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
Links, Search
& Archives Imitating
Pope
Francis
This
website's anti-drug campaign saves people from going to prison in HK
See & share inmates'
letters!
HK
Indon
Kenya
Nigeria
Phil
S.A.
S.Amer
Thail
Tanz
Ug
EU
How
campaign began
HK:how
long prison for trafficking?
www.AsylumSeekerHK.com
Tues July 11
Yesterday morning I went to a legal office in Central to sign an
affidavit for an inmate going on trial this coming Friday. Afterwards at Central
MTR (Metro) station I met a translator from an African country whom I often see
at the High Court. As I mentioned my relief that only one person from the whole
of Africa has been arrested at HK airport this year for drug trafficking ....I
half seriously added: "Oops ...I'm doing you out of a job!"
India Plants Record-breaking 66 Million Trees in 12 Hours
--------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
2 Samuel 10-11: The Ammonites went to war with the Israelites, but David led the Israelites to victory. During a further war with the Ammonites, David stayed in Jerusalem and did not go to the battle. While in Jerusalem, he made love to Bathsheba the wife of Uriah who conceived and sent word to David, "I am with child." David recalled Uriah to Jerusalem and tried to get him to sleep with his wife. But Uriah loyally observed the custom of the time and refrained from marital relations since he was a soldier at war. David then arranged for Uriah to be killed in battle by having him stationed in a defenceless position. After a time of mourning for Uriah, Bathsheba became David's wife and bore him a son. The Lord was displeased with David.
Dear God, help us not to
displease you
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
41: Blessed the person who helps the poor and the
weak.
He himself will be helped by the Lord when he is sick and in trouble. The Lord will help him on his bed of pain.
The Lord will bring him back from sickness to health.
Lord, please help me to do more
for the poor
Recording
Colossians
1.24 -2.2: As I sit in my prison, I am at peace in my
suffering, offering up my suffering to Christ for the sake of his body,
the Church. God chose me to reveal to you his sacred
message: Christ, your hope of glory, is among you. My aim is to bind you together in love, and to
keep you growing in your knowledge of God's plan for your lives.
"Bind us together,
Lord, Bind us together, With cords that cannot be broken,
Bind us together, Lord, Bind us together, Bind us together in Love"
(song)
Recording
John
20.21-29: That same Sunday evening, the doors were
locked in the room where the disciples had gathered, for fear of the
religious leaders. But Jesus appeared and stood before them,
saying "Peace be with you". He showed them his hands and his
side and said "As the Father sent me, so I am sending you". Then he breathed on them, saying "Receive the
Holy Spirit". Thomas, one of the 12 apostles, was not there
that night. When the other disciples said they had seen the Lord, he
replied "Unless I see and touch his wounded body, I refuse to
believe". Eight days later, the group was again in the
same house, with the doors locked. This time Thomas was with them. Jesus again appeared and stood before them
saying "Peace be with you". Then he said to Thomas "Put
your hand into my side. Doubt no longer, but believe". Thomas
replied "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said "You believe because you can
see me. Blessed are those who have not seen me and yet believe"
Jesus, my Lord and my God, I believe in you.
Help me live and grow and die in your friendship
Recording: 01
02
Reflection
on the above readings:
.jpg)
--------------------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text
Full Chinese text
120: Recording: Since everything is interrelated, concern for the protection of nature is also incompatible with the justification of abortion.
How can we genuinely teach the importance of concern for other vulnerable beings, however troublesome or inconvenient they may be, if we fail to protect a human embryo, even when its presence is uncomfortable and creates difficulties?
"If personal and social sensitivity towards the acceptance of the new life is lost, then other forms of acceptance that are valuable for society also wither away"
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text
Full
Chinese text
121b: Recording
In your heart you know that it is not the same to
live without him; what you have come to realize, what has
helped you to live and given you hope, is what you also need to communicate to
others.
Our falling short of perfection should be no excuse; on the contrary, mission is a constant stimulus not to remain mired in mediocrity but to continue growing.
