Pope Francis

Pope's Pentecost homily: Newness, harmony, mission


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      Wotherspoon O.M.I.  胡
      頌 恆 神 父   
      

      

      
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      articles 7 days a week to encourage
      people trying to follow the example of Pope Francis 

      in implementing the vision of Vatican II by service of the poor, by a
      simple life style, by simple liturgy,

      by concern for Ecumenism, climate change, renewal of the Church, illegal
      drugs, prisoners,

      by support for family life
      - all underpinned by a rededication to the Bible

Imitating Pope Francis Francis

Tuesday September 24

Jesus, please soften the hearts of groups which want to kill and maim people

Today's Bible Blog a four-course menu:
(God bless the 30-40 kind readers who check this Bible Blog each day of the week. May this Blog give us extra hope, wisdom, compassion, courage and peace for our daily lives)

- God always trumps the Devil
- tasting God's goodness each day
- remembering special people when we pray
- Devil trumped by Jesus

	Martin Mallon Tuesday Ireland blogger Reform is in the air Francis has a problem. Despite his talk and statements we still have the Roman Curia excommunicating an Australian Priest for not following the orthodox line. This type of action causes scandal in the church, and at a time when priests are not excommunicated for child sexual abuse the People of God are dumbfounded	Vatican II & Renewal (1) 16 Documents of Vatican II A Call to Action Assn Catholic Priests Ireland Bp Pat Power Bp Geoff Robinson Bruce Duncan Catalyst for Renewal Catholica Catholics for Ministry Catholics for Renewal STANDUP4VATICAN2 The Swag VII - Voice of the Church We Are Church Excellent articles on Mission Hugh McMahon SSC

	Kenya attack is product of brutal power struggle within al-Shabaab (a most important and informative article, explaining why the attack happened) See menu of September 23, below, for more articles re Kenya attack

	Yesterday in a Hong Kong detention centre, I asked a Pakistan inmate what he thought about the attack on a church in Pakistan which killed dozens of people, including many women and children. He replied: "It's very sad, but the drone attacks have been killing Pakistan women and children over and over again" (...implying that the church attack was in retaliation for drone attacks. Mr Obama, please stop the drone attacks!)

	Pope condemns idolatry of cash in capitalism 'We do not want this globalised economic system that does so much harm.' At the centre has to be man and woman, as God wants – not money."

	Five dead in new Mindanao conflict - notice the same theme as in reports from other trouble spots: killings carried out by a breakaway group. The liberation groups often split into factions, and it's the most radical faction which becomes the most dangerous. Groups need leaders like Mandela and Gandhi to hold the group together and keep the radicals from giving in to militarism

	Australia's largest youth conference: Ignite Sep 26-29 in Brisbane

	A new Swahili letter from a Tanzanian inmate in a Hong Kong prison calling for not just the little fish, but the big fish - the drug barons, the 100 names - to be punished with the same justice as the little fish This website's Tanzania File - with links to all letters from Tanzanian inmates in HK prisons

	Vatican II Reflection 113 Even though we should respect everyone's freedom of religion, we still have the duty, as Christians, to witness to Jesus

John mini-Blog	Typhoon Usagi, the world's most powerful typhoon this year, veered away from HK on Sunday. DG! (some people prayed that this would happen...) My weekly article for today's HK Ming Pao newspaper (On MP website) Today's topic: 5,000 pairs of water shoes?

Sun: Africa Mon: Europe & Russia Tues: South Asia Wed: East Asia Thurs: S.E. Asia & Pacific Frid: South America Sat: Central & North America Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day of the week: Jesus, today, Tuesday, please bless the people of South Asia On this 24th of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Inner Mongolia Please join me in praying for prisoners in one part of China each day of the month

Monday September 23

Feast of Padro Pio

Today's Bible Blog a four-course menu:

- friendship of Arabs and Jews
- evolution of universe...evolution of love
- conductor - Jesus; composer - Holy Spirit
- a Trinitarian scene

In the past week: - dozens killed in Kenya - dozens killed in attack on church in Pakistan - 72 killed at Iraq funeral - 142 dead in Nigeria In the coming days, let's direct our prayers at the leadership of Saudi Arabia!	What is the cause of these attacks? Who is funding and supporting these attacks? This important article points the finger at Saudi Arabia: Stop U.S. Support for Islamic Extremism As the Arab Spring falters in Egypt and Tunisia and as Libya and Syria continue to tear themselves apart with violent sectarian fighting, it is surely time that the U.S. recognizes that its attempts to encourage democracy in the Middle East are futile in the face of well-funded religious extremism, whose adherents are fighting not only Western democratic ideas but also any signs of liberalism in their own religion	This website's kind bloggers (past and present) with archives of articles: Bakhita Hazel C Daniel Daring Inigo Joachim Brian Lewis Judith Lynch Martin Mallon Chris McDonnell Bill Mulcahy Des O'Donnell Darlene Starrs TASMAD David Timbs Peter Wilkinson Harry Winter John Wotherspoon More bloggers, more tank people, wanted from all parts of the world, to take a stand against tanks from left and from right Please email: jdwomi@gmail.com Weekly Archive of main page menus Previous archives 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 John W: Previous Daily Blogs

