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V2Catholic.com A voice for the
poor Edited
by HK prison chaplain
Fr John Wotherspoon
O.M.I . 胡頌恆神父
jdwomi@gmail.com
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This website's anti-drug campaign saves people from going to prison in HK See & share inmates' letters! |
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How campaign began HK:how long prison for trafficking? www.AsylumSeekerHK.com |
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Tuesday February 7
Yesterday at the High Court a very sympathetic judge oversaw an inquiry into the effectiveness of my anti-drug campaign. Results of the inquiry will be made known on February 28. Hopefully the inquiry results will mean that more inmates will receive discounts for helping the campaign.
Today at lunchtime there is a meeting arranged by a group of kind friends to see how the campaign can be better organised - maybe by the formation of an NGO.
--------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Exodus
32: Moses stayed on the mountain about 40
days.
During this time the people told Aaron to make them a god out of gold.
Aaron made a golden calf and the people worshipped it.
On the mountain, God said to Moses
"Go down now, because the people have been unfaithful to me.
I will punish them, but of you I will make a great nation."
Moses pleaded with God not to punish the people.
When Moses, carrying the two tablets, came down the mountain
he saw the people partying before the golden calf.
He threw down the tablets and broke them.
He smashed the golden calf.
The men of the tribe of Levi were then commissioned
to go through the camp and kill many men.
About 3,000 men were killed.
My
recording of this reading
Psalms
20-21: May the Lord protect and help you,
may he give you your heart's desire
and fulfil every one of your plans. Some trust in chariots or horses,
but we trust in the Lord.
Lord, may our plans and hopes
be acceptable to you.
Please bless our plans
Recording
Acts 20. 22-24: Paul continued "Now you see me a prisoner
already in spirit. I am on my way to Jerusalem, and have no idea what will
happen to me there.
The Holy Spirit has made it clear that imprisonment and persecution await
me there. But life to me is not a thing to waste words
on. What matters is that when I finish my race, I have carried out the
mission the Lord Jesus gave me - to bear witness to the Good News of God's
grace".
Jesus, please help me live a worthwhile life
Recording
Luke
6.27-38: Jesus said to the people
"Love your enemies. Do good to people who hate you. Pray for people
who are unkind to you. Treat others as you would like them to treat you. Be compassionate as your heavenly Father is
compassionate. Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn,
and you will not be condemned. Grant pardon, and you will be pardoned. Give,
and there will be gifts for you. The amount you measure out is the amount
you will be given back".
Jesus, bless ....(name)....who was
unkind to me
Recording
Reflection on the above readings: Only towards the end of last year did the penny fall: I should be praying for the Nigerian Drug Lords who are hurting so many people. Sure not easy to overcome a strong feeling of anger towards them. Jesus, please bless the %#@^& Nigerian Drug Lords!
--------------------------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of Love - on love in the family
Full
English text
Full
Chinese text
296: Recording
The
discernment of “irregular” situations:
The Synod addressed various situations of weakness or imperfection.
Here I would like to reiterate something I sought to make clear to the whole Church, lest we take the wrong path: “There are two ways of thinking which recur throughout the Church’s history: casting off and reinstating.
The Church’s way, from the time of the Council of Jerusalem, has always been the way of Jesus, the way of mercy and reinstatement… The way of the Church is not to condemn anyone for ever; it is to pour out the balm of God’s mercy on all those who ask for it with a sincere heart… For true charity is always unmerited, unconditional and gratuitous”.
Consequently, there is a need “to avoid judgements which do not take into account the complexity of various situations” and “to be attentive, by necessity, to how people experience distress because of their condition”.
---------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
Today I
am reading Day 35 of this excellent little
book 40
Days of Pilgrimage with Pope Francis: Care for Our Common Home"
(used with permission)
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
268: Recording
The word of God also invites us to
recognise that we are a people: “Once you were no people but now you
are God’s people” (1 Pet
-------------------------------------
10
years ago today:
------------------------------------------
Senior's moment: after being unable to find help from
Google about how to get my Lenovo PC to use Bluetooth, I phoned Lenovo in HK. A
kind man told me I needed to buy a Bluetooth USB ...which I did ....but after I
plugged it into my PC, still no communication between the PC and my handheld.
Kind man offered more advice: install the driver which came with the USB. "Isch!"
as they say in South Africa. I had not seen the little disc in the USB packet.
