HK Democracy File
 - essential reading

If he really wants to stop Isis, Obama must make new friends in Iraq – fast

Papal envoy to Iraq: Pope would like to be there with the poor

IS (ISIS) File - Essential Reading

Daniel Barenboim Holds 'Peace Concert' With Arabs

Truth and propaganda- the other two foes in Gaza's war

Gaza File - essential reading

The Observer view on Gaza and Israel's international reputation

It is clear that more and more people across the world – justifiably or not – are asking why western governments may assert a moral and legal right to mount air strikes in defence of embattled women and children dying in the mountains of northern Iraq, but should simultaneously ignore the plight of those buried under rubble in Gaza. 

With Israel's latest, often indiscriminate bombing of Gaza, that question gets harder and harder to answer.

Relations are strained over Gaza but US support for Israel remains strong
"You have these forums where a girl in the Gaza strip who's 16 years old can tweet images of bombs falling outside of her house to 160,000 people. That kind of access to disseminating information has never existed before and it's a game changer. That changes public opinion and ultimately that will change the way policymakers act on this issue but that's a way down the road."

Psalm 138:

I thank you, Lord, with all my heart. You have heard the words of my mouth.

With the angels I will bless you.
I will adore you in your holy temple.

I thank you for your faithfulness and love which are far above what we can understand.

On the day I called you answered.
You increased the strength of my soul.

All earth's kings shall thank you
when they hear the words of your mouth.

They shall sing of the Lord's ways: "How great is the glory of the Lord!"

Though I walk in the midst of affliction you give me life and frustrate my foes.

Your love, O Lord, is eternal.
Do not abandon us whom you have made. 

 Lord, help us more clearly understand how much you love us and help us. May every day of the year be a Thanksgiving Day

Acts 5:

One religious leader at the meeting, Gamaliel, asked that the apostles be removed from the room. Then he spoke to the other leaders:

"Men of Israel, be careful how you deal with these people. If this movement of theirs is of human origin, it will die out of its own accord. But if it comes from God, you will not be able to destroy it. You might even find yourselves fighting against God"

His advice was accepted. The apostles were warned, flogged and released

They left the meeting glad to have had the honor of suffering humiliation for the sake of Jesus. They resumed their daily preaching, in the Temple and in private homes

Jesus, thank you for times of suffering for you

Matthew 18:

Peter asked Jesus "How many times must I forgive someone? 7 times?"  Jesus answered "Not 7, but 77 times.

For the kingdom of heaven is like a king who cancelled the huge debt of one of his servants.

But that same servant refused to cancel the tiny debt of one of his fellow servants.

So the king said to the servant:
'When you appealed to me, I had pity on you and cancelled your big debt.  But you refused to have pity on your fellow servant who asked you for mercy. Therefore you must now go to prison until your big debt is paid.'

If you refuse to forgive other people, you are making yourself ineligible for God's forgiveness."

Jesus, please help me to forgive other people, just as you forgive me....many times each day

Hillary Clinton criticises Barack Obama's policy on Syria and Israel
Comment 1: Hillary the Hawk.  Didn't she learn from Iraq? Iraq-style "regime change" in Syria would have made things worse, not better - just like Iraq. The lesson of Iraq is surely that violence is not the way to change society.
Comment 2: Her bias to Israel - she's wants the support of the Jewish lobby for her presidential campaign?
Comment 3: Before reading this article I had thought "yes, good to have a woman president". But now, not if woman is Hillary.

Australian military ‘back-up’ in Iraq not ruled out, defence minister confirms
Comment: speaking of slow learners about the lesson of Iraq ...and/or Abbott just trying to get attention on world stage?

From A Call to Action: Women, Religion, Violence and Power
by former US president Jimmy Carter:

Page 142:  re Spouse abuse

Chinese drivers who misuse headlights made to look at high beams for five minutes, say Shenzhen police

247. Relations with Judaism

 We hold the Jewish people in special regard because their covenant with God has never been revoked, for “the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable”. 

