Pope's Encyclical:
The Joy of the Gospel

(see: need to cancel "archive" in some search results) V2Catholic.com   - A voice for the poor 
Edited by Hong Kong prison chaplain Fr John Wotherspoon O.M.I.  胡 頌 恆 神 父   

DV  A new menu 7 days a week to encourage people who are trying
 to follow the example of Pope Francis by concern for issues like these

 
Imitating Pope Francis Francis 

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

Pope "shocked" by gay adoption bill in Malta

Same article in Swahili edition of The Citizen

28. The parish is not an outdated institution; precisely because it possesses great flexibility, it can assume quite different contours depending on the openness and missionary creativity of the pastor and the community. While certainly not the only institution which evangelizes, if the parish proves capable of self-renewal and constant adaptivity, it continues to be “the Church living in the midst of the homes of her sons and daughters”.

This presumes that it really is in contact with the homes and the lives of its people, and does not become a useless structure out of touch with people or a self-absorbed group made up of a chosen few.

The parish is the presence of the Church in a given territory, an environment for hearing God’s word, for growth in the Christian life, for dialogue, proclamation, charitable outreach, worship and celebration.

In all its activities the parish encourages and trains its members to be evangelizers.  It is a community of communities, a sanctuary where the thirsty come to drink in the midst of their journey, and a centre of constant missionary outreach. 

We must admit, though, that the call to review and renew our parishes has not yet sufficed to bring them nearer to people, to make them environments of living communion and participation, and to make them completely mission-oriented.

South America file
(stopping South Americans from being tricked into bringing drugs to HK)
 - letters from South American inmates in HK prisons

A visitor to the 2004 Athens Olympics remarked about the habits of Greek drivers and pedestrians: "Red lights are only a suggestion"

The work is worthwhile and has been blessed by the Good Lord

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 31st of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Tianjin
Please join me in praying for prisoners in one part of China each day of the month

c.f. Pope Francis 'sneaking out of Vatican at night to give money to poor on the streets of Rome'

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

  Weekly Archive 
of main page menus
Previous archives 
2013  2012  2011
2010  2009  2008

John W:
Previous Daily Blogs

How good is Francis!
What the world now needs are:
Francis bishops, Francis priests and religious, Francis lay people, Francis business people, Francis students, Francis families, Francis schools, Francis parishes, Francis dioceses, Francis congregations, Francis teachers etc etc!

Interactive Bible Quiz - Colossians

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

The renewal of structures demanded by pastoral conversion can only be understood in this light: as part of an effort to make them more mission-oriented, to make ordinary pastoral activity on every level more inclusive and open, to inspire in pastoral workers a constant desire to go forth and in this way to elicit a positive response from all those whom Jesus summons to friendship with himself. As John Paul II once said to the Bishops of Oceania: “All renewal in the Church must have mission as its goal if it is not to fall prey to a kind of ecclesial introversion”.

2013-12-30  Another new letter (in Swahili) from a Tanzanian inmate in a Hong Kong prison
In a separate note to me, the inmate says "Because of recent happenings ....arrests in Tanzania, Macau and China, showing the Drug Lords are still up to their old tricks ....we need to keep up the campaign. In my new letter I am imploring the people of Africa to be more vigilant against the drug kingpins and their operatives and recruiters"

This website's Tanzania File
(stopping Africans from being tricked into bringing drugs to HK)
- with links to all letters  from Tanzanian inmates  in Hong Kong prisons

South America file
(stopping South Americans from being tricked into bringing drugs to HK)
 - letters from South American inmates in HK prisons

Someone told me about this a couple of days ago: Banged Up Abroad
- available at YouTube and other sites - Google: 'banged up abroad"

 Dozens of young Irish nuns buried in Brisbane ...because ....

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 14th of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Jilin
Please join me in praying for prisoners in one part of China each day of the month

In two of the heroes of 2013, Nelson Mandela and Pope Francis, we can see the unwaning influence of that one-time carpenter who was executed 2000 years ago

Pope Francis:
Thank you Holy Spirit

Inspiring photos:

cf
cf		report 01  02

Newness, harmony, mission

Engagements of Pope Francis

Many thanks for checking
 this website each day

India OMI Parish has adopted 50 AIDS patients. "They pour out their hearts to tell of their grievances: being turned away from their employment; being rejected by family and friends; being deprived of education and being restricted by society"

Here's the truth about Shanghai schools: they're terrible

26. There are ecclesial structures which can hamper efforts at evangelization, and even good structures are only helpful when there is a life constantly driving, sustaining and assessing them. 

