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   

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 to follow the example of Pope Francis by concern for issues like these

 
Imitating Pope Francis Francis 

Senior nun critcises Church's view of women

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
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STANDUP4VATICAN2
The Swag
VII - Voice of the Church
We Are Church

Excellent articles on Mission
  Hugh McMahon SSC

Majority of facilities not fit for human confinement

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who check this site each day

62. In the prevailing culture, priority is given to the outward, the immediate, the visible, the quick, the superficial and the provisional. What is real gives way to appearances. 

In many countries globalization has meant a hastened deterioration of their own cultural roots and the invasion of ways of thinking and acting proper to other cultures which are economically advanced but ethically debilitated. 

This fact has been brought up by bishops from various continents in different Synods. The African bishops, for example, taking up the Encyclical Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, pointed out years ago that there have been frequent attempts to make the African countries “parts of a machine, cogs on a gigantic wheel. This is often true also in the field of social communications which, being run by centres mostly in the northern hemisphere, do not always give due consideration to the priorities and problems of such countries or respect their cultural make-up”.

By the same token, the bishops of Asia “underlined the external influences being brought to bear on Asian cultures. New patterns of behaviour are emerging as a result of over-exposure to the mass media… As a result, the negative aspects of the media and entertainment industries are threatening traditional values, and in particular the sacredness of marriage and the stability of the family”.

Cocaine seized at Dar airport

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

Jesus, please help all bishops to get out of the office a bit more
and to have the chance for more contact with the poor

Happy Birthday today Dietrich Bonhoeffer

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 4th of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Guangdong
Please join me in praying for prisoners in one part of China each day of the month

My heart went out to the people below as I watched them.  They were prisoners in their own right – prisoners of poverty and politics, of hopelessness and helplessness, and the daily grind of survival from which there was no way out.  As I turned back from the balcony I was sure that if Jesus came into the city he would be found among those poor people on Plaza San Martin.  Then I looked at faces of the men around our table and realized with a start that they were also prisoners.  They were imprisoned by wealth and status, they had so much to preserve and to protect, they were imprisoned by a growing fear that the Shining Path revolution might succeed

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John W:
Previous Daily Blogs

c.f. Snowden's Hong Kong Canadian lawyer 
and Robert Tibbo reveals he worked closely with Snowden
and Behind Snowden's Hong Kong exit: fear and persuasion

Fr. Shay Cullen: Philippines child sex abuse

The corporate irresponsibility of the Internet Service Providers

(Even if one does not agree with the gay life-style, one must speak up against anti-gay violence)

Interactive Bible Quiz - Titus

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

61. We also evangelize when we attempt to confront the various challenges which can arise. On occasion these may take the form of veritable attacks on religious freedom or new persecutions directed against Christians; in some countries these have reached alarming levels of hatred and violence.

In many places, the problem is more that of widespread indifference and relativism, linked to disillusionment and the crisis of ideologies which has come about as a reaction to any-thing which might appear totalitarian. This not only harms the Church but the fabric of society as a whole. 

We should recognize how in a culture where each person wants to be bearer of his or her own subjective truth, it becomes difficult for citizens to devise a common plan which transcends individual gain and personal ambitions.

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

It's sad and annoying if there is competition/rivalry/lack of unity among diocesan agencies

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 3rd of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Gansu
Please join me in praying for prisoners in one part of China each day of the month

Darlene Starrs
(Canada)

“The way I see it, if Pope Francis is truly all about justice for the poor and the marginalized, then he is also all about the advancement of women in all aspects of society, including (if not especially) religion. But this is exactly where his train goes off the track. The question of the role of women seems to be his stumbling block”.  (Lori Dexter)

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

Taking responsibility for Iraq’s cycle of violence

60. Today’s economic mechanisms promote inordinate consumption, yet it is evident that unbridled consumerism combined with inequality proves doubly damaging to the social fabric.

 Inequality eventually engenders a violence which recourse to arms cannot and never will be able to resolve. It serves only to offer false hopes to those clamouring for heightened security, even though nowadays we know that weapons and violence, rather than providing solutions, create new and more serious conflicts. 

Some simply content themselves with blaming the poor and the poorer countries themselves for their troubles; indulging in unwarranted generalizations, they claim that the solution is an “education” that would tranquilize them, making them tame and harmless. All this becomes even more exasperating for the marginalized in the light of the widespread and deeply rooted corruption found in many countries – in their governments, businesses and institutions – whatever the political ideology of their leaders.

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

Needed: smaller dioceses...maximum of 50 priests

Yesterday's HK news had A story about a tourism chief in HK saying HK urgently needs more tourist attractions.  Dear Chief, how about this dream/hope.  Some day please God!

On this 2nd of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Fujian
Please join me in praying for prisoners in one part of China each day of the month

Pope will make mark on US Church through Chicago

The unjust treatment
 of Bishop Bill Morris

Tribalism lives on, for better and for worse

Israel-Palestinian peace talks- the key issues

59. Today in many places we hear a call for greater security. But until exclusion and inequality in society and between peoples are reversed, it will be impossible to eliminate violence. 

The poor and the poorer peoples are accused of violence, yet without equal opportunities the different forms of aggression and conflict will find a fertile terrain for growth and eventually explode. 

When a society – whether local, national or global – is willing to leave a part of itself on the fringes, no political programmes or resources spent on law enforcement or surveillance systems can indefinitely guarantee tranquility. 

This is not the case simply because inequality provokes a violent reaction from those excluded from the system, but because the socioeconomic system is unjust at its root.

 Just as goodness tends to spread, (so) the toleration of evil, which is injustice, tends to expand its baneful influence and quietly to undermine any political and social system, no matter how solid it may appear.