The Church, which shares with Jews an important part of the sacred Scriptures, looks upon the people of the covenant and their faith as one of the sacred roots of her own Christian identity

 As Christians, we cannot consider Judaism as a foreign religion; nor do we include the Jews among those called to turn from idols and to serve the true God. With them, we believe in the one God who acts in history, and with them we accept his revealed word.

2014-08-12  New letter (in Swahili) from a Tanzanian inmate in a HK prison - asking TZ government to muscle up their policy enforcement

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

This website's Hong Kong file
(encouraging local drug addicts to come off drugs)

Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day of the week:

Sun: Africa        Mon: Europe & Russia     Tues: South Asia      Wed: East Asia  
Thurs: S.E. Asia & Pacific       Frid: South America       Sat: Central & North America 
  
Jesus, today, Tuesday,  please bless the people of South Asia

And praying for prisoners in one part of China each day of the month:

On this 12th of the month,  Jesus please bless the prisoners of Jiangsu

National Day of Chad

HK Democracy File
 - essential reading

IRAQ

Pope Francis: Isis violence against minorities in Iraq must be stopped
Vatican says world must halt attacks against Christians and others, as Francis sends emissary to Iraq

Washington Opened The Gates Of Hell In Iraq: Now Come The Furies
The end result of Washington’s 20-year campaign to liberate Iraq was to aggravate, widen and mobilize all of the latent ethnic and religious conflicts and enmities that had been bottled up for decades 

Why Airstrikes in Iraq Are a Mistake      

GAZA

Obama Says 'Hard To See' Bibi Compromising for Peace
In some ways, Bibi is too strong [and] in some ways [Abbas] is too weak to bring them together and make the kind of bold decisions that Sadat or Begin or Rabin were willing to make

Christian response to Violence?

Inching Toward a Truce?
There are conflicting reports out of Cairo about talks for a Gaza truce deal. J.J. Goldberg says Hamas has softened some demands and Tzipi Livni is getting involved for Israel.

Gaza File - essential reading

Psalm 137:

By the rivers of Babylon we sat and cried, remembering Zion.
On the poplars that grew there we hung up our harps.

For it was there that they asked us, our captors, for songs. "Sing to us", they said, "one of Zion's songs".

O how could we sing the song of the Lord on alien soil? If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand wither.

O let my tongue cleave to my mouth if I remember you not, Jerusalem , above all my joys.

Lord, please help  people who have been exiled from their homeland

By the Rivers of Babylon (YouTube, with lyrics)

Acts 5:

Then a man arrived at the meeting with the news "At this very moment, the men you imprisoned are now in the Temple preaching to the people"

The police again arrested the apostles and brought them to the meeting

When the main religious leader reminded them of his previous warning not to preach, Peter and the apostles replied "Obedience to God comes before obedience to men. God  raised Jesus up to be the Savior. We are witnesses to this, we and the Holy Spirit whom God gives to those who obey him"

This made the leaders so angry that they wanted to kill the apostles

Jesus, please help me put obedience to you before all other obediences

Matthew 18:

One day Jesus heard his disciples arguing  about which one of them was the most important.

Jesus got a little child to sit in front of them, and said  "If you want to be great in God's eyes, become child-like. In fact, unless you become child-like, you won't get to heaven.

And make sure you never cause harm to children like this one.
Remember, the protecting angels of children are in the presence of my Father in heaven."

Jesus, please help me to be more child-like, and please don't let me ever cause harm to children

A BIG "S" SAINT

^{Take the time today to read about St. Clare, 
who is known as the best friend to St. Francis of Assisi}

Pope to South Korea on Wednesday
- first Pope to fly over China

An old coin found on an island off the NT coastline
may point to early trading between Aboriginal people and China

From A Call to Action: Women, Religion, Violence and Power
by former US president Jimmy Carter:

Page 139:  (...few African sex workers use condoms to protect them from AIDS..) We visited the only AIDS clinic in Bangui, Central African Republic, and it was a heartrending experience. There was a line of 267 people with AIDS, mostly mothers holding emaciated babies, but there was no medicine available. They were waiting for the daily allowance of a morsel of food. When the women were no longer able to walk, they were moved to the nearby hospital to die. 

