30/01/2020
San Roque, ig-ampo mo kami!
RE: GUIDELINES AND ‘ORATIO” ON 2019 NOVEL CORONA VIRUS
As the world watches with anxiety and vigilance the spread of 2019 Novel Corona Virus (2019-N CoV), we turn to our Loving Father in heaven for protection and guidance. Acting upon the instruction of Abp. Romulo G. Valles, CBCP President, we are issuing these guidelines and Oratio Imperata on 2019-N CoV so that we can, as a Church and a nation, bring our supplication through prayer.
We exhort all our parishes to pray this “Oratio” in all of our weekdays and Sunday Masses, after Holy Communion, kneeling down, starting on February 2 (Sunday), Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. 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.
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. You will find attached the official communications from DOH. The advisory about what the public can do to prevent the spread of 2019-nCoV is in #9 of the FAQs on Novel CoronaVirus (2019-nCoV) at (https://www.doh.gov.ph/2019-nCov/FAQs), and also in their updated press releases, the latest is January 28 on their official website (https://www.doh.gov.ph/2019-nCoV).
We exhort all parishes, churches and chapels dedicated to St. Raphael the Archangel and St. Roch (Roche or Roque), to make special prayers and penitential processions. St. Raphael the Archangel and St. Roch are patrons in times of pestilence and experience of incurable illnesses.
In this moment of uncertainty about the illness caused by this virus, and upon the health recommendations of our medical experts, we strongly recommend the following:
a. The COMMUNION IN THE HAND be practiced ordinarily to help prevent further fear from people who are reasonably cautious about this matter;
b. Check and change regularly the Holy Water from Holy Water Fonts;
c. Provide/Install protective cloth in on the grills of confessionals;
d. Discourage our faithful from holding hands during the singing/praying of the “Our Father” and shaking of hands during the Sign of Peace.
We pray for the safety and protection of all the faithful.
