The Tarragona Episcopal Conference (CET), which brings together the ten dioceses of Catalonia, has asked Christian communities to pray to end the serious drought. The prelates encourage parishioners to “intensify” their prayers so that God grants “the gift of rain that our society needs so much,” either during personal prayer or in community acts, “trusting that the heavenly Father will give good things to those who They ask for it.”
In this context of emergency in which six million inhabitants have already entered, the CET published a note last Friday about the persistent drought and its impact on daily life, industry, livestock or agriculture, and encouraged all Christians to pray “to obtain from the Lord, soon, the necessary rain to alleviate the lack of water.” A note that was accompanied by several models of prayers to water the fields, save the crops or fill the reservoirs.
The Church's invitation to the Christian community to pray during this long period of drought that Catalonia is suffering is not new. On April 11 of last year, the Archbishop of Barcelona, Juan José Omella, asked priests and deacons, among others, in a letter to echo the concern about the drought in the Eucharist and recommended daily prayers. On the other hand, in several dioceses processions and prayers were organized to put an end to the drought.
In March, the bishop of Solsona, Francesc Conesa, presided over a mass in the sanctuary of Our Lady of the Torrents (Berguedà) at the request of the peasant women of the area, and in April, the carriers of the Christ Negro of Peralada (Alt Empordà ) they took him out in procession with the same objective.
In their note, the bishops urge "to make responsible use of water" and to "be aware of its value and need." They add that “the difficulty” that this drought represents “is an opportunity to live more consciously in austerity, the value of personal sacrifice, generosity and solidarity.”