The witness of faith that each Christian
is called to offer leads us to say with Saint Paul: "Not that I am
already perfect; but I press on, because Christ Jesus has made me his own"
-------------------------------------
10
years ago today:
Visit to poor areas by Hong Kong Sacred Heart Canossian Commercial College students and staff
------------------------------------------
Yesterday on my way back to Jordan after signing an
affidavit in a legal office in Central, I saw a man on the MTR (Metro) wearing a
T-shirt with these words: A YAWN IS A SILENT CRY FOR
COFFEE !
--------------------------------------
Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day:
Sun: Africa
Mon: Europe,
Russia
Tues: South
Asia
Wed: East
Asia
Thurs: S.E. Asia,
Pacific
Frid: South
America
Sat: Cent, N 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 11th
of
the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Hunan
And praying for one of
the world's poorest countries
each day of the month:
On this 11th of the month, Jesus
please bless the people of Eritrea
And praying for one
Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Tuesday,
please pacify Boko
Haram
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Mon July 10
Photos of meal for homeless people last Thursday night - here
Mexican priest found bound, stabbed to death in his room
(18th priest murdered in past 6 years)
Pope warns of 'dangerous alliances' at G20 summit
--------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
2
Samuel 8-9: Wherever David went, the Lord gave him success
and victory. David showed kindness to Saul's family.
Meribbaal, son of Jonathan and grandson of Saul
was crippled in both feet.
David restored Saul's property to Meribbaal
and arranged for Meribbaal to eat at the royal table each day.
Lord, help us show kindness to
people who treat us badly
Psalm
40: I waited, I waited for the Lord and he
stooped down to me.
He heard my cry. He saved me from distress.
He put fresh hope into my heart. How many, O Lord my God, are the times you
have helped me.
They are too many for me to describe. My God, in the depth of my heart I delight in
your law.
You do not want external offerings.
You want my heart.
Lord, I offer you my heart, my
love. You deserve all my love
Colossians
1.15-20:
Christ is the image of
the unseen God.
In him were created all things.
All things were created through him and for him. Before anything was
created, he existed.
He holds all things in unity. The Church is his body.
He is its head. God wants all things to
be reconciled through him
who brought peace by his death on the Cross.
Jesus, God the Son
become man, may our world
find reconciliation and peace in you
Recording
John
20.11-18: Peter and John went home. Mary Magdalene
remained at the tomb, crying. When she looked inside the tomb, she saw two
angels in white. She also saw Jesus standing there, though she did not
recognize him. Jesus said "Woman, why are you
crying?". Mary thought he was the gardener so she said to him
"If you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him". Jesus said "Mary" and she recognized
him. Jesus then said "I will ascend to my Father". Mary went and told the disciples all she had
seen and heard.
Jesus, please bless people who are crying at
funerals today. May awareness of your presence bring them peace and
strength for the days ahead
Reflection
on the above readings:
Peter
and John gave up ....men...practical....their brains said no use staying here
any longer. But Mary Magdalen ...woman....intuitive....her heart would not let
her leave. In some situations it's best to follow our brains, in others best to
follow our hearts. Dear Holy Spirit help us know when to follow what!
--------------------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
119: Recording
Nor must the critique of a
misguided anthropocentrism underestimate the importance of interpersonal
relations.
If the present ecological crisis is one small sign of the ethical, cultural and spiritual crisis of modernity, we cannot presume to heal our relationship with nature and the environment without healing all fundamental human relationships.
Christian thought sees human beings as possessing a particular dignity above other creatures; it thus inculcates esteem for each person and respect for others.
Our openness to others, each of whom is a "thou" capable of knowing, loving and entering into dialogue, remains the source of our nobility as human persons.
A correct relationship with the created world demands that we not weaken this social dimension of openness to others, much less the transcendent dimension of our openness to the "Thou" of God.
Our relationship with the environment can never be isolated from our relationship with others and with God.
