April 2014 - Various prayers versus the RH Law

Newer posts below. This post, originally posted in the morning of April 6, will stay on top until 5:59 PM of April 8, 2014. - CAP

Ang dasal natin na sana itong ating justices sa SC will be guided by wisdom, will be guided by their respect for life and their love for the Lord in this country to declare it [RH Law] as unconstitutional,” he said.

~ Fr. Melvin Castro

Quoted in "Church praying High Court will ‘kill’ RH law"
 Manila Times website, Feb. 17, 2014. 

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Mary, we entrust to your maternal care the cause of defending Life and Family! 

Hearken to our plea: Defeat the Culture of Death that is engulfing the world! 

Monstra te esse Matrem! 

Show unto us that you are our Mother! 

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Lenten Pro-life Prayer

(Posted on CBCP for Life Facebook Page, April 4, 2014)

Father of all mercy,

We thank you for this season of grace and light.

We know that sin has blinded us.

Draw us ever closer to you, in prayer and penance.

Since you, O God, are light itself,

Give all your people a clearer understanding

Of what is sin, and what is virtue.

Grant in particular that we may see, as never before,

The profound dignity of every human life,

Including the vulnerable unborn children.

Give us grace to defend

Our brothers and sisters in the womb

By our prayers, our words,

And our self-sacrificing actions.

We pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Mary, Mother of Life , pray for us!

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Almighty God, we thank You for You willed for us to be the People that the Devil cannot trick, as it tricked Eve. 

We thank You for You gave us a Spirit-guided conscience that knew how the Ancient Enemy works, so we can distinguish the works of the Devil from what You want. 

We are battling today against the RH Law that promises the bounty of worldly life, the selfish bodily satisfaction and to the delightful heights of personal freedom, but is a sure road to the meltdown of our morality and of the righteous and noble picture of sexual intimacy and the holiness of the body, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit and an inseparable aspect of our personhood. It cannot give us the life that You desire for us, a life of self-giving and self-restraint, of sacrifice and of good virtues. Most especially, the FULLNESS of Life promised by Your Son Jesus Christ, a blessed life that remains in Your Love for us, and in our Love for You. 

We realized that Earthly Happiness cannot help us. Riches cannot help us. Comfort cannot help us. Personal choices cannot help us, if all of these are received without Your favor and blessings.

We had been outwitted by the Devil again and again, but we acclaim that in every earthly battle against the Devil with You, we can never lose. If it even goes to the point of hurt, offense, getting ridiculed and destroyed, our earthly battle promises a heavenly reward and the cheers of the elect from age to age. Whatever happens, Lord, as long as we do and follow Your will, in the end we believe we shall receive the glorious crown as victors of the faith.

May our Mother, The Lady of Guadalupe, protect us and meet us along the way, as she meet the worried Juan Diego. May she assure us of the Blessing of Heaven, which comes from her Son and Your Only Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, from your company of the Most Holy Trinity. 

This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Call to Prayer on July 9

ECFL Letter for the July 9 RH Law Oral Arguments

And don't forget:

Prayer for today

Lord, we entrust to you our country, the Philippines, for the crucial voting on the controversial Reproductive Death Bill both at the Lower and Upper House (expected on Monday, Dec. 17) for the third and final reading. Please bless our legislators with wisdom and courage to say NO to RH Bill. In this Year of Faith, we trust on your special grace to help us win this battle against these modern-day Herods. Lord, we don't know what to do but our eyes are upon You.  

We ask this in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, through the intercession of Our Lady, St. Michael the Archangel, and all the angels and saints in Heaven.

Prayers for Today (updated)

This prayer will remain on top of the blog until the end of December 12, 2012. Newer posts will be below the post immediately after this. 

The following prayer comes from Human Life International:

The following prayer comes from I Oppose the RH Bill on Facebook:

URGENT PRAYER FOR OUR CAUSE AGAINST THE RH BILL

(+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti. Amen)

Almighty God, we thank You for You willed for us to be the People that the Devil cannot trick, as it did tricked Eve. We thank You for You gave us a Spirit-guided conscience that knew how the Ancient Enemy works, so we can distinguish the works of the Devil from what You want. We are battling today against the RH Bill that promises the bounty of worldly life, the selfish bodily satisfaction and to the delightful heights of personal freedom, but is a sure road to the meltdown of our morality and of the righteous and noble picture of sexual intimacy and the holiness of the body, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit and an inseparable aspect of our personhood. It cannot give us the life that You desire for us, a life of self-giving and self-restraint, of sacrifice and of good virtues. Most especially, the FULLNESS of Life promised by Your Son Jesus Christ, a blessed life that remains in Your Love for us, and in our Love for You. We realized that happiness cannot help us. Riches cannot help us. Comfort cannot help us. Personal choices cannot help us, if all of these are received without Your favor and blessings.