There was a young Japanese woman running the clinic, whose dedication reminded us of Mother Teresa, and Bill promised the Gates Foundation would provide special help to her and her patients

Yesterday morning at one of the Masses I had at St Paul's, Yau Ma Tei, the sound system had a problem for a little while ...reminding me of this story:  because the sound system was faulty at the start of Mass, the priest, instead of saying "The Lord be with you", said "There's something wrong with this microphone", to which the congregation duly replied "And also with you"

246. Signs of division between Christians in countries ravaged by violence add further causes of conflict on the part of those who should instead be a leaven of peace. 

How many important things unite us! If we really believe in the abundantly free working of the Holy Spirit, we can learn so much from one another! 

It is not just about being better informed about others, but rather about reaping what the Spirit has sown in them, which is also meant to be a gift for us. 

To give but one example, in the dialogue with our Orthodox brothers and sisters, we Catholics have the opportunity to learn more about the meaning of episcopal collegiality and their experience of synodality. Through an exchange of gifts, the Spirit can lead us ever more fully into truth and goodness.

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

This website's Hong Kong file
(encouraging local drug addicts to come off drugs)

Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day of the week:

Sun: Africa        Mon: Europe & Russia     Tues: South Asia      Wed: East Asia  
Thurs: S.E. Asia & Pacific       Frid: South America       Sat: Central & North America 
  
Jesus, today, Monday,  please bless the people of Europe & Russia

And praying for prisoners in one part of China each day of the month:

On this 11th of the month,  Jesus please bless the prisoners of Hunan

National Day of Ecuador

HK Democracy File 
- essential reading

The international criminal court can investigate potential crimes in Gaza

Gaza File - essential reading

Israel: "Why are you kicking me?"
Gaza: "Because you're strangling me"
USA: "You have a right to strangle him because he is kicking you"

Death in a Small Place  
Gaza is being reduced to rubble while the world watches on YouTube and CNN

From Syria to Ukraine, Social Media Opens Up Warfare

As conflict flares in the Middle East and Ukraine, the number of images posted on social media is increasing exponentially, giving observers half a world away unprecedented visibility of events on the ground. The problem with social media, however, is that what is reported is not necessarily accurate.

A most important article:
This Islamic State nightmare is not a holy war but an unholy mess
       

Religious leaders say IS persecution of Iraqi Christians has become genocide
- calls for UK to take refugees

Really beautiful reflection on IS ... and Jonah!

Psalm 84:

A beautiful song for today:
Elvis Presley - YouTube: 
Put your hand in the hand of the man who stilled the water

Romans 9:

What I want to say now is no pretence; I say it in union with Christ – it is the truth – my conscience in union with the Holy Spirit assures me of it too.

 What I want to say is this: my sorrow is so great, my mental anguish so endless, I would willingly be condemned and be cut off from Christ if it could help my brothers of Israel, my own flesh and blood. 

They were adopted as sons, they were given the glory and the covenants; the Law and the ritual were drawn up for them, and the promises were made to them.

They are descended from the patriarchs and from their flesh and blood came Christ who is above all, God for ever blessed! Amen.

Jesus, may your beloved Jewish people know and love you

Matthew 14:

Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side while he would send the crowds away. After sending the crowds away he went up into the hills by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, while the boat, by now far out on the lake, was battling with a heavy sea, for there was a head-wind. 

In the fourth watch of the night he went towards them, walking on the lake, and when the disciples saw him walking on the lake they were terrified. ‘It is a ghost’ they said, and cried out in fear.

