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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 21
Yesterday at Stanley Prison I visited 6 more inmates whose families I met in
Southern Africa last month .... they are most grateful for the trip + photos +
recordings etc.
And
last night's news, sadly, shows that we prison chaplains in HK now have another
special guest - our former Chief Executive. To understand the impact on HK,
readers in other places can imagine a former Prime Minister or President going
to prison.
Donald Tsang in custody, sentence on Wednesday
HK's present Chief Executive might be next ... even though he had the ICAC
stop it's inquiry into his misdeeds. His misdeeds are far more serious than
those of Donald Tsang.
Hong
Kong's Leader Faces Twin Investigations Over Financial Scandal
--------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from Simple
Bible
Leviticus
16-17: Instructions for the annual Day of Atonement:
Once a year Aaron or his successor must wear special vestments
and enter the sanctuary past the veil.
Then he is to offer two goats to pray for atonement
for the whole community of Israel.
One goat will be sacrificed in the Temple;
the other is to be set free to go out into the desert -
a symbol of the people's sins being carried away. (this story gives us the English word:
"scapegoat")
Dear God, please forgive
us, and help us to forgive others
My
recording of this reading
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 deepen our trust
in you,
especially in time of trouble
Recording
Acts
27.21-37:
Paul then spoke to everyone: Don't despair.
There will be no loss of life. Last night an angel of God said to me:
"Do not be afraid, Paul. You are destined to go to Rome. Therefore
God grants you the safety of all who are sailing with you". On the 14th day, Paul took some bread, gave
thanks to God in front of them all, broke it and gave it to everyone
to eat. This gave them courage. There were 276 of them on the ship.
Jesus, thank you for the courage that
Communion gives us
Recording
Luke
9.1-6:
Jesus called the 12 apostles together. He
gave them power and authority to cast out devils and to heal sick people.
He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. So they set out and went from village to
village proclaiming the Good News and healing sick people.
Jesus, help me understand how some
people have a special gift for healing sick people .... and how I can
better pray to heal sick people
Reflection
on the above readings:
274
people (= 276 minus Paul and Luke) made their First Communion on the boat.
Preparation? Instruction? Paul would be severely criticised by today's Strict
Observance people.
--------------------------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of Love - on love in the family
Full
English text
Full
Chinese text
309: Recording
It
is providential that these reflections take place in the context of a Holy Year
devoted to mercy, because also in the variety of situations affecting families
“the Church is commissioned to proclaim the mercy of God, the beating heart of
the Gospel, which in its own way must penetrate the mind and heart of every
person.
The Bride of Christ must pattern her behaviour after the Son of God who goes out to everyone without exception”. She knows that Jesus himself is the shepherd of the hundred, not just of the ninety-nine. He loves them all. On the basis of this realization, it will become possible for “the balm of mercy to reach everyone, believers and those far away, as a sign that the kingdom of God is already present in our midst”.
---------------------------------------------
Pope's letter on climate change: Laudato
Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
12. What is more, Saint Francis, faithful to Scripture, invites us to see nature as a magnificent book in which God speaks to us and grants us a glimpse of his infinite beauty and goodness.
“Through the greatness and the beauty of creatures one comes to know by analogy their maker” (Wis 13:5); indeed, “his eternal power and divinity have been made known through his works since the creation of the world” (Rom 1:20).
For this reason, Francis asked that part of the friary garden always be left untouched, so that wild flowers and herbs could grow there, and those who saw them could raise their minds to God, the Creator of such beauty.[21]
Rather than a problem to be solved, the world is a joyful mystery to be contemplated with gladness and praise.
(My recording of this article)
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
279:
Because we do not
always see these seeds growing, we need an interior certainty, a
conviction that God is able to act in every situation, even amid apparent
setbacks: “We have this treasure in earthen vessels” (2 Cor 4:7).
This
certainty is often called “a sense of mystery”. It involves knowing with
certitude that all those who entrust themselves to God in
love will bear good fruit (cf. Jn 15:5). This
fruitfulness is often invisible, elusive
and unquantifiable. We
can know quite well that our lives will be fruitful, without claiming to know
how, or where, or when. We
may be sure that none of our acts of love will be lost, nor any of our acts of
sincere concern for others.
No single act of love for God will be lost, no generous
effort is meaningless, no painful endurance is wasted.
All of these encircle our world like a vital force.
Recording
-------------------------------------
I'm still experimenting with a mobile-friendly format for this website
...and am now trying to understand Responsive
Web Design. If anyone happens to have a degree in RWB, please let me know! jdwomi@gmail.com
--------------------------------------
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 21st of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Yunnan
And praying for one of the world's poorest countries each day of the month: On this 21st of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Benin
And
praying for one Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Tuesday,
please pacify Boko
Haram
--------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Monday February 20
A report which features my recent
visit to South Africa - by the South African Broadcasting Corporation:
Special
Assignment: The Last Run (YouTube - 29 mins ..with some
commercials)
Snowden
lawyer in Hong Kong denies that Russia will hand over whistle-blower to Trump--------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Leviticus
13-15: Instructions for hygiene:
People with skin diseases, suspected leprosy, boils and burns
should be carefully examined and isolated if necessary.
