My HK Democracy File

- and see comments on menus of previous days, below

Game Not Over:
Why are HK students staging democracy demonstrations?  Because HK's basic freedoms are under attack: freedom of the media, independence of the judiciary, unbiased education, freedom of assembly. 
The more Beijing attacks, the more HK students will rally to save HK    

My photos of democracy demonstrations 
- Mong Kok, Admiralty, Causeway Bay, TST, with photos of PLA armoured vehicles in Jordan

HK govt must speak for HK

"Beijing has no clue what makes Hong Kong tick and what Hong Kong people desire

The Hong Kong government and even many  establishment figures have long been seen only to represent Beijing’s interest" 

Feast of the Rosary

Genesis 3:

A creature hostile to God took the form of a snake and tempted the first man and first woman. The snake tempted them to disobey God. 

When God asked them why they disobeyed him, the man blamed the woman, and the woman blamed the snake.

God said to the snake: "You are the enemy of the human race. Someday a member of the human race will defeat you."

God said to the man and woman:
"From dust you came, and to dust you will return."

The first man's name was Adam (meaning "man"). The first woman's name was Eve (meaning "life").

Luke 1.46:

Recording

       Today's second reading

Acts 1.12: 

After Jesus went up to heaven from the Mount of Olives, the apostles went back down to Jerusalem, a walk of about half a kilometer

They gathered in an upstairs room which they used as a meeting place. The 11 apostles were Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon and Jude

They spent a long time praying. With them were several women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and also Jesus' brothers

Recording

Today's Gospel

Luke 1.26:

In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the angel
Gabriel to the town of Nazareth in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary who was betrothed to a man named Joseph

The angel said to her "Mary, Rejoice! You have been greatly blessed by God.  You are to conceive and have a son whom you must name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of God"

Mary said to the angel, "How can this happen since I am a virgin?"

The angel replied "The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will specially bless you. Know this too: your cousin Elizabeth has, in her old age, conceived a son, and is now in her sixth  month"

"I am the handmaid of the Lord", said Mary, "let what you have said, be done for me".  And the angel left her

Recording

Pope to Synod members - speak frankly and listen humbly

My Islam File 
-  the videos I have watched
 and learnt from

ISIS is a wake-up call to learn more about Islam. I'm trying to learn more by watching videos like this one: Muhammad's life (with English subtitles ...and narrated in perfect English ...excellent for English students). 

This video has much information about the "Satanic verses", about the massacre of Jews ("the world's first Holocaust"), why Jerusalem is Islam's third city (after Mecca and Medina), how many wives Muhammad had (9+), the development of Sufism, how Muhammad used non-violent diplomacy (in one case sparing a whole city, Mecca, that had surrendered to him), the moving Last Sermon of Muhammad, how the Quran does not condone violence in 2014 

Today is the anniversary of Frederick O'Neill, a Northern Ireland Presbyterian missionary to Manchuria, who died on this day in 1952. My review of a book about him by his grandson in HK

At one stage during Frederick's lifetime, in 1800, China had the largest economy in the world, followed by India and France. In 1820 China accounted for 33 per cent of global GDP, more than all the European countries put together

10 years ago today

The democracy demonstrations in HK have had their lighter moments: as when a group of 1,000 anti-student people (lead by by two dozen triad members) surrounded 100 students last Saturday night in Mong Kok. But then, as a result of the students' social media skills, several thousand pro-student people arrived and surrounded the 1,000 ....calling for the police to arrest the triad members caught in the middle!

287.  We ask the Mother of the living Gospel to intercede that this invitation to a new phase of evangelization will be accepted by the entire ecclesial community. 

Mary is the woman of faith, who lives and advances in faith, and “her exceptional pilgrimage of faith represents a constant point of reference for the Church”.

 Mary let herself be guided by the Holy Spirit on a journey of faith towards a destiny of service and fruitfulness. Today we look to her and ask her to help us proclaim the message of salvation to all and to enable new disciples to become evangelizers in turn. 

My recent post at Jamii Forum (re HK SCMP article) has had 9,800 views
- thanks to a kind reader in Tanzania who re-posted my post from the English to the Swahili forum 

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

While this website sleeps during the HK night, one hopes and prays that a seed of compromise appearing on Sunday will blossom into a tree of hope today: that the students and government/police will find a way to avoid confrontation

A most important article by HK's former Chief Secretary:
Betrayed by China and abandoned by the British  (Anson Chan)

The protests in Hong Kong are not just about democracy, but about honouring a promise.