Once I used the disc and installed the driver, no problem. "Yaaah" as
they also say in South Africa!
--------------------------------------
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
And praying for one of the world's poorest countries each day of the month: On this 7th of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Burkina Faso
And
praying for one Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Tuesday,
please pacify Boko
Haram
--------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Monday February 6
Thank you for a prayer for a very special High Court case this morning: the case of two inmates from South America who have supported my anti-drug campaign ..... with the judge, as part of the hearing, holding an inquiry into the effectiveness of the campaign. Please God if the effectiveness is established, then all future participants will be eligible for sentence discounts (as happened for a dozen inmates last year, but did not happen for another dozen ...since no clear guidelines for the judges). Come Holy Spirit ...fall afresh on the court room!
--------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Exodus
31: God said to
Moses:
"The Israelites must make the Sabbath a holy day each week,
because the Sabbath is a sign between you and me.
Do not do any ordinary work on the Sabbath.
Work for six days, then rest on the Sabbath.
Consecrate the Sabbath to me."
God's words were inscribed on two stone tablets.
Dear God, please help us to make Sunday a holy day
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
19: The heavens proclaim the glory of God,
the starry skies are the work of his hands. The stars can't speak, but they are
God's handwriting.
The sun is God's love shining on the whole world. The universe is a masterpiece, and so is God's
law
which shines in our hearts. The precepts of the Lord enlighten our lives
each day.
The law of the Lord gives joy and wisdom to our hearts. The decrees of the Lord are to be desired more
than gold,
they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. But often we are unaware of our
errors.
Lord, please protect us from making mistakes.
Lord, may the words of my mouth
and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing to you
Recording
Acts
20.17-21: Paul's journey took him to Meletus where he
met the elders of the church from Ephesus. He said to them"You know what my way of life has been
from the first day I arrived among you. I have served the Lord in all
humility, facing all the sorrows and trials that came to me through the
plots of the Jews. I have not hesitated to do anything
that would
be helpful to you.
I have preached to you and instructed you, both in public and in your
homes, urging everyone to believe in our Lord Jesus".
Jesus, please help me be a bit more like Saint
Paul
Recording
Luke
6.20-26: Jesus said to his disciples
"Blessed are you who are poor: yours is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are you who are hungry: you shall be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now: you shall be happy. Blessed are you when people hate you because
of me:
your reward will be great in heaven. But alas for you who are rich: your consolation is
only in this world.
Alas for you who have plenty to eat: you shall go hungry.
Alas for you who laugh now: you shall mourn and weep"
Jesus, please help me to give more time and
importance to the things that really matter
Recording
Reflection on the above readings: Luke's Gospel gives special emphasis to care for the poor, to the danger of riches, to the need to embrace simplicity. How can we help the people of today's world know about the message of Luke? Can I do anything to help someone read Luke's Gospel?
--------------------------------------------------------
A most interesting
video interview with one of the world's leading "Non-Catholic" Bible
scholars - Dr Ben Witherington. Note at the
end his reference to Pope Francis:
The Problem with
Evangelical Theology
-------------------------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of Love - on love in the family
Full
English text
Full
Chinese text
295: Recording Along
these lines, Saint John Paul II proposed the so-called “law of gradualness”
in the knowledge that the human being “knows, loves and accomplishes moral
good by different stages of growth”.
This is not a “gradualness of law” but rather a gradualness in the prudential exercise of free acts on the part of subjects who are not in a position to understand, appreciate, or fully carry out the objective demands of the law.
For the law is itself a gift of God which points out the way, a gift for everyone without exception; it can be followed with the help of grace, even though each human being “advances gradually with the progressive integration of the gifts of God and the demands of God’s definitive and absolute love in his or her entire personal and social life”.