The clothing and homes of people with leprosy
should be put out of use.
During and after seminal or illness discharges and menstruation,
people should show extra concern for hygiene.
Dear God, please help me take
good care of my health
My
recording of this reading
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 the Lord, 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
27.9-20: Navigation at that time of the year was
dangerous, since winter was starting. But the ship's captain set sail
hoping to reach Phoenix, a harbor in Crete. Suddenly a fierce storm began and the ship
could not be turned head-on to the wind. We had to let ourselves be driven
by the wind. The ship was badly damaged by the storm. On
the second day, the cargo was dumped overboard. For several days both sun stars were invisible
as the storm raged. We lost all
hope of surviving.
Jesus, help sailors who are in danger
at sea today
Recording
Luke 8. 40-56: A prayer hall official came to Jesus and urgently asked him to go to his house, where his 12 year old daughter was dying. As Jesus and his friends were following the official to his home, a woman who had a hemorrhage for 12 years came up behind Jesus and touched his clothing. Her bleeding stopped at that moment. Jesus knew what had happened and said to her "My daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace"
Before Jesus arrived at the official's house, a messenger arrived
and said to the official " Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the
Master any more". Jesus heard these words and said to the
official "Do not be afraid. Have faith, and she will be ok". At the house Jesus allowed only Peter, James,
John and the girl's parents to go with him inside. To the mourners Jesus said "Stop crying.
She is not dead, but asleep". They laughed at him, since they
knew she was dead.
Jesus took the little girl by the hand and called to her "Child, get
up". Her spirit returned and she got up at once.
Jesus, please increase my faith in your power to
heal sick people
and raise the dead
Recording
Reflection
on the above readings:
"We
lost all hope of surviving" (Acts) - "We" here means Paul and
Luke and everyone else on the ship. Paul lost hope. He who wrote so much about
hope, whose words about hope we use so often in church ....he experienced a
total loss of hope.
If he'd had WhatsApp he could have contacted Saint Peter and asked "What do
I do now?" and Peter (with his boat-storm experience) might have said
"Focus on Jesus, not on the storm" ...which is what we also can/must
do when "hope seems lost"
--------------------------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of Love - on love in the family
Full
English text
Full
Chinese text
308: Recording At
the same time, from our awareness of the weight of mitigating circumstances -
psychological, historical and even biological - it follows that “without
detracting from the evangelical ideal, there is a need to accompany with mercy
and patience the eventual stages of personal growth as these progressively
appear”, making room for “the Lord’s mercy, which spurs us on to do our
best”.
I understand those who prefer a more rigorous pastoral care which leaves no room for confusion.
But I sincerely believe that Jesus wants a Church attentive to the goodness which the Holy Spirit sows in the midst of human weakness, a Mother who, while clearly expressing her objective teaching, “always does what good she can, even if in the process, her shoes get soiled by the mud of the street”.
The Church’s pastors, in proposing to the faithful the full ideal of the Gospel and the Church’s teaching, must also help them to treat the weak with compassion, avoiding aggravation or unduly harsh or hasty judgements.
The Gospel itself tells us not to judge or condemn (cf. Mt 7:1; Lk 6:37). Jesus “expects us to stop looking for those personal or communal niches which shelter us from the maelstrom of human misfortune, and instead to enter into the reality of other people’s lives and to know the power of tenderness. Whenever we do so, our lives become wonderfully complicated”.
---------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
11. Francis (of Assisi) helps us to see that an integral ecology calls for openness to categories which transcend the language of mathematics and biology, and take us to the heart of what it is to be human.
Just as happens when we fall in love with someone, whenever Francis would gaze at the sun, the moon or the smallest of animals, he burst into song, drawing all other creatures into his praise. He communed with all creation, even preaching to the flowers, inviting them “to praise the Lord, just as if they were endowed with reason”.[19]
His
response to the world around him was so much more than intellectual appreciation
or economic calculus, for to
him each and every creature was a sister united to him by bonds of affection.
That is why he felt called to care for all that exists.
.... If we approach nature and the environment without this openness to awe and
wonder, if we no longer
speak the language of fraternity and beauty in our relationship with the world,
our attitude will be that of masters, consumers, ruthless exploiters, unable to
set limits on their immediate needs....
My
recording of this article
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
278: Recording
Faith also means believing in God, believing that he truly loves us, that he is alive, that he is mysteriously capable of intervening, that he does not abandon us and that he brings good out of evil by his power and his infinite creativity.
It means believing that he marches triumphantly in history with those who “are called and chosen and faithful” (Rev 17:14).
