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
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Tues Aug 8
I spent 5 hours yesterday at Stanley Prison ....working on some cases coming up soon at the High Court...and visiting old friends, especially from Africa ...so many of whose families I met on my 3 trips to Africa in Jan 2015, Jan 2016 and Jan 2017. I'm hoping that a new NGO soon to be set up - "Voice for Prisoners" - will be able to help inmates in various ways ..e.g. help with study courses, assistance to needy families of prisoners, legal assistance, lobbying overseas governments re transfer agreements etc. At one stage yesterday I visited some men in an exercise yard ....but I had a problem.....I had thought I'd be indoors all day, so I hadn't taken my hat with me into the prison (I'd left it at the main gate with my phone, umbrella etc)....and the sun was blazing ....no problem for my African brothers, but too strong for my feeble Caucasian scalp!
Independent probe urged into alleged prison abuse
City Remembers Beloved Costco Co-founder Who Treated Employees With Dignity
Thank
you Jesus! Liberal Party at meeting yesterday did not change its
policy re gay marriage. But the battle continues. Notice how this ABC report
(with linked items) is totally one-sided, giving virtually no space to "the
other side": 'Groundhog day' as Liberals vote no change on same-sex
marriage policy.
How can Australia stop the LGBT juggernaut which wants all countries to become
like Massachusetts?
Well, more than one juggernaut has received its first-ever setback at the hands
of Australians (...German army in North Africa...Japanese army in New Guinea)
--------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
2 Kings 4:
A poor widow whose husband had been a
prophet asked Elisha for help when a creditor demanded her two sons
as slaves. All she had was a small pot of oil, not enough
to pay her debts. Elisha told her to get many jars,
and start pouring oil from the pot into the jars. As she and her sons did this, the oil did not
run out.
Elisha told her to sell the oil to pay off her debts. At another time Elisha brought back to
life a dead child. He also once brought about a miraculous multiplication of bread.
Dear God, you once worked
miracles by the prayers of Elisha.
Please let miracles be done in our day.
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
89: I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord.
Of this I am sure, that your love lasts for ever.
The heavens proclaim your wonders, O Lord.
The heavens are yours, the world is yours. Blessed the people who find joy in you,
who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face.
Thank you, Lord, for our
beautiful world
Recording
2
Thessalonians 3.1-5: Pray that the Lord's message may spread
quickly,
and be received with honor as it was by yourselves. Pray that we may be protected from the
interference of bigoted people. May your hearts focus on the love of God our
Father
and the fortitude of Christ.
Jesus, don't let bigoted people
influence me
Recording
Matthew
9.1-8:
Some people carried a paralyzed man through a
crowd to Jesus.
The man was on a bed. Jesus knew that these people believed he could
help them,
so he said to the paralyzed man "Courage, your sins are
forgiven". Religious leaders in the crowd were
thinking to themselves
that Jesus was wrong to say he could forgive sins. So Jesus said to the leaders: Which is
easier:
to say 'Your sins are forgiven', or to say 'Get up and walk'? Then to prove that he had authority to forgive
sins,
he said to the paralyzed man
"Get up, pick up your bed and go home". The man got up and went home.
The crowd praised God for what they had seen.
Jesus, please give me more
faith in your power to forgive,
your power to heal
Recording
Reflection
on the above readings:
Today's Gospel is one of
the rare occasions when Jesus links sickness
to sin.
--------------------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text
Full Chinese text
141: Recording: Economic growth, for its part, tends to produce predictable reactions and a certain standardization with the aim of simplifying procedures and reducing costs.
This suggests the need for an "economic ecology" capable of appealing to a broader vision of reality.
The protection of the environment is in fact "an integral part of the development process and cannot be considered in isolation from it".
We urgently need a humanism capable of bringing together the different fields of knowledge, including economics, in the service of a more integral and integrating vision.
Today, the analysis of environmental problems cannot be separated from the analysis of human, family, work-related and urban contexts, nor from how individuals relate to themselves, which leads in turn to how they relate to others and to the environment. There is an interrelation between ecosystems and between the various spheres of social interaction, demonstrating yet again that "the whole is greater than the part"
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text
Full
Chinese text
140: Recording
This
setting, both maternal and ecclesial, in which the
dialogue between the Lord and his people takes place, should be encouraged by the
closeness of the preacher, the warmth of his tone of voice, the
unpretentiousness of his manner of speaking, the joy of his gestures.