We had been outwitted by the Devil again and again, but we acclaim that in every earthly battle against the Devil with You, we can never loose. If it even goes to the point of hurt, offense, getting ridiculed and destroyed, our earthly battle promises a heavenly reward and cheers of the chosen ones from age to age. Whatever happens Lord, as long as we do and follow Your will, in the end we believe we shall receive the glorious crown as victors of the faith.

May our Mother, The Lady of Guadalupe, protect us and meet us along the way, as she meet the worried Juan Diego. May she assure us of the Blessing of Heaven, which comes from her Son and Your Only Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, from your company of the Most Holy Trinity. 

This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Rorate Caeli on the RH Bill

From the blog Rorate Caeli, one of the most widely-read Catholic blogs in the world:

A Call to Prayer for the Philippines

Today, December 12, Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Patroness of the Unborn, the Philippine House of Representatives is poised to vote on the "Reproductive Health Bill". Despite the opposition of the Catholic hierarchy, the proposed law has the overwhelming support of the mainstream Philippine media and of the government, and not least of the United Nations. Academics and activists from universities run by the Jesuits and the De La Salle Brothers have also been at the forefront of pushing for this bill. Despite the typhoon that hit the southern Philippines last week, killing hundreds if not thousands of people, the Philippine media and Congress have continued to focus on the "importance" of passing this bill. 

The "Reproductive Health Bill" is like an omnibus law for the propagation of immorality and the destruction of the family. Aside from allocating a significant portion of this country's budget to the purchase of contraceptives (to which adolescents will be expressly entitled) and introducing Western-style sex education into the curriculum for students between the ages of 11 and 16 (specifically including the teaching of 'family planning methods'), this bill also introduces language that will greatly weaken the anti-abortion laws of the Philippines, while enshrining the very principle of "reproductive health" in its legislation. Curiously, the bill declares that "reproductive health rights" includes the right not just of married couples but of individuals to have and to raise children. In a country already awash in pornography, where condoms and, at times, even abortifacient contraceptives can be bought over the counter, the effect that the RH bill will have on the further moral degeneration of the Filipino youth can scarcely be calculated.

The bill requires that medical personnel who themselves do not wish to perform "reproductive health procedures" to nevertheless refer those who want to undergo these procedures to others who are willing to perform them. There is no conscience clause to protect those who might find the task of making such referrals to be repugnant to their religious beliefs. 

The votes last week of the Philippine Senate (which is scheduled to vote on the bill as a whole by next week) to quash amendments aimed at reaffirming the principle that life begins at fertilization, and at removing controversial clauses affirming the right of citizens to "safe and satisfying sex" and "pleasurable sex", point to the whole secularist, hedonist and anti-Christian world view behind this bill. The House of Representatives, in its turn, has shot down proposed amendments aimed at specifically safeguarding religious freedom.  

In the Philippines, there are active lobbies and overwhelming media support for the legalization of divorce, the adoption of "gay marriage", and the liberalization of abortion, which has found greater social acceptance in the past decade. Once the RH bill is passed, the push to also pass bills legalizing these perversions will undoubtedly receive greater force

Announcement: Vigil for Life in the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Makati and special Mass in St. Peter's Church along Commonwealth Ave.

PRAYER VIGIL AT OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE SHRINE

Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle has called for a Prayer Vigil starting with a Mass at 6:30 p.m. tonight, December 11, the eve of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Makati City, and also of the anticipated voting on the RH Bill in the House of Representatives. The overnight vigil continues tomorrow December 12, with masses at 6 a.m., 8 a.m, 12 noon, 5 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. Cardinal Tagle will celebrate the Mass at the Shrine at 12 noon. He personally invites everyone to go to the Shrine for the vigil and/or the Masses.

There will also be a Mass at St. Peter's Church, Commonwealth Ave.:

A call to prayer, fasting and vigilance on December 3, 2012

Prayer Power Rally at the site of People Power

This post, originally published on August 2, will stay as the top post until noon of August 4. Newer posts below. 

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Looking back at the struggle for life and against the RH bill in 2011

I recommend the following articles:

Filipinos Close 2011 with Huge Pro-Life Caravan and Legislative Victories -- by Dr. Ligaya Acosta

Year-ender report. The crusade for a culture of life. Part 1. Part 2. -- CBCP for Life

Call to Prayer

(I will maintain this post as the lead post of this blog until October 10, 2011. Newer articles below. CAP)

In the face of the onslaught of secularism and pansexualist ideologies throughout the world, the call to prayer must be sounded more insistently than ever before.