Without new life and an authentic evangelical spirit ... any new structure will soon prove ineffective

A new letter (in Swahili) from a Tanzanian inmate in a Hong Kong prison

This website's Tanzania File 
 (stopping Africans from being tricked into bringing drugs to HK)
-  letters  from Tanzanian inmates  in Hong Kong prisons

South America file
(stopping South Americans from being tricked into bringing drugs to HK)
 - letters from South American inmates in HK prisons

Tomorrow, Dec 30,  another new letter from a Tanzanian inmate in a HK prison  (and check Jamii hits for my posts)

St Peter was an early drifter....from the decision about mixing with "pagans"

St Augustine drifted away from the goodness of creation   

c.f. The brothers of Jesus - by Jerome Neyrey SJ, a top Catholic Bible scholar (more info about his writings here)

On this 29th of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Chongqing
Please join me in praying for prisoners in one part of China each day of the month

The Pope used strong words, denouncing both the incessant martyrdom being witnessed across the globe and the Christianophobic secularisation that aims to erode religious life and the practice of the Catholic faith by confining worship to the private sphere

Pope to share daily Mass with people of Rome
30 parishioners to be invited each day to Pope's morning Mass (& breakfast?!)

-----------------------

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

Pope’s ‘liberal’ views on capitalism freaking out conservative Catholics in Congress

The year Francis allowed Britain's Catholics to break cover

26. Paul VI invited us to deepen the call to renewal and to make it clear that renewal does not only concern individuals but the entire Church.  This is the source of the Church’s heroic and impatient struggle for renewal: the struggle to correct those flaws introduced by her members which her own self-examination, mirroring her exemplar, Christ, points out to her and condemns”.

The Second Vatican Council presented ecclesial conversion as openness to a constant self-renewal born of fidelity to Jesus Christ: “Every renewal of the Church essentially consists in an increase of fidelity to her own calling… Christ summons the Church as she goes her pilgrim way… to that continual reformation of which she always has need, in so far as she is a human institution here on earth”.

"Allegedly she has Italian descent (from her father) and a Tanzanian Mother. she has been living in Tanzania. We can not tell for sure it's her, but all sign's point to her as her ex-husband is a known Drug lord who was released just recently"

On the same Jamii post link,  my post of Dec 22 ("New letter in Swahili") and you'll see it has had 700 hits.  DG the message is spreading: "Don't get tricked into being a drug mule"

This website's Tanzania File  
(stopping Africans from being tricked into bringing drugs to HK)
- letters  from Tanzanian inmates  in Hong Kong prisons

South America file  
(stopping South Americans from being tricked into bringing drugs to HK)
- letters  from South American inmates in Hong Kong prisons

On this 28th of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Being
Please join me in praying for prisoners in one part of China each day of the month

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

Previous Smiles file

See the reviews, starting with this one from The Guardian:
An incredible story, beautifully and persuasively told. As well-paced and engrossing as any thriller while incalculably more harrowing

- in the Morrison Chapel, Protestant Cemetery, Macau.

More photos from Protestant Cemetery at bottom of this file

I hope that all communities will devote the necessary effort to advancing along the path of a pastoral and missionary conversion which cannot leave things as they presently are. “Mere administration” can no longer be enough. Throughout the world, let us be “permanently in a state of mission”

This website's Tanzania File 
(stopping Africans from being tricked into bringing drugs to HK)
-  letters  from Tanzanian inmates  in Hong Kong prisons

South America file
(stopping South Americans from being tricked into bringing drugs to HK)
 - letters from S. American inmates in HK prisons

One day, while strolling down the boardwalk, John bumped into an old friend of his, Rob, from high school. “You look great John, how do you stay looking so young? Why you must be 60 already but you don’t look a day over 40!” Rob exclaimed.

“I feel like I’m 40 too!” replied John.

“That’s incredible” exclaimed Rob, “Does it run in the family? How old was your dad when he passed?”

“Did I say he was dead?” asked John. “He’s 81 and is more active then ever. He just joined the neighborhood basketball team!” responded John.

“Whoa! Well how old was your Grandfather when he died?”

“Did I say he died” asked John. Rob was amazed. “He just had his 105th birthday and plays golf and goes swimming each day! He’s actually getting married this week!”

“Getting married?!” Rob asked. If he’s 105, why on earth does he want to get married?!

John looked at Rob and replied, “Did I say he wanted to?”

May the Church soon get back to ordaining "mature men"

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 27th of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Tibet
Please join me in praying for prisoners in one part of China each day of the month

Pope uses Christmas address to urge an end to violent conflict

"Prince of peace (Jesus), in every place turn hearts aside from violence,
and inspire them to lay down arms and undertake the path of dialogue"

- a really beautiful address, encouraging us to pray each day for peace in Africa and the Middle East          The Age report (with video)

This site's full statistics
 for November 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

Why I collect rubbish for Pope

Taking a stand

Navigation Aids      

  Standing up to bullies

"Reform of reform" agenda

Too Western/European 

Abortion - a true story

"Same-sex marriage": two elephants
 in the men's room     

     Near Death Experiences

Globalisation of Indifference

Tale of Two Brains

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

Xmas, South Sudan and Pan Africanism  (highly recommened)

24. The disciple is ready to put his or her whole life on the line, even to accepting martyrdom, in bearing witness to Jesus Christ, yet the goal is not to make enemies but to see God’s word accepted and its capacity for liberation and renewal revealed.