Hong Kong’s chief executive, Leung Chun-ying, has taken us through a sham consultation. The report he presented to the Chinese leaderships was dishonest and misrepresented the sentiments of the Hong Kong people.      

Anson Chan (continued):

If he had any courage, he should have presented the mainland leadership with the truth. They could still have chosen to ignore the will of the Hong Kong people, but at least his document would have been an honest one.

 But he’s clearly in the pockets of Beijing, which put him in place. Leung Chun-ying and his team have little credibility left and will find it increasingly difficult to govern Hong Kong.

Hong Kong protests: a social media revolution – video
More than 100,000 people  downloaded FireChat ...so that they can communicate without the internet!

Latest updates - democracy protests

This website's photos of democracy gatherings at Mong Kok, Admiralty, Central, Causeway Bay, Tsim Shu Tsui
- see below, menus of Sep 30, Oct 1-4

Esther 5: 

After Esther prayed to God for a long time, she went to the palace and presented herself to the king.

At first the king was angry that Esther came without being invited,
but then his heart softened and he welcomed her.

When King Ahasuerus saw that Esther was distressed, he asked her what was wrong. He promised to do anything for her.

Esther asked that there be two special banquets - for herself,
the king and Haman.  The king agreed and the banquets were arranged.

Haman meanwhile was making his own arrangements: a high gallows on which to hang Mordecai.

Dear God, please move the hearts of rulers to be kind to their people, starting with President Xi Jinping!

Recording of this reading
for English students

Psalm 40:

I waited, I waited for the Lord and he stooped down to me. He heard my cry.

He saved me from distress. He put fresh hope into my heart.

How many, O Lord my God, are the times you have helped me.
They are too many for me to describe.

My God, in the depth of my heart I delight in your law. You do not want external offerings. You want my heart.

Lord, I offer you my heart, my love. You deserve all my love

Recording

Today's Gospel

Acts 20:

In the city of Troas Paul and his group joined the local believers for the Breaking of Bread one Saturday night

Paul's sermon went on till the middle of the night. As Paul went on and on, a young man who was sitting on the window-sill, went to sleep and fell to the ground three floors below

He was dead when they picked him up. Paul went down to the boy and prayed over him. The boy came back to life.

Paul kept on talking till dawn. That same day he left Troas

Jesus, is it ok if I pray that someone who has died will come back to life?

Recording

Mark 2:

One Sabbath day Jesus and his disciples were walking through a cornfield.  The disciples were hungry. They picked some ears of corn and ate them.

Picking corn on the Sabbath was regarded as unlawful by the Pharisees.  So the Pharisees said to Jesus "Your disciples are breaking the Sabbath law".

Jesus replied "Don't you remember what King David and his followers once did when they were hungry? They ate the Temple bread which only the priests were allowed to eat.

Go and learn the meaning  of these words 'What I want is mercy, not superficial external offerings'.

I am Master of the Sabbath."

Jesus,  please help me understand
that love is more important than law.

 Recording

Darlene Starrs (Blogger from Canada)
Tyranny at the Vatican?
The Synod of the Family is underway in Rome. I am watching and listening for just about everything. Will the tyranny be confirmed? Or, perhaps, You and I will be pleasantly surprised. May the Holy Spirit bless and direct the people and the process!

Synod on the Family

Full text of Pope's homily

- warning against "bad shepherds" who unduly burden the faithful and who "thwart" God by not being guided by the Holy Spirit.

Happy Birthday today

10 years ago
today

Last Saturday when I visited the custodial ward of a local hospital, one of the men I visited was in a two-bed room by himself. He was mentally a little unstable. When I put my Bibles etc on the spare bed he said "I'll ask the guard to get some sheets for you". He thought I was being admitted as a fellow inmate!

286. Through her many titles, often linked to her shrines, Mary shares the history of each people which has received the Gospel and she becomes a part of their historic identity.

 Many Christian parents ask that their children be baptized in a Marian shrine, as a sign of their faith in her motherhood which brings forth new children for God. There, in these many shrines, we can see how Mary brings together her children who with great effort come as pilgrims to see her and to be seen by her.