	Saudi Arabia's proxy wars There is no question that Saudi Arabia will wield its influence forcefully, supporting the Syrian rebels with guns and diplomacy as it struggles to outmaneuver Iran, outflank Hezbollah and oust Assad (and may that sword on the flag become a plowshare!)

	Tanzania corruption rampant (no wonder drug traffickers have easy time) This website's Tanzania File - with links to all letters from Tanzanian inmates in HK prisons

	Interactive Bible Quiz - Esther Based on the actual words of the Bible. How many times you can get 3/3 ?!

	Noble beauty of liturgical vestments - why vestments at Mass?

	Ghana economy grows - a good news story A grassroots revolution, involving support from the west, digital start-ups and a commitment to open government

	Vatican II Reflection 218 Over-witnessing puts people off

John W: mini-Blog:	Typhoon near HK today! Mercifully not a direct hit Update Saying of Chinese fishermen: a typhoon just before or just after the Mid-Autumn Festival is always a "large size" typhoon Saying of HK punters: a typhoon is "large size" when it causes the races to be cancelled (like yesterday)

Sun: Africa Mon: Europe & Russia Tues: South Asia Wed: East Asia Thurs: S.E. Asia & Pacific Frid: South America Sat: Central & North America Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day of the week: Jesus, today, Monday, please bless the people of Europe & North Asia On this 23rd of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Guangxi Please join me in praying for prisoners in one part of China each day of the month

Sunday September 22

Typhoon to make direct hit on HK!

Today's Mass readings

Reflection on today's readings:
Administrators only, not owners

(Pope's interview with Italian Jesuit magazine - see menu of Saturday Sep 21, below)

S Y R I A

John W: Pope's prayer and Middle East peace: any link?
To deny the reality of intercessory prayer is to deny an ocean of Bible teaching and spirituality history ....and to flatten our own pneumatic tires

Pope Francis:
Thank you Holy Spirit

Inspiring photos:


cf


cf

Engagements of Pope Francis

Many thanks for checking
this website each day

Darlene Starrs
Sunday blogger (Canada)

Return to Canada
The banks are becoming the sole owners of Ireland. I have been told it is only going to get worse. My heart breaks for the people of Ireland who not only lost material things, but who have lost hope and trust in a healthy and fulfilling livelihood. And then there’s the Church. Given those circumstances, it was impossible for me to establish myself and remain in Ireland

Video

Mayors should rule the world - great talk!

It often seems like federal-level politicians care more about creating gridlock than solving the world's problems. So who's actually getting bold things done? City mayors

Joseph Girzone: (Pope Francis is) So much like Jesus

An interesting phenomenon is taking place as Pope Francis reveals an openness to sinners, the same openness Jesus had. We are not used to Church officials expressing such compassion and unjudgmental attitude towards people whom we consider sinners

A Letter from a Ewe to Pope Francis

See the p.s. "She is here because she belongs here"!

The good news continues: for the past seven weeks, no African man on arrival in Hong Kong has joined the prison population for drug trafficking (...and as far as I know, no African woman...) - because of campaign by this website, supported by bloggers and media in Tanzania, to alert people to the danger of being a "drug mule".

See: This website's Tanzania File
- with links to all letters from Tanzanian inmates in HK prisons

"Welcome to your
brighter CathNews"

Anyone else share my concern about the continuing decline of CathNews Australia? CathBlog has gone, comment boxes have gone....and now there are an increasing number of articles that do not belong to the Pope Francis era (..many such articles are from the UK Catholic Herald which is no fan of Francis)
e.g. a recent article about Latin being the normative language of the Church and Church liturgy

Melbourne priest excommunicated (I can't believe Pope Francis agreed to this. In fact I feel Francis will be very unhappy when he next meets Cardinal George Pell who presumably is behind this terrible decision ... as he also presumably was behind the unjust dismissal of Bishop Bill Morris)

