Palace to clergy: We will also pray for you

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang will also pray for the Catholic Church as it welcomed the call of  the rector of Quiapo Church, to pray for President Rodrigo Duterte.

Monsignor Hernando Coronel, who was asked by the media to comment on the frequent cursing of the President and his unrelentless attacks on the clergy, urged devotees to pray for the country’s leaders, including the President.

“Bahagi sa Kristiyanong pananampalataya ang ipagdasal ang mga pinuno ng ating bansa, mga pinuno natin sa lipunan, kasama na ang ating Pangulo, lahat ng naglilingkod sa gobyerno (It’s part of the Christian faith to pray for our country’s leaders, including our President and all civil servants),” Coronel said.

Panelo hailed the remark from the priest, as the clergy is often the target of Duterte’s verbal attacks.

“Salamat naman. Dapat lang talaga ipagadasal. Kahit ako pinagdarasal ko sila eh (Thank you. We really need to pray. I will also pray for them). Whether you believe it or not I really pray and everybody is included, including enemies. Dapat ‘yun daw ang dasal eh (That’s what the prayer should be),” he said in a Palace briefing.

“Tandaan natin (Let’s be reminded) why am I saying they should be praying for the President. We’re all parts of one whole. Sa Filipino eh ang sakit ng kalingkingan ay dama ng buong katawan (In Filipino, what ails the little finger ails the whole body). The failure of this President will be the failure of all of us,” he added.

The Palace official cited why the nation should really pray for the President.

“So we really have to pray na mag-succeed ang presidency dahil tayong lahat ay makikinabang. Kung mabigo man siya eh bigo tayong lahat (So we really have to pray for the presidency to succeed because all of us will benefit. If he fails, we will all fail). So we really have to pray for each other,” he said. /ee