---------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
Today I
am reading Day 34 of this excellent little
book 40
Days of Pilgrimage with Pope Francis: Care for Our Common Home"
(used with permission)
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
267: Recording
In
union with Jesus, we seek what he seeks and we love what
he loves. In the end, what we are seeking is the
glory of the Father; we live and act “for the praise of his glorious
grace” (Eph 1:6). If we wish to commit ourselves fully and
perseveringly, we need to leave behind every other
motivation. This is our definitive, deepest and
greatest motivation, the ultimate reason and meaning behind all we do:
the glory of the Father which Jesus sought at every moment of his life. As
the Son, he rejoices eternally to be “close to the Father’s heart” (Jn
-------------------------------------
10
years ago today:
------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------
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
And praying for one of the world's poorest countries each day of the month: On this 10th of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Liberia
And
praying for one Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Monday,
please pacify I.S.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Sunday February 5
A large part of yesterday was spent sorting out and packaging items from the families I visited in Africa - photographs, letters etc - which I hope to post on Monday to 27 inmates in prison in HK. I took a photo of the items - Here
-------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
c.f. readings for Sunday 5
Isaiah
57-58: Tell my people their faults,
tell the House of Jacob its sins. Tell them that their fasting is a
sham.
Fasting and injustice cannot go together. This is the sort of fast that
pleases the Lord:
breaking unjust fetters,
sharing your bread with the hungry,
sheltering and clothing the homeless poor. Do this and you will find healing
and peace.
Do this and the Lord will give strength to your bones.
Lord, please help me do more to
help poor people
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
112: Happy are people who love and honor the Lord,
who take delight in his commands.
The children of such people will be blessed. Such people are a light in the darkness for
others.
Such people are generous, merciful and just. They take pity and help those in need.
They conduct their affairs with integrity. Open-handed they give to the poor.
Their justice and goodness will never be forgotten.
Lord, please help me do more
for the poor
Recording
1
Corinthians 1.18 - 2.9: The language of the Cross doesn't make sense
for some people. But for us it is God's power to save. While the Jews demand miracles and the Greeks
require philosophy, here we are preaching a crucified Christ: to the Jews
an obstacle they cannot get over, to the pagans madness. During my stay with you, I relied not on
philosophy or my own efforts, but only on the power of the Spirit. The wisdom we teach is about things no eye has
seen, and no ear has heard, things beyond human understanding - all that
God has prepared for those who love him.
Jesus, crucified Lord, please increase my
faith in you
Recording
Matthew 5.13-48: Jesus said to the crowds: You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, it's no use for anything. You are the light of the world. Let the world see your light, your good deeds. When people see you doing good deeds, people will praise God.
I have not come to abolish the Jewish religion. I have come to raise it to a higher level of goodness. Your goodness must not just be something superficial. Your goodness must be something from the heart.
You must avoid anger and insult, just like you avoid murder. If you have offended someone, say "Sorry". You must avoid lustful looks and thoughts. Looking at someone lustfully is immorality of the heart.
Love and pray for
people who are unkind to you.
This is the way to practise the highest level of goodness.
Jesus, please help me
practise a higher level of goodness
Recording
--------------------------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of Love - on love in the family
Full
English text
Full
Chinese text
294: Recording “The
choice of a civil marriage or, in many cases, of simple cohabitation, is often
not motivated by prejudice or resistance to a sacramental union, but by cultural
or contingent situations”.
In such cases, respect also can be shown for those signs of love which in some way reflect God’s own love.
We know that there is “a continual increase in the number of those who, after having lived together for a long period, request the celebration of marriage in Church.
Simply to live together is often a choice based on a general attitude opposed to anything institutional or definitive; it can also be done while awaiting more security in life (a steady job and steady income).
In some countries, de facto unions are very numerous, not only because of a rejection of values concerning the family and matrimony, but primarily because celebrating a marriage is considered too expensive in the social circumstances.
As a result, material poverty drives people into de facto unions”.
Whatever the case, “all these situations require a constructive response seeking to transform them into opportunities that can lead to the full reality of marriage and family in conformity with the Gospel. These couples need to be welcomed and guided patiently and discreetly”.
That is how Jesus treated the Samaritan woman (cf. Jn 4:1-26): he addressed her desire for true love, in order to free her from the darkness in her life and to bring her to the full joy of the Gospel.
---------------------------------------------
Daniel
Daring: Year with Matthew - VII:
Temptations
God wants to know whether we are ready for His mission, but the devil wants to prove that we are unfaithful servants.
