An official of the Catholic Bishops’ of the Philippines-Episcopal Commission on the Laity on Friday urged the faithful to pray for the people suffering from mental health problems.
In an interview with the Church-run Radio Veritas, Bishop Broderick Pabillo, chairman of the commission, said offering prayers to those suffering from depression would help them get relief.
Pabillo, also the Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese of Manila, issued a prayer for the commemoration of World Mental Health Day on Saturday.
“Our loving Father God, we thank you for the gift of health. The health of our bodies, minds and souls,” Pabillo said.
“We pray for the World Mental Health Awareness, for our brethren who have different mental health problems.
“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 these mental illnesses.
“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 Oct. 10, aims to make people aware of the worsening case of depression, which sometimes results in suicide.
The National Center for Mental Health has received some 953 calls from March to May, when the government implemented a Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The center also revealed that the monthly average calls in connection with suicide have increased to 45.
A Social Weather Stations survey in July showed that 84 percent of Filipinos are suffering from depression due to the pandemic.