Otherwise, it would be nothing more than romantic individualism dressed up in ecological garb, locking us into a stifling immanence.
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
121a: Recording
Of course, all of us
are called to mature in our work as evangelizers. We want to have better
training, a deepening love and a clearer witness to the Gospel. In this sense, we
ought to let others be constantly evangelizing us.
But this does not mean that we should postpone the
evangelizing mission; rather, each of us should find ways to communicate Jesus
wherever we are. All of us are called to offer others an
explicit witness to the saving love of the Lord, who despite our imperfections
offers us his closeness, his word and his strength, and gives meaning to our
lives.
-------------------------------------
Was
the Risen Jesus (today's Gospel...) wearing sandals? If so, where did he get
them? And dare I pun it, did they have soles?
--------------------------------------
Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day:
Sun:
Africa
Mon: Europe,
Russia
Tues: South
Asia
Wed: East
Asia
Thurs: S.E. Asia,
Pacific
Frid: South America
Sat: Cent, N. 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 10th of
the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Hubei
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 Guinea
And praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Monday,
please pacify I.S.
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Sun July 9
Some good news: a kind man in charge of house maintenance at a
prominent HK hotel is offering to train ex-inmates and other needy people for
the job of "room cleaning" ....for which there is now a shortage of
workers in HK. Man is also offering to help MercyHK to set up and manage a
company to recruit, train and employ people for such "room service". Thank
you Jesus!
Today in HK we are using a special Mass, for
the Feast
of the Chinese Martyrs. Ideal
for today - this moving video:
The
Cross, Jesus in China
-------------------------------------------------------
Letter
in English from a Filipina who is serving a long sentence in HK for drug trafficking from
Kuala Lumpur - here
(June 13)
The End Game for Rainbow Activists
The inevitable has happened. An 8-month-old baby in Canada has
been issued a health card with a "U" in place of “M” or “F”
-----------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
c.f. readings for Feast of Chinese Martyrs
Romans 8.35-39: Nothing can separate us from the love of
Jesus, even if we are in big trouble of any kind. By the power of Jesus who loves us, we can get
through any trouble.
Jesus, when I am in trouble, help me remember
your love
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
124: "If the Lord had not been on our
side",
this is Israel's song. If the Lord had not been on our side
when people rose against us, then would they have swallowed us alive
when they were angry with us. Blessed be the Lord who did not let us become
a prey for their teeth. Our life, like a bird, has escaped
from the snare of the hunter. Indeed the snare has been broken
and we have escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord
who made heaven and earth.
Thank you, Lord,
for all the times you have rescued me from trouble
Matthew
10.17-42: Jesus said to his apostles
"Because you follow me and speak my message,
therefore you will be arrested and put in prison. But don't worry about what to say for your
defense.
What to say will be given you by the Holy Spirit. Boldly proclaim my message
and do not be afraid of persecution. Take up your cross and follow me.
Anyone who does not take up his cross and follow me
is not worthy of me."
Jesus, please give me more
courage
Recording
Reflection
on the above readings:
Video
commentary for readings of "Sunday 14" - in Italian with Chinese, English,
Spanish subtitles
--------------------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
118: Recording
This situation has led to a constant schizophrenia,
wherein a technocracy which sees no intrinsic value in lesser beings coexists
with the other extreme, which sees no special value in human beings.
But one cannot prescind from humanity.
There can be no renewal of our relationship with nature without a renewal of humanity itself.
There can be no ecology without an adequate anthropology.
When the human person is considered as simply one being among others, the product of chance or physical determinism, then "our overall sense of responsibility wanes".
A misguided anthropocentrism need not necessarily yield to "biocentrism", for that would entail adding yet another imbalance, failing to solve present problems and adding new ones.
Human beings cannot be expected to feel responsibility for the world unless, at the same time, their unique capacities of knowledge, will, freedom and responsibility are recognized and valued.