 Here they find strength from God to bear the weariness and the suffering in their lives. As she did with Juan Diego, Mary offers them maternal comfort and love, and whispers in their ear: “Let your heart not be troubled… Am I not here, who am your Mother?”

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

Apple Daily live broadcast

Sat nite: Admiralty big rally

HK protesters must be cleared by Monday, chief executive says
....which means today, Sunday, might see chaos on the streets. Prisons have room for only several thousand. What to do with 30,000?! 
PLA warming up on the sideline?

HKJA condemns reporter attacks

Are we facing a new Tiananmen massacre?
Hong Kong's economic success as the eight largest trading economy in the world is tightly linked to its anti-corruption culture and the civil liberties its citizens enjoy. 

Everybody is aware that if Beijing gets its way, by destroying citizens' freedoms and weakening their independent judiciary, Hong Kong will be just another Chinese city

China Uses Triads Against Democracy Movement

Triad gang beating democracy protester:

Click here for enlarged photo
 - from this ABC report (c.f. today's Gospel: messengers of justice killed!)

Amnesty slams police over attacks
(meaning: police not sad to see democracy students forced to move)

Guardian video and interviews:
The Battle for Mong Kok  

Violent mobs with triad links threaten pro-democracy protesters

HK legislator: government using triads against protesters

HK protesters beaten and bloodied as thugs attack sit-in

Readings for "Sunday 27"

Isaiah 5: 

My friend had a vineyard on a fertile hillside. He planted choice vines in it and expected it to produce good grapes. But it produced only sour grapes.

That vineyard is Israel. Its owner is the Lord. That chosen plant is the people of Judah.

The Lord expected them to produce justice. But they have produced only bloodshed and injustice.

Those people have no time to think about the Lord. They have no interest in what he has done for them.

So they are consigning themselves to ruin. The vineyard will be trampled on and become a waste.

Invaders will attack them. They will be taken into exile. All because they rejected the Lord.

Recording of this reading
for English students

Psalm 79:

Recording

Today's Gospel

Philippians 4:

There is no need to worry; but if there is anything you need, pray for it, asking God for it with prayer and thanksgiving, and that peace of God, which is so much greater than we can understand, will guard your hearts and your thoughts, in Christ Jesus. 

Finally, brothers and sisters, fill your minds with everything that is true, everything that is noble, everything that is good and pure, everything that we love and honour, and everything that can be thought virtuous or worthy of praise. 

Keep doing all the things that you learnt from me and have been taught by me and have heard or seen that I do. Then the God of peace will be with you.

Recording

Matthew 21:

Recording

c.f. photo at top of menu: man bashed for standing up for justice!

Fr Harry Winter O.M.I., blogger from USA
Witnessing To and With Judaism, From Vatican I I to Pope Francis
For ecumenists, especially those who view Mission, Evangelization and Proclamation as a vital dimension of Christian Unity, the question of whether we should witness to Jews is critical

10 years ago
 today

2004-10-05 Happy Birthday Franca, born at home in Area C yesterday afternoon!

2004-10-05 Hong Kong teachers Joanna & Louise with children at Area C

2004-10-05 Hong Kong teachers' English Corner for Xinqiao District local English teachers

286. Mary was able to turn a stable into a home for Jesus, with poor swaddling clothes and an abundance of love.

 She is the handmaid of the Father who sings his praises. 

She is the friend who is ever concerned that wine not be lacking in our lives.

 She is the woman whose heart was pierced by a sword and who understands all our pain. 

As mother of all, she is a sign of hope for peoples suffering the birth pangs of justice. 

She is the missionary who draws near to us and accompanies us throughout life, opening our hearts to faith by her maternal love. As a true mother, she walks at our side, she shares our struggles and she constantly surrounds us with God’s love.

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 5th of the month,  Jesus please bless the prisoners of Guizhou

HK not in the mood for love
Over the last 20 years, every time the people of Hong Kong have heard some 'menacing' messages from Beijing, they have responded and become politically active.

