Pray—this simple act means more during these challenging times. With the uncertainty and fear surrounding the current COVID-19 outbreak, finding refuge and strength in our faith helps in keeping us going every day—and this is what the Catholic Church hopes to remind us with the oratio imperata.
Translating to “obligatory prayer” in Latin, oratio imperata are invocative prayers from the Roman Catholic Church which aim to seek divine intervention and guidance during calamities.
In the past, these prayers for deliverance had been issued in the country due to extensive droughts brought by the El Niño phenomenon, as well as natural calamities such as typhoons and massive volcano eruptions.
Additionally, circumstances that pose threats to public peace like wars and plagues call for oratio imperata as well—which is why we have it back right now during our fight against the continuing COVID-19 outbreak.
Earlier in January, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) issued a circular calling on parishes to pray the oratio imperata during all weekday and Sunday masses after the Holy Communion beginning Feb. 2.
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“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.
“Let it also be our pastoral duty to remind our faithful to heed the health recommendations of medical experts and officials so that we prevent the acquisition and spread of the disease,” they added.
However, due to even Masses being suspended to avoid social gatherings, churches have opted to share the oratio imperata online. Every day, these obligatory prayers are delivered at 12:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
Oratio Imperata for COVID-19
With the Lenten season edging closer, CBCP president and archbishop Romulo Valles also reminded everyone regarding the constant call of renewal “in our Christian life by self-control, charity and prayer.”
“Our charity is also expressed in our concern for the well-being of our brothers and sisters, thus our utmost care and efforts towards the prevention of the spread of COVID-19,” he said.
Although it consists of a liturgical action and a short, general prayer, the words in an oratio imperata are made to fit the situation that it is being used for. As for the COVID-19 outbreak, the oratio issued by the Church is as follows:
God our Father,
We come to you in our need to ask your protection against the 2019 N-Corona Virus that has claimed lives and has affected many.
We pray for your grace for the people tasked with studying the nature and cause of this virus and its disease and of stemming the tide of its transmission.
Guide the hands and minds of medical experts that they may minister to the sick with competence and compassion, and of those governments and private agencies that must find cure and solution to this epidemic.
We pray for those afflicted. May they be restored to health soon.
Grant us the grace to work for the good of all and to help those in need.
Grant this through our Lord, Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with You, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen.
Mary Help of all Christians, pray for us.
St. Raphael the Archangel, pray for us.
St. Rock, pray for us.
St. Lorenzo Ruiz, pray for us.
St. Pedro Calungsod, pray for us.
Header photo by James Coleman on Unsplash
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