Tagle urges special prayer vs El Niño

Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle has urged Filipino Catholics to “storm the heavens with prayers” as the country faces what could be one of the worst droughts in recent history brought on by the El Niño phenomenon.

Tagle issued an Oratio Imperata, or a set of invocative, obligatory prayers, to be said in Roman Catholic Masses throughout the Archdiocese of Manila.

“Let us together storm the heavens with our supplications, that God’s mercy be upon us and avert the disaster that a prolonged and intense El Niño threatens us with,” he said in a circular addressed to all clergy, superiors of religious communities and heads of secular institutes in the Archdiocese of Manila.

An Oratio Imperata consists of a liturgical action and a short, general prayer which may be publicly prayed when a grave need or calamity occurs. The prayers are recited after communion or at the conclusion of the Mass.

In issuing the obligatory prayer, Tagle noted that weather forecasters have warned that the El Niño phenomenon this year would spell prolonged drought in at least 46 provinces, potentially damaging crops and causing water shortage.

“This impending situation brings us to the brink of helplessness, but not hopelessness, as we turn to God, our Father, to turn His Mercy on us and shorten the life of the El Niño and bring down the rain to avert the crisis,” Tagle said.

Apart from praying the Oratio Imperata, the Cardinal sent intentions to be inserted into the daily and Sunday Prayer of the Faithful of the Mass.