Even
if the homily at times may be somewhat tedious, if this
maternal and ecclesial spirit is present, it will always bear fruit, just as the
tedious counsels of a mother bear fruit, in due time, in the hearts of her
children.
-------------------------------------
Interactive
Bible QuZ - Leviticus
Based on the actual
words of the Bible.
How many times can you get 3/3 ?!
----------------------------------
Diamond theft suspect to remain in hospital
--------------------------------------
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 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 Siera Leone
And praying for one
Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Tuesday,
please pacify Boko
Haram
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Mon Aug 7
Letter in Chinese by a
local HK man saying how he was set up by local Drug Lord CHENG
TAI TUNG, in partnership with local police - here
(July 9) ....I'd be grateful for comments about this story from Chinese readers
...anyone any ideas about this? jdwomi@gmail.com
In
Pictures - For Pakistanis, China 'friendship' road runs one way
Pakistan's exports to China fell by almost eight percent in the
second half of 2016, while imports jumped by almost 29 percent.
Today
at 4pm Canberra time there will be a meeting of Liberal Party politicians that
might well decide the future of the family in Australia. If the party surrenders
to the LGBT agenda, Australia will quickly become like Massachusetts.
From a Christian point of view, from the point of view of the
family, the importance of today's meeting is "off the scale".
Let's often pray today: "Dear
Holy Spirit, please fall afresh on the politicians as they meet to discuss the
future of the family in the 'Land of the Holy Spirit'!".....
to oppose the pro-LGBT media which continues to bombard its readers with
articles like this:
Liberal MPs pushing for gay marriage have voters on their side
and this
Liberals pin gay marriage hopes on religious protections
(which has the alarming words: "But
business owners and service providers such as bakers, florists and photographers
will need to prove they are linked to a 'religious body' to reject a same-sex
wedding")
(...Australia today...HK tomorrow...)
--------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
2
Kings 2-3:
The Lord revealed to Elisha and other
prophets
that Elijah would be taken up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha said to Elijah
"Let me inherit a double share of your spirit."
Then a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire,
and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.
The spirit of Elijah then came to rest on Elisha
and he began to do miracles by the power of the Lord.
Holy Spirit of God, please
increase your influence in my life
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
88: Lord my God, day and night I call to you for
help.
Please turn your ear to my cry. For my soul is filled with evils.
My life is on the brink of the grave. I am reckoned as one in the tomb.
I have reached the end of my strength. Will your love be told in the grave?
Will your wonders be known in the dark? Fear surrounds me like a flood.
All my friends have deserted me.
My only companion is darkness.
Lord, please help people who
are in despair
Recording
2
Thessalonians 2.1-17: Regarding the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ,
don't be deceived by wild speculation. Stand firm in your faith and avoid speculation.
Keep the traditions we taught you, whether by
word of mouth or by letter. May God strengthen you in everything good you
do or say.
Jesus,
stop people
spreading false information
Recording
Matthew
8.23-27: Jesus and his "fisher of men"
friends got into a boat
to cross the lake near Capernaum. 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
"Save us, Lord, we are sinking". Jesus stood up, and ordered the wind and sea
to be calm.
Straight away the wind and sea were calm. Jesus' friends said to each other
"Who is this? Even the wind and sea obey him."
Jesus, please calm the storms
in my life, my family, our world
Recording
Reflection
on the above readings:
Why did Jesus stand up (not easy in a
storm-tossed boat!)? Why didn't he just stay lying down, give his orders to the
wind and sea, then roll over and go back to sleep?
Maybe we too need to "stand up" in time of trial ....rather than
timidly seeking shelter from "storms"
--------------------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
140b: Recording
We need only recall how
ecosystems interact in dispersing carbon dioxide, purifying water, controlling
illnesses and epidemics, forming soil, breaking down waste, and in many other
ways which we overlook or simply do not know about.
Once they become conscious of this, many people realize that we live and act on the basis of a reality which has previously been given to us, which precedes our existence and our abilities.
So, when we speak of "sustainable use", consideration must always be given to each ecosystem's regenerative ability in its different areas and aspects.