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
120b: Recording
Every Christian is a
missionary to the extent that he or she has encountered the love of God in
Christ Jesus: we no longer say that we are "disciples"
and "missionaries", but rather that we are always "missionary
disciples".
If we are not convinced, let us look at those first disciples, who, immediately after encountering the gaze of Jesus, went forth to proclaim him joyfully: "We have found the Messiah!".
The Samaritan woman became a missionary immediately after speaking with Jesus and many Samaritans came to believe in him "because of the woman's testimony" .
So too, Saint Paul, after his encounter with Jesus Christ, "immediately proclaimed Jesus."
So what are we waiting for?
-------------------------------------
10
years ago today:
------------------------------------------
Hour
of Love HK radio program 8.30
pm HK time tonight
- with items about HK prison inmates
-------------------------------------------
Upper
hand - Putin and Trump's body language shows who's the boss
--------------------------------------
Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day:
Sun: Africa
Mon: Europe,
Russia
Tues: South
Asia
Wed: East
Asia
Thurs: S.E. Asia,
Pacific
Fri: South America
Sat: Cent., N 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 9th
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Henan
And praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 9th of the month, Jesus
please bless the people of Central African Republic
And praying for one Islam-related
intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Sunday,
please bless all Muslims in my country
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Sat July 8
I spent yesterday afternoon at Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre
(men's prison), first of all in the hospital section (three floors, with a total
of about 100 inmates), then in several other sections visiting inmates who are
soon due to go on trial. I wonder what inmates would think of the article below
by George Monbiot which says how the UK government - to hide its own failures -
for the Grenfell inquiry, is itself selecting the charge it will face and the
judge who will take the case.
This UK story by George
Monbiot shows what's happening
around the world as the wealthy take over politics:
Covering
FireThe
public inquiry into Grenfell Tower will be a farce unless it examines the
long-running assault on public protections
--------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
2
Samuel 7:
After David settled into his palace and the
land enjoyed peace,
David thought about building a temple for the Lord.
Then through the prophet Nathan the Lord told David:
" I will establish your dynasty for ever.
But it will be your son, not yourself,
who will build a temple for me."
David praised God:
"Who am I, Lord, and what is my House,
that you have helped me so much
and promised me so much? May my House continue in your presence for
ever.
May you bless my House forever."
Dear God, please bless everyone
in my family tree,
past, present and future
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
38-39: O Lord, please forgive my sins and heal me.
Heal my body which is sick because of my sins. Protect me, Lord, from those who gloat over me
now that I am brought low and unable to help myself. Lord, you have shown me how short a time I
have on earth.
Lord, give me wisdom of heart to live my life better.
Lord, help us understand the
meaning of life
Recording
Colossians
1.9-14:
I pray that you will continue to grow in your
Christian life,
a life full of good deeds. Never give in when trials come, but bravely,
even joyfully,
carry your cross each day. Keep on thanking the Father who has rescued us
from the power of darkness, and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he
loves, in whom we gain our freedom, the forgiveness of our sins.
Father, thank you for letting me be a
Christian.
Help me be a good Christian
Recording
John
20.1-10: Before dawn the next morning, Sunday, Mary
Magdalene went to the tomb. She saw the stone had been moved from
the tomb's entrance. She ran to Peter and John and said
"Someone has taken the Lord out of the tomb". They ran back to the tomb. Peter went in
first. He saw that the linen cloths were on the ground. But the cloth that
had been around Jesus' head was not on the ground. It was neatly folded
and in a place by itself. Then John went into the tomb. He saw, and he
believed.
Jesus, I believe you rose from the dead.
Please increase my faith
Recording
Reflection on the above readings:
John was there when Jesus was put in the tomb. John was there some 36 hours later at the empty tomb. For John, the arrangement of the burial cloths spoke volumes. It was something he would never forget. In today's world an act of kindness can speak volumes. It can be something someone will never forget. One simple act of kindness by a Christian can help someone find faith in the Risen Jesus. It can be a turning point in the search for faith, the search for truth.
