MANILA, Philippines — Cardinal Jose Advincula, the archbishop of Manila, ordered parishes to pray for rain after the communion part of masses starting Nov. 8 amid the very strong El Niño.
In a circular dated Nov. 5, Advincula directed all parishes and communities in the Archdiocese of Manila to pray the Oratio Imperata ad Petendam Pluviam after the post-communion prayer starting this Sunday until further notice.
"As we implore the Lord to grant us the gift of rain, let us be reminded of the power of united prayer. When we come together as one community of faith, we entrust our needs and concerns to God's loving providence, confident that He hears the prayers of His beloved people. May this common supplication also strengthen our solidarity with the poor and vulnerable communities who may be especially affected by the consequences of drought," he said.
Advincula encouraged priests, catechists, religious educators, and people involved in faith formation to "take this opportunity to deepen the faithful's understanding of our Christian responsibility to care for creation."
He urged them to "help our communities recognize that the natural world is not merely a resource to be consumed, but a precious gift entrusted by the Creator to our care and stewardship."
"In particular, water is essential to all life and must never be taken for granted. We must cultivate habits of conservation, responsible consumption, and concern for the common good," he said.
"Let our prayers move us to concrete action. As we ask God to send us rain, may we also become more faithful stewards of His creation, mindful that caring for our common home is an essential expression of our love for God and our neighbors," Advincula said.
On Wednesday, the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (DoST-Pagasa) said that a very strong El Niño is "present in the tropical Pacific and is expected to persist until the first half of 2027, potentially reaching its peak by the end of 2026."
The DoST-Pagasa strongly advised the public and concerned agencies to "implement appropriate sectoral interventions, conservation and mitigation measures, particularly water conservation and efficient management of water resources, to minimize the potential impacts of El Niño."