 My HK Democracy File

Click to enlarge photos

For photos of visits to Mong Kok, Admiralty, Causeway Bay
- see menus, below, of Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct2, Oct 3

Apple Daily live broadcast

HK's respect for individual rights allowed us to free Joshua Wong

Resign Ultimatum Passes in Hong Kong, Protests Unresolved  China’s Liaison Office presumed to call the shots 

Understand What HK Wants
"Last Sunday I was at the Tamar government center in Hong Kong. Like the majority of the gathered crowd I went not to cause a disturbance but to express my displeasure at the way the authorities were handling the student protests.

I even stood on the side among others who had obviously come to observe but the police fired a tear gas canister in my direction. It was unprovoked. The crowd did not push the police. There was no threat"

 Feast of St Francis of Assisi

Galatians 6: 

Recording of this reading
for English students

A beautiful song from the movie about Francis: 
Brother Sun Sister Moon

Psalm 16:

Please protect me, Lord, I take refuge in you. You are the only source of all true happiness.

I bless you, Lord, who guide and lead me. Even at night you direct my heart.

And so my heart rejoices, my soul is glad. My body shall rest in safety now and always.

You will show me the path of life,
the fullness of joy in your presence, at your right hand, happiness for ever.

Recording

Francis was a stigmata

Matthew 11.28:

Jesus said to the people: "Come to me, all you who are treated unfairly by unjust religious laws. I will give you peace and justice.

Learn from me, and you will know peace,for I am gentle and humble of heart"

Recording

Francis is the patron saint of animals

The Prayer of Saint Francis:

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace; Where there is hatred, let me sow love; Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; And where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, Grant that I may not so much seek To be consoled as to console; To be understood as to understand; To be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive; It is in pardoning that we are pardoned; And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Recording

Recommended by a reader

For weeks the democracy students have been calling on the HK government to have dialogue with them. Earlier this week the students specifically asked for talks with the Chief Secretary, Carrie Lam.  At 11.30pm on Thursday night, the government agreed to such talks.

So this RTHK article describes how the government agreed to the talks. So this Guardian article has the words
"Leung Chun-ying said in a press conference that he would not resign, but announced he had asked chief secretary Carrie Lam to speak to student representatives, as they had requested".

But look at the choice of headline by Australia's ABC:
Hong Kong students agree to talks with government
 ....it should be "HK government agrees to talks with students".
C'mon ABC ... can't you find a decent sub-editor? 

This website's statistics for September 2014. God bless the kind readers who check this site each day. May this site help us keep up with what is happening in the world and in the Church, and through our Bible reading give us extra energy and courage to help make this world a better place.

10 years ago 

For the past few days I've been wearing a yellow ribbon, to indicate my support for the democracy movement. Two days ago those opposing the movement launched a campaign for people to use a blue ribbon, and to wear blue clothing. Which has caused me a slight problem, because ever since I came to HK in 1985, I have - following the example of local Chinese priests - worn a blue shirt!  So yesterday some friends jokingly asked me "are you supporting yellow or blue?".  Problem was solved later in the afternoon when a storm gave me a chance to wear my rain jacket (with the ribbon outside) - no more blue!

285. The close connection between Mary, the Church and each member of the faithful, based on the fact that each in his or her own way brings forth Christ, has been beautifully expressed by Blessed Isaac of Stella:

 “In the inspired Scriptures, what is said in a universal sense of the virgin mother, the Church, is understood in an individual sense of the Virgin Mary... 

In a way, every Christian is also believed to be a bride of God’s word, a mother of Christ, his daughter and sister, at once virginal and fruitful... Christ dwelt for nine months in the tabernacle of Mary’s womb. He dwells until the end of the ages in the tabernacle of the Church’s faith. He will dwell forever in the knowledge and love of each faithful soul”.

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)

On this day in 2005, my dear mother, aged 94, went home to Heaven, to "the other side of the veil"

"God was kind in giving me a mother as lovely as you"

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 4th of the month,  Jesus please bless the prisoners of Guangdong

Menu of Oct 1, below, has Sep 30 photos of PLA armoured carriers moved to Kowloon on night of Sep 28.  Many thanks to a HK reader for discovering this article about the carriers

Is this a second Tiananmen?

