CBCP discourages holding of hands during ‘Our Father’ prayer amid 2019-nCoV scare

MANILA, Philippines—The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has discouraged Catholic faithful against hand-holding during the “Our Father” prayer in the Holy Mass amid the novel coronavirus or 2019-nCoV scare.

The advice was included in the guidelines and “Oratio Imperata” or a special prayer the CBCP issued following the outbreak of the new coronavirus strain that has claimed the lives of over 100 people in China.

The prayer will be recited in all weekdays and Sunday Masses beginning Sunday, Feb 2.

“In praying we invite ourselves with all our brothers and sisters suffering with the disease brought by this virus, bring up to God our longing for them to be restored to full health and humbly pray that we may be spared from infection of this virus,” CBCP said.

It also strongly recommended that Communion in the hand be practiced ordinarily to help prevent further fear from people who are reasonably cautious about this matter; check and change regularly the Holy Water from Holy Water Fonts; provide/install protective cloth on the grills of confessionals; and discourage our faithful from holding hands during the singing/praying of Our Father and from shaking hands during the Sign of Peace.

With over 6,000 confirmed cases and over a hundred deaths, the novel coronavirus outbreak has already caused global alarm, prompting countries to beef up precautionary measures to avoid its entry.

Most of the confirmed cases were recorded in the central Chinese province of Hubei, the epicenter of the outbreak, where several cities, including Wuhan, have been placed under lockdown.

The virus has already reached several countries such as Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the United States, Nepal, Thailand, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Cambodia.

There is still no confirmed case of novel coronavirus infection in the Philippines but the health officials are closely monitoring 23 patients, all of whom are foreigners, for suspected novel coronavirus cases.