Filipinos to pray together every first Thursday of February
Published Feb 6, 2019 08:30 pm
By Vanne Elaine Terrazola
The Senate on Wednesday afternoon adopted a resolution seeking to declare the first Thursday of February every year as the "Synchronized Interfaith National Prayer for Peace and Reconciliation."
Senate President Vicente Sotto III
(Czar Dancel / MANILA BULLETIN) Senate Resolution No. 1002 expresses the sense of the Senate in calling for the said declaration "to encourage and persuade all Filipinos of any religion to actively participate" in reciting the "Prayer for Peace in the Philippines." The said prayer has English, Filipino, Cebuano, and Hiligaynon versions. Following the resolution's adoption, the Senate will participate in the prayer campaign starting February 7, Thursday, at 12 noon. Senate President Vicente Sotto III, its author, said, "Most, if not all of the television stations and programs will be praying with us at 12 noon tomorrow." The interfaith nationwide prayer, started by the PasaLord Prayer Movement in 2017, seeks to unite Filipinos of various creeds and denomination to pray for peace and reconciliation in the Philippines. The PasaLord Movement is founded by Lourdes "Bing" Pimentel, the wife of our former Senate President Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr. and the mother of Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III. The resolution states that while the Constitution provides the separation of Church and State, "encouraging the people to pray as a single nation regardless of religion, cultural race and social stature in life will not violate any law." “It is noteworthy to cite that in the Philippine Senate or in other government bodies, whether in the Executive, Legislative and Judiciary, they start the day’s work with a prayer to the Almighty God as it is believed that the Divine Providence will guide government officials to come up with policies and programs through God’s mercy and intercession that is beneficial to the people and the entire nation,” the measure also read. Sotto filed the measure after the deadly bombing at the Jolo Cathedral in Sulu, which was followed by another grenade attack in a mosque in Zamboanga City last month.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III(Czar Dancel / MANILA BULLETIN) Senate Resolution No. 1002 expresses the sense of the Senate in calling for the said declaration "to encourage and persuade all Filipinos of any religion to actively participate" in reciting the "Prayer for Peace in the Philippines." The said prayer has English, Filipino, Cebuano, and Hiligaynon versions. Following the resolution's adoption, the Senate will participate in the prayer campaign starting February 7, Thursday, at 12 noon. Senate President Vicente Sotto III, its author, said, "Most, if not all of the television stations and programs will be praying with us at 12 noon tomorrow." The interfaith nationwide prayer, started by the PasaLord Prayer Movement in 2017, seeks to unite Filipinos of various creeds and denomination to pray for peace and reconciliation in the Philippines. The PasaLord Movement is founded by Lourdes "Bing" Pimentel, the wife of our former Senate President Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr. and the mother of Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III. The resolution states that while the Constitution provides the separation of Church and State, "encouraging the people to pray as a single nation regardless of religion, cultural race and social stature in life will not violate any law." “It is noteworthy to cite that in the Philippine Senate or in other government bodies, whether in the Executive, Legislative and Judiciary, they start the day’s work with a prayer to the Almighty God as it is believed that the Divine Providence will guide government officials to come up with policies and programs through God’s mercy and intercession that is beneficial to the people and the entire nation,” the measure also read. Sotto filed the measure after the deadly bombing at the Jolo Cathedral in Sulu, which was followed by another grenade attack in a mosque in Zamboanga City last month.