Protests Damage Leung and Xi
The ‘umbrella revolution’ could leave lasting political fallout in Hong Kong and China

This whole situation was caused by Beijing's threats to HK's freedoms

My HK Democracy File

Click to enlarge photos

HK protesters urged to clear the streets as deadline nears

China doesn’t know how to respond to Hong Kong’s umbrella revolution
Democratic reform would threaten the one-party state and its beneficiaries among the monied elites of Hong Kong

President Xi's dilemma:
If he's not hard on HK, movements for democracy might grow in the mainland.
If he's hard on HK, he faces the repercussions of another Tiananmen

Impossible dream: Beijing arranges a meeting in Shenzhen with all sides of this dispute .... dialogue. But impossible since democracy is a taboo subject in China

Over the past week, the adults usually seen at protests have been inconspicuous.  Or just letting the students see how far they can go? Now that the students have reached the end of the line, will the adults become more active?

Esther 4:

When Mordecai heard about Haman's plan, Mordecai asked Esther to appeal to Ahasuerus for help.

Mordecai and Esther both knew that to approach the king
without an invitation was a crime punishable by death, unless the king saw fit to welcome an uninvited person.

So they prayed to God to move the heart of Ahasuerus to welcome Esther.

Dear God, please move the heart of President Xi Jinping to be fair to HK!

Recording of this reading
for English students

Psalms 38, 39:

O Lord, please forgive my sins and heal me. Heal my body which is sick because of my sins.

Protect me, Lord, from those who gloat over me now that I am brought low and unable to help myself.

Lord, you have shown me how short a time I have on earth. Lord, give me wisdom of heart to live my life better.

Lord, please help me better understand the meaning of life

Recording

Click here for one minute video 
of today's Gospel

Acts 19:

In Ephesus there was a silversmith who employed many craftsmen making shrines of the local idol, Diana. The man called a meeting of the city's silversmiths and said to them "Not just here in Ephesus, but in many parts of the region, this man Paul has converted many people with his argument that gods made by hand are not gods at all. This is a threat to our trade"

A mob was formed and dragged two of Paul's companions to a local theatre. The town clerk eventually calmed the mob and dismissed them

By now Paul had decided to leave Ephesus. He went to Greece and spent three months there

Jesus, please help people give up the worship of idols made by human hands

Recording

Mark 2: 

Jesus went again to the Sea of Galilee. Many people came to him and he taught them there by the sea.

Near the sea he saw a tax collector Levi (Matthew) working at the customs house. Jesus said to him "Follow me". He got up and followed him.

Levi gave a dinner in his house for Jesus. Sitting with Jesus were some tax collectors and "sinners". In fact Jesus' followers included many tax collectors and "sinners".

Some religious leaders asked Jesus' disciples "Why does he eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?"

Jesus himself answered them: "It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick. I did not come to call the virtuous, but sinners."

Jesus, thank you for being a friend of people who are rejected and despised

Recording

Click 
to enlarge

Peter Day
The Middle East: it’s important to talk.

285. At the foot of the cross, at the supreme hour of the new creation, Christ led us to Mary. 

He brought us to her because he did not want us to journey without a mother, and our people read in this maternal image all the mysteries of the Gospel.

 The Lord did not want to leave the Church without this icon of womanhood.

 Mary, who brought him into the world with great faith, also accompanies “the rest of her offspring, those who keep the commandments of God and bear testimony to Jesus” ( Rev 12:17 ).

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)

Dear God, please help Hong Kong!

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 3rd of the month,  Jesus please bless the prisoners of Gansu

World Non-Violence Day on the birthday of Gandhi who would be right at home on Connaught Road!

China detains mainlanders for supporting HK protests

Leading Hong Kong activist accuses Cameron of selling out campaigners

Protest leaders and Hong Kong government refuse to budge 
HK  Chief Executive has a net popularity rating of minus 35%!

Latest aerial footage from drone


Guardian Live Coverage

Readings: Feast of the Guardian Angels

Psalm 91:

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High says to the Lord "you are my refuge in whom I trust".

The Lord will hide you and protect you. Under his wings you will find refuge.

You will not fear any night time terror, nor any attack during the day.

Upon you no evil shall fall, no plague approach where you dwell.

For you has he commanded his angels to keep you safe in all your ways.

Recording

I recommend this little prayer which I've said each morning and night for 50 years:
Angel of God, my guardian dear,
to whom God's love commits me here. Ever this day (night) be at my side to light and guard, to rule and guide

Acts 12:

When Peter was rescued from prison, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John Mark where people were praying for him, thinking he was still in prison. 