I invite all my Catholic readers of Filipino heritage to take part in the following prayer crusade:

A million roses for the world: A Filipino campaign of prayer for the whole world

Bo Sanchez versus the RH Bill

From Bo Sanchez's talk at the March 25, 2011 rally for life at Quirino Grandstand:

Day of Prayer on May 9 and Pro-Life March to Batasan, May 10, 2011

Originally posted on May 5, 2011, revised on May 8, 2011, re-dated May 9, 2011:


(NOTE: NEWER POSTS BELOW. THIS POST WILL REMAIN ON TOP UNTIL THE EVENING OF MAY 10, 2011)


From CBCPNews:

National Day of Prayer vs RH bill set on May 9

The Catholic Church has set May 9 as “National Day of Prayer” to invoke divine intervention and guidance for legislators to reject a birth control measure. 

Lipa Archbishop Ramon Arguelles said he called on the faithful to devote special time in praying for the lawmakers that they reject the reproductive health (RH) bill. 

In an interview over Radyo Veritas Thursday, he also encouraged the praying of the rosary regularly starting on Monday until the controversial measure is finally junked. 

“I-alay natin ang pagdarasal ng rosary sa mga Kongresista, Senador at kay Pangulong Aquino na maliwanagan ang kanilang pag-iisip at pahalagahan ang buhay,” Arguelles said. 

In Southern Philippines, Cotabato Auxiliary Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo said they’ve a “text brigade” for the success of the National Day of Prayer. 

He said it’s high time for the people to publicly show their opposition against the bill which pushes the use of contraceptives. 

“This will manifest our unity. To show to everybody that all sectors of the society are against the proposed bill,” said Bagaforo. 

“This is also an opportunity for us as one nation… one voice in prayer,” he said, and which according to him, is an effective instrument in the fight against the bill. 

In Agusan Del Sur, Butuan Bishop Juan de Dios Pueblos said the church will also lead a protest against the passage of the RH bill. 

Pueblos said he is set to make a directive to his priests to observe the National Day of Prayer by also wearing blue or white shirts or by wearing white ribbon pins. 

He said he will also order the holding of a prayer vigil on Monday. 

“I will call my people to do this, let’s storm the heaven with prayers,” Pueblos said. 

In Manila, the Church is currently on its 5th day of holding a novena-for-life against RH bill. 

The novena will end on May 9, the day Congress will again take up the proposed legislative measure on birth control. 

The novena-for-life is scheduled from 6:00 to 9:00 pm daily at the chapel of the Arzobispado in Intramuros, Manila. (CBCPNews)

The Day of Prayer will be followed by:

JERICHO MARCH TO BATASAN

Location: Assembly,St Peter Church, Commonwealth,Quezon City

Time: Tuesday, 10 May 2011 13:00 H

Event Alert: Nine-day Vigil for Life starts today at the Arzobispado in Intramuros, Manila

From CBCP News:

MANILA, May 1, 2011—A nine-day Prayer Vigil for Life starts today in preparation for the resumption of activity in both Houses of Congress and, thereby, of the possibility of pending bills being taken up in official deliberations soon.

Encouraged by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, the novena is led by Radyo Veritas, CBCP Media Office, the member organizations of Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas and youth groups.

The novena of prayers vigils that will be held also in several dioceses specifically directs prayers concerning House Bill 4244, or The Responsible Parenthood, Reproductive Health and Population and Development Act of 2011.

The measure, commonly referred to as the RH bill, primarily proposes a nationwide State-sponsored and State-guaranteed provision of the full range of reproductive health services and a six-year sex education program for Grade 5 to 4th Year high school students in both public and private schools as well as for out-of-school youth.

The Vigil for Life is scheduled from 6:00 to 9:00 pm daily at the chapel of the Arzobispado in Intramuros, Manila.

Today it will be preceded by a Eucharistic celebration at 5:00 pm to be officiated by Msgr. Pedro Quitorio, Media Office director of the CBCP.

The last day of the novena, May 9, coincides with the resumption of business at the Senate and the House of Representatives.

A novena is a private or public devotion done to obtain special graces. It is encouraged by ecclesiastical authority and takes on four kinds: the novena of mourning, preparation, prayer, and that which brings with it indulgences. (Diana Uichanco)

Prayer Rally on February 13, 2011 at PICC

A prayer rally for the defense of life against the RH Bill dubbed "Filipinos! Unite for Life" will be held at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) from 4:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. on Sunday, February 13, 2011.

