MANILA, Philippines—The Catholic Church is asking the faithful to allot a special time for prayer on Monday that members of Congress would finally reject the family planning measures pending in both chambers and which have caused much divisiveness among the people.
The Church declared today a National Day of Prayer to invoke divine intervention in the continuing conflict surrounding the legislative measures that would espouse birth control in the country.
Lipa Archbishop Ramon Arguelles encouraged the faithful to pray, including saying the rosary, with a special intention for representatives, senators and President Benigno Aquino III, who have openly supported the reproductive health (RH) bill, that they would change their minds.
“Let us offer our prayers for them so that their minds will be enlightened and they will see the value of life,” said Arguelles over the Church’s Radio Veritas.
He also urged the faithful to regularly pray the rosary beginning today until the family planning measures shall have been junked by Congress. The National Day of Prayer coincides with the day the legislature is scheduled to take up the RH bill.
Wear blue or white
Butuan Bishop Juan de Dios Pueblos said he had directed the priests in his diocese to encourage the faithful to mark the day by wearing blue or white shirts or ribbons. The diocese will also lead a protest activity and prayer vigil on Monday against the passage of the RH bill, he added.
“I will call on my people to do this, let’s storm heaven with prayers,” said Pueblos.
Cotabato Auxiliary Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo said a “text brigade” had been launched in his diocese to promote the National Day of Prayer and to ensure its success.
“This will manifest our unity… to show to everybody that all sectors of society are against the proposed bill,” said Bagaforo, who noted that now was the time for all pro-life supporters to publicly show their opposition to the bill that would promote the use of contraceptives.
Bagaforo said the National Day of Prayer was an opportunity for Filipinos to fight against the legislative measure “as one nation” and as “one voice in prayer.”
The Catholic Church has resolutely opposed the RH bill, considering many of its major provisions anti-life. The Church is particularly against the free distribution of birth control pills and condoms that prevent conception.
Type of abortion
It maintains that human life begins at conception and that contraception is a type of abortion, which is banned by the Constitution.
The National Day of Prayer also coincides with the last day of the nine-day novena-for-life being conducted in Metro Manila by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines and various lay and youth groups.
The novena was also part of the Church’s campaign to counter the RH bill.