This week's smile: Typhoon joke...since typhoon about to hit HK

Vatican II Reflection 217

Schools should be places that help students learn to think for themselves

John W mini-Blog

No place in the world is better prepared for a typhoon than Hong Kong.
Everyone is used to the typhoon signals. People take the approach of a typhoon seriously. May the same be true in all parts of the world, so that loss of life and property is kept to an absolute minimum. Latest HK bulletin re Usagi

   Sun: Africa           Mon: Europe & Russia          Tues: South Asia          Wed: East Asia
      Thurs: S.E. Asia & Pacific        Frid: South America           Sat: Central & North America
    Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Sunday, please bless the people of Africa

On this 22nd of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Zhejiang
Please join me in praying for prisoners in one part of China each day of the month

Saturday September 21

Typhoon to make direct hit on HK!

Today is the Feast of Saint Matthew Mass readings

Today a good day to open our Bibles at the Gospel of Matthew and during the day lovingly helicopter over its 28 chapters, landing here and there for a close up at some passages

Today is UN World Peace Day

On this World Peace Day, Pope Francis says Keep praying for peace!

"Pope says money is the Devil's sh_t"!

If priests are looking for homily ideas for tomorrow, try the words of Pope Francis yesterday. Homily is sure to get everyone's attention if it starts with above words - from this report:

The love of money is the root of all evil: that stark warning contained in St Paul’s first letter to Timothy was at the heart of Pope Francis’ homily at his morning Mass in Santa Marta on Friday.

Reflecting on the way in which greed can corrupt our hearts and weaken our faith, the Pope stressed we can never serve God and money at the same time. Money, the Pope went on, sickens our minds, poisons our thoughts, even poisons our faith, leading us down the path of jealousy, quarrels, suspicion and conflict. While money begins by offering a sense of wellbeing, if we are not careful wealth can quickly lead to vanity, self-importance and the sin of pride.

Pope Francis noted many people may object that the Ten Commandments say nothing about the evils of money. Yet when we worship money, he said, we are sinning against the first Commandment and making money our idol in place of God. The early Fathers of the Church, he said, put it in a very blunt way, calling money the dung of the devil which corrupts and leads us away from our faith.

Instead of focusing on money, the Pope said, we should strive for justice, piety, faith and charity, as well as the gifts of patience and meekness which are the ways of the Lord. Pope Francis concluded with the wish that God will help each one of us to avoid falling into the trap of making money our idol.

	Vatican II Reflection 216 Religious freedom should have a close friend called "personal and social responsibility" (c.f. links to articles by Brian Lewis)	Bishop Geoff Robinson and Bishop Bill Morris: Petition to Pope Francis to stop sexual abuse and to reform Church - & calling for a new Ecumenical Council ! (John W has signed petition) ----------------------- Please encourage more people to see 1-10 re Bishop Bill Morris: 1: Judge's conclusions 2: Canon lawyer's report 3: Radio interview with judge 4: "The Age" file of letters 5: Summary re Rome 6: Frank Brennan's update 7: ABC radio Fr Frank Brennan 8. Update from Frank Brennan 9. Vatileaks & Bp Bill Morris 10: Tablet letter - Frank Brennan After reading 1-10, check the "Pravda" report of CNA Google "Morris" at top of this page for many articles re Bishop BM, the most recent being talk of March 26, 2013: Reclaiming the Spirit of Vatican II

	My feeling is that Pope is putting things more compassionately, rather than changing things....although change might come on some issues (e.g. the situation of divorced Catholics). But media is portraying him as making radical changes c.f. John Allen's report which has the Pope's words: "We cannot insist only on issues related to abortion, gay marriage and the use of contraceptive methods...It is not necessary to talk about these issues all the time... because the teaching of the church on these matters is already clear" And see especially this most beautiful reflection on the Pope's interview ....contains many moving pieces... e.g. re discernment
Full text of Pope's interview with Italian Jesuit editor - widely reported by mainstream media around the world

	Africans doing business in China - successes and problems c.f. this not very favorable report in a HK Chinese newspaper (says there are 300,000 Africans in Guangzhou...which I think is a mistake...should be 30,000?)

	You’re on your own, (Tanzanian President) tells drug mules seized abroad See new comment supporting John W's comment This website's Tanzania File - with links to all letters from Tanzanian inmates in Hong Kong prisons

John W mini-Blog	Yesterday morning: I visited Lo Wu Women's Prison (on HK side of border) with Deacon Edwin Ng, Ben Keung Bing Yu, Dicky Cheung Wai Kin and 11 other friends, for one-hour Mid-Autumn Holiday gatherings with three different groups, each of 200 inmates. Hope to have some photos in near future. A really happy experience. DG!