A servant girl opened the door when Peter knocked. She ran inside to tell the group that Peter was at the door. 

The group did not believe Peter was there. One of them said  "it must be his angel".

Eventually they opened the door and Peter described how an angel had rescued him from prison

Recording

Today is the feast day of the 
inspiring African saint
St Josephina Bakhita

Matthew 18.1

Recording

May 4 article of Fr Harry Winter O.M.I. Pope Francis' Letter 'The Joy of the Gospel,' and Ecumenism, first published on v2catholic, has now also been published in Ecumenical Trends 43 (Sept. 2014, #8):9/121, 124-14/126.  

Click to enlarge

ABC Australia - I was there today ... not a policeman in sight. What are you talking about?

For those in Hong Kong looking to get away from the crowds this afternoon, they could have done worse than turn up to the National Day celebrations in Victoria Park.

- from live coverage of South China Morning Post  (6pm, Oct 1)

285. On the cross, when Jesus endured in his own flesh the dramatic encounter of the sin of the world and God’s mercy, he could feel at his feet the consoling presence of his mother and his friend.

 At that crucial moment, before fully accomplishing the work which his Father had entrusted to him, Jesus said to Mary: “Woman, here is your son”. Then he said to his beloved friend: “Here is your mother” (Jn 19:26 -27).

 These words of the dying Jesus are not chiefly the expression of his devotion and concern for his mother; rather, they are a revelatory formula which manifests the mystery of a special saving mission. Jesus left us his mother to be our mother. Only after doing so did Jesus know that “all was now finished”

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 2nd of the month,  Jesus please bless the prisoners of Fujian

National Day: China, Nigeria, Tuvalu   International Day of Older Persons

Click to enlarge photos

Like the day before at Mong Kok (see Sep 30 menu, below) I saw a sea of young people who care about protecting HK's basic freedoms. A BBC reporter I talked to said she had never seen a demonstration like this one: 
so orderly, peaceful, a carnival atmosphere, police nowhere to be seen, rubbish even being picked up in recycling fashion!  




Last three photos: BBC team .... and space for Al Jazeera English

In Hong Kong propaganda war, China plays waiting game
Beijing hopes protest fatigue, commerce will defeat Occupy Central

Hong Kong protesters defiant as Chief Executive demands halt to Occupy Central

HK Police and Officials Botch Protest

China Can’t Back Down

Hong Kong protests: what you should know    

Guardian Live-Blog        Latest reports from RTHK

Apple Daily's dedicated www:  Occupy Central  - live broadcast

We locals have never seen more than one or two such vehicles at this site these past 17 years, but in the last day or so, 30 have appeared, only 15 minutes drive from the democracy demonstrations. "PLA troops will not be used to stop the demonstrations" said Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying.  But what are the vehicles doing in Kowloon at this demonstration time???

Xi is on the Wrong Side of History in Hong Kong
A tone-deaf government in Beijing misses the importance of the student protest

How the umbrella became a symbol of the Hong Kong democracy protests

How one night of tear gas in Hong Kong just shut down all Instagram in China

 Long road to democracy for Hong Kong

'A critical moment for the government'A constitutional law expert says the Hong Kong government is at a critical juncture and needs to be seen to be representing Hong Kong people and not Beijing

Hong Kong protest a crucial litmus test
Lessons from Tiananmen need to be remembered as tensions and protestor numbers rise

Esther 3: 

About this time Haman from the land of Agag was promoted by King Ahasuerus to a top position. All other officials were to bow and prostrate themselves before Haman.

Mordecai refused to bow to Haman. This made Haman very angry.

Haman found out that Mordecai was a Jew. Haman decided to kill Mordecai and all Jews in the kingdom.

Ahasuerus agreed to Haman's plan
and a decree to this effect was announced: all Jews were to be killed on the 14th day of the 12th month.

Dear God, please protect poor people from bad people like Haman

Recording of this reading
for English students

Psalms 35-37:

O Lord, please save me from people who slander me, you who rescue the weak from the strong, you whose love is so precious,
you in whose light we see light.

We believe that if we find our delight in you, you will grant our heart's desire.

And so we commit our lives to you, confident you will help us in time of trouble.

