Last Sunday, the diocese of Cubao, where my parish, Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal belongs, included the Oratio Imperata in all the Masses on that day.
Typhoon Ramil has been a threat to Northern Luzon for days and the faithful rallies against it through prayers including a special prayer in times of natural calamities.
Northern Luzon was hit by two successive devastating typhoons on the last week of September and the first week of October. Many lives and homes were lost.
May people in other parts of the world join us as we pray that we be spared from yet another inundation.
The Oratio:
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.
Global warming is upon us. Typhoons, floods, volcanic eruption, and other natural calamities 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.