Let us believe the Gospel when it tells us that the kingdom of God is already present in this world and is growing, here and there, and in different ways: like the small seed which grows into a great tree (cf. Mt 13:31-32), like the measure of leaven that makes the dough rise (cf. Mt 13:33) and like the good seed that grows amid the weeds (cf. Mt 13, 24-30) and can always pleasantly surprise us.
The
kingdom is here, it returns, it struggles to flourish anew. Christ’s
resurrection everywhere calls forth seeds of that new world; even if they are
cut back, they grow again, for the resurrection is already secretly woven into
the fabric of this history, for Jesus did not rise in vain. May we never remain
on the sidelines of this march of living hope!
-------------------------------------
--------------------------------------
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 20th
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Sichuan
And
praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 20th of the month, Jesus please bless
the people of Gambia
And
praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Monday,
please pacify I.S.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Sunday February 19
Letter
from a Tanzanian women in prison in HK (Feb 12) for drug trafficking, after
being tricked by one Maria Remi Mushi in Kenya to go to the city of Conakry in
Guinea where she was forced to swallow drug pellets by a man named Diallo and
then go to Hong Kong
The
smell of the sheep: "A
very powerful article by Fr Peter Day, assistant priest at St Gregory’s
parish, Queanbeyan, NSW. It’s a timely call for profound renewal and reform in
the Church’s governance and spiritual centre as a result of the clerical child
sexual abuse scandal and consequent on the forty years Vatican II was put in a
freezer by JP II and Benedict XVI"
I was at Mass in this church three weeks ago today:
Muslim
Dubai hosts world’s largest Catholic community
-------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
c.f. readings for Sunday 7
Leviticus
19: God's words through Moses:
"Be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy.
Honor your father and mother.
The Sabbath must be a holy day.
When you collect from harvest or vine,
leave something for the poor and the stranger.
Be just, honest and truthful in your relationships.
Do not let hatred live in your heart".
Dear God, please help me live
according to your sacred word
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
103: My soul, give thanks to the Lord.
All my being, bless his holy name. My soul, give thanks to the Lord
and never forget all his blessings. It is he who forgives all your guilt,
who heals every one of your ills. It is he who fills your life with good things,
renewing your youth like an eagle's life. The Lord is compassion and love,
slow to anger and rich in mercy. As the heavens are high above the earth
so strong is his love for those who love him. As far as the East is from the West,
so far does he remove our sins. As a father has compassion on his
children,
the Lord has pity on all who love and honor him. Give thanks to the Lord, all his angels,
who heed the voice of his word. Give thanks to the Lord, everyone and
everything.
My soul, give thanks to the Lord!
Thank you, Lord, for your love
and compassion
Recording
1
Corinthians 3.5-15: Apollos and I are servants who brought the
faith to you. I did the planting, Apollos did the watering, but God made
things grow. You are God's building. By God's grace,
I laid the foundation, the only foundation there can be: Jesus
Christ. On that foundation you can build a house with
good or poor materials.
At the end of your life, your building will be judged by God.
Jesus, you are the foundation of my life. Help
me build a house with good material (= good deeds)
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
Reflection
on the above readings:
61% of cancer patients have forgiveness issues
- see this
one minute video
-------------------------------------------------------
YouTube
- inspiring:
What we don't know about Europe's Muslim kids
-----------------------------------------------------
Daniel Daring: Year with Matthew - IX
Four Disciples And Summary Of Jesus’ Ministry
--------------------------------------------------------
Up to 1,600 people sleeping on
HK city streets
(see my comment - "Matteo Ricci")
-------------------------------------------------------
Flash mob at wedding in Ireland! Video
-------------------------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of Love - on love in the family
Full
English text
Full
Chinese text
307: Recording The
logic of pastoral mercy
In order to avoid all misunderstanding, I would point out that in no way must
the Church desist from proposing the full ideal of marriage, God’s plan in all
its grandeur: “Young people who are baptized should be encouraged to
understand that the sacrament of marriage can enrich their prospects of love and
that they can be sustained by the grace of Christ in the sacrament and by the
possibility of participating fully in the life of the Church”.
A lukewarm attitude, any kind of relativism, or an undue reticence in proposing that ideal, would be a lack of fidelity to the Gospel and also of love on the part of the Church for young people themselves.
To show understanding in the face of exceptional situations never implies dimming the light of the fuller ideal, or proposing less than what Jesus offers to the human being.
Today, more important than the pastoral care of failures is the pastoral effort to strengthen marriages and thus to prevent their breakdown.
---------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
10. I do not want to write this Encyclical without turning to that attractive and compelling figure, whose name I took as my guide and inspiration when I was elected Bishop of Rome. I believe that Saint Francis is the example par excellence of care for the vulnerable and of an integral ecology lived out joyfully and authentically.