Jose C. Sison on how to respond to the RH Bill

Call to action

A LAW EACH DAY (Keeps Trouble Away) 

By Jose C. Sison 

Updated February 07, 2011 12:00 AM

In last Friday’s column (Reaching another crossroad), the CBCP has clearly shown in its pastoral letter that contrary to what its advocates are claiming, the RH bill does not really promote reproductive health, does not reduce but increases the rate of abortion, does not really prevent HIV/AIDS, empowers women with ownership of their own bodies which are really God’s gift subject to God’s will, and is not necessary to stop overpopulation and to escape poverty. Thus in the light of these false premises, the Bishops were forced to express their strong objections to:

1. The non-consideration of moral principles, the bedrock of law, in legislative discussions of bills intended for the common good and the good of individuals.

2. The anti-life, anti-natal and contraceptive mentality that is reflected in media and in some proposed legislative bills.

3. The efforts at railroading the passage of the RH bill.

4. The overall trajectory of the RH bill towards population control.

5. The use of public funds for contraceptives and sterilization.

6. The compulsory sex education that would effectively let parents abdicate their primary role of educating their own children especially in the area of sexuality which is a sacred gift of God.

Obviously, these objections of the Bishops stem from their firm convictions which they also expressed in their pastoral letter as follows:

a) Deep concern about the plight of the poor, especially of suffering women who are struggling for a better life and who must seek it outside the country or by recourse to a livelihood that is less than decent.

b) Defense of human life from the moment of conception or fertilization up to its natural end.

c) Belief in the responsible and natural regulation of births through Natural Family Planning that requires character building involving sacrifice, self-discipline and respect for the dignity of the spouse.

d) Belief that we are only stewards of our own bodies and that responsibility over our own bodies must follow the will of God who speaks to us through our conscience.

e) Belief that on the choices related to the RH bill, conscience must not only be informed but most of all rightly guided through the teachings of one’s faith.

f) Belief in the freedom of religion and the right of conscientious objection in matters that are contrary to one’s faith which is one more reason to denounce the RH bill as it imposes sanctions and penalties in violation of this freedom and right.

Admittedly, the government has called for a dialogue with the Bishops to enable them to convey and express these views. Sadly however, the dialogue only “revealed how far apart” their respective positions are. Besides, while the dialogue is still ongoing, the Congressional Committee on Family Life already approved and endorsed to the Lower House a consolidated version of the various bills now entitled “An Act Providing for a Comprehensive Policy on Responsible Parenthood, Reproductive Health, and Population and Development and for Other Purposes” containing the same objectionable features of the original RH bill. So instead of further “building false hopes”, the CBCP just decided to issue the pastoral letter containing their unanimous moral judgment to “reject the RH agenda and to choose life”. In doing so, the Bishops did not only draw up what they object to and what they stand for. They also appealed for more concrete actions as they called:

• For a fundamental transformation of our attitudes and behavior towards all human life especially the most defenseless human life being formed or being conceived.

• For our legislators to consider the RH bill in the light of the God-given dignity and worth of human life and, therefore, to shelve it completely as contrary to our ideals and aspirations as a people.

• For other lay people and adherents of other religions to join the advocacy to defend and promote our commonly shared ideals and aspirations.

• For our government to address effectively the real issues of poverty such as corruption, lack of social and economic services, social inequities, and lack of access to education and the benefits of development.

• For the establishment of more hospitals and clinics in the rural areas, the deployment of more health personnel to provide more access to health services, the building of more schools, the provision of more aid to the poor for their education and the building of more and better infrastructures for development.

The bishops thus echoed the challenge prophetically uttered 25 years ago at EDSA I and called upon “all people of goodwill who share our conviction” …to “pray together, reason together, decide together, act together always to the end that truth prevail” over the many threats to human life and to our shared human and cultural values”.

This is a great challenge indeed. But we must accept and respond to it as we did during EDSA I. And one of the most feasible and immediately implementable actions that can be done in response to this challenge is of the course to organize massive prayer rallies similar to that organized in the late ’90s which foiled the plan of some ambitious politicians to extend their stay in power by amending the constitution. This time the prayer rallies will be imploring the help of the Divine Providence to stop Congress from enacting that anti-life and anti-family RH bill.

Another doable move that can be done immediately is to lobby for and support House Bill No. 13 entitled an “Act Providing for the Safety and Protection of the Unborn Child and for Other Purposes”. This bill actually seeks to implement the Constitutional Provision in Article II Section 12 mandating the State to equally protect the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from conception. It is based on the truism that the right to life is the most fundamental of rights from which all other rights are derived and without which other rights including women’s right to reproductive health are meaningless. Due to space limitations, HB 13 shall be discussed in a subsequent article.