----------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
Today I
am reading Day 33 of this excellent little
book 40
Days of Pilgrimage with Pope Francis: Care for Our Common Home"
(used with permission)
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
267: Recording
Unless
we see Jesus present at the heart of our missionary commitment, our
enthusiasm soon wanes and we are no longer sure of
what it is that we are handing on; we lack vigour
and passion. A
person who is not convinced, enthusiastic, certain and in love, will
convince nobody
-------------------------------------
10
years ago today:
------------------------------------------
Hour
of Love HK
radio program 9.05pm HK time tonight
- with messages about African inmates in HK prisons (c. 9.25pm)
-------------------------------------------
Yesterday,
with the help of a Bluetooth USB, I was finally able to get my (toothless)
Lenovo PC to communicate with my new companion - a Huawei mobile (bought in
South Africa when my aging Noikia became ill). And I just found out the origin
of name Bluetooth: "Bluetooth
was a 10th-century, second king of Denmark, King Harald Bluetooth who was
famous for uniting Scandinavia, just as the computer Bluetooth unites the PC and
cellular industries with a short-range wireless link" (Google)
--------------------------------------
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
And praying for one of the world's poorest countries each day of the month: On this 5th of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Chad
And
praying for one Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Sunday,
please bless all Muslims in my country
--------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Saturday February 4
Yesterday I again spent much time in legal offices preparing for a major High Court case next Monday which features an inquiry into the effectiveness of my anti-drug campaign. I've signed two affidavits which are based on my own summary of the campaign's effectiveness - Here
--------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Exodus
30: God said to Moses:
"Every morning offer one lamb as a sacrifice for the people.
Every evening offer another lamb as a sacrifice for the people.
I will meet the people of
Dear
God, you created us, we are your people
My
recording of this reading
Psalms
17-18: Lord, when trouble breaks out on every
side,
please protect and help me. For you are my strength, my rock, my fortress,
my savior.
I love you, Lord who save me because you love me. Lord, you are my lamp who lightens my life.
I will praise you among the nations.
Lord, you are worthy of
all praise
Recording
Acts
20.7-12: 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
Luke
6.12-16: Jesus went to the hills to pray. He spent a
whole night praying.
In the morning he called all his disciples together. He chose 12 of them
and called them "apostles": Peter and his brother Andrew, James, John,
Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon, Judas
son of James - and Judas Iscariot who became a traitor. Jesus and the 12 came down from the hill to a
place of level ground.
Gathered there were his many disciples and a large crowd of people from
all over the country who had come to hear him and to be healed of
diseases. People in the crowd tried to touch Jesus
because power came out of him that cured everyone.
Jesus, please bless modern day apostles who
pray for the sick to be healed
Recording
--------------------------------------------------------
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---------------------------------------------------------
Politically
incorrect language - "mother", "breastfeeding":
MOTHERHOOD IS NOW OFFICIALLY OFFENSIVE
--------------------------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of Love - on love in the family
Full
English text
Full
Chinese text
293: Recording The
Fathers also considered the specific situation of a merely civil marriage or,
with due distinction, even simple cohabitation, noting that “when such unions
attain a particular stability, legally recognized, are characterized by deep
affection and responsibility for their offspring, and demonstrate an ability to
overcome trials, they can provide occasions for pastoral care with a view to the
eventual celebration of the sacrament of marriage”.
On the other hand, it is a source of concern that many young people today distrust marriage and live together, putting off indefinitely the commitment of marriage, while yet others break a commitment already made and immediately assume a new one.
“As members of the Church, they too need pastoral care that is merciful and helpful”
For the Church’s pastors are not only responsible for promoting Christian marriage, but also the “pastoral discernment of the situations of a great many who no longer live this reality.
Entering into pastoral dialogue with these persons is needed to distinguish elements in their lives that can lead to a greater openness to the Gospel of marriage in its fullness”.
In this pastoral discernment, there is a need “to identify elements that can foster evangelization and human and spiritual growth”.
---------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
Today I
am reading Day 32 of this excellent little
book 40
Days of Pilgrimage with Pope Francis: Care for Our Common Home"
(used with permission)
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
266a: Recording
But this conviction has to be sustained by our own constantly renewed experience of savouring Christ’s friendship and his message.
It is
impossible to persevere in a fervent evangelization unless we are convinced from
personal experience that it is not the same thing to have
known Jesus as not to have known him, not the same
thing to walk with him as to walk blindly, not the
same thing to hear his word as not to know it, and not
the same thing to contemplate him, to worship him, to find our peace in him, as
not to
-------------------------------------
10
years ago today:
------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------
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
And praying for one of the world's poorest countries each day of the month: On this 10th of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Mozambique
And
praying for one Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Saturday,
please pacify the
Taliban
--------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Friday
February 3
Most of
yesterday was spent on processing and posting photographs I took on my recent
Southern Africa journey.