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
139b: Recording
Moreover, a good mother can recognize everything
that God is bringing about in her children, she listens to their concerns and
learns from them.
The spirit of love which reigns in a family guides both mother and child in their conversations; therein they teach and learn, experience correction and grow in appreciation of what is good.
Something similar happens in a homily.
The same Spirit who inspired the Gospels and who acts in the Church also inspires the preacher to hear the faith of God's people and to find the right way to preach at each Eucharist.
Christian preaching thus finds in the heart of people and their culture a source of living water, which helps the preacher to know what must be said and how to say it.
Just as all of us
like to be spoken to in our mother tongue, so too in the faith we like to be
spoken to in our "mother culture", our native language (cf. 2 Macc 7:21,
27), and our heart is better disposed to listen. This language is a kind of
music which inspires encouragement, strength and enthusiasm.
-------------------------------------
Last
night's weekly gathering for the poor was made extra happy by the visit of a
group of Filipino singers....who at first sang some hymns, but then produced
some disco type songs. Even some of elderly guests got up and started dancing!
--------------------------------------
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 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, Monday,
please pacify I.S.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Sun Aug 6
Doctors accuse AMA of misleading public on
"marriage equality"
From a Christian point of view, from the point of view of the family, the importance of political meetings over the next few days in Australia is "off the scale". Unless there's a dramatic turn for the good (from the point of view of the family) Australia is sadly destined to succumb to the LGBT juggernaut and become like Massachusetts (about which most Australians are still unaware). Let's pray often over the next few days "Dear Holy Spirit, please fall afresh on the politicians as they meet to discuss the future of the family in the 'Land of the Holy Spirit'!"
Such
a crucial couple of days coming up ...a matter of life and death for the
family....let's see how this absolute top story is featured in Australia's
Catholic media (much of which needs to be updated?) ..this survey made at 9.45pm
HK time, Sat Aug 5.
Perth
(nothing on main page?)
Adelaide
(nothing on main page?)
Melbourne (nothing on main page?)
Hobart (nothing on main page?)
Canberra (nothing on main page?)
Sydney (nothing on main page?)
Brisbane (nothing on main page?)
Catholica (main page has no topic on this issue)
Eureka Street (nothing on main page ..except a pro-gay cartoon)
If this issue is decided against the family, historians will rightly ask: where was the voice of the Catholic Church during these crucial days? Outdated media ....no excuse in this digital age.
-----------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
c.f. readings for Feast of the Transfiguration
Daniel 7: Once when Daniel was asleep, he had a vision of heaven:
"Thrones were put in place
and one of great age took his seat. His robe was white as snow,
his hair as pure as wool. A thousand thousand waited on him,
ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. Then coming on the clouds of heaven
was one like a son of man. On him was conferred glory and kingship,
and people of all nations became his servants. His kingship is eternal.
His empire will never be destroyed."
Jesus, please help me
understand that you are the "Son of Man" whose kingship is eternal
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
97: The Lord is king, let earth rejoice,
the many coastlands be glad.
Cloud and darkness are his robes.
His throne is justice and goodness. The skies proclaim his goodness.
All peoples see his glory. Let those who serve idols be ashamed.
Let all creation worship the Creator. Light shines forth for good people
and joy for the upright of heart. Rejoice in the Lord, all good people.
Give glory to his holy name.
Lord, you indeed are God of the
universe
Recording
2
Peter 1.12-18: As long as I am in this passing world, my duty
is to keep on reminding you of the truths we hold dear. Writing this letter is one way of making sure
that after my departure you will still have a way of recalling the truths
we hold dear. These truths are not cleverly invented myths.
I myself saw the majesty of our Lord Jesus Christ. He was honored and glorified by God the
Father,
when the Sublime Glory himself spoke to him and said
"This is my Son, the Beloved. He enjoys my favor". I heard this myself, spoken from heaven,
when I was with Jesus on the holy mountain.
Jesus, Beloved Son, may more and more people
accept the truth of your Good News
Recording
Matthew
17.1-8: One day Jesus took his disciples Peter, James
and John
up a high mountain.
On the mountain Jesus' whole appearance changed.
His face shone like the sun. His clothes were as white as snow. The prophets Moses and Elijah appeared
and spoke with him. Peter said to Jesus "Lord, how good it is for
us to be here!" Then a bright cloud covered them with its
shadow.