----------------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
117: Recording Neglecting
to monitor the harm done to nature and the environmental impact of our decisions
is only the most striking sign of a disregard for the message contained in the
structures of nature itself.
When we fail to acknowledge as part of reality the worth of a poor person, a human embryo, a person with disabilities - to offer just a few examples - it becomes difficult to hear the cry of nature itself; everything is connected.
Once the human being declares independence from reality and behaves with absolute dominion, the very foundations of our life begin to crumble, for "instead of carrying out his role as a cooperator with God in the work of creation, man sets himself up in place of God and thus ends up provoking a rebellion on the part of nature"
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
120a: Recording
In virtue of their
baptism, all the members of the People of God have become missionary disciples.
All the baptized, whatever their position in the Church or their level of instruction in the faith, are agents of evangelization, and it would be insufficient to envisage a plan of evangelization to be carried out by professionals while the rest of the faithful would simply be passive recipients.
The new evangelization calls for personal involvement on the part of each of the baptized.
Every Christian is challenged, here and
now, to be actively engaged in evangelization; indeed, anyone who has truly
experienced God's saving love does not need much time or lengthy training to go
out and proclaim that love.
-------------------------------------
10
years ago today:
------------------------------------------
Yesterday morning I joined other HK Oblates for a prayer
service at the grave of Fr Stan Sun O.M.I. who died on July 7 last year. Then we
had a simple lunch at a local canteen. Fr Stan would have been smiling with the
choice of a canteen ...he lived a very simple life, even though he did much to
help other people - especially people in China - improve their lives. Thank you
Fr Stan for a prayer as you enjoy life at the Heavenly Canteen!
--------------------------------------
Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day:
Sun:
Africa
Mon: Europe,
Russia
Tues: South
Asia
Wed: East Asia
Thurs: S.E. Asia, Pacific
Frid: South
America
Sat: Cent. & N
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 8th
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 8th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Sierra
Leone
And
praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Saturday,
please pacify the
Taliban
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Frid July 7
On yesterday's menu, below, I mentioned how I walked out during a
speech on Wednesday night by HK Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung ....because of
the bad manners of the audience. Last night I was at a much happier function -
the weekly Thursday night meal for homeless people....held in a new location
where we could all sit and share together. No walking out this time ...I was
last to leave!
This is good news:
Volvo plans to switch off internal combustion
15
year old girl arrested after HK$20m cocaine seizure
When I studied Australian history at school, this material was
not available. Only when I started teaching Australian History did I learn about this shameful story:
150
Aboriginal massacres
Letter in Spanish from
an elderly Colombian man in
prison for drug trafficking - here
(July 3)
July: month of the Precious Blood of Jesus
An amazing story: The
singing of a London tramp, made into a moving recording:
Jesus'
Blood Never Failed Me Yet (need to turn volume
up ...and wait for sound to begin at about 28 seconds...then music at 4 mins).
Words: Jesus' blood never failed me yet, Never
failed me yet, Jesus' blood never failed me yet, There's one thing I know, For
he loves me so
------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from Simple
Bible
2 Samuel 6: David and 30,000 men went to Baalah
(Kiriath-jearim)
to bring the Sacred Chest to Jerusalem. David and the people danced before the Sacred
Chest
and sang loudly to the accompaniment of much music. After the Sacred Chest entered Jerusalem
David blessed the people in the name of the Lord.
Dear God, please help us
praise you with joy,
as David did
Psalm
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
Colossians
1.1-6:
From Paul, appointed by God to be an apostle
of Christ Jesus,
to the Christians in Colossae.
Grace and peace to you from God our Father. I always pray for you and give thanks for
your
faith in Christ Jesus, and the
love you show to others
because of the hope which is stored up for you in heaven.
The Good News is spreading all over the world,
bringing blessings to so many people.
Jesus, increase my faith, hope and love. Help me
spread the Good News in my corner of the world
Recording
John 19.38-42: Joseph of Arimathaea, a disciple of
Jesus, asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Pilate agreed and
Jesus' body was taken down from the cross. Another man, Nicodemus, brought burial spices.