He is the patron saint of all who study and work in the area of ecology, and he is also much loved by non-Christians. He was particularly concerned for God’s creation and for the poor and outcast. He loved, and was deeply loved for his joy, his generous self-giving, his openheartedness.
He was a mystic and a pilgrim who lived in simplicity and in wonderful harmony with God, with others, with nature and with himself. He shows us just how inseparable the bond is between concern for nature, justice for the poor, commitment to society, and interior peace.
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
277: Recording
New
difficulties are constantly surfacing: experiences of failure and the
human weaknesses which bring so much pain. We all know from experience that
sometimes a task does not bring the satisfaction we seek, results are few and
changes are slow, and we are tempted to grow weary. Yet
lowering our arms momentarily out of weariness is not the
same as lowering them for good, overcome by chronic
discontent and by a listlessness that parches the
soul. It
also happens that our hearts can tire of the struggle because in the end we are
caught up in ourselves, in a careerism which thirsts for recognition, applause,
rewards and status. In this case we do not lower our arms, but we no
longer grasp what we seek, the resurrection is not there.
In cases like these, the Gospel, the most beautiful
message that this world can offer, is buried under a pile of excuses
-------------------------------------
43
years ago today - thank you Jesus!
------------------------------------------
Hour
of Love HK
radio program 8.30pm
HK time tonight
- with messages about African inmates in HK prisons
-------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------
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 19th
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Shanxi
And
praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 19th of the month, Jesus
please bless the people of Sudan
And
praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Sunday,
please bless all Muslims in my country
--------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Saturday February 18
Yesterday morning at the High Court a Kenyan woman received a discount of six months for helping (by letters) with my anti-drug campaign. Thank you Jesus! But the case raised an issue that's been worrying me for some time, so when I got home I prepared this letter to the High Court
Before going home I attended a most important meeting to prepare the transfer of the above eleven anti-drug websites to one "reservoir" that would be accessed by social media in various parts of the world. God bless the kind people putting this idea into practice.
Last
night when I attended the handing out of rice boxes for the poor (every 1st and
3rd Friday) by Fr Slawek O.M.I. and his team of students I was saddened to see
so many homeless neighbours of mine ....e.g. 8 of them living at a McDonald's
just near my home. God bless McDonald's but ...this is a scandal. I've tried
lobbying the government, the Church etc ....but no one's moving. So, I got the
homeless group to choose 6 numbers ....and on the way home I bought a Mark 6
ticket that would help find them a place to stay. Easier to lobby Heaven than
government and Church?!
And ...see
below!
--------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Leviticus
11-12: The people were told which animals were
"clean"
and which were "unclean".
Only "clean" animals were allowed to be eaten.
Regulations were also made for when a woman had a baby:
a lamb or two turtledoves or two young pigeons
were to be offered as a prayer for mother and baby.
Dear God, please give me a
clean heart
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
28: To you, O Lord, I call, my rock, hear me.
If you do not heed, I shall become like people in the grave. Lord, you are my strength and my shield.
In you my heart trusts. Thank you, Lord, for so often hearing my
prayer.
I will always thank and praise you. You are the strength of your people Israel.
Save your people. Be our shepherd and carry us for ever.
Lord, please help people who
are in big danger today
Recording
Acts
27.1-8: For the journey to Rome, Paul and
some other prisoners were put in the custody of a soldier named Julius. After sailing for one day, we arrived
at the city of Sidon, where Julius kindly allowed Paul to meet with some
friends. Then we sailed past Cyprus and reached
the city of Myra in Lycia, where we changed to a ship bound for Italy. The wind was against us near Crete.
We struggled along the coast to a place called Fair Havens.
Jesus, help prison guards to
be kind like Julius
Recording
Luke
8.22-25: Jesus and his disciples got into a boat to
cross the lake. Jesus was so tired that he went to sleep in
the boat.
Then a sudden storm caused big waves to lash the boat. Jesus' friends woke him up and said
"Master, we are sinking". Jesus ordered the wind and sea to be
calm.
Straight away the wind and sea were calm. The disciples said to each other
"Who is this? Even the wind and sea obey him."
Jesus, please calm the storms in my life
Recording
Reflection
on the above readings:
An
old song, with lyrics:
Put
your hand in the hand of the man who stilled the water the water
--------------------------------------------------------
Pope appears to back anti-Trump protests in letter condemning populism
'Believe me,' says our president
-------------------------------------------------------
HK man arrested with record ice haul
'This drug will kill you'- Lethal carfentanyl found at Brisbane mail centre
-------------------------------------------------------
Nuclear physicist creates fertility app
------------------------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of Love - on love in the family
Full
English text
Full
Chinese text
306: Recording In
every situation, when dealing with those who have difficulties in living God’s
law to the full, the invitation to pursue the via caritatis must be clearly
heard.