Sun: Africa Mon: Europe & Russia Tues: South Asia Wed: East Asia Thurs: S.E. Asia & Pacific Frid: South America Sat: Central & North America Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day of the week: Jesus, today, Saturday, please bless the people of Central & North America On this 21st of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Yunnan Please join me in praying for prisoners in one part of China each day of the month

Friday September 20

Happy Mid-Autumn (Moon) Festival!
Public Holiday today in China, HK ....

Today's Bible Blog a four-course menu:

- a hint of what meeting The Father will be like
- link between forgiveness and health
- we have been upgraded
- words of Pope Francis?

This website's Tanzania File - with links to all letters from Tanzanian inmates in HK prisons	You’re on your own, (Tanzanian President) tells drug mules seized abroad See John W's comment, repeated here in case it gets deleted: I guess the above is the president's response to this open letter to him from a Tanzanian inmate in Hong Kong. But Mr President, would you also please reply to this other letter from another Tanzanian inmate in Hong Kong which has the words: "If President K really wants to fight the drug trade, why doesn't he dare to disclose the names of the top 100 Big traffickers which has been submitted by intelligence agencies? Why doesn't he dare shed light publicly about the allegations that his own son Ridhiwani also is involved in the illicit trade?"	Liturgy - New Translation 1998 ICEL Sacramentary Misguided Missal The new translation Ghastly process/result Ron Schmit: 1962 Mass a condemnation of Vatican II PrayTell ------------------------------------------ Spirituality Sacred Space Daily prayer online. Available in 19 languages Jackie Evancho - To Believe Pray-as-you-go.org Daily prayer with beautiful music Whole text of 1966 Jerusalem Bible

	Aaron Alexis's mother 'heartbroken' over Washington DC shooting deaths Barack Obama voiced exasperation over the "ritual" of mass shootings in the US, which he said routinely shock the nation but then fail to convince Congress to initiate even rudimentary gun control laws

Click to enlarge this lovely photo - from HK's Adventist Hospital	Evangelicals largely believe prayer can cure mental illness, survey finds Notice how article, and some comments, try to set up clash between medicine and prayer. There should not be a clash. The two work together...as beautifully illustrated in the lives of so many doctors who pray for their patients - like this doctor who prayed for a patient who died, and the patient came back to life! And see mini-Blog, below!

	Vatican II Reflection 215 When governments and churches work together ....society benefits

John W: mini-Blog:	Yesterday in Lai Chi Kok Detention Centre, a local HK Chinese man walking around the exercise yard stopped me and said "Do you remember me?....you said a prayer for my leg after I had an operation in Queen Elizabeth Hospital a few weeks ago". "Was prayer any help?" I asked. He replied "Sure was. Doctor had said I would not be able to get out of bed and walk around for two weeks....but I was out of bed and walking around after two days"

Sun: Africa Mon: Europe & Russia Tues: South Asia Wed: East Asia Thurs: S.E. Asia & Pacific Frid: South America Sat: Central & North America Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day of the week: Jesus, today, Friday, please bless the people of South America On this 20th of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Sichuan Please join me in praying for prisoners in one part of China each day of the month

Thursday September 19

Happy Mid-Autumn (Moon) Festival!
Hope you have clear view
of a lovely full moon tonight!

Today's Bible Blog a four-course menu:

- video: Syrian father seeing son he thought was dead
- when people "didn't want to know" Matteo Ricci
- church buildings should have a Cross
- every Christian should be in the preparation business

	Photos from friend in Jilin (Northeastern China, above North Korea) See also: Seminarians Summer English program in Jilin Diocese of Jilin	This site's full statistics for August 2013 To publish an article on this site please contact Fr John Wotherspoon omi: jdwomi@gmail.com If you find a broken link in this website, please contact: jdwomi@gmail.com Taking a stand Next pope: load of rubbish Navigation Aids Standing up to bullies Too Western/European Abortion - a true story "Same-sex marriage" two elephants in the men's room Near Death Experiences John's other sites: www.doctorjesus.org www.riccicenter.com www.simplebible.info www.china8.org www.jesustower.com www.oneminuteenglish.com `China Library - essential reading for anyone interested in China's Christian history`

Daniel Daring -Thursday blogger	Reflection on September 22 Sunday readings: Let justice flow like water - words from Amos, one of the most disturbing people who have ever lived: the prophets - men whose inspiration brought the Bible into being, men whose image is our refuge in distress, and whose voice and vision sustains our faith


	Video: Pope speaks to Rome priests - mentions that marriage annulment is on agenda of "G8" Report of Pope's address Don't spend all your time on administration ....get out among the people And another report: Pope Francis - a leader with credibility