But at once Jesus called out to them, saying, ‘Courage! It is I! Do not be afraid.’ 

It was Peter who answered. ‘Lord,’ he said ‘if it is you, tell me to come to you across the water.’ ‘Come’ said Jesus.

Then Peter got out of the boat and started walking towards Jesus across the water, but as soon as he felt the force of the wind, he took fright and began to sink. ‘Lord! Save me!’ he cried. Jesus put out his hand at once and held him. ‘Man of little faith,’ he said ‘why did you doubt?’ 

And as they got into the boat the wind dropped. The men in the boat bowed down before him and said, ‘Truly, you are the Son of God.’

Thomas Piketty's 'Capital in the Twenty First Century'

In a year marking two momentous events – 20 years since the end of apartheid in South Africa and 20 years since the Rwandan Genocide – African media leaders and owners will gather in Johannesburg in November to hold frank discussions on how to uphold high ethical standards in the tricky world of politics and business.

Click to enlarge

Pope Francis also challenges Catholics to see this preferential option for the poor as one mainly of “privileged and preferential religious care,” for he writes that “the worst discrimination which the poor suffer is the lack of spiritual care.” To walk with those who are poor, and accompany them both spiritually and materially, is integral to Christian discipleship.

At only five percent of the world’s population, the United States accounts for 25% of the world’s prisoners, with 2.2 million citizens incarcerated in federal and state prisons

In two crucial deeds, a reformist chief executive blows his reformist credentials

Vatican bank writes off Cardinal Bertone's $20 million investment

From A Call to Action: Women, Religion, Violence and Power
by former US president Jimmy Carter:

Page 135:  ...the law is essentially ignored. Although the US Department of State has estimated that there are at least 60,000 people being held against their will in the US, only 138 traffickers were convicted in this country in 2012

Page 136: Containing only 15% of the world's population, Africa has 70% of those who are HIV-infected and die with AIDS.

Page 138: We flew to Cape Town to meet with President Mbeki ...and his minister of health. As Bill Gates Snr and I began to explain the purpose of our visit, the president interrupted and insisted that there was no scientific connection between HIV infection and AIDS, and that the antiretroviral medicines we were promoting were toxic. The discussion became heated, and he and I rose from our chairs and faced each other in an angry confrontation.

246.  Given the seriousness of the counter-witness of division among Christians, particularly in Asia and Africa , the search for paths to unity becomes all the more urgent. 

Missionaries on those continents often mention the criticisms, complaints and ridicule to which the scandal of divided Christians gives rise.

 If we concentrate on the convictions we share, and if we keep in mind the principle of the hierarchy of truths, we will be able to progress decidedly towards common expressions of proclamation, service and witness.

 The immense numbers of people who have not received the Gospel of Jesus Christ cannot leave us indifferent.

 Consequently, commitment to a unity which helps them to accept Jesus Christ can no longer be a matter of mere diplomacy or forced compliance, but rather an indispensable path to evangelization

Excellent South African website: Locked Up in a foreign country

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

This website's Hong Kong file
(encouraging local drug addicts to come off drugs)

Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day of the week:

Sun: Africa        Mon: Europe & Russia     Tues: South Asia      Wed: East Asia  
Thurs: S.E. Asia & Pacific       Frid: South America       Sat: Central & North America 
  
Jesus, today, Sunday,  please bless the people of Africa

And praying for prisoners in one part of China each day of the month:

On this 10th of the month,  Jesus please bless the prisoners of Hubei

National Day of Singapore

International Day
 of the World's Indigenous Peoples

HK Democracy File
 - essential reading

UN emergency meeting over Iraqi Christians, Pope calls for help

Pope asks for international action to help Iraq's persecuted Christians

Iraq Christians flee as Islamic State takes Qaraqosh

Obama authorises air strikes to help Iraqis besieged on mountain by Isis

The Islamic State challenge to world order

Refugees and Christians in Middle East need our help and support
The news around the world is tragic and depressing. What can we do?

