Catholic Church offers website for OFWs to offer prayers for their dead

The influential Catholic Church has launched an online website for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), including Filipino residents abroad, to help them get in touch with their relatives and offer prayers for their dead.

"For Filipinos away from home who wish that prayers or Mass be offered for their dead, they may visit www.undasonline.com by listing the names of their dead and sending it online," said Monsignor Pedro Quitorio III, media director of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).

"This is primarily intended for Filipinos who are away from home especially those who have no way of going to parish churches or Catholic cemeteries in other countries. This includes our kabayan (countrymen who are) seafarers (who might be at sea the whole month of November)," Quitorio said.

CBCP scheduled masses for absent Filipinos at the CBCP chapel from Nov. 1 to 8, said Quitorio.

Through CBCP's fan page called, "Good Morning CBCP," non-Catholics could also ask questions they might want to ask about the country's observance of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day, said Quitorio.

At the same time, Quitorio urged all Filipinos in the Philippines not just to hold reunions, hold a party, but to pray as well when they visit the tombs of their dead at cemeteries.

"It is encouraged for Catholics to visit the tombs of their loved ones or also visit oratories, chapels and churches where they can pray for their dead," said Quitorio, adding, "They will gain plenary indulgences by visiting a church or oratory and praying the ‘Our Father' and the ‘Creed,' and …the Holy Father."

Earlier, the CBCP also launched a website for Filipinos during the Holy Week, which commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ at Golgotha two thousand years ago.

There are about one million OFWs. They represent almost 10 percent of the country's population of 94.9 million.

Majority of them are Catholics; the rest are Protestants, non-Catholic independent Christian groups, and Muslims who are mostly based in the southern Philippines.

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