He and Joseph wrapped Jesus' body in linen cloths with the spices. Since the Passover was due to begin at sunset,
they put the body in an unused tomb close to the place of
Crucifixion.
Jesus, dead in the tomb, please give eternal
life to everyone who dies today
Recording
Reflection on the above Bible readings:
When Jesus' friends took him to the tomb, their
hearts must have been breaking ... just like all funeral mourners. They probably
had very little faith or hope
to overcome the devastation of death, but they had love
....love for their departed Friend. Sometimes the only thing we can do in times
of great sadness is show love ....despite little faith or hope there will be light
at the end of the tunnel. As a poet once wrote:
Life is mainly froth and bubble; two things stand
like stone: kindness in another's trouble, courage in our own.
----------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
116: Recording
Modernity has been marked by an excessive
anthropocentrism which today, under another guise, continues to stand in the way
of shared understanding and of any effort to strengthen social bonds.
The time has come to pay renewed attention to reality and the limits it imposes; this in turn is the condition for a more sound and fruitful development of individuals and society.
An inadequate presentation of Christian anthropology gave rise to a wrong understanding of the relationship between human beings and the world.
Often, what was handed on was a Promethean vision of mastery over the world, which gave the impression that the protection of nature was something that only the faint-hearted cared about.
Instead, our "dominion" over the universe should be understood more properly in the sense of responsible stewardship.
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
119: Recording
In all the baptized, from first to
last, the sanctifying power of the Spirit is at work, impelling us to
evangelization.
The people of God is holy thanks to this anointing, which makes it infallible in credendo.
This means that it does not err in faith, even though it may not find words to explain that faith. The Spirit guides it in truth and leads it to salvation.
As part of his mysterious love for humanity, God furnishes the totality of the faithful with an instinct of faith - sensus fidei - which helps them to discern what is truly of God.
The presence of the Spirit gives
Christians a certain connaturality with divine realities, and a wisdom which
enables them to grasp those realities intuitively, even when they lack
the wherewithal to give them precise expression
-------------------------------------
10
years ago today:
2007-07-07: (07 x 3!) Saturday visit to Xinxing (one hour from Zhaoqing)
------------------------------------------
From a photo in link above, 10 years ago today....check the
look on this baby's face! (..maybe she's thinking: "Who are you?"! "You need a shave".
"How come your nose is so big?". "Why is your shirt wet?" (..July, hot summer's day....after wearing alb for Mass)
--------------------------------------
Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day:
Sun: Africa
Mon: Europe,
Russia
Tues: South
Asia
Wed: East
Asia
Thurs: S.E. Asia, Pacific
Frid: S.
America
Sat: Cent, N. 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 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, Friday,
please bless all Muslims
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Thur July 6
Last night I was one of a thousand guests at a July 4 (on July 5) everyone-standing (not sitting) function at a Kowloon hotel arranged by the US Consulate. But the guests, both locals and foreigners, were extremely bad-mannered ....they did not observe silence when the US Consul-General gave his address....and the noise even increased when guest of honor (?) HK's no. 2 government official, Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung gave his speech ....I could not hear what he was saying. People just kept chatting away, ignoring the speakers, and drowning out the sound system. Before the speeches began I even saw some guests from the Mainland yap yap yapping during the Chinese National Anthem! When Matthew's speech began I made an offer to an official to ask for silence, but the offer was declined....I learnt later that the same thing has happened in previous years. So ...I found myself walking out in protest in the middle of Matthew Cheung's speech. And I reflected on Oblate Founder Eugene de Mazenod's words about helping people to act like human beings, then like Christians, then like saints. We need to go back to basic human manners.
Letter in Spanish from a
Colombian man in prison in HK for drug
trafficking ....drugs, like those of nearly all South Americans, given to him in
Sao Paulo: Here
(July 1)
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The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from Simple
Bible
2
Samuel 4-5:
After Ishbaal, son of Saul, was
murdered,
David became king of Israel as well as king of Judah. David was 30 years old when he became king.