Drawing the boundaries of the new Middle East with Christian blood

 Gaza, Iraq, MH17 & WWI
 - Reflection by UK Blogger 
 Chris McDonnell:
 Misunderstandings

Gaza Infant Twin Clings To Life After Israeli Attack Kills Brother
"If it is Hamas that you hate, let me tell you that the people you are killing have nothing to do with Hamas"

Israel Professor in Trouble for Showing Concern for Gaza War Victims

Gaza File - essential reading

Psalm 136:

O give thanks to the Lord for he is good, for his great love is without end.

It was his wisdom which made the skies, for his great love is without end.

It was he who made the sun, moon and stars, for his great love is without end.

It was he who rescued and protected his people Israel,
for his great love is without end.

He gives food to all living things,
for his great love is without end.

To the God of heaven give thanks,
for his great love is without end.

 We praise you, Lord, for your great love is without end

Acts 5:

The religious leaders were jealous of the apostles. The leaders had the apostles arrested and put in prison

But that night an angel of the Lord opened the prison gates and led them out of the prison, saying to them:

"Go and stand in the Temple, and tell the people all about this new Life"

The apostles went to the Temple at dawn and continued preaching

Jesus, please help more and more people know about the new Life

atthew 17:

A man went down on his knees and pleaded with Jesus:

"Lord, please help my son. He is crazy and does crazy things like falling into fire and into water.
I asked  your disciples to heal him but they were not able to."

There was an evil spirit oppressing the boy, so Jesus ordered the spirit to leave the boy. The boy was healed immediately.

Jesus' disciples asked him "Why were we unable to expel that spirit?"

Jesus answered "Because your faith is not strong enough."

Jesus, please increase my faith,
so that my prayers can be of more help to other people

From A Call to Action: Women, Religion, Violence and Power
by former US president Jimmy Carter:

Page 129:  UNICEF reported that as many as 7,000 women and girls are trafficked out of Nepal to India every year, and around 200,000 are now working in Indian brothels.

 Page 130:  The books I have read about the lucrative global system of slavery, always cite Nepal as one of the worst examples. ....Two organizations helping Nepalese women to escape from sexual slavery: Stop Girl Trafficking  and Rural Health and Rural Health and Education Service

 Page 132: There was special concern about the common practice of forced child marriage in Nepal

c.f. Huffington Post report about the Nepal situation

and see Michelle Obama: 'Women are smarter than men' - with the comment that the world's problems can't be solved while women are not educated etc .... a major theme of Carter's book

Where do you work?  At my job

Where do you sleep?  In my bed

Where do you eat?  In my mouth

Where do you fish?   In the water

245 In this perspective, ecumenism can be seen as a contribution to the unity of the human family. 

At the (October 2012) Synod (on the New Evangelization), the presence of the Patriarch of Constantinople, His Holiness Bartholomaios I, and the Archbishop of Canterbury, His Grace Rowan Williams, was a true gift from God and a precious Christian witness.

YouTube: Rowan Williams at Synod

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

This website's Hong Kong file
(encouraging local drug addicts to come off drugs)

Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day of the week:

Sun: Africa        Mon: Europe & Russia     Tues: South Asia      Wed: East Asia  
Thurs: S.E. Asia & Pacific       Frid: South America       Sat: Central & North America 
  
Jesus, today, Saturday,  please bless the people of Central & North America

And praying for prisoners in one part of China each day of the month:

On this 9th of the month,  Jesus please bless the prisoners of Henan

Australia: Feast of Mary MacKillop

HK Democracy File - essential reading

President Obama,
where are you?
40,000 Iraqis stranded on mountain as Isis jihadists threaten death

Isis seizes Iraq's largest Christian town

Video:
Irish senator condemns Gaza massacre
and calls for recall of Israeli ambassador, in an old fashioned 
"no punches pulled" speech!