From the cloud came a voice:
"This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him." The disciples bowed to the ground.
When they got up, they saw only Jesus in his normal appearance.
Jesus, Beloved Son of God,
how good it is to spend time with you in prayer.
Recording
Reflection on the above readings:
May today's Feast of the Transfiguration of Jesus give us hope and courage to do whatever we can to help transform our troubled word into a better place
A
beautiful song about the Transfiguration:
We
Behold
Video
commentary on today's readings - in Italian with English, Chinese and
Spanish subtitles
--------------------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
140a: Recording
Due to the number and variety of factors to be taken
into account when determining the environmental impact of a concrete
undertaking, it is essential to give researchers their due role, to facilitate
their interaction, and to ensure broad academic freedom.
Ongoing research should also give us a better understanding of how different creatures relate to one another in making up the larger units which today we term "ecosystems".
We take these systems into account not only to determine how best to use them, but also because they have an intrinsic value independent of their usefulness.
Each organism, as a creature of God, is good and admirable in itself; the same is true of the harmonious ensemble of organisms existing in a defined space and functioning as a system. Although we are often not aware of it, we depend on these larger systems for our own existence.
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
139a: Recording
We
said that the people of God, by the constant inner working
of the Holy Spirit, is
constantly evangelizing itself.
What are the implications of this principle for preachers?
It
reminds us that the Church is a mother, and that she
preaches in the same way that a mother speaks to her child, knowing that
the child trusts that what she is teaching is for his or her benefit, for
children know that they are loved.
-------------------------------------
Hour
of Love HK radio program 8.30
pm HK time tonight
- with items about HK prison inmates
-------------------------------------------
Rwanda's Kagame in landslide poll win with around 98pc of votes
(reminds me of stories about Communist
leaders in Russia who used to win with 105% of votes!)
--------------------------------------
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 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 Liberea
And praying for one Islam-related
intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Sunday,
please bless all Muslims in my country
--------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Sat Aug 5
A couple of months ago I linked this
story about 6 US prisoners who helped save the life of their guard who had
had a heart attack. Well, yesterday at Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre (men's
prison) I met three local HK Chinese men who did a similar thing. Not long ago
the guard in their dayroom lost consciousness (...not surprising in the recent
heat wave...). The three men immediately sprang into action, giving the guard
first aid and calling for emergency help. Yesterday I was asked by another guard
to write a support letter for the three men when they go to court ....which I'll
gladly do. The men's action falls into the category of "something good done
for HK society between time of arrest and time of sentencing" (just like
inmates' participation in my anti-drug campaign).
From a Christian point of view, from the point of view of the
family, the importance of political meetings over the next few days in Australia
is "off the scale". Unless there's a dramatic turn for the good (from
the point of view of the family) Australia is sadly destined to succumb to the
LGBT juggernaut and become like
Massachusetts (about which most Australians are
still unaware). Let's pray often over the next few days "Dear
Holy Spirit, please fall afresh on the politicians as they meet to discuss the
future of the 'Land of the Holy Spirit'!"
--------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
2 Kings
1:
Ahaziah, king of Israel, was seriously ill
after a fall.
He tried to send messengers to the temple of a false god
to ask about his future. But the Lord sent Elijah the prophet to
intercept the messengers
and tell them that the king would die. The king sent 50 soldiers to arrest Elijah
but as they approached Elijah, fire from heaven destroyed them. The king sent another 50 soldiers.
They too were destroyed by fire from heaven. A third group of 50 was sent. They begged
Elijah to spare them.
The Lord told Elijah to go with them to the king. Elijah then told the king to his face that he
would soon die
because he had tried to ask a false god about his future.
Not long after this, Ahaziah died.
Dear Lord, please don't let us
ever get involved
with false religion
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
87: On the holy mountain is Jerusalem,
the Lord's cherished city. Of you are told glorious things, O city of
God. All nations are called to serve and love the
Lord.
And Jerusalem shall be called their spiritual mother,
for all shall be her children. In Jerusalem everyone will be welcome and find
a home.