He reigned over Judah for 7 years. Then he reigned over all Israel and Judah for 33 years. David continued to fight against the
Philistines.
God blessed David in all his campaigns.
Dear God, may all of Israel be
blessed with peace
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
Philippians
4.11-20:
I have learnt how to manage on whatever I
have.
I am ready for anything anywhere:
full stomach or empty stomach, poverty or plenty. There is nothing I cannot master
with the help of the One who gives me strength. I thank you my friends for supporting me financially, especially when I was in great need.
Jesus, bless everyone who has
helped me
in any way since the day I was born
John
19.31-37: The next day was the Passover. To prevent the
bodies remaining on the crosses during the Passover, the soldiers broke
the legs of the two men crucified with Jesus. But when they came to Jesus, they saw that he
was already dead. Instead of breaking his legs, they pierced his side with a spear. Immediately there came out blood and
water. And so the Scriptures were fulfilled "Not
one of his bones will be broken" and "They will look on the one
they have pierced". Jesus, please help me understand how blood and
water are symbols of the Eucharist and Baptism
Recording
Reflection on the above Bible readings:
Q:
Why did the soldiers break the legs of the two men crucified with Jesus?
A: So
they would no longer be able to push themselves up to breathe, resulting in
death within minutes
-------------------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
115: Recording Modern
anthropocentrism has paradoxically ended up prizing technical thought over
reality, since "the technological mind sees nature as an insensate order,
as a cold body of facts, as a mere 'given', as an object of utility, as raw
material to be hammered into useful shape; it views the cosmos similarly as a
mere 'space' into which objects can be thrown with complete indifference".
The intrinsic dignity of the world is thus compromised.
When human beings fail to find their true place in this world, they misunderstand themselves and end up acting against themselves: "Not only has God given the earth to man, who must use it with respect for the original good purpose for which it was given, but, man too is God's gift to man. He must therefore respect the natural and moral structure with which he has been endowed"
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
118: Recording
The Bishops of Oceania
asked that the Church "develop an understanding and a presentation of the
truth of Christ working from the traditions and cultures of the region" and
invited "all missionaries to work in harmony with
indigenous Christians so as to ensure that the faith and the life of the Church
be expressed in legitimate forms appropriate for each culture".
We cannot demand that peoples of every continent, in expressing their Christian faith, imitate modes of expression which European nations developed at a particular moment of their history, because the faith cannot be constricted to the limits of understanding and expression of any one culture.
It is an indisputable fact that no
single culture can exhaust the mystery of our redemption in Christ
-------------------------------------
Last night at the US Consulate function, before the
speeches began, I had a chat with a consul from an African country ....who said
that the HK government has agreed for HK prison inmates from his country to
return to their own country to serve out their sentences ....but the inmates
don't want to go: they say that prison conditions in their own country are so
bad...and prison conditions in HK are so good (free meals, free medical care,
skill-learning, study opportunities, salary for work etc) that it's better
to stay in HK!
--------------------------------------
Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day:
Sun:
Africa
Mon: Europe,
Russia
Tues: South Asia
Wed: East
Asia
Thurs: S.E. Asia, Pacific
Frid: South
America
Sat: Cent, N 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 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 6th of the month, Jesus
please bless the people of Liberia
And
praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Thursday,
please pacify Al-Qaeda
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Wed July 5
Yesterday I made my monthly visit to Lo Wu women's prison... from 9.30am to 5.30pm ....and I came away with my notebook full of jobs to do. One such day in a detention centre often means a couple of days at the desk doing follow-up jobs ....for the anti-drug campaign or for court case material or study needs etc. One practical difficulty I face (no pun intended) when visiting African inmates is the way they change their hair styles from month to month ....making it more difficult to remember who's who!