E-mail us at jcson@pldtdsl.net

Oratio Imperata for the Respect of All Human Life

I've read, and been told, and seen for myself, that this prayer continues to be IGNORED in a number of Masses in the Archdiocese of Manila and elsewhere. I am therefore posting this prayer and ask that this blog's readers recite it as part of their private prayers. Let us be united with the bishops of our country in spiritual combat against the Reproductive Health Bill.

10 December 2010

TO: ALL THE PRIESTS, RELIGIOUS MEN AND WOMEN IN THE ARCHDIOCESE OF MANILA

RE: ORATIO IMPERATA FOR THE RESPECT OF ALL HUMAN LIFE

Dear Monsignori, Father, Brothers and Sisters:

Greetings in the Lord!

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines has forwarded the attached Oratio Imperata for the Respect of all Human Life. May we request that the said prayer be recited by your parish community after the Post-Communion Prayer in all Masses starting this Third Sunday of Advent until future notice. We have also provided the Tagalog translation of the oratio.

Thank you very much.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

(signed)

REV. FR. GENARO O. DIWA

Director

Archdiocesan Liturgical Commission, Manila



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ORATIO IMPERATA FOR THE RESPECT OF ALL HUMAN LIFE

God, our loving Father,

Creator and lover of all life,

You fashioned in your own image and likeness every human person.

Give us the strength and courage

to defend and protect human life from conception to natural death.

We pray for your divine healing, comfort and peace

for all affected by past abortions.

Help us serve actively in alleviating the sufferings and troubles

of all women with pregnancy problems.

We pray that all our leaders and legislators

may be guided by the grace of the Holy Spirit

to act responsibly on this critical present issue.

Mary, our loving Mother, to you we entrust the cause of life.

We make our prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us.

Saint Rosa of Lima, pray for us.

Saint Lorenzo Ruiz, pray for us.

ORATIO IMPERATA PARA SA PAGGALANG SA BUHAY NG TAO

Ama naming mapagmahal,

Ikaw ang lumikha at nagmamahal sa lahat ng buhay.

Nilikha at hinubog mo ang bawat tao na iyong kawangis at kalarawan.

Pagkalooban mo kami ng lakas at tapang

upang ipagtanggol at pangalagaan ang buhay ng tao

mula sa sinapupunan hanggang sa kusang pagpanaw nito.

Nagsusumamo kami sa iyo para sa iyong awa,

lakas at kapayapaan

sa lahat ng nasangkot sa “abortion.”

Tulutan mong maging handa kami

upang tulungan na maibsan ang kapighatian

at hirap ng mga kababaihang dumadanas

ng tindi ng suliranin sanhi ng kanilang pagdadalang-tao.

Ipinapananalangin din namin ang aming mga pinuno at mambabatas,

upang sila’y gabayan ng biyaya ng Espiritu Santo

na manindigan ayon sa pananampalataya sa Iyo

sa pagharap nila sa usaping ito.

Mahal na Birhen, aming maibiging Ina,

ipinagkakatiwala naming sa iyo ang mga mithiin naming para sa buhay.

Hinihiling naming ito sa pamamagitan ni Hesu-Kristong aming Panginoon. Amen

Mahal na Birhen ng Guadalupe. Ipanalangin mo kami.

Santa Rosa ng Lima. Ipinalangin mo kami.

San Lorenzo Ruiz. Ipanalangin mo kami.

Tomorrow's Prayer Vigil for Nascent Human Life

Received via email from Pro-Life Philippines, and reposted here with slight editing:

COME & JOIN !!!!

Prayer Vigil for Nascent Human Life

DATE: November 27, 2010

TIME: 5:30 PM

VENUE: EL SHADDAI GROUNDS

Amvel City Compound, Parañaque

Pope Benedict has earlier called on all Catholics to join the prayer vigil for “All Nascent of Human Life” on the eve of the first Sunday of Advent which will (should -- CAP) be celebrated in all dioceses and parishes.

P R O G R A M

5:30 PM ………….. INTRODUCTION

6:00 PM……..... EXPOSITION OF THE BLESSED

SACRAMENT & HOLY ROSARY

7:00 PM ………….. TESTIMONY

7: 30 PM …………. HOLY MASS

9:00 PM…………… VIGIL PROPER

Its time to unite our stand and get involved in the most important role you can ever have as a baptized Catholic, following God's command to spread the One True Faith. Defend Mother Church and be counted in this battle for LIFE from womb to tomb against all its threats.