Lord, please increase my delight in you ...by knowing you and loving you more

Recording

Today is the Feast of 
Saint Teresa of the Child Jesus, 
(Teresa of Lisieux)
a Doctor of the Church

Acts 19:

So remarkable were the miracles worked by God through Paul, that even handkerchiefs which had touched him, were taken to the sick, and they were healed, and evil spirits came out of them

Some believers admitted how they had practised magic. They collected their expensive books on magic and burnt them in public

Things like these helped the word of the Lord to continue spreading

Jesus, what can I do to help your message spread?

Recording

Today's Gospel

Mark 2:

After some time Jesus returned to Capernaum. Crowds quickly gathered at the house where he was staying.

While he was preaching inside the house, four men carried a paralytic on a stretcher to the front door.

They couldn't get in, because of the crowd, so they went up on the roof, took off some of the roof covering, and lowered the stretcher in front of Jesus.

Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic "Your sins are forgiven". Some religious leaders present in the crowd  thought to themselves "Who does this man think he is? Only God can forgive sins".

Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them "Which is easier? To say 'Your sins are forgiven' or 'Get up and walk'?

But to show you that I have authority to forgive sins I now say get up, pick up your stretcher and go home."

The man got up, picked up his stretcher and walked out in front of everyone. The crowd said "We have never seen anything like this".

Jesus, please heal my friend (..name..)....who is a paralytic

Recording

Chris McDonnell (Wed UK blogger)
A Faithful Family
This October, the Synod on the family begins its deliberation in Rome amid much speculation, hope and not a little confusion. Given the circumstances of Francis calling this Synod it was bound to give rise to rumour and discussion in both the Church and in the Secular Media.

"It was preventable. That is what is tragic about this. Every day it's not responded to, it becomes that much more difficult to contain. "If people who can do something don't, they deserve to lose their jobs. It's criminal."

Contrary to what's been reported in several media outlets in HK, Australia has NOT issued any travel warnings against HK, nor has the level of danger been raised. All that's been said is
"Large numbers of pro-democracy protesters have gathered outside the Central Government Offices and Legislative Council building in the Admiralty district of Hong Kong over the weekend of 27-28 September. This has led to significant disruption to traffic and public transport services in the area. Police have deemed the demonstrations illegal and have been using tear gas and other crowd-dispersal measures. We recommend that Australians find alternative routes through the city, avoid large public demonstrations, and monitor local media to keep abreast of latest developments."
http://www.smartraveller.gov. au/zw-cgi/view/Advice/Hong_ Kong

ISIS is a wake-up call to learn more about Islam. 
I'm trying to learn more by watching videos like this one: 
Muhammad's life (with English subtitles and narrated in perfect English,
excellent for English students). 

284.  With the Holy Spirit, Mary is always present in the midst of the people.

 She joined the disciples in praying for the coming of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:14 ) and thus made possible the missionary outburst which took place at Pentecost.

 She is the Mother of the Church which evangelizes, and without her we could never truly understand the spirit of the new evangelization.

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

On this 1st of the month,  Jesus please bless the prisoners of Anhui

Thank you Albert for photos!

Guardian Live-Blog

Latest reports from RTHK

Apple Daily's dedicated www: 
Occupy Central  - live broadcast

China's flag hit by protests

Notice how the vast majority of protestors are young people!  They really care about stopping Beijing from deleting HK's freedoms!

At Mong Kok yesterday I did not see even one policeman! Many secondary students were in the crowd which was really well behaved, absolutely no violence

The use of tear gas by the police motivated many people to take to the streets to call for Beijing to stop bullying HK ...and to call for the resignation of HK's Chief Executive Leung Chun Ying (who, even before this protest, was extremely unpopular in HK, with virtually no moral authority)    

My feeling: CE will be asked by Beijing to resign, as happened to a predecessor Tung Chee-hwa after 500,000 HK protestors took to the streets. But Leung's resignation will not halt the protestors: they want Beijing to stop deleting HK's freedoms.
A big problem: President Xi Jinping has an iron first

Taipei students support Occupy Central

Taiwanese watching HK unrest

Australia, Italy issue HK warnings

HK's National Day fireworks cancelled

Hong Kong - more join protests as crowds are urged to keep going
“I was watching TV while I ate dinner and when I saw what the police did (tear gas) I almost cried. My family said: You don’t have to go there – you can’t do anything in front of China; you can’t change anything ... But I think I had to come. There’s no excuse. If you don’t stand up today there’s no tomorrow,” she said.

