THE Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) issued a revised mandatory prayer for protection against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
The CBCP included in the prayer the discovery of vaccines to combat Covid-19, and an appeal to St. Joseph.
Pope Francis has proclaimed 2021 as the Year of St. Joseph. In Circular No. 21-07 issued on Friday, January 29, 2021, the conference advised the bishops and the diocesan administrators about the amended obligatory prayer, a Philippine News Agency report said. The Oratio Imperata is prayed during mass.
Revised Oratio Imperata (For Protection Against the Covid-19 Virus) as of January 2021:
Merciful and compassionate Father, we come to you in our need to seek your protection against the Covid-19 virus that has disturbed and even claimed lives.
We ask you now to look upon us with love and by your healing hand, dispel the fear of sickness and death, restore our hope, and strengthen our faith.
We pray that you guide the people tasked to find cures for this disease and to stem its transmission.
We thank you for the vaccines developed made possible by your guiding hands.
Bless our efforts to use these vaccines to end the pandemic in our country.
We pray for our health workers that they may minister to the sick with competence and compassion.
Grant them health in mind and body, strength in their commitment, protection from the disease.
We pray for those afflicted.
May they be restored to health.
Protect those who care for them.
Grant eternal rest to those who have died.
Give us the grace in these trying times to work for the good of all and to help those in need.
May our concern and compassion for each other see us through this crisis and lead us to conversion and holiness.
Grant all these 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.
We fly to Your protection, O Holy Mother of God.
Do not despise our petition in our necessities, but deliver us always from all dangers, O glorious and blessed Virgin. Amen.
Our Lady, health of the sick, pray for us.
St. Joseph, pray for us.
St. Raphael the Archangel, pray for us.
San Roque, pray for us.
San Lorenzo Ruiz, pray for us.
San Pedro Calungsod, pray for us.
(From PNA report)