The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has approved a special national prayer aimed at seeking spiritual intervention for a country currently facing deep societal divisions.
Approved during the CBCP Permanent Council meeting on May 20, the collective petition—titled “A Nation’s Prayer for Enlightenment, Conversion and Renewal”—is scheduled for nationwide recitation starting Pentecost Sunday, May 31, and will continue through at least July.
According to the CBCP General Secretariat, the prayer has been translated into several local languages, including Tagalog, Bicolano, Binisaya, Ilocano, Hiligaynon, and Cebuano, to ensure widespread participation across various dioceses.
In issuing the prayer, the Permanent Council noted that the Philippines “stands at a difficult crossroads,” prompting a call for institutional repentance and a return to ethical governance.
The English version of the prayer specifically appeals for the integrity of public servants, petitioning for leaders to be guided away from self-interest and retaliation:
”Grant them wisdom to act with discernment, strength to persevere with integrity, and humility to seek not revenge, but righteousness; not personal ambition, but the common good.”
Beyond a petition for political leaders, the prayer serves as an examination of conscience for the general public. It features lines where the faithful openly confess to collective shortcomings, such as complacency and silence amid societal ills:
”We confess the many times we remained silent in the face of wrongdoing, when we chose convenience over conscience, fear over courage, and apathy over responsibility.”
The spiritual campaign concludes with an invocation for national healing, unity, and fortitude, asking for a citizenry that “will not trade truth for comfort, nor surrender goodness to fear,” while seeking the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Filipino saints Lorenzo Ruiz and Pedro Calungsod.