MANILA, Philippines – The president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) urged Catholic schools and parishes on Thursday, December 4, to open their doors to Filipinos displaced by Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit).

“I appeal to our Catholic churches and schools to open their doors to refugees and those badly in need of shelter, particularly those already displaced by Yolanda (Haiyan),” CBCP president Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas said in a statement.

Villegas made this appeal as Ruby entered the Philippine area of responsibility on Thursday.

In his statement, Villegas added that the government and non-governmental organizations should start evacuating affected residents. “To wait any longer may be disastrous. There is no such thing as an excess of caution, especially when faced with a danger so severe,” he said.

He stressed, “Let us all first pray, and the Filipinos far from the danger zone are asked nevertheless to join the entire nation for those in harm’s way.”

‘Lord, spare our land’

The CBCP has endorsed the following prayer, the Oratio Imperata for Deliverance from Calamities: 

Almighty Father, we raise our hearts to You in gratitude for the wonders of creation of which we are part, for Your providence in sustaining us in our needs, and for Your wisdom that guides the course of the universe.

We acknowledge our sins against You and the rest of creation. We have not been good stewards of Nature. We have confused Your command to subdue the earth. The environment is made to suffer our wrongdoing, and now we reap the harvest of our abuse and indifference.

Typhoons, heavy rains, and floods occur in increasing number and intensity. We turn to You, our loving Father, and beg forgiveness for our sins. We ask that we, our loved ones and our hard earned possessions be spared from the threat of calamities, natural and man-made.

We beseech You to inspire us all to grow into responsible stewards of Your creation, and generous neighbors to those in need.

 Amen.

“Together with my brother-bishops, I commend the entire nation to the mercy, love and providence of our Father,” Villegas said.

“Lord, spare our land from this typhoon!” – Rappler.com