Lord, may Jerusalem be a place
of peace and prayer for all peoples
Recording
2
Thessalonians 1.1-5:
From Paul, Silvanus and Timothy to the Church
in Thessalonika:
grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We take special pride in you because of your
perseverance,
despite persecutions and other troubles you have to face. People who refuse to accept the Good News are
facing an eternal penalty: to be excluded forever from the presence of the
Lord. So we pray that God will help you be the sort of
people he wants you to be. In this way our Lord Jesus Christ will be
glorified in you.
Jesus, help me "keep going"
when trials come
Recording
Matthew
8.14-17: Jesus went to the home of Peter the
"fisher of men".
Peter's mother-in-law was sick in bed with a fever.
Jesus touched her hand, and the fever left her.
She got up and began to serve her visitor. That evening,
many sick people were brought to Peter's home.
Jesus healed them all.
Jesus, please heal
.....(names)....who are sick
Recording
Reflection on the above readings:
Peter's home became a hospital! ...where every patient was healed! ...and patient number one was Peter's dear mother-in-law ...
----------------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
139: Recording When
we speak of the "environment", what we really mean is a relationship
existing between nature and the society which lives in it.
Nature cannot be regarded as something separate from ourselves or as a mere setting in which we live.
We are part of nature, included in it and thus in constant interaction with it.
Recognizing the reasons why a given area is polluted requires a study of the workings of society, its economy, its behaviour patterns, and the ways it grasps reality.
Given the scale of change, it is no longer possible to find a specific, discrete answer for each part of the problem.
It is essential to seek comprehensive solutions which consider the interactions within natural systems themselves and with social systems.
We are faced not with two separate crises, one environmental and the other social, but rather with one complex crisis which is both social and environmental.
Strategies for a solution demand an integrated approach to combating poverty, restoring dignity to the excluded, and at the same time protecting nature.
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
138: Recording
The homily cannot be a
form of entertainment like those presented by the media, yet it does need to
give life and meaning to the celebration. It is a distinctive genre, since it is
preaching situated within the framework of a liturgical celebration; hence it
should be brief and avoid taking on the semblance of a speech or a lecture.
A preacher may be able to hold the attention of his listeners for a whole hour, but in this case his words become more important than the celebration of faith. If the homily goes on too long, it will affect two characteristic elements of the liturgical celebration: its balance and its rhythm.
When preaching takes place within the
context of the liturgy, it is part of the offering made to the Father and a
mediation of the grace which Christ pours out during the celebration. This
context demands that preaching should guide the assembly,
and the preacher, to a life-changing communion with Christ in the Eucharist.
This means that the words of the preacher must be
measured, so that the Lord, more than his minister, will be the centre of
attention.
-------------------------------------
A HK media team currently doing a report on my anti-drug
campaign did some filming yesterday at Lai Chi Kok men's prison ....as I was
walking in two stages towards the prison entrance. But when I put my umbrella up
half way through the shoot as rain began to fall I heard the instruction (on
mobile phone) "please don't use your umbrella for this second stage of the
recording since you didn't use it for the first part".
--------------------------------------
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 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, Saturday,
please pacify the
Taliban
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--------------------------------------------------------------------
Fri Aug 4
Yesterday morning after a pre-trial at the High Court I attended two legal team meetings aimed at helping two Mainland women facing drug trafficking charges ...after being deceived by Nigerian men operating in Guangzhou. The legal teams really impressed me ...aiming to do all they can to prove the innocence of the two women. I'm hoping that these two cases will be successful and will then enable other already-sentenced Mainland women to launch appeals ...using fresh information from the above two cases.
Last night there was the usual Thursday happy meal in a local canteen with the homeless group ....six of whom sleep at a nearby McDonald's where Tony, Lucia and I (the core-group of "MercyHK") had a brief meeting after the meal. Our temporary shelter arrangement in Temple Street is going well, and soon please God we will have a long-term accommodation centre for men ...on Cheung Chau Island (where it's easy to arrange cleaning jobs for the men). McDonald's is so good to let needy people stay overnight ...maybe we can call our Cheung Chau centre "McMercy"!?
Global warming to cause heatwaves that will kill
healthy people
This article made me think that most Australian media is
excessiveley focussed on a single issue and no other issue can be reported
without giving great importance to that issue.
For a PM seeking relief from the same-sex divide, a GST grenade is welcome
-------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from Simple
Bible
1 Kings 22:
Some false prophets encouraged the king of
Israel
and the king of Judah to go to war. Micah, a true prophet of the
Lord,
warned the kings not to go to war. The men of Israel and Judah were
defeated in the war.