By Jimmy Carter, Mary Robinson 

U.N. Chief Calls Gaza Carnage 'Too Much'

- 11 U.N. staff killed in the conflict.
- 90 U.N. buildings damaged 
- attacks on six U.N. schools that killed dozens of Palestinian civilians who had sought shelter.
 
Ban called for swift investigation of the attacks on U.N. premises and other suspected breaches of international law. “U.N. shelters must be safe zones, not combat zones. Those who violate this sacred trust must be subject to accountability and justice,” he said. “Mere suspicion of militant activity does not justify jeopardizing the lives and safety of many thousands of innocent civilians.”

The movement that dare not speak its name in Israel

Gaza is a crime made in Washington as well as Jerusalem
Israel has colonised, bombed and reinvaded the Palestinian territories it illegally occupies (along with Syria and Lebanon) time and again: in 2002, 2006, 2008 and 2012

Taking stock of the effects of fighting on Palestine during Middle East cease-fire

Gaza File - essential reading

Psalm 135:

Praise the name of the Lord,
praise him, servants of the Lord.

Praise the Lord for he is good.
Sing a psalm to his name for he is loving.

I know the Lord is great. He does whatever he wills in heaven, on earth, in the seas.

Pagan idols are silver and gold,
the work of human hands. They have mouths but they cannot speak. They have eyes but they cannot see.

Sons of Israel, do not trust in useless idols. Sons of Aaron, trust only in our Creator and Lord.

Dear Lord, please help all peoples to know and love you

Acts 5:

All the believers used to meet regularly in an area of the Temple. Their numbers kept on increasing

So many miracles kept happening that sick people were laid on beds on the street,  in the hope that at least Peter's shadow would cover them as he walked past

People came from the towns near Jerusalem, bringing their sick,
and all of the sick were healed

Jesus, please may there be more healings in our day

Matthew 16:

Jesus now began explaining to his disciples how he must go to Jerusalem to suffer, die and rise from the dead.

He also said  "If you want to be my disciple, you must deny yourself,
take up your own cross, and follow me.

Selfishness will ruin your life.
Self-sacrificing will bless your life.

What use is it to have everything in this world yet miss out on Heaven?"

Jesus, please help me find my life by losing it in service of others

From A Call to Action: Women, Religion, Violence and Power
by former US president Jimmy Carter:

Page 127:  Kara estimates that those who own and operate brothels can acquire a slave prostitute for less than $1,000 in Asia, and from $2,000 to $8,000 in Western Europe and North America ..... The annual net profit to the slave's owner is about $29,000

The U.S. State Department estimates that about 800,000 people are traded across international borders each year, and 80% of these victims are women and girls. More than 75% of them are sold into the sex trade.

....it was reported that between 200 and 300 children are sold in Atlanta alone each month!

What is similar about the Jesuit and Dominican Orders?   Well, they were both founded by Spaniards, St. Dominic for the Dominicans, and St. Ignatius of Loyola for the Jesuits.  They were also both founded to combat "heresy": the Dominicans to fight the Albigensians, and the Jesuits to fight the Protestants.

What is different about the Jesuit and Dominican Orders?  Well, have you met any Albigensians lately?

244.  Commitment to ecumenism responds to the prayer of the Lord Jesus that “they may all be one”. The credibility of the Christian message would be much greater if Christians could overcome their divisions and the Church could realize “the fullness of catholicity proper to her in those of her children who, though joined to her by baptism, are yet separated from full communion with her”.

 We must never forget that we are pilgrims journeying alongside one another. This means that we must have sincere trust in our fellow pilgrims, putting aside all suspicion or mistrust, and turn our gaze to what we are all seeking: the radiant peace of God’s face. 

Trusting others is an art, and peace is an art. Jesus told us: “Blessed are the peacemakers”. In taking up this task, also among ourselves, we fulfil the ancient prophecy: “They shall beat their swords into ploughshares”.

