entrusted the Filipino people
to the special care of Mary our Mother,
listen to the prayers that we bring up to her, our Blessed Mother, to intercede for us, for the protection of our land and our people, whom she loves. 

Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen. 

Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us. Saint Rose of Lima, pray for us. Saint Lorenzo Ruiz, pray for us. Saint Pedro Calungsod, pray for us. 

-- With a report from RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News