YOLANDA CANDLELIGHT MEMORIAL

SPECIAL RADIO BROADCAST

PRAYERS AND REFLECTIONS

Opening Song
Light of a Million Mornings by Ryan Cayabyab
Greeting and Opening Prayer

St Michael Parish Church, Tolosa, Leyte

Archbishop Du and those present sign themselves with the sign of the cross and the
priest says:
Archbishop Du:

All:
Archbishop Du:

In the name of the Father,

and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Praised be God,
the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of mercies,
and the God of all consolation!
He comforts us in all our afflictions
and thus enables us
to comfort those who grieve
with the same consolation
we have received from him.

All:

Grace and peace from God our Father

and our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
And also with you.

Archbishop Du:

Let us pray:
Loving Father,
listen to the prayers of your children
as we bring back to mind the devastation
caused by typhoon Yolanda.
We remember all those
who have lost their lives so suddenly.
Grant to them eternal rest
and everlasting bliss in your presence.

Bring consolation and comfort

to the hearts of those families
forever changed by grief and loss.
Give courage and hope
to all of us who have survived.
Heal our memories of pain and suffering.
As we face the long road of rebuilding
grant to us the courage and wisdom
to see your will everything that we do.
Fill us with your abundant blessing
as we restore our homes and livelihoods.
Bless the people who in our time of need
brought relief and help to us
your suffering children.
Surround us always by your grace
and grant to us the strength
that comes from you alone.
Help us to respond with generosity
in prayer, in assistance and in aid,
always to the best of our abilities.
Keep our hearts focused
on the needs of those affected,
even after the crisis is over.
Keep us always in your embrace
that in all the challenges and crisis that life brings us
we may never walk away from you
yet remain ever hopeful in your unfailing love.
Amen.
Archbishop Du lights the candle in silence. Afterwards, all candles are then lighted
simultaneously.
Then Archbishop Du invites all present in these words
Archbishop Du:

The Lord is our shepherd

and leads us to streams of living water.
Let this water call to mind our baptism into Christ
who by his death and resurrection has redeemed us.

Archbishop Du sprinkles the candles around him with holy water. Then he continues
Archbishop Du:
All:

Lord, receive your servants into your dwelling place.

Grant them eternal rest, O Lord.

Archbishop Du:
All:

Lord, you promised paradise to the repentant thief.

Grant them eternal rest, O Lord.

Archbishop Du:
All:

May they have a place in the bosom of Abraham.

Grant them eternal rest, O Lord.

Archbishop Du:
All:

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord

and let perpetual light shine upon them.

Archbishop Du:
All:

May they rest in peace.

Amen.

Msgr Opiniano ascends the pick-up vehicle and begins to bless the candles lighted
along the candle light memorial route.
Prayers and Reflection

From Studio

Audio Recording

Homily of Pope Francis

Papal Mass at DZR Airport
17 January 2015

Song

To Where You Are by Josh Groban

First Sharing

Lord, you provide the flame for my lamp. You, God, turn
the darkness around me into light. (Psalm 18:28)

Prayer-Reflection
O God of grace and glory, | we remember before you our departed brothers and
sisters who died during typhoon Yolanda. | We thank you for giving them to us, |
their family and friends, | to know and to love | as a companion on our earthly
pilgrimage. | In your boundless compassion, | console us who mourn. | Give us
faith to see in death the gate of eternal life, | so that in quiet confidence | we may
continue our course on earth.
Father, | we give our departed brothers and sisters | back to your case | and as
you did not lose them | in giving them to us, | so do we not lose them by them
return to you. | Not as the world gives, do you give, | O Lord. | For what you give, |
you do not take away | and what is yours is ours also. | Your Son, our Lord Jesus
Christ, | by dying has destroyed our death, |and by rising, restored our life. |
Enable us therefore to press on toward him, | so that, after our earthly course is
run, | he may reunite us with those we love.
Father of mercies, | in this mortal life, | you loved our departed brothers and
sisters with great love. | Now that you have called them to a new life, | we pray that
you fulfil | your promise of everlasting life, | to those who believe in you. Let them

dwell in your house of many mansions, | dear Lord, | where there is no more pain,
or grief, | or mourning or sadness, | but peace and joy with you forever. | Amen.
Song

Blessing by Laura Story

Silence
Second Sharing

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened,
and I will give you rest. (Matt 11:28)

Prayer Reflection
Lord, as we recollect the life of our departed brothers and sisters | and cherish
their memory, we praise you that in bearing your image |they has brought light to
our lives; | for we have seen in their friendship | reflections of your compassion, |
in their kindness, | signs of your goodness, | in their faithfulness | glimpses of
your eternal love. | We thank you for our departed brothers and sisters, | the years
we shared with them, | the good we saw in them, | the love we received from them.
| Now give us strength and courage | to leave them in your care. With your grace, |
good Lord, | enable us continue on with our own lives | and accept what must be
laid to rest.
May our love for our departed brothers and sisters | reminds us that our sharing |
in one another's lives | brings both support and pain. | May our being parted from
them | reminds us of our own mortality | May our love for them bring us closer
together | and remind us always of your enduring love. | Teach us to appreciate
one another | and of the beauty and fragility of relationships | which mirror your
grace | and goodness to us. | Amen.
Song

Still by Hillsong United

Silence
Third Sharing

As a mother comforts her child so I will comfort you, says

the Lord (Is 66:13)