Fraternal charity is the first law of Christians (cf. Jn 15:12; Gal 5:14). Let us not forget the reassuring words of Scripture: “Maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Pet 4:8); “Atone for your sins with righteousness, and your iniquities with mercy to the oppressed, so that your prosperity may be prolonged” (Dan 4:24[27]); “As water extinguishes a blazing fire, so almsgiving atones for sins” (Sir 3:30).
This is also what Saint Augustine teaches: “Just as, at the threat of a fire, we would run for water to extinguish it… so too, if the flame of sin rises from our chaff and we are troubled, if the chance to perform a work of mercy is offered us, let us rejoice in it, as if it were a fountain offered us to extinguish the blaze”.
---------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
9. At the same time, Bartholomew has drawn attention to the ethical and spiritual roots of environmental problems, which require that we look for solutions not only in technology, but in a change of humanity; otherwise we would be dealing merely with symptoms.
He asks us to replace consumption with sacrifice, greed with generosity, wastefulness with a spirit of sharing, an asceticism which “entails learning to give, and not simply to give up.
It is a way of loving, of moving gradually away from what I want to what God’s world needs. It is liberation from fear, greed and compulsion”.[17]
As
Christians, we are also called “to accept the world as a sacrament of
communion, as a way of sharing with God and our neighbours on a global scale. It
is our humble conviction that the divine and the human meet in the slightest
detail in the seamless garment of God’s creation, in the last speck of dust of
our planet”.[18]
(my
recording of this article)
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
276b: Recording
However dark things are,
goodness always re-emerges and spreads. Each
day in our world beauty is born anew,
it rises transformed through the storms of history.
Values always tend to reappear under
new guises, and human beings have arisen time after
time from situations that seemed doomed. Such
is the power of the resurrection, and all who
evangelize are instruments of that power.
-------------------------------------
10
years ago today:
------------------------------------------
On the menu of February 16, below, I told the story of how
I took two calls at once, one in each hand. Well, last night a repeat
performance, so to speak. As I was standing in line to buy a Mark 6 ticket (see
story at top of this menu) my phone went: a dear lady with stage four cancer
who calls each night for a brief prayer. So....while one hand was holding my
praying phone, the other was handing in HK$10 for the Mark 6 ticket.....with a
p.s. prayer to Jesus to bless the ticket (to help get a place for homeless
people)
--------------------------------------
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 18th
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Heilongjiang
And
praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 18th of the month, Jesus
please bless the people of Ivory Coast
And
praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Saturday,
please pacify the
Taliban
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--------------------------------------------------------------------
Friday
February 17
Official birthday of the Oblates of
Mary Immaculate, on this day in 1826: 2
minute video
The US has 60 Minutes. South Africa has Special Assignment. This week's program, broadcast on February 15 and to be available on YouTube by February 19, features my anti-drug campaign. A preview is here at the SA Facebook page - scroll down to Hazel Friedman, then click "see more".
And
...there's a big
crackdown on Drug Lords in Kenya as well as Tanzania:
Five
more suspected drug barons arrested
--------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from Simple
Bible
Leviticus
8-10:
Moses followed God's instructions
and ordained Aaron and his sons as priests.
Moses washed them, put special clothing on them,
anointed their heads with chrism
and offered a special animal sacrifice on their behalf.
Then Aaron lifted up his hands towards the people
and blessed them.
A flame from the Lord consumed the offering on the altar.
The people shouted for joy and fell on their knees.
But later on when two of Aaron's sons offered unauthorized fire
a fire from the Lord consumed them.
Moses then said:
"God expects the highest standard from priests".
Dear God, please bless and
protect all priests
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
33: Ring out your joy to the Lord, all good
people,
for praise is fitting for loyal hearts. For the Lord loves justice and right;
he fills the earth with his love. By his word the heavens were made,
he spoke and the universe came into being. They are happy, whose God is the Lord,
he is the source of all true joy. May your love be upon us, O Lord,
since we place all our trust in you.
Lord, we trust in your precious
love
Recording
Acts
24.27 - 25.12:
After two years, Felix was succeeded
by Festus.
Festus arranged a new trial for Paul The religious leaders repeated their
accusations. Paul repeated his innocence. Festus wanted to gain favor with the
leaders so he said to Paul
"Are you willing to go to Jerusalem for a trial with the full council
of religious leaders, at which I would preside?" Paul knew his rights, and stood his
ground, not wanting to go to a kangaroo court in Jerusalem. So he invoked
his right as a Roman citizen: "I appeal to Caesar". Festus replied "You have
appealed to Caesar;
to Caesar (Rome) you shall go".
Jesus, please give us courage
to stand up for our rights
Recording
Luke
8.19-21: Jesus' mother and his brothers came looking
for him.
They could not get to him because of the crowd. Jesus was told "Your mother and brothers
want to see you". Jesus replied "My mother and brothers are
people who hear the word of God and put it into practice".
