Archbishop Socrates Villegas of Lingayen-Dagupan has called on the faithful to offer reparation for ‘our personal and national sins’ ahead of the May 9 elections.

The archbishop particularly appealed for a Lenten season of “reparation rosary for truth, integrity, and wisdom” starting Ash Wednesday, March 2 until Holy Wednesday, April 13.

According to him, they will pray for all the civil provinces all over the country during those days.

He said that as the rosary is prayed publicly in all churches at a time when most people can join, “we also plead that the family rosary at home be restored as a devout family practice even in our work places”.

“I invite our brother priests to make confessions more available to our people especially this Lenten season and I beg our faithful to go to confession,” Villegas said.

After the reparation rosary, the archbishop said they will then offer their “reparation adoration” for the same intentions from Easter Monday, April 18 to May 8, “the vigil of our national elections”.

The Blessed Sacrament, he said, is to be exposed publicly for an hour in the parish churches, chaplaincies, and pastoral stations.

The people are requested to stay in silent adoration, as much as possible kneeling down, to atone for the sins of the nation, he added.

On Sundays, the former president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines said that the exposition adoration will be done an hour before the first Mass.

“We will pray for twenty-one days for all the voters in the coming elections,” Villegas said. “Truth as guide! Integrity as lighthouse! Wisdom as we vote!”

“We cannot delay offering reparation for our personal and national sins. The bitter fruits of our sins are already strangling us. We are reaping what we have sown. Catholic values will erode further if we ignore the guidance of God,” he said.