Caritas PH urges faithful to hold communal prayer amid VP Sara impeachment

The Catholic Church’s social aid and development arm has urged the faithful to hold communal prayers in support of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines’ (CBCP) call to proceed with the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

In a statement on Sunday, Caritas Philippines invited Catholics to pray for the following intentions:

• Ask the Holy Spirit to guide senators, prosecutors, and defense lawyers to make wise, fair, and lawful decisions in the pursuit of justice and truth.
• Pray for the President, Vice President, Congress, and all public officials to practice ethical leadership that will promote transparency and accountability in serving the Filipino people, especially the poor, marginalized, and voiceless.
• Pray for all Filipinos to fulfill their civic duties, work for the common good, and set aside political differences in support of those in need.
• Encourage everyone to “adopt” a senator, prosecutor, and defense team member in personal and communal prayers.

Caritas Philippines urged the faithful to conduct their communal prayers at 12 p.m. and/or 6 p.m., as well as the ringing of bells in churches, homes, and communities to signal the start of communal prayers.

“Part of our tradition is the ringing of bells, especially blessed bells, wards off evil spirits,” it said.

“Let us light a candle during our 6:00 pm prayer and ask our Lord for us to be “light in the Lord [and] live as children of light" (Ephesians 5:8),” it added.

Caritas Philippines also encouraged the faithful to organize Masses and prayer rallies and said it would provide guidance on possible mobilizations that they can take part in.

It advised the public to organize information centers that regularly provide information on the progress of the trial.

“We will post or provide only 'credible, fact-checked, and responsibly sourced information’ along with impartial, balanced, and educated commentaries or analyses by recognized law experts,” Caritas Philippines said.

It called on Catholics to engage in discerning and respectful discussions on the developments in the trial and provide respectful feedback to the involved parties.

Caritas Philippines made the statement as it supported the CBCP’s call to proceed with Duterte’s impeachment without delay to serve the common good in pursuit of justice and faith.

“We appeal to the Members of the Senate to abide by what the Constitution directs: to proceed with the trial and to decide the case against the Vice President by summoning witnesses, hearing testimony, and voting according to the evidence and, above all, the demands of righteousness and justice,” CBCP President Archbishop Gilbert Garcera of Lipa said in a statement.

“We urge the Senators to avoid any act that may be perceived as evading their sworn duty or circumventing the requirements of the Constitution,” he added.

In a separate statement, the diocesan social action network under Caritas Philippines said it is important that Filipinos peacefully organize a nationwide network and be vigilant in safeguarding the country’s democratic institutions and upholding the rule of law.

“In these difficult times, may we resist division, deception, hatred, and indifference. May we become a people formed by truth, guided by conscience, and united in love of God and country. We,” the statement signed by over 100 clergymen read.

The Filipino bishops released the statement after the House of Representatives impeached Duterte on allegations of culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, betrayal of public trust, bribery, and other high crimes.

The House plenary, for the second straight year, voted to impeach Duterte, this time with 257 yes votes, 25 no votes, and nine abstentions.

Duterte lawyers have stood firm that they are prepared to defend the second-highest official in the country before the Senate should it convene as an impeachment court.

They also emphasized that it is now up to the accusers to substantiate their allegations, possibly during the impeachment trial. —Mariel Celine Serquiña/RF, GMA News