Prayer Reflection
Father, | you know our hearts | and share our sorrows. | We are hurt by our parting
from all whom we loved but have lost to typhoon Yolanda: | when we are angry at
the loss we have sustained, | when we long for words of comfort, | yet find them
hard to hear, | turn our grief to truer living, | our affliction to firmer hope. | For
without you we have nothing to hope for; | with you we have nothing to fear. |
Speak to us now | your words of eternal life. | Lift us from anxiety and guilt | to the
light and peace of your presence, | and set the glory of your love before us. Lord
of all, we praise you | for all who have entered into their rest | and reached the
promised land | where you are seen face to face. We thank you | for all who have

finished this life loving and trusting you, | for the example of their lives, | the life
and grace you gave them | and the peace in which they rest.
O merciful God, | take pity on those who died during typhoon Yolanda | who have
no particular friends to pray for them | and to commend them to you, | and those
who have forgotten by their friends and by all. | Spare them, O Lord, | and
remember your own mercy, | when others forget to appeal to it. | Let not the souls
which you have created | be parted from you, their Creator. Amen.
Song

Hindi Kita Malilimutan by Fr. Manoling Francisco

Fourth Sharing

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be

comforted. (Matt 5:4)

Prayer Reflection
God our Redeemer, | you love all that you have made, | you are merciful beyond
our deserving. | Grant us grace to entrust our departed brothers and sisters| to
your never- failing love | which sustained them in this life. | Receive them into the
arms of your mercy, | and remember them according to the favor | you bear for
your people. | Pardon the sins that our brothers and sisters have committed, | in
thought, word and in deed. | Help us also to forgive, | as we pray to be forgiven, |
through him who on the cross | asked forgiveness | for those who wounded him.
O God | glory of those who believe | and life of the just, | have mercy on our
departed brothers and sisters | who knew you on earth by the light of faith. |
Refresh them | with the dew of your mercy. | Open our hearts to your word | so
that, listening to it | we may comfort one another | finding light in time of darkness
| and faith in time of doubt. | Welcome our departed brothers and sisters | as they
now return to you | and join the blessed company of all the saints. | May they hear
your words of welcome, | Come, you blessed of my Father, | and receive the
unfading crown of glory. | Amen.
Song

Huwag Kang Mangamba by Bukaspalad

Silence
Fifth Sharing

God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. There shall
be no more death. Neither shall there be any more sorrow
nor crying nor pain, for the former things have passed
away. (Rev 21:4)

Prayer Reflection
God, our shelter and our strength,| you have called our brothers and sisters | out
of this mortal life. | You have freed them | from all the passing things of this earth.
| Bring them into your paradise | where there is no more grief | or mourning or

sadness | but peace and joy. | Heal the pain and grief | that their death has left in
our hearts. | Be with us, Lord, | during our moments of sorrow and loneliness. |
We trust in you | and hope in your glorious resurrection. | We lift up to you | our
grief and our sorrow, | confident | that you will change our mourning | into
rejoicing | and that our brothers and sisters | now rest in your peace. |
Grant us the wisdom and the grace | to live meaningful lives, | and draw us ever
closer to you everyday. | Help us to realize | that it is only through death | that we
can achieve eternal life, | and be united with those who have gone ahead of us, |
thereafter to come face to face with you, | dear Lord.
Until at last, | may we come to your everlasting kingdom; | through Jesus Christ
our Lord, | who died and rose again | and opened the gate of glory, | to whom be
praise | for all eternity. Amen.
Song

Take Me Out of the Dark by Gary Valenciano

Silence
Prayers of Intercession

Blessed Sacrament Church

Msgr Opiniano leads those present in the following litany.

Msgr Opiniano:
All:
Minister:
All:
Minister:
All:
Minister:
All:
Minister:
All:
Minister:
All:

Let us turn to Christ Jesus with confidence and faith

in the power of his cross and resurrection:
Lord, have mercy.
Risen Lord, pattern of our life forever:
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Promise and image of what we shall be:
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Son of God who came to destroy sin and death:
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Word of God who delivered us from the fear of death:
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Crucified Lord, forsaken in death, raised in glory:
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Minister:

All:
Minister:

All:

Lord Jesus, gentle Shepherd who bring rest to our souls,

give peace to all who died:
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, you bless those who mourn and are in pain.
Bless all of us gathered tonight:
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

The Lords Prayer

Msgr Opiniano invites those present to pray the Lords Prayer.
Msgr Opiniano:

Brothers and sisters our true home is heaven.

Therefore let us pray to our heavenly Father
as Jesus taught us:

All:

Our Father in heaven,

holy be your Name;
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our sins,
as we forgive those who sin against us;
and lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
Amen.

Concluding Prayer
With hands extended, the priest alone continues
Msgr Opiniano:

Let us pray:
Loving and merciful God,
we entrust our departed brothers and sisters
to your mercy.
You loved them greatly in this life:
now that they are freed from all its cares,
give them happiness and peace for ever.
The old order has passed away:
welcome them now into paradise

All:
Msgr Opiniano:

where there will be no more sorrow,

no more weeping or pain,
but only peace and joy
with Jesus your Son,
and the Holy Spirit
for ever and ever.
Amen.

All:

Lord, our brothers and sisters

are now gone
from this earthly dwelling
and has left behind those
who mourn their absence.
Grant that as we grieve for our brothers and sisters,
who died during typhoon Yolanda
we may hold their memory dear
and live in hope
for the eternal kingdom,
where you bring us all together again.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Msgr Opiniano:
All:

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord

and let perpetual light shine upon them.

Msgr Opiniano:
All:

May they rest in peace.

Amen.

Then, making the sign of the cross, the presider says

Msgr Opiniano:

All:

May the love of God and the peace

of the Lord Jesus Christ
bless and console us
and gently wipe every tear
from our eyes:
in the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Msgr Opiniano:
All:

May the divine assistance remain always with us.

Amen.

Msgr Opiniano:

May all the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy
of God rest in peace.
Amen.

All:

Closing Song
Just Believe by Ryan Cayabyab