I know from the experience of photographs after previous Africa trips how much
the inmates really treasure such photos. Hope they receive them in the next few
days.
Today I'll start work on processing and posting other messages and items from
the inmates' families. These too will be treasured.
Today also I need to go to a legal firm's office to sign another affidavit needed for a High Court case next week. Just used Google to check meaning of "affidavit" - it's Latin and means "he/she has stated" an oath". Nothing to do with David!
--------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from Simple
Bible
Exodus
28-29:
God said to Moses:
"Your brother Aaron and his sons will be priests in my service.
Make sacred vestments for them: breastpiece, ephod, robe, tunic, turban and sash.
You must anoint Aaron and his sons
and consecrate them to serve me as priests.
Dear
God, please bless and protect all sacred ministers
My
recording of this reading
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.
Thank you, Lord, for the little
joys you give us each day....and the big joy you've prepared for us in Heaven.
Recording
Acts
19.23 - 20.1:
In Ephesus there was a silversmith who
employed many craftsmen making shrines of the local idol, Diana. The
silversmith 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
Luke
6.
6-11: On another Sabbath Jesus visited a prayer hall.
A man with a withered hand was in the prayer hall. Some religious leaders were watching to see if
Jesus would heal the man (since no work was allowed on the Sabbath, and
they regarded healing as work). Jesus knew what they were thinking, so
he said to the man with the withered hand "Stand up! Come out into
the middle of the hall".
He came out and stood there. Jesus then asked the leaders
"Is it against the law on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil; to
save life or to destroy it?" Then he said to the man with the withered hand
"Stretch out your hand". He stretched it out. It was healed. The leaders were very angry. They
left the prayer hall
and began plotting how to get rid of Jesus.
Jesus, please stop bad religious leaders from
misleading people
Recording
Reflection on the above Bible readings: Paul's presence caused a reaction in Ephesus. Jesus' presence in the prayer hall caused a reaction. Darkness doesn't like light. Fire doesn't like water. Evil can't stand goodness. Goodness causes a response in good people, but in bad people it causes a reaction
--------------------------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of Love - on love in the family
Full
English text
Full
Chinese text
292: Recording Christian
marriage, as a reflection of the union between Christ and his Church, is fully
realized in the union between a man and a woman who give themselves to each
other in a free, faithful and exclusive love, who belong to each other until
death and are open to the transmission of life, and are consecrated by the
sacrament, which grants them the grace to become a domestic church and a leaven
of new life for society.
Some forms of union radically contradict this ideal, while others realize it in at least a partial and analogous way.
The Synod Fathers stated that the Church does not disregard the constructive elements in those situations which do not yet or no longer correspond to her teaching on marriage
---------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
Today I
am reading Day 31 of this excellent little
book 40
Days of Pilgrimage with Pope Francis: Care for Our Common Home"
(used with permission)
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
265B: Recording
If we succeed in expressing adequately and with
beauty the essential content of the Gospel, surely this
message will speak to the deepest yearnings of people’s hearts:
“The missionary is convinced that, through the working of the Spirit, there already exists in individuals and peoples an expectation, even if an unconscious one, of knowing the truth about God, about man, and about how we are to be set free from sin and death. The missionary’s enthusiasm in proclaiming Christ comes from the conviction that he is responding to that expectation”.
Enthusiasm for evangelization is based on this conviction. We have a treasure of life and love which cannot deceive, and a message which cannot mislead or disappoint.
It
penetrates to the depths of our hearts, sustaining and ennobling us. It
is a truth which is never out of date because it reaches that part of us which
nothing else can reach. Our infinite sadness can
only be cured by an infinite love.
-------------------------------------
10
years ago today:
------------------------------------------
My resolution, from last year's O.M.I. annual retreat: to
have a meal with poor people on Thursday nights ...so...last yesterday afternoon
I went to the Mariner's Club in Tsim Sha Tsui for a visit to the chapel before
seeking out poor sheep ....but I didn't have to do any seeking ....a sheep
recognised me as I left the Mariner's Club ...a Sri Lankan asylum seeker
recently released from Hei Ling Chau Correctional Pen (in detention for working
illegally). As often happens, such people have to wait for weeks before a
government agency helps them with accommodation and food ....so ...they are
literally on the street when they leave detention. Anyhow ...last night's sheep
now has accommodation for the next month (HK$800 for a month, in Tokwawan).
