TO
enable Filipinos who in one way or another cannot visit their dear
departed on November 1, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the
Philippines (CBCP) has launched a web site—www.undasonline.com—through
which they request a Mass for their loved-ones.
The web site also has
several prayers for the dead, notes on All Saints’ and All Souls’ Day,
Cathecism, Liturgical Notes, Letter of deceased Pope John Paul II about
the departed, Papal Messages and explanation why there is a need to pray
for the dead.
“Anybody
who does not have the opportunity to visit the cemetery can make use of
this web site,” said CBCP Media Director Msgr. Pedro Quitorio on
Monday.
He added
that although the Church encourages the public to visit the tombs of
their loved-ones, Filipinos who are away from home and physically unable
to go to church or visit their beloved dead in the cemetery can pray
for their dead and may send through the web site the names of their
deceased loved-ones to be included during Masses on November 1 to 8 at
the CBCP chapel.
“We
will cater to request for prayers. They can visit the web site and log
in, then send their requests. Just place the names of their dead and
then we will pray for them within the six-day period dito sa CBCP chapel,” he said.
Aside
from visiting the tombs, Quitorio also encouraged the public to visit
oratories, chapels and church. Prayers they can send can be found in the
web site such as individual for the faithful departed, novena for the
holy souls in purgatory, order of visiting a cemetery, prayer for
sacrifice for the poor souls, prayers for the dead, rosary for the poor
souls in purgatory and sevenfold prayer for the poor souls.
“They
will gain plenary indulgences by visiting a church or oratory and
praying the ‘Our Father’ and the ‘Creed,’ going to confession and
offering a prayer for the intention of the Holy Father,” he said.
A
plenary indulgence, according to Canon Law, is the remission of the
temporal punishment of one whose sins have already been forgiven in
confession.
To
gain the plenary indulgence, Quitorio said one must fulfill certain
requirements, including going to confession and praying for the
intention of the Pope.
“In
Catholic teaching, we have the communion of the Saints. This means the
church triumphant or those already in heaven. We can help dead people
in the purgatory—the church suffering—through us still on earth—the
church militant--offering prayers and through helping the Church to pray
for the dead and exercising good acts,” he added.
In Photo:
A man and his son paint the gravestone of their departed loved-ones at
the Pasay City Cemetery in preparation for All Saints’ Day. (Roy
Domingo)
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