Jesus, please help me put your word into
practice in my daily life
Recording
Reflection on the above Bible readings: There's a saying in English "Blood is thicker than water" which means that family loyalties are the strongest ones. But Jesus is going to a higher level and saying that spiritual relationships are higher still. If we think of the water of Baptism we can say "water is thicker than blood"!
--------------------------------------------------------
Sr. Anastasia, M.M. (黄修女） - latest updates:
http://anastasialindawatimm.
http://anastasialindawatimm.
-------------------------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of Love - on love in the family
Full
English text
Full
Chinese text
305: Recording For
this reason, a pastor cannot feel that it is enough simply to apply moral laws
to those living in “irregular” situations, as if they were stones to throw
at people’s lives.
This would bespeak the closed heart of one used to hiding behind the Church’s teachings, “sitting on the chair of Moses and judging at times with superiority and superficiality difficult cases and wounded families”.
Along these same lines, the International Theological Commission has noted that “natural law could not be presented as an already established set of rules that impose themselves a priori on the moral subject; rather, it is a source of objective inspiration for the deeply personal process of making decisions”.
Because of forms of conditioning and mitigating factors, it is possible that in an objective situation of sin - which may not be subjectively culpable, or fully such - a person can be living in God’s grace, can love and can also grow in the life of grace and charity, while receiving the Church’s help to this end.
Discernment must help to find possible ways of responding to God and growing in the midst of limits.
By thinking that everything is black and white, we sometimes close off the way of grace and of growth, and discourage paths of sanctification which give glory to God.
Let us remember that “a small step, in the midst of great human limitations, can be more pleasing to God than a life which appears outwardly in order, but moves through the day without confronting great difficulties”.
The practical pastoral care of ministers and of communities must not fail to embrace this reality.
---------------------------------------------
Where the wind
blows - how China's dirty air becomes Hong Kong's problem
-------------------------------------------
Were there
earthquakes and other natural disasters before Adam and
Eve?
Natural disasters not
the result of the
Fall
--------------------------------------------
How China built ‘iPhone city’ with billions in perks for Apple’s partner
-------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
8. Patriarch Bartholomew has spoken in particular of the need for each of us to repent of the ways we have harmed the planet, for “inasmuch as we all generate small ecological damage”, we are called to acknowledge “our contribution, smaller or greater, to the disfigurement and destruction of creation”.
He has repeatedly stated this firmly and persuasively, challenging us to acknowledge our sins against creation: “For human beings… to destroy the biological diversity of God’s creation; for human beings to degrade the integrity of the earth by causing changes in its climate, by stripping the earth of its natural forests or destroying its wetlands; for human beings to contaminate the earth’s waters, its land, its air, and its life – these are sins”.
For
“to commit a crime against the natural world is a sin against ourselves and a
sin against God”.
My
recording of this article
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
276a: Recording
Christ’s resurrection is not (just) an event of
the past; it
contains a vital power which has permeated this world. Where
all seems to be dead, signs of the resurrection suddenly spring up. It is
an irresistible force. Often it seems that God does not
exist: all around us we see persistent injustice, evil, indifference and
cruelty. But it is also true that in
the midst of darkness something new always springs to life and sooner or later
produces fruit. On
razed land life breaks through, stubbornly yet invincibly.
------------------------------------------
Wow! Or as they say
in South Africa "Ish!" This would cause a giant hunger strike or
worse!
Women in Hong Kong prisons may be forced to cut hair short
--------------------------------------
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 17th
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Shaanxi
And
praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 17th of the month, Jesus please bless
the people of Malawi
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 16
Welcome to many new readers who have started checking this website recently! I hope you can share my experience of receiving energy and motivation from the four daily Bible readings. I hope you can also share my concern for the poor, and join me in being a voice for the poor ....in Hong Kong and other places, especially Africa.
Yesterday I again went to Lo Wu women's prison to finish visiting inmates whose families I had met last month in Southern Africa. Fourteen such inmates at Lo Wu - all now visited. Five at Tai Lam and one at QE Hospital already visited last week. Today I hope to visit one more at Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre ....then the final seven next week at Stanley and Shek Pik prisons.
In the next week I also hope to finish a report about my Southern Africa trip. I'll try to post in on this website by early next week.
--------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from Simple
Bible
Leviticus
1-7: Moses instructed
the people:
As a sign that you are asking God for forgiveness,
put your hand on an animal's head
as you sacrifice it to the Lord.
Dear
God, please forgive my sins
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
32: Happy is the person whose sin is forgiven. For a while I refused to ask for forgiveness,
and my body paid the penalty. But then I said "Lord, forgive me"
and my spirit and body revived.
Lord, when I do wrong, please give me the grace to say sorry and ask forgiveness
Recording
Acts
24.1-26: When the religious leaders arrived,
they put their case to Felix.
They summed up their accusations by saying "The plain truth is that
we find this man to be a perfect pest.