Ahab, the king of Israel, died in the war.
Dear Lord, please don't let false prophets
deceive the world
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
86: Turn your ear, O Lord, and give answer
for I am poor and needy.
O Lord, you are good and forgiving,
full of love to all who call to you. All the nations shall come to adore you
and glorify your name, O Lord,
you who alone are God. Show me, Lord, your way, and guide my heart
so that I may walk in your truth. I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my
heart
for your love to me has been great. O give your strength to your servant
and save your handmaid's son.
Dear Lord, thank you for
all your
love
Recording
1
Thessalonians 5.19-28:
Let the Holy Spirit have a free reign in your
life.
Hold on to what is good. Avoid every form of evil. May the God of peace make you holy.
May you be kept safe in spirit, soul and body,
for the coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ. God has called you. He will not fail you.
Pray for us. Greet all the believers with the holy kiss.
Read this letter to all the believers. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
Holy Spirit of Jesus, Holy Spirit of the
Father,
I open my life to you. My heart is yours
Recording
Matthew
8.5-13: In the town of Capernaum, a Roman army captain
said to Jesus
"Sir, my servant is paralyzed and in great pain."
Jesus replied "I will go and heal him". But the captain said
"Sir, I am not worthy that you should enter my house.
Just say the word and my servant will be healed. For I understand orders. I give an order, and
people act.
I know that you also just need to give an order,
and my servant will be healed". Jesus said
"This foreigner's faith is greater than that of the local people.
And I tell you that in the future
people from all parts of the world will be in the kingdom of heaven".
Then Jesus said to the captain
"Go home. Your request made in faith is granted". And the servant was healed at that moment.
Jesus, please give more people,
from all parts of the world, the faith of the captain
Recording
Reflection on the above Bible readings:
Today's first reading speaks about false prophets. In today's world also there are false prophets who water down or change or even oppose the clear teaching of the Bible. Simple good people who pray and love God and neighbour have an inbuilt detector which alerts them to false teaching and false prophets.
----------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
138: Recording
Ecology studies the relationship between living
organisms and the environment in which they develop.
This necessarily entails reflection and debate about the conditions required for the life and survival of society, and the honesty needed to question certain models of development, production and consumption.
It cannot be emphasized enough how everything is interconnected.
Time and space are not independent of one another, and not even atoms or subatomic particles can be considered in isolation.
Just as the different aspects of the planet - physical, chemical and biological - are interrelated, so too living species are part of a network which we will never fully explore and understand.
A good part of our genetic code is shared by many living beings.
It follows that the fragmentation of knowledge and the isolation of bits of information can actually become a form of ignorance, unless they are integrated into a broader vision of reality.
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
137: Recording
It is worth remembering that
"the liturgical proclamation of the word of God, especially in the
eucharistic assembly, is not so much a time for meditation
and catechesis as a dialogue between God and his people, a dialogue in
which the great deeds of salvation are proclaimed and the demands of the
covenant are continually restated".
The homily has special importance due to its eucharistic context: it surpasses all forms of catechesis as the supreme moment in the dialogue between God and his people which lead up to sacramental communion. The homily takes up once more the dialogue which the Lord has already established with his people
The preacher must
know the heart of his community, in order to realize where its desire for God is
alive and ardent, as well as where that dialogue, once loving, has been thwarted
and is now barren
-------------------------------------
One of the poor people who attends the Thursday night
special meal is a young woman with her 8-month old baby daughter. Mother used to
sleep at McDonald's ...now has a small apartment, make that a small room in a
Yau Ma Tei apartment building. Baby is always centre of attention on Thursday
night ...often gets passed from person to person like a relay baton. I call the
baby "Winnie" since she was born on the Winter Solstice, Dec 21, last
year.
--------------------------------------
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 4th
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Guangdong
And praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the
month:
On this 4th of the month, Jesus please bless the
people of Mozambique
And praying for one Islam-related
intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Friday,
please bless all Muslims
--------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Thu August 3
What
is driving some of Hong Kong's youth to suicide?
