Faithful urged to pray for people with depression

FILE: Devotees use umbrellas to protect themselves from the sun while attending mass outside the famous Quiapo Church on Sunday (Sept. 13, 2020). (PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan)

MANILA – An official of the Catholic Bishops’ of the Philippines-Episcopal Commission on the Laity (CBCP-ECL) urged on Friday the faithful to pray for people who are suffering from mental health issues.

In an interview with Church-run Radio Veritas, Bishop Broderick Pabillo, chairman of the Commission, said offering prayers to those who are suffering from depression would help them get a relief from their plight.

Pabillo, also the Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese of Manila, issued a prayer for the commemoration of World Mental Health Day on Saturday.

“Diyos Amang mapagmahal, kami po’y nagpapasalamat sa’yo sa biyaya ng aming kalusugan. Kalusugan sa aming katawan, sa aming kaisipan at sa aming kaluluwa. (Our loving Father God, we thank you for the gift of health. The health of our bodies, minds and souls).

Ipinagdadasal po namin ngayon ang World Mental Health Awareness, ang mga kapatid namin na magkaiba po ng mga problema sa kanilang kalusugang pangkaisipan. (We pray for the World Mental Health Awareness, for our brethren who have different mental health problems).

Gabayan n’yo po sila, iligtas n’yo po sila, bigyan po sila ng mga taong makakaunawa sa kanila at makakatulong sa kanila; At ipinagdarasal din po namin na kaming lahat ay maligtas sa ganitong karamdaman sa aming kaisipan.

 (Guide them and save them. Give them people who would be able to understand and help them. We also pray that we may be spared from this mental illnesses).

Ito po’y aming hinihiling sa pamamagitan ni Kristong aming Panginoon (We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord) Amen.”

Pabillo said aside from taking care of one’s health, it is also important for a person to take care of his/her mental health.

The World Mental Health Day, celebrated every October 10, aims to give attention and for the people to be aware of the worsening case of depression, which sometimes result in suicide.

Based on its data, National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) has received some 953 calls from March to May, when the government implemented a Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine due to the coronavirus disease pandemic.

The NCMH also revealed that the monthly average calls in connection with suicide have increased to 45.

A Social Weather Stations survey last July showed that 84 percent of Filipinos are suffering from depression due to the pandemic.