Manila, May 3 -- The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Friday asked Catholic prelates and priests to pray the Oratio Imperata for rain amid the dangerously high heat indexes recorded in various parts of the country and drought due to the El Nino phenomenon.

"We are respectfully sending the text of the Oratio Imperata Ad Petendam Pluviam prepared by the Episcopal Commission on Liturgy (ECLit), for your consideration and use according to your pastoral discretion," the CBCP said in a letter dated May 3.

An Oratio Imperata is a prayer for a special intention that the archbishop or bishop of an archdiocese or diocese may require to be said at Mass.

In the Oratio Imperata Ad Petendam Pluviam, the bishops are asking th...