For others, faith helps them stay clear of self-destructive thoughts
From a HK reader:
Better Planning for
Rehabilitation for Long-term Prisoners Needed
Thank you Jesus! Two days ago a double shipment
received from the printer:
A Chinese version of the 16 page booklet Good News
for the Poor - here (scroll
down to Chinese)
...and a reprint of the Simple Bible: Old Testament
(in English) - here.
30 parcels of books were transferred from PrintShop's
Jordan office to my home in Temple Street by A-Choi
and his all-purpose trolley
--------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from Simple
Bible
1
Kings 20-21:
King Ahab wanted the vineyard of Naboth,
but Naboth refused to sell his ancestral inheritance. Ahab's wife Jezebel then had
Naboth murdered
and Ahab took the vineyard. The prophet Elijah
confronted Ahab for his crime.
Ahab then repented of his crime.
Dear God, please help us respect other people's
property
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
85: I will hear what the Lord God has to say,
a voice that speaks of peace.
Peace for his people and his friends
and those who turn to him in their hearts. His help is near for those who love him
and his glory will dwell in our land.
Mercy and faithfulness have met.
Justice and peace have embraced. Faithfulness shall spring from the earth
and justice shall look down from heaven. The Lord will make us prosper
and our earth shall yield its fruit. Justice shall march before him
and peace shall follow his steps.
Lord, please give more peace to
our world
Recording
1
Thessalonians 5.12-18:
Respect your Christian leaders.
Be
at peace among yourselves. Warn idlers, give courage to people who are
struggling, care for the weak, and be patient with everyone. Never try to
take revenge. Focus on what is best for each other and for
the community. For all things give thanks to God,
because this is what God expects you to do in Christ Jesus.
Jesus, thank you for everything, even for
unhappy things
Recording
Matthew
8.1-3: In Jesus' time, it was illegal for anyone to
touch a leper,
and it was illegal for lepers to go near other people. But one day a leper broke the law.
He came right up to Jesus and said
"If you want to, you can heal me." Jesus also broke the law.
He stretched out his hand, touched the leper,
and said "Of course I want to heal you. Be healed!" The man was healed immediately.
Jesus, I didn't know you were a
law-breaker. I guess this means that sometimes, in special
cases, it's ok to break the law
Recording
Reflection on the above Bible readings:
In traditional Indian culture, one group of people had the name "untouchables". To Jesus, no one was an "untouchable".
-------------------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
137: Recording Since
everything is closely interrelated, and today's problems call for a vision
capable of taking into account every aspect of the global crisis, I suggest that
we now consider some elements of an integral ecology, one which clearly
respects its human and social dimensions.
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
136: Recording
Let us renew our
confidence in preaching, based on the conviction that it
is God who seeks to reach out to others through the preacher, and that he
displays his power through human words.
Saint Paul speaks forcefully about the need to preach, since the Lord desires to reach other people by means of our word. By his words our Lord won over the hearts of the people; they came to hear him from all parts; they were amazed at his teachings, and they sensed that he spoke to them as one with authority.
By their words the
apostles, whom Christ established "to be with him and to be sent out
to preach", brought ((all)) nations to the bosom of the Church.
-------------------------------------
To go with today's Gospel:
--------------------------------------
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 3rd
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Gansu
And
praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 3rd of the month, Jesus
please bless the people of Burundi
And
praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Thursday,
please pacify Al-Qaeda
--------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Wed Aug 2
Why
next week's Liberal Party showdown on marriage is a proxy for the soul of our
nation
Having
captured Labor, the rainbow political movement is now engaged in an intense
battle for control of the soul of the conservative side of politics.
Unless
something special happens, Australia will soon follow the US and Canada in a
surrender to the LGBT agenda, with catastrophic ramifications for schools,
universities, churches, hospitals etc ...as in this 26 min video:
What
"gay marriage" did to Massachusetts
同志婚姻自2004年立法後，美國麻省的改變
（ 廣東話附字幕版
This
is a cultural typhoon ....we need to take urgent action....letters to
politicians...prayer...fasting. This issue has worried me so much that yesterday
I posted this
letter
to every one of the 150 members of the House of Representatives (soon to vote on
the issue of same-sex marriage). Surely if most politicians watch the above
video they will not vote for same-sex marriage. Other places in the firing line of the LGBT
juggernaut - like HK - also need to take action now. Our representatives need to
see the above