S Y R I A	'No' to Bombing (see comment by John W) Pope: Keep on praying for peace Shaky grounds for "just war" in Syria

	I have learnt that there are about 90 African inmates in prison in Macau (one hour from Hong Kong). May new arrivals to Macau cease, as they have to HK (not one new African inmate in the past 6 weeks) v2catholic.com's Tanzania File (..why no new arrivals in HK...) - with links to all letters from Tanzanian inmates in HK prisons

	Vatican II Reflection 214 Freedom of religion means the right to choose an education system which supports one's religious values

John W mini-Blog	My file "Globalisation of Indiffernce" has been updated with quote that supports idea of using stories to resuscitate our social consciences. If anyone would like to write or recommend any such stories, I'd be most happy to publish them on this website. (jdwomi@gmail.com) Wishing all dear Chinese readers a Happy Mid-Autumn!

Sun: Africa Mon: Europe & Russia Tues: South Asia Wed: East Asia Thurs: S.E. Asia & Pacific Frid: South America Sat: Central & North America Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day of the week: Jesus, today, Thursday, please bless the people of South East Asia On this 19th of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Shanxi Please join me in praying for prisoners in one part of China each day of the month

Wednesday September 18

On this day in 1931, the Mukden Incident
- Stage One of Japan's invasion of China

Today's Bible Blog a four-course menu:

- Joseph playing Cat and Mouse with his brothers
- David believed in Heavenly healing
- every person is a ....farmer!
- Jesus playing Hide and Seek with Mary and Joseph!

	Chris McDonnell Wednesday UK blogger A Theology of Liberation What has slipped under the radar has been the meeting in Rome between Gustavo Guiterrez OP and Pope Francis After reading the re-issued book, the front cover picture haunted me for a long while. It gave rise to a poem written last year	Vatican II - Renewal (2) Hans Küng: Letter to bishops Revolution to stop authoritarianism Fr Joseph Ratzinger: Writings on Vat II (link gone...anyone able to find it?) Robert Mickens: Vatican Implosion Nicholas Lash: Vatican II: Of Happy Memory - and Hope? Robert McNally: Crisis & Criticism in the Church Priests 9 Masses a day - need to ordain married men The evil of compulsory celibacy Link between compulsory celibacy and sexual abuse Why are women not being ordained to priesthood?

	Pope (in this talk): Let us allow Cura Brochero to enter, mule and all (!), into the house of our hearts, and to invite us to prayer, to the encounter with Jesus, who frees us from bondage to go out into the streets to touch the flesh of Christ in those who suffer and who need the love of God

	Election reflections - all excellent. See especially the thoughts of Gary Ellis and Bishop Pat Power - from latest Good Oil which has many other fine articles, like this one: Seeking to bring beauty into being - As individuals we need to constantly offer an alternative to ugliness, darkness, hatred and violence

	New letter from a Tanzanian inmate in a Hong Kong prison: Our Struggle - "Strategy for Change" - really beautiful, like something Mandela or Gandhi would write. (Tanzania has a Mandela in a HK prison?!) This website's Tanzania File - with links to all letters from Tanzanian inmates in HK prisons

	Video: Everyday cybercrime -- and what you can do about it It's not only the NSA that's watching us, but ever-more-sophisticated cybercriminals, who exploit both weak code and trusting human nature

	George Monbiot: Parliament of Fools The US-Australia disease has arrived in Britain: representatives waging an all-out war against science

	From St. Beuno's Outreach, Wales: Reflections on the readings of this coming Sunday, September 22 $$$ ???

	Another reflection on President Putin's letter to New York Times By Jonathan Marcus of BBC

	Vatican II Reflection 213 Religious freedom ...within the Church!

John W mini-Blog	As human history went on and God saw that the human race was in an ever bigger mess, God did not say "Too bad; nothing to do with me; not my fault" Rather, God increasingly got involved in human affairs, eventually sending his Son to help us humans We too, as we see the mess of today's world, can sit back etc ....or we can get involved and do our bit to try to help things...working in partnership with the Helper from Heaven ...guided by his Spirit....trying to put into practice the ideas of beautiful article above: Seeking to bring beauty into being - As individuals we need to constantly offer an alternative to ugliness, darkness, hatred and violence

Sun: Africa Mon: Europe & Russia Tues: South Asia Wed: East Asia Thurs: S.E. Asia & Pacific Frid: South America Sat: Central & North America Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day of the week: Jesus, today, Wednesday, please bless the people of East Asia On this 18th of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Shandong Please join me in praying for prisoners in one part of China each day of the month

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