Nueva Ecija bishop issues oratio imperata vs gambling

After dengue and droughts, Catholic Church officials have started issuing another obligatory prayer, this time against gambling. The Cabanatuan (Nueva Ecija) diocese on Friday issued an oratio imperata, or obligatory prayer, against gambling to be recited during Sunday masses. “In line with our advocacy against gambling in the diocese, the bishop’s office has drafted an oratio imperata for the promotion of the dignity of labor and reiterating our stand against all forms of gambling," diocese chancellor Fr. Noel Jetajobe said in an article posted on the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines news site. Cabanatuan Bishop Sofronio Bancud issued the obligatory prayer in Filipino, emphasizing that the prayer covers both legal and illegal gambling. Jetajobe said the prayer is to be recited by the Catholic faithful starting this weekend “in all Masses and celebration of the Word of God without a priest." The Oratio Imperata, an ordered prayer for a special intention, is occasionally issued to all parish priests, shrine rectors, and chaplains covered by the issuing diocese or archdiocese. Last August, Bancud and San Jose Bishop Mylo Huber Vergara led a mass demonstration to protest their strong opposition against the planned casino operation in San Leonardo town. The prelates believe that gambling would not bring good to society. Also, they said local officials should instead look for alternative livelihood instead of opening the casino. Proponents of the casino gambling project have said that revenues from gambling will be placed in a special fund for health, education, and infrastructure projects, adding that casino gaming would be a very viable industry for Nueva Ecija and has significant potential for direct and indirect employment. The diocese leaders, however, invoke the axiom that the end, no matter how good, does not justify the means. They insist that all these projected social benefits brought about by gambling, if true, will fail in proportion to the “evil" that it brings to society.—JV, GMANews.TV