He stirs up trouble among Jews everywhere, and is a ringleader of the
Nazarene sect". Paul replied "In regard to the
Way, which they malign as a sect,
I serve and worship the very same God worshipped by our ancestors. I live
in hope that God will raise the dead. If that's my crime, my accusers are
just as guilty as I am". Felix postponed a decision. He met
with Paul many times, hoping Paul would offer him a
bribe.
Jesus, please help judges to avoid
bribery
Recording
Luke 8. 4-15: One day Jesus told the people this story: A farmer was planting seeds in his field. Some seeds fell on the path. Birds ate them. Some seeds fell on rocky ground. They became sickly plants, without roots, and died. Some seeds fell among thorns. When they became plants, they were choked by the thorns. Some seeds fell on good soil and produced a rich harvest.
People who hear God's word without good will
are like the seeds on the path.
They are easy prey for Satan. People who hear God's word only superficially
are like the seeds on rocky ground.
As soon as difficulties come, such people easily give up. People who hear God's word with one ear
but with the other are listening to the call of greed and pleasure
are like the seeds among thorns. Greed kills the word. People who hear God's word with good will and
put it into practice
are like the good seeds which produced a rich harvest.
Jesus, please help me be
good seed!
Recording
Reflection
on the above Bible readings:
I wonder if any
psychological study has ever been done on the four character types in today's
Gospel?
Type 1
- Path People; Type 2
- Rocky People; Type 3
- Thorn People; Type 4
- Harvest People.
Maybe at different times in our lives we display characteristics of types 1 to
3.
Our aim must be to increasingly become type 4 people.
--------------------------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of Love - on love in the family
Full
English text
Full
Chinese text
304: Recording It
is reductive simply to consider whether or not an individual’s actions
correspond to a general law or rule, because that is not enough to discern and
ensure full fidelity to God in the concrete life of a human being.
I earnestly ask that we always recall a teaching of Saint Thomas Aquinas and learn to incorporate it in our pastoral discernment: “Although there is necessity in the general principles, the more we descend to matters of detail, the more frequently we encounter defects… In matters of action, truth or practical rectitude is not the same for all, as to matters of detail, but only as to the general principles; and where there is the same rectitude in matters of detail, it is not equally known to all… The principle will be found to fail, according as we descend further into detail”.
It is true that general rules set forth a good which can never be disregarded or neglected, but in their formulation they cannot provide absolutely for all particular situations.
At the same time, it must be said that, precisely for that reason, what is part of a practical discernment in particular circumstances cannot be elevated to the level of a rule. That would not only lead to an intolerable casuistry, but would endanger the very values which must be preserved with special care
---------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
Everything in this world has a relationship with us
3. More than fifty years ago, with the world teetering on the brink of nuclear crisis, Pope Saint John XXIII wrote an Encyclical which not only rejected war but offered a proposal for peace. He addressed his message Pacem in Terris to the entire “Catholic world” and indeed “to all men and women of good will”.
Now, faced as we are with global environmental deterioration, I wish to address every person living on this planet. In my Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, I wrote to all the members of the Church with the aim of encouraging ongoing missionary renewal.
In this Encyclical, I would like to enter into dialogue with all people about our common home.
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
275: Recording
If
we think that things are not going to change, we need to recall that Jesus
Christ has triumphed over sin and death and is now almighty. Jesus
Christ truly lives. Put another way, “ if
Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain” (1 Cor
-------------------------------------
Two nights ago, on my way home from Lo Wu women's prison, I
received a phone call from RTHK
asking if I'd take part (with 3 other guests) in a radio program the next
morning - concerning prisoners and prison conditions. I said yes (...anything to
help improve conditions for prisoners...). The program was live to air from
8.30am to 9.20am yesterday morning. I took part as I travelled by metro to Lo Wu
prison again (to visit more inmates whose families I'd met last month in South
Africa). As the program was in it's last 10 minutes, my train arrived at Sheung
Shui station where I received another urgent call, from Radio Nature (...a cold
morning...). So I had another first-time-ever experience: standing in the men's
room at S. Shui station, holding my phone in one hand and speaking live on RTHK,
and answering the call of nature in the other hand!
--------------------------------------
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 16th of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Qinghai
And praying for one of the world's poorest countries each day of the month: On this 16th of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Afghanistan
And
praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Thursday,
please pacify Al-Qaeda
--------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Wednesday February 15
Yesterday I visited 9 more inmates whose families I met last month in Southern Africa. One of the 9 is a husbandless-mother of 4 girls (I met the girls with their grandparents). Being HIV positive she worried she might leave her girls with nothing for their education if her life ran its course ....so she took the most dangerous risk of drug trafficking in order to get money for the girls. For which she is now serving a long prison sentence in HK. Methinks there's something drastically wrong with the world when such a mother is so punished
--------------------------------------------------------
Chris McDonnell (UK)
When the signs of strain are such that cracks appear in a structure, there are three immediate choices. Ignore the evidence and trust that all will be sorted, make-do with some sticky tape until a later, more convenient date, or attend to the issue before there are more serious consequences.