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

This website's Hong Kong file
(encouraging local drug addicts to come off drugs)

Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day of the week:

Sun: Africa        Mon: Europe & Russia     Tues: South Asia      Wed: East Asia  
Thurs: S.E. Asia & Pacific       Frid: South America       Sat: Central & North America 
  
Jesus, today, Friday,  please bless the people of South America

And praying for prisoners in one part of China each day of the month:

On this 8th of the month,  Jesus please bless the prisoners of Heilongjian

On this day in 1582, 
Matteo Ricci arrived in Macau

National Day: Ivory Coast

Gaza File - essential reading

HK Democracy File - essential reading

U.S. Condemns, Enables Israel's 'Appalling' Gaza Slaughter
This article has a link to a story that many people have never heard about:
June 8,  1967: Israel Attacks U.S.S. Liberty,
killing 34 American Sailors, wounding 173

       ‘Liberty’ after the Israeli attack

Save the Children publishes names of every child killed in Gaza conflict

Israel’s curbs on development in Palestine causing ‘deep resentment’
Members of the UK committee said they had been shocked by what they had seen during a visit in March

Warsi attacks 'morally indefensible' stand on Gaza as she quits coalition

Young Americans Moving Away From Israel Support Polls and Focus Groups Show Congress Out of Touch

Mixed messages undermine western solidarity with Gaza

Psalm 134:

O come, bless the Lord, all you who serve the Lord, who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God.

Lift up your hands to heaven
and bless the Lord through the night.

May the Lord bless you from Zion,
he who made both heaven and earth.

Lord, please protect my family tonight and every night

By the Rivers of Babylon (YouTube, with lyrics)

Acts 4:

The apostles continued to witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus with great power

The whole group of believers was united, heart and soul. They willingly shared everything they had with people who were in need

Joseph was a Temple minister who had been born in Cyprus. He sold a field  he owned, and gave the proceeds to the apostles. The apostles called him "Barnabas" ("Son of Encouragement")

Jesus, please help us to share and care like the first Christians

Matthew 16:

One day Jesus asked his disciples
"Who do people say the Son of Man is?"

The disciples replied "Some people say you are one of the famous prophets".

Jesus then asked them "And what about you. Who do you say I am?"

Peter answered "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God".

Jesus then said to Peter "Blessed are you, for my Father in heaven has revealed this to you.

So I now say to you: you are Peter ('the rock') and on this rock I will build my church. I will give you the keys of the kingdom."

Jesus, Son of the living God, please help your Church be more faithful to your message

c.f. Water shortages in China   and   China is moving more than a River Thames of water across the country

"Our duty is not to be in the limelight. Our duty is to be the spotlights, so that all eyes may see Jesus more clearly and let us help others to see the Lord,” he said in addressing the bishops of the Philippine nation.

“Perhaps we can reconsider our approach at solving the cancer of Philippine society, which is graft and corruption, by talking more about the beauty of integrity and honesty, rather than constantly denouncing the evil that we experience”

Philippine bishops OK marijuana for terminally ill

Pope to German altar servers: Don't spend too much time on internet/phone

From A Call to Action: Women, Religion, Violence and Power
by former US president Jimmy Carter:

Page 126:  Although there is no longer any legal slavery in the world, the Global Slavery Index report released in October 2013 estimates that 29.8 million people remain enslaved today. Using a broader definition of slavery, this includes those living in bondage as forced laborers, those inamrriages against their will, and prostitutes engaged involuntarily in the sexual trade

Modern slavery generates approximately $32 billion in profits each year, about half of which goes to rich industrialized nations such as our own. The Global Slavery Index listed the US as currently having almost 60,000 people in bondage....

More than 1.1% of India's citizens are living in bondage, a total of 13,956,010, by far the highest of any nation, with China second at 2,949,243

The Ultimate Nigerian Scam Letter

243. The Church has no wish to hold back the marvellous progress of science.
 On the contrary, she rejoices and even delights in acknowledging the enormous potential that God has given to the human mind. 

