Cardinal Tagle issues ‘oratio imperata’ for gov’t officials

MANILA, Philippines – Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle has issued an oratio imperata or obligatory prayer for government officials to be recited by Catholics before the new leaders assume office on June 30.

“Upon the proposal of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, our Archbishop, Cardinal Luis Antonio G. Tagle, requests that we pray the attached Oratio Imperata for Government Officials nine (9) days before the assumption into office of our newly elected public officials on June 30,” said Fr Reginald Malicdem, chancellor of the Archdiocese of Manila, in a circular dated June 14.

“The Oratio Imperata is to be prayed at the Prayer of the Faithful of all Masses in the Archdiocese of Manila from June 21 to 29, 2016,” Malicdem added.

The oratio imperata applies to parishes, shrines, chapels, religious communities, and Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Manila. 

For Catholics, an oratio imperata can also be recited outside of Masses.

(View the text of the oratio imperata in the Facebook post below)

In the Philippine context, Catholic bishops release an oratio imperata usually to address natural and man-made calamities, such as droughts and typhoons. 

This oratio imperata comes as the Philippines prepares to usher in a new set of leaders on June 30. 

Leading the new set of public officials is President-elect Rodrigo Duterte, a man criticized by several bishops for cursing and supposedly condoning extrajudicial killings. – Paterno Esmaquel II/Rappler.com