‘Start the Healing’ prayer drive set Nov. 5 to Dec. 8

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) is inviting the public to support a 33-day prayer campaign for the victims of so-called extra-judicial killings.

In a pastoral letter, CBCP president and Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas said the Church’s “Start the Healing” campaign will be from November 5 up to the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception on December 8.

“I am inviting you and the communities to participate in the second phase of this period of praying for the victims of extra-judicial killings. We will start on November 5 until December 8, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. This 33day period will prepare us to make our act of consecration to the Immaculate Mother. We will call this 33-day period as the time to ‘Start the Healing,” Villegas said.

The prayer drive follows the “Stop the Killings” campaign which called for a 40day pealing of church bells, candle lighting, and prayers for the souls of the departed particularly victims of violence.

A Eucharistic celebration will be held at the EDSA Shrine on November 5, which shall be observed as a “Lord, Heal our Land Sunday.”

Archbishop Villegas will lead the concelebrated mass at 3 p.m.

The prelate encourages the clergy in far-flung areas to hold similar activities for their parishioners who cannot go to the EDSA Shrine.

“We are appealing to our brother priests to hold ‘Lord Heal our Land Sunday Masses’ in the provinces too for the sake of those who cannot go to the EDSA Shrine that day,” Villegas said.

The Church leader encourages the public to pray intently for national healing and for the souls of the departed during the 33-day period.