Paulinians join prayer for peace in Iraq

Kyle Alain Tan and Patrick Yanga led the HS students in praying the Holy Rosary in response to the call for a day of prayer for peace and reconciliation in Iraq.

In response to the call of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines for all Catholics, especially the school children, to make August 18 a special day of prayer for "peace and reconciliation in Iraq", the Paulinians prayed the Holy Rosary just after the Flag and Religious Ceremonies today.

Led by Patrick Yanga and Kyle Alain Tan, the HS students joined the rest of the Catholics all over the country in offering prayers for peace in the embattled country.

Earlier this month, CBCP President and Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas urged school children to pray the rosary in schools for the healing of Iraq.

Archbishop Villegas, in an August 12 statement, asked the Philippine Church “to offer all our Masses on Aug. 18 as a Votive Mass for Peace and Reconciliation in Iraq.”

He called for the day of prayer “as a gesture of spiritual unity with our persecuted brethren in northern Iraq and in response to the call of the Holy Father for all the faithful in the Church to raise a voice of ceaseless prayer for the restoration of peace.”

“It would be opportune for our schoolchildren to pray the rosary in school on Aug. 18 for the healing of Iraq. Let us be united with Pope Francis in this quest for peace,” he added.

He said the Holy Father, Pope Francis will also preside over a Mass for Peace and Reconciliation at the Myeongdong Cathedral in South Korea on that day.

The full text of his appeal can be found here.