Category: Uncategorized

By: Catholic News Service

Date: March 16, 2022

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Here is the CNS translation of the prayer for peace Pope Francis recited at his weekly general audience March 16. The prayer was composed by Archbishop Domenico Battaglia of Naples.

Forgive us for the war, Lord.

Lord Jesus, son of God, have mercy on us sinners.

Lord Jesus, born under the bombs of Kyiv, have mercy on us.

Lord Jesus, dead in the arms of a mother in Kharkiv, have mercy on us.

Lord Jesus, in the 20-year-olds sent to the frontline, have mercy on us.

Lord Jesus, who continues to see hands armed with weapons under the shadow of the cross, forgive us, Lord.

Forgive us if, not content with the nails with which we pierced your hand, we continue to drink from the blood of the dead torn apart by weapons.

Forgive us if these hands that you had created to protect have been turned into instruments of death.

Forgive us, Lord, if we continue to kill our brother. Forgive us, Lord, if we continue to kill our brother, if we continue like Cain to take the stones from our field to kill Abel.

Forgive us if we go out of our way to justify cruelty, if, in our pain, we legitimize the cruelty of our actions. Forgive us the war, Lord.

Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, we implore you to stop the hand of Cain, enlighten our conscience, let not our will be done, do not abandon us to our own doing. Stop us, Lord, stop us, and when you have stopped the hand of Cain, take care of him also. He is our brother.

O Lord, stop the violence. Stop us, Lord. Amen.

Naging inspirasyon noon ang Pilipinas sa maraming iba pang mga bansa na nangangarap din ng kalayaan ngunit takot sa madugong mga pamamaraan. Isa-isa ring naglakas-loob ang mga mamamayan sa mga bansang kontrolado rin ng mga pamahalaang diktador, kasama ang Ukraine. Nakita nila ang “People Power” bilang susi ng sa isang mapayapang paraan ng pagbabago.

Mga kapatid, samahan natin ang Santo Papa at ang ating mga kapatid sa Ukraine sa pamamagitan ng pananalangin at pag-aayuno simula nitong Ika-2 ng Marso, 2022, araw ng Miyerkoles ng Abo, simula ng Kuwaresma. Ang Panginoon mismo ang nagturo sa atin na walang ibang panlaban sa mga tukso ng diyablo lalo na sa mga nahuhumaling sa kapangyarihan, kayamanan at katanyagan, kundi ang pag-aayuno, pananalangin, at pagkakawanggawa (Mat. 4:1-11). “Idalangin din natin, sa tulong ng ating Mahal na Ina, na antigin ng Panginoon ang konsensya ng mga mamamayang Russo, upang sila mismo ay gumawa ng hakbang upang itigil na ng kanilang pamahalaan ang sinimulang digmaan.”

February 21, 2022

To All Laiko Members: National Lay Organizations & Arch/Diocesan Councils of the Laity

Dear Brothers & Sisters:

As we prepare for the 2022 Lenten Season, let us begin to ask the Lord that we may appropriate the many graces accompanying our prayers, fasting and good works.

On Ash Wednesday, a nation-wide appeal for Reparation Prayers for the Country will be launched and we will send out more information about this.

There will also be an Alay Kapwa Telethon, the purpose and mechanics of which are contained in the attached letter from the CBCP-Nassa Caritas.

Lastly, we are also receiving spiritual senses from Lay-leaders of the need for us to take seriously the “spiritual warfare” we are in during this campaign period, and with that sense an appeal for fasting and penance.

If you can, please do consider these and encourage your members to do the same.

“Jesus said to him, “If you can! Everything is possible to one who has faith.” (Mk 9:14-29)

Thank you very much.

Sincerely in the service of the Lord,

February 20, 2022

Mr. JUN CRUZ
President
Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas
372 Cabildo St.,Intramuros,Manila

Dear JUN !

Greetings from Caritas Philippines!

Typhoon Odette in December 2021 left more than two million families with no homes and sources of livelihoods. The Catholic Church through Caritas Philippines and the Social Action Network was able to readily assist 335,618 families with food, hygiene/medical kits, shelter kits and solar lamps amounting to 114.3 million pesos.

We were able to do this much with the help of everyone who trusted Caritas Philippines and the Church. However, there are still more than a million families in need of shelters and livelihoods. We cannot just leave them behind.