The video at top of this report is a good summary of the HK situation. The commentator, John Garnaut, is a genuine authority on China

China censors images of Hong Kong protests in TV broadcasts to mainland 
- it's exactly because of this sort of lack of media freedom that HK people are on the streets!

Esther 2: 

A selection process was begun to find a woman to replace Vashti as queen.

Esther was a beautiful Jewish orphan girl who had been brought up by her cousin Mordecai.

After the long selection process was finished, Esther was chosen to be queen. No one in the palace knew she was Jewish.

Dear God,  please bless all kings and queens

Recording of this reading
for English students

Psalm 34:

I will bless the Lord at all times,
his praise always on my lips. In the Lord my soul shall make its boast,
the humble shall hear and be glad.

Glorify the Lord with me, together let us praise his name. I sought the Lord and he answered me. From all my terrors he set me free.

The angel of the Lord is encamped around those who revere him, to rescue them.

Taste and see that the Lord is good.
They are happy who seek refuge in him.

The Lord is close to the broken- hearted. Those whose spirits are crushed he will save.

Lord, by our Bible reading and prayer, may we taste and see your goodness each day

Recording

Acts 19:

For three months, Paul went to the Jewish prayer hall in Ephesus, speaking boldly about the kingdom of God

When some Jews strongly attacked the Way, he stopped going to the prayer hall, and began daily discussions in a lecture room

He kept doing this for two years, with the result that people from many places, both Jews and non-Jews, were able to hear the word of God

Jesus, please give more and more people the opportunity to hear your word

Recording

 Recommended: check these readings early morning, think about them during the day, check them again at night. This habit gives us extra energy, courage, motivation, peace and compassion for each day

Mark 1:

A leper came to Jesus and on his knees pleaded "If you want to, you can heal me".

Feeling sorry for him, Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him and said "Of course I want to heal you. Be healed!"

The leprosy left him at that moment and he was healed.

Jesus, please heal people who are lepers

Recording

(not leopards)

ISIS is a wake-up call to learn more about Islam. 
I'm trying to learn more by watching videos like this one: 
Muhammad's life (with English subtitles and narrated in perfect English,
excellent for English students). 

China's Xinjiang hotbed: who created the violence?
The government says it needs to respond with an iron first to emerging terrorist violence but many have questioned whether the crackdown actually preceded the violence. By turning the screws on the Uighurs tighter every day, is China creating a hotbed of discontent?

Australia's ABC reporting: 
excellent on sensationalism, extremely poor on accuracy

An inaccurate headline and sub headline:
Protests paralyse Hong Kong
(not true: only affected a few districts; 95% of the territory not affected)

"Banks and government schools close as huge pro-democracy protests bring the city to a standstill"
(not true: only a handful of banks and schools (on HK Island) were closed. 99% of banks and schools were open. Only a few areas were affected, 98% of the territory not affected. C'mon ABC, you can do better than that!)

But story does have one point that I was not aware of: Taiwan's President Ma was born in HK! 
In fact, he was born in Yau Ma Tei, a few minutes from my home in Jordan!

This report also inaccurate: teachers' union is not on strike. Only a few schools were closed!

Some time ago in the Pokfulam area of Hong Kong I met a little girl whose mother was trying to get her to speak English. So I asked the little girl "What's your name?"
To which she replied "My name is six years old"

283.  The great men and women of God were great intercessors.

 Intercession is like a “leaven” in the heart of the Trinity. It is a way of penetrating the Father’s heart and discovering new dimensions which can shed light on concrete situations and change them.

 We can say that God’s heart is touched by our intercession, yet in reality he is always there first. What our intercession achieves is that his power, his love and his faithfulness are shown ever more clearly in the midst of the people.

The Citizen has published a report about South China Morning Post article on Tanzanian inmates in HK being threatened by the Tanzanian ambassador. Jamii Forums has a post in Swahili (...also had English post, but this has been deleted for whatever reason)

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

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

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HK Democracy File - essential reading

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1998 ICEL Sacramentary

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The new translation
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Ron Schmit:
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Available in 19 languages

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Daily prayer with beautiful music

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China Library
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