BALANGA City- Bishop Ruperto C. Santos of the Diocese of Balanga has issued a special prayer for students for school year 2014-2015 asking for full protection in their day-to-day activities.
The bishop said the prayer was distributed to diocesan schools of the province and the Bataan Association of Catholic Schools before the opening of classes and to be recited during flag ceremonies or in the classrooms.
“It is informative as to what students should do to aspire in life, what they have to avoid to be successful in life,” said Santos who is the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines’ episcopal chairman for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People.
The prayer asks the Lord Jesus to make students outstanding and disciplined. “Lead them away from all bad and negative influences; spare them from troubles and deliver them from vices, laziness and failures,” read the plea in part.
The prayer pleads that students be kept away from drugs and be aware of the evil and immorality of illegal drugs.
“Our loving Lord Jesus I commend them to your protection. Let them use their talents and skills for your greater glory; let them utilize their knowledge and gifts for the good of their community; let them appreciate the efforts and sacrifices of their teachers and parents; let them fi nish their studies in due time and with fl ying colors and let them live like You,” ended the prayer.
Santos made it clear that the Diocese of Balanga is always for the promotion and preservation of faith and morals.
“The clergy safeguards life, protects life and defends life and is against anyone or anything which destroys life, including drugs,” the bishop said. In the promotion of life and condemning anything contrary to life, the bishop said that they do not publicize nor act as police. “Like our patron Saint Joseph, we work silently,” Santos emphasized.