An evangelizing community is filled with joy; it knows how to rejoice always. It celebrates every small victory, every step forward in the work of evangelization. Evangelization with joy becomes beauty in the liturgy, as part of our daily concern to spread goodness. The Church evangelizes and is herself evangelized through the beauty of the liturgy, which is both a celebration of the task of evangelization and the source of her renewed self-giving.

My post at Jamii Forums re letter from Tz inmate in HK prison has had 600 views

This website's Tanzania File 
(stopping Africans from being tricked into bringing drugs to HK)
- letters  from Tanzanian inmates  in Hong Kong prisons

South America file
(stopping S. Americans from being tricked into bringing drugs to HK)
- letters  from South American inmates  in Hong Kong prisons

Why in recent years I've stopped promoting vocations to the priesthood

 p.s. Special welcome to all new readers.  On Dec 23 this site had a record 279 new readers, mainly from Africa and the US

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 26th of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Xinjiang
Please join me in praying for prisoners in one part of China each day of the month

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?

From one comment: The sad reality is that tribalism and a culture of savagery and group selfishness plague the African continent

& see comment from John Hu: 
My Christmas prayer: that a group of African leaders, joined by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and other international figures, will as soon as possible go to South Sudan for a peace conference with the leaders of the fighting factions

How we can prepare for Christmas

Jesus wandering the world at Christmas

24. An evangelizing community is always concerned with fruit, because the Lord wants her to be fruitful. It cares for the grain and does not grow impatient at the weeds. The sower, when he sees weeds sprouting among the grain does not grumble or overreact. He or she finds a way to let the word take flesh in a particular situation and bear fruits of new life, however imperfect or incomplete these may appear.  

(This advice is so good! ....for parents, teachers, pastors)

This website's Tanzania File 
(stopping Africans from being tricked into bringing drugs to HK)
- letters  from Tanzanian inmates  in Hong Kong prisons

This website's South America file 
(stopping S. Americans from being tricked into bringing drugs to HK)
- letters  from South American inmates  in Hong Kong prisons

In the See of Peter, what direction the boat sails doesn't depend on the sailors, but on the captain  

p.s. Special welcome to all new readers.  On Dec 22 this site had a record 195 new readers, mainly from Africa and the US

On this 25th of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Ningxia
Please join me in praying for prisoners in one part of China each day of the month

Did Mary have a midwife?

There is a joke about what would have happened if three wise women had shown up at Jesus’ birth instead of three wise men. It goes, “Three wise women would have asked directions, arrived on time, helped deliver the baby, cleaned the stable, made a casserole, and brought practical gifts.”

(My theory, for what it's worth:  Mary's midwife was her cousin Elizabeth, who lived in the vicinity. Elizabeth helped Mary, just as Mary had helped Elizabeth at the birth of John the Baptist)

My theory not worth much according to
http://bustedhalo.com/questionbox/did-elizabeth-serve-as-mary%E2%80%99s-midwife     (can't link)

(Comments welcome here)

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

(good timing for Christmas ... sheep)

24.  Evangelizers thus take on the “smell of the sheep” and the sheep are willing to hear their voice. An evangelizing community is also supportive, standing by people at every step of the way, no matter how difficult or lengthy this may prove to be. It is familiar with patient expectation and apostolic endurance. Evangelization consists mostly of patience and disregard for constraints of time

The war on drugs "a holocaust in slow motion"  (with video)

This website's Tanzania File (stopping Africans from being tricked into bringing drugs to HK)
- with links to all letters  from Tanzanian inmates  in Hong Kong prisons

South America file (stopping S. Americans from being tricked into bringing drugs to HK)
 - letters from S. American inmates in HK prisons

"All right, I'll do it. Tell me where you need me and when" 
- Eric Liddell (Chariots of Fire, Gold Medalist)    

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

On revolving map:

Left click bottom right silver button

Left click country

Left click state/province

....till you find your city/town !

Left click this table of flags for details of hits on this main page 

          
Table shows location of readers:
Australia - 28%;  UK - 17%;  HK - 15%;  US - 18%;  Canada - 7%  
(..well done HK!)

Recent Hong Kong photos          Previous China photos        Ming Pao articles

Fr John Wotherspoon O.M.I.  胡 頌 恆 神 父   
 Email:   jdwomi@gmail.com  
     Hong Kong mobile  (852) 6709 5674
 China mobile  13030213703 -  out of action for the time being
Mail address: PO Box 74013 Kowloon Central Post Office, Kowloon , Hong Kong

www.China8.org  

www.DoctorJesus.org  

www.JesusTower.com

     www.OneMinuteEnglish.com

  www.RicciCenter.com

 www.SimpleBible.info