Bishops ask faithful to say special prayer for Pope's visit

The head of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines is calling on Filipino Catholics to offer a prayer starting August 1, Friday, for the upcoming visit of Pope Francis in January 2015.

 

CBCP president and Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas said the National Prayer for the Papal Visit should be prayed in masses before the post-Communion prayer from August 1 to January 14.

A copy of the prayer was posted on the website of the Lingayen-Dagupan Archdiocese.
 

Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle on Tuesday announced Pope Francis would visit the Philippines from Jan. 15 to 19, 2015.

 

The Pope's visit to the Philippines will follow his trip to Sri Lanka from Jan. 12 to 15.

 

"God of mercy and compassion, we come to you in our need and lift up to you our nation as we prepare for the apostolic visit of Pope Francis," read the introduction of the National Prayer for the Papal Visit.

 

After every invocation, the faithful are to say together: "Bless your Church Lord!"

 

The full text of the prayer is as follows:

 

God of mercy and compassion, we come to you in our need and lift up to you our nation as we prepare for the apostolic visit of Pope Francis.

 

After every invocation we say together: Bless your Church Lord!

 

That we may be faithful to the Pope, the Vicar of Christ on earth, Bless your Church Lord!

 

That we may be eager to meet and listen to Pope Francis, Bless your Church Lord!

 

That we may be compassionate with the poor and the needy, Bless your Church Lord!

 

That we may be merciful with the weak and the lost, Bless your Church Lord!

 

That we may humbly confess our sins and return to God, Bless your Church Lord!

 

That we may frequently and devoutly receive Holy Communion, Bless your Church Lord!

 

Let us pray:

 

God our Father, we are all your children. Make of us a nation of mercy and compassion eager to meet Pope Francis. Make us a nation of holiness and heroism through Christ our Lord. Amen. —Joel Locsin/NB, GMA News