-------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Exodus
40: God said to Moses:
"On the first day of the first month,
consecrate and start using the Tent of Meeting.
Use chrism to anoint all the furnishings.
Anoint Aaron and his sons to serve me as priests."
Moses did everything that God asked.
Then a cloud covered the Tent
and the glory of God filled the sacred site.
At every stage of their journey in the desert,
the Israelites would continue their march
whenever the cloud rose from the sacred site.
A fire shone within the cloud at night.
Dear
God, please guide us on our way through life
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
31: Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in
distress.
My eyes are full of tears, my heart full of sorrow. Everyone makes fun of me. My friends don't want to know me.
Save me, Lord, from this mess. I praise you Lord, for you protect those who trust you.
You keep them safe from slander and lies. Be strong, let your heart take courage,
all you who trust in the Lord.
I trust in you, Lord. My life
is in your hands
Recording
Acts
23.12-22: The next day about 40 Jews held a meeting. They decided not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.
They
asked the religious leaders to arrange another meeting so that they could
attack Paul. But the son of Paul's sister heard of the
plot. He got into the barracks and told Paul. Paul got the boy to tell the
captain. The captain immediately arranged for a large group of soldiers to
take Paul to Caesarea to be tried by Felix the governor. Felix said "I will wait till your
accusers come here too, then I will hear your case".
Jesus, please help people who are in danger of
being murdered
Recording
Luke
8.1-3: Jesus went to many towns and villages,
proclaiming the Good News.
The 12 apostles went with him, as did a group of women who had been healed
of evil spirits and sicknesses: Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna and
several others.
These women used their own money to support Jesus and the apostles.
Jesus, thank you for all the women who support
the spread of the Good News in today's world
Recording
Reflection on the above readings: Paul's nephew (today's reading from Acts) showed great initiative to enter Paul's prison. I wonder how long the 40 fasters lasted before having something to eat and drink?! Did they find out the nephew had thwarted their plans? ....some of the thousands of Biblical questions whose answers we can look forward to knowing when we get to Heaven!
--------------------------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of Love - on love in the family
Full
English text
Full
Chinese text
303: Recording Recognizing
the influence of such concrete factors, we can add that individual conscience
needs to be better incorporated into the Church’s praxis in certain situations
which do not objectively embody our understanding of marriage.
Naturally, every effort should be made to encourage the development of an enlightened conscience, formed and guided by the responsible and serious discernment of one’s pastor, and to encourage an ever greater trust in God’s grace.
Yet conscience can do more than recognize that a given situation does not correspond objectively to the overall demands of the Gospel.
It can also recognize with sincerity and honesty what for now is the most generous response which can be given to God, and come to see with a certain moral security that it is what God himself is asking amid the concrete complexity of one’s limits, while yet not fully the objective ideal.
In any event, let us recall that this discernment is dynamic; it must remain ever open to new stages of growth and to new decisions which can enable the ideal to be more fully realized.
---------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
1. “LAUDATO SI’, mi’ Signore” – “Praise be to you, my Lord”. In the words of this beautiful canticle, Saint Francis of Assisi reminds us that our common home, the earth, is like a sister with whom we share our life and a beautiful mother who opens her arms to embrace us. “Praise be to you, my Lord, through our Sister, Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us, and who produces various fruit with coloured flowers and herbs”. Recording
2. This sister now cries out to us because of the harm we have inflicted on her by our irresponsible use and abuse of the goods with which God has endowed her. We have come to see ourselves as her lords and masters, entitled to plunder her at will. The violence present in our hearts, wounded by sin, is also reflected. Recording
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
274: Recording
Every human being is the
object of God’s infinite tenderness, and he himself is present in their lives. Jesus
offered his precious blood on the cross for that person. Appearances
notwithstanding, every person is immensely holy and
deserves our love. Consequently, if I can help at
least one person to have a better life, that already justifies the offering of
my life. It is a wonderful thing to be God’s faithful people. We
achieve fulfilment when we break down walls and our heart is filled with faces
and names!
------------------------------------------
South African (Afrikaner) English:
yesterday a South African inmate gave me permission to publish this true story:
when I met her mother in South Africa last month I was surprised to hear the
mother say that the daughter had been put in solitary confinement for a number
of days. When I asked why, the mother replied "for farting". Which
made me think that the farting must have truly been extraordinary. Then the
penny (no pun intended) fell: the mother was saying "fighting". And
truly....I had to repeat this story several times to the inmate before she
understood the problem!
--------------------------------------
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 15th of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Liaoning
And praying for one of the world's poorest countries each day of the month: On this 15th of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Zimbabwe
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
main/index page.
Visits to other pages are not recorded.
This site's 2016
statistics.
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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