--------------------------------------
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
And praying for one of the world's poorest countries each day of the month: On this 3rd of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Burundi
And
praying for one Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Friday,
please bless all Muslims
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--------------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday
February 2
40th
day after Christmas:
Candlemas
Feast of the
Presentation of Jesus in the Temple
It's good to be home! Africa trip was great, but there's no place like home after 5 weeks on the road. Hot water in the shower, a PC that makes everything so quick and easy, an unfailing internet connection, the best transport system in the world etc etc.
Yesterday
morning I came back to earth by attending a High Court case of an inmate charged
with drug trafficking ....then went to a legal office for an interesting
experience (see
below).
This Saturday February 4 the weekly Ming Pao magazine (on sale in shops in HK) has a cover story which mentions my work for prisoners. When internet link is available I'll put it on this website.
--------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings +
recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
c.f. readings for Feast of Presentation:
Malachi
3.1-2: The Lord God says this: Look, I am going to
send my messenger to prepare a way before me. And the Lord you are seeking will
suddenly enter his Temple.
Jesus presented in the Temple on this day, we praise
you Lord
My
recording of this reading 
Psalms
24-26: The Lord's is the earth and all
its peoples. It is the Lord who is Creator of the universe. May
all hearts open their doors to the Lord. Let him
enter, the king of glory. Lord I
hope in you all the day long. Forgive my sins and help me walk in your truth.
God my savior, teach me your way of truth
Recording
Hebrews
2.14-18: The Son did not become an
angel. He became a man, so that he could die for us. By his death he took away
the power of the devil. He himself experienced temptation. He is able to help us
when we are tempted.
Jesus, please help me when I am tempted to do something wrong
Recording
Luke
2.22-32: When Jesus was 40 days old,
his parents took him to the Temple in Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, as
the Law required. In Jerusalem there was an old man named Simeon. The Holy
Spirit had revealed to him that before he died, he would see the Christ of
the Lord. Prompted by the Spirit, he
came to the Temple, took Jesus in his arms and praised God, saying "Now,
Master, you can let your servant go in peace, for my eyes have seen the Savior.
He is a light to enlighten the pagans, and he is the glory of your people
Israel".
Jesus, true Light of the world, we praise you
Lord
Recording
--------------------------------------------------------
Pope Francis:
The
Joy of Love - on
love in the family
Full
English text
Full
Chinese text
291: Recording The
Synod Fathers stated that, although the Church realizes
that any breach of the marriage bond “is against the
will of God”, she is also “conscious of the frailty of
many of her children”.
Illumined by the gaze of Jesus Christ, “she turns with love to those who participate in her life in an incomplete manner, recognizing that the grace of God works also in their lives by giving them the courage to do good, to care for one another in love and to be of service to the community in which they live and work”.
This approach is also confirmed by our celebration of this Jubilee Year devoted to mercy.
Although she constantly holds up the call to perfection and asks for a fuller response to God, “the Church must accompany with attention and care the weakest of her children, who show signs of a wounded and troubled love, by restoring in them hope and confidence, like the beacon of a lighthouse in a port or a torch carried among the people to enlighten those who have lost their way or who are in the midst of a storm”.
Let us not forget that the Church’s task is often like that of a field hospital.
---------------------------------------
Chris McDonnell
(UK)
The icon in its gentle serenity, offers a gracious resemblance of love and helps us focus on the beauty of God
---------------------------------------------
Pope's letter on climate change:
Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text
Full
Chinese text
Today
I am reading Day 30 of
this excellent little book 40
Days of Pilgrimage with Pope Francis: Care for Our Common
Home"
(used with permission)
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text
Full
Chinese text
265a: Recording
Jesus’
whole life, his way of dealing with the poor,
his actions, his integrity,
his simple daily acts of generosity, and finally his
complete self-giving, is precious and reveals the mystery of his divine
life. Whenever
we encounter this anew, we become convinced that it is
exactly what others need, even though they may not recognize it: “What
therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you”. Sometimes
we lose our enthusiasm for mission because we forget that the Gospel responds to
our deepest needs, since we were created for what
the Gospel offers us: friendship with Jesus and
love of our brothers and sisters.