 If every action has its consequences, an evil embedded in the structures of a society has a constant potential for disintegration and death. 

Horses make the best neighbours, except when they nag you or try to take you for a ride or become unstable or hack your email

     Vatican II explicitly stipulated that approving translations belongs to bishops, not the Holy See

Good to be back in HK for Lunar New Year!  Happy LNY! 

On this 1st of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Anhui
Please join me in praying for prisoners in one part of China each day of the month

Can this low moment in church life become an opportunity?

Liturgy - New Translation

1998 ICEL Sacramentary
Misguided Missal 
The new translation
Ghastly process/result

Ron Schmit:
 1962 Mass a condemnation of Vatican II

PrayTell

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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

Turkey: a 1500-year-old basilica discovered in Lake Iznik

Written stories

Story of a pastor re "healing to birth" prayer (YouTube)

The Pope loves everyone, rich and poor alike, but he is obliged in the name of Christ to remind all that the rich must help, respect and promote the poor. I exhort you to generous solidarity and to the return of economics and finance to an ethical approach which favours human beings.

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

An out-of-towner accidentally drives his car into a deep ditch on the side of a country road. Luckily a farmer happened by with his big old horse named Benny. The man asked for help. The farmer said Benny could pull his car out. So he backed Benny up and hitched Benny to the man's car bumper. Then he yelled, "Pull, Nellie, pull." Benny didn't move. Then he yelled, "Come on, pull Ranger." Still, Benny didn't move. Then he yelled really loud, "Now pull, Fred, pull hard." Benny just stood. Then the farmer nonchalantly said, "Okay, Benny, pull." Benny pulled the car out of the ditch. The man was very appreciative but curious. He asked the farmer why he called his horse by the wrong name three times. The farmer said, "Oh, Benny is blind, and if he thought he was the only one pulling he wouldn't even try."

Bishops need to make sure their catechists teach the Message and not just the medium

Jesus please bless all the kind folk I've met over the past month in Australia!

Again I wish everyone...A HAPPY LUNAR NEW YEAR!

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 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

Fr Harry Winter OMI
(USA)

Vatican II and Anti-Clericalism
- from Paul VI to Pope Francis by way of the Catacomb Pact

Clericalism is the term applied to clergy who climb higher up than their people. 
Anti-clericalism is the effort which from time to time the Church develops to return pastors to being one with their people

(A most important article which contains link to full text of Catacomb Pact)

This site's full statistics
 for December 2013 

To publish an article on this site please contact Fr John Wotherspoon omi:   jdwomi@gmail.com  

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Why I collect rubbish for Pope

Taking a stand

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  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

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www.simplebible.info 

www.china8.org 

  www.jesustower.com 

www.oneminuteenglish.com 

China Library
 - essential reading for anyone interested in China's Christian history

57. Behind this attitude lurks a rejection of ethics and a rejection of God. 

Ethics has come to be viewed with a certain scornful derision. It is seen as counterproductive, too human, because it makes money and power relative. It is felt to be a threat, since it condemns the manipulation and debasement of the person. In effect, ethics leads to a God who calls for a committed response which is outside the categories of the marketplace. 

When these latter are absolutized, God can only be seen as uncontrollable, unmanageable, even dangerous, since he calls human beings to their full realization and to freedom from all forms of enslavement. 

Ethics – a non-ideological ethics – would make it possible to bring about balance and a more humane social order. 

With this in mind, I encourage financial experts and political leaders to ponder the words of one of the sages of antiquity: “Not to share one’s wealth with the poor is to steal from them and to take away their livelihood. It is not our own goods which we hold, but theirs”.

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

Burdening and troublesome issues

Happy Lunar New Year of the Horse!

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 30th of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Shanghai
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 

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?

The movie: Philomena

Bleeding hearts alone won't save asylum seekers
- need to get help of sports and pop stars to convey message
(and see comment by John W)

Refugee policy a "campaign of cruelty": Bishop Saunders

Correcting the "theology of women" that currently exists...

(May Francis a.s.a.p. re-introduce women deacons!)

56. While the earnings of a minority are growing exponentially, so too is the gap separating the majority from the prosperity enjoyed by those happy few. 

This imbalance is the result of ideologies which defend the absolute autonomy of the marketplace and financial speculation. 

Consequently, they reject the right of states, charged with vigilance for the common good, to exercise any form of control. 

A new tyranny is thus born, invisible and often virtual, which unilaterally and relentlessly imposes its own laws and rules. 

Debt and the accumulation of interest also make it difficult for countries to realize the potential of their own economies and keep citizens from enjoying their real purchasing power. 

To all this we can add widespread corruption and self-serving tax evasion, which have taken on worldwide dimensions. The thirst for power and possessions knows no limits. 

In this system, which tends to devour everything which stands in the way of increased profits, whatever is fragile, like the environment, is defenseless before the interests of a deified market, which become the only rule.

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

What a bishop should teach   

p.s.  Yesterday I was in the same place (Iona College) where I was on January 28, 1958

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

Francis remembers 3 year old toddler murdered by the mafia:
“He’s in heaven with Jesus” now

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

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea  Award-winning 52 min documentary looking at the circumstances and decisions that lead someone to become a "boat person"

55. One cause of this situation is found in our relationship with money, since we calmly accept its dominion over ourselves and our societies. 

The current financial crisis can make us overlook the fact that it originated in a profound human crisis: the denial of the primacy of the human person! 

We have created new idols. The worship of the ancient golden calf  has returned in a new and ruthless guise in the idolatry of money and the dictatorship of an impersonal economy lacking a truly human purpose.

 The worldwide crisis affecting finance and the economy lays bare their imbalances and, above all, their lack of real concern for human beings; man is reduced to one of his needs alone: consumption.

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

 A bishop should stay at home

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

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