Whenever the sciences – rigorously focused on their specific field of inquiry – arrive at a conclusion which reason cannot refute, faith does not contradict it.

 Neither can believers claim that a scientific opinion which is attractive but not sufficiently verified has the same weight as a dogma of faith. 

At times some scientists have exceeded the limits of their scientific competence by making certain statements or claims. But here the problem is not with reason itself, but with the promotion of a particular ideology which blocks the path to authentic, serene and productive dialogue.

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

This website's Hong Kong file
(encouraging local drug addicts to come off drugs)

Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day of the week:

Sun: Africa        Mon: Europe & Russia     Tues: South Asia      Wed: East Asia  
Thurs: S.E. Asia & Pacific       Frid: South America       Sat: Central & North America 
  
Jesus, today, Thursday,  please bless the people of S.E. Asia & Pacific

And praying for prisoners in one part of China each day of the month:

On this 7th of the month,  Jesus please bless the prisoners of Hebei

Psalm 96:

Dialogue between faith, reason and science

242. Dialogue between science and faith also belongs to the work of evangelization at the service of peace.

 Whereas positivism and scientism “refuse to admit the validity of forms of knowledge other than those of the positive sciences”, the Church proposes another path, which calls for a synthesis between the responsible use of methods proper to the empirical sciences and other areas of knowledge such as philosophy, theology, as well as faith itself, which elevates us to the mystery transcending nature and human intelligence.

 Faith is not fearful of reason; on the contrary, it seeks and trusts reason, since “the light of reason and the light of faith both come from God” and cannot contradict each other. 

Evangelization is attentive to scientific advances and wishes to shed on them the light of faith and the natural law so that they will remain respectful of the centrality and supreme value of the human person at every stage of life. 

All of society can be enriched thanks to this dialogue, which opens up new horizons for thought and expands the possibilities of reason. This too is a path of harmony and peace.

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

This website's Hong Kong file
(encouraging local drug addicts to come off drugs)

Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day of the week:

Sun: Africa        Mon: Europe & Russia     Tues: South Asia      Wed: East Asia  
Thurs: S.E. Asia & Pacific       Frid: South America       Sat: Central & North America 
  
Jesus, today, Wednesday,  please bless the people of East Asia

And join me praying for prisoners in one part of China each day of the month:

On this 6th of the month,  Jesus please bless the prisoners of Hainan

Pope Francis:
Thank you Holy Spirit

Inspiring photos:

Link
Link		Links 01  02	Link
Link	Link		Link
Link	Link		Link
Link	Link

Newness, harmony, mission

Engagements of Pope Francis

Zenit.org - reports from 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

This website tries to stop "tanks"
(war, global warming, exploitation of the poor, globalisation of indifference, liturgical "reform of the reform" & other anti-Vatican II forces etc)

  Weekly Archive  of main page menus

Previous archives 
2013  2012  2011 2010  2009  2008

Previous Bible Blogs of this website

Previous Smiles file

John W: Previous Daily Blogs

The unjust treatment
 of Bishop Bill Morris

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

Why are women not being
 ordained to priesthood?   (updated)

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

1998 ICEL Sacramentary

Misguided Missal 

The new translation
Ghastly process/result

Ron Schmit:
 1962 Mass a condemnation of Vat II

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

 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

The Last Supper -  Bohdan Piasecki 
(click to enlarge)

Tribalism lives on, 
for better and for worse

A Tale of Two Brains

North Africa refugee boat - Link

Abortion Survivor’s Letter
 to the Abortionist

16 Documents of Vatican II

This website's 
Reflections on the 16 documents
 of Vatican II 

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

The evil of compulsory celibacy

Link between compulsory celibacy
 and sexual abuse

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

     Near Death Experiences

Globalisation of Indifference

Many thanks for checking
 this website each day

This site's full statistics
 for July 2014 

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

John W'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