-------------------------------------
10
years ago today:
2007-02-02 Visit to centers in poor areas by China Education Fund group from Hong Kong
------------------------------------------
Yesterday after attending a case at the High Court, I went
to the nearby office of a legal firm to sign an affidavit for another HC case
coming soon. In the signing office I was very surprised to see photos of Mao Ze
Dong and other historic Chinese leaders as well as Lenin and Stalin. I thought
to myself, "Good Grief, Charlie Brown ...how can this be...am I really in
HK?". But then in a cupboard in the same room I saw things to reassure me:
a white statue of Pope Francis ....and a Crucifix!
--------------------------------------
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 South
East
Asia
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
And praying for one of the world's poorest countries each day of the month: On this 2nd of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Niger
And
praying for one Islam-related
intention each day
of the week:
Jesus,
today, Thursday,
please pacify
Al-Qaeda
--------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Wednesday February 1
Thank you Jesus for my safe arrival back in HK yesterday morning! .... and for the past 5 weeks in Southern Africa and Dubai ... a most memorable experience which I hope has done a bit of good in several directions.
This morning I'm due to support an inmate at the High Court...followed by some shopping for inmates ....and then begins many jobs connected with the past month: printing and posting photos of the inmates' families; sorting and posting books, letters and other items from the families. If the past two years are a guide, these post-trip jobs will take many days ....to be followed by visits to the inmates themselves in various prisons of HK.
It's
good to be back home in Hong Kong. Please excuse me for being slow in answering
phone texts ....because my faithful Noikia has finally retired, therefore in
South Africa I bought a little Huawei ....and I'm going to need a while to learn
how to use it. But guess who the two people sitting next to me on the plane from
Dubai were? Two executives from a company called ....Huawei ...who gave me some
preliminary lessons!
-------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Exodus
26-27: God said to Moses:
"Make a cover for the sacred tent.
Make the cover's support frames of acacia wood.
Make a veil of purple, violet and red
behind which to put the sacred chest.
Make an altar out of acacia wood.
Make altar vessels out of bronze.
Make a sacred courtyard to go around the tent.
Place a sacred flame outside the veil
and keep the flame burning from night till morning."
My
recording of this reading
Psalms
14-15: So many people live and act as if God doesn't exist.
Some foolish people even say there is no God. So many people have left the way of justice and truth.
So many people follow the way of falsehood. Lord, help us to live as we should.
Help us not to slander, help us not to wrong others.
Lord,
help us to stand firm in the
way of goodness
Recording
Acts
19.11-20: 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
Luke 6.1-5:
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. I am Master of the Sabbath".
Jesus, please help me understand
that love is more important than law
Recording
--------------------------------------------------------
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 10th of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Anhui
And praying for one of the world's poorest countries each day of the month: On this 1st of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Congo
And
praying for one Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Wednesday,
please pacify Al-Shabaab
------------------------
My Africa trips: 2015 - Tanzania, Malawi
2016 - Kenya, Uganda
--------------------
Video: What "gay marriage" did to Massachusetts
---------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------
Pope's surprise visit to drug treatment centre
Pope is practising what he preaches: "get out and mix with the poor"
HK
readers might like to join me in praying each day for one group of HK
prison inmates: Sun:
Lo Wu; Mon: C.I.C., Siu Lam, Tai Lam; Tue: Stanley
Wed: Hei Ling Chau Thu: Lantau
Fri: Lai Chi Kok
Sat: Hospitals, Pik Uk & other centres
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This website was launched in construction
mode in Hong Kong on November 20, 2011 - the Feast of Christ
the King.
The official launching
was
held on the Gold Coast, Australia, on January 20,
2012.
Map and Flag Counter began Feb 11, 2012. Previous visits 4,932.
Note: counter on this page + Map & Flag Counter record visits only to this
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Visits to other pages are not recorded.
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Thank you for checking this website each day. God bless all readers and bloggers!
Fr John Wotherspoon O.M.I. 胡
頌 恆 神 父
jdwomi@gmail.com
HK
mobile (852) 6709 5674
China
mobile 13030213703 - out of
action for the time being
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