--------------------------------------------------------
Chris McDonnell
A just society comes at a price
'This is mine' has to have added to it 'but I will share it with you'
-------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
2 Samuel 1-3:
When David heard that
Saul and Jonathan had died,
David was very sad. David was
then anointed as king over the house of Judah,
but Ishbaal became king of the rest of Israel.
War broke out between the House of David (Judah)
and the House of Saul (Israel). Gradually
the House of David grew stronger
and the House of Saul grew weaker.
Dear
God, please give peace to all nations suffering from civil war
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
Philippians
4.4-9: I want you to be happy, always happy in the
Lord.
Let your tolerance be evident to everyone. If there is anything you need, with prayer and
thanksgiving ask God for it. Fill your minds with everything that is true,
everything that is noble, everything that is good and pure, everything
that is worthwhile. Then the God of peace will be with you.
Jesus, please fill my mind with good things
Recording
John
19.25-30:
Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his
mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. Seeing his mother and John the apostle
standing near her, Jesus said to his mother "He is your son".
Then to John he said "She is your mother". From
that moment, John regarded Mary as his own mother. Jesus said "My work is finished".
Then he bowed his head and died.
We adore you Lord Jesus and we
praise you, because you have redeemed the world
Recording
Reflection
on the above readings:
In
today's Gospel "his mother's sister" means the mother of John the
apostle. So, in front of John's mother, Jesus told Mary and John to regard each
other as mother and son. This was no ordinary family arrangement. Christian
writers have seen in it a spiritual arrangement: Mary ...our spiritual mother.
Jesus' special gift from the Cross ...his mother.
-------------------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
114: Recording All
of this shows the urgent need for us to move forward in a bold cultural
revolution.
Science and technology are not neutral; from the beginning to the end of a process, various intentions and possibilities are in play and can take on distinct shapes.
Nobody is suggesting a return to the Stone Age, but we do need to slow down and look at reality in a different way, to appropriate the positive and sustainable progress which has been made, but also to recover the values and the great goals swept away by our unrestrained delusions of grandeur.
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
117b: Recording
While it is true that some cultures have been
closely associated with the preaching of the Gospel and the development of
Christian thought, the revealed message is not identified
with any of them; its content is transcultural.
Hence in the evangelization of new cultures, or cultures which have not received the Christian message, it is not essential to impose a specific cultural form, no matter how beautiful or ancient it may be, together with the Gospel.
The message that we proclaim always has a certain cultural
dress, but we in the Church can sometimes fall into a
needless hallowing of our own culture, and thus show more fanaticism than true
evangelizing zeal
-------------------------------------
Yesterday at Lo Wu women's prison I again tried using
Spanish with some of the South American inmates....but at this stage I have to
admit that the inmates' broken English is much, much better than my lesson 14
Spanish!
--------------------------------------
Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day:
Sun: Africa
Mon: Europe,
Russia
Tues: South
Asia
Wed: East
Asia
Thurs: S.E.Asia, Pacific
Frid: South
America
Sat: Cent, N 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 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, Wednesday,
please pacify Al-Shabaab
---------------------------------------------
Please also join me in praying for the very many deformed and handicapped people from China who are on the streets of HK as beggars...as well as deformed people in China itself ...like Hung Chun Cai
My Africa trips:
2015: Tanzania, Malawi
2016:
Kenya, Uganda
2017:
Southern Africa, Dubai
--------------------
Gay marriage: an elephant in the room (by John W)
Video: What "gay marriage" did to Massachusetts
Frightening
YouTube reports:
LGBT radical impact
on educational institutions (No.
5); LGBT
infiltrating churches
(No. 6); US corporations massively
supporting LGBT agenda (No. 7). What
has happened in the US is now starting to happen in other places. Some
day our children will ask "why didn't you do more to stop this evil?"
--------------------------------------------
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.
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Fr John Wotherspoon O.M.I. 胡
頌 恆 神 父
jdwomi@gmail.com
HK
mobile (852) 6709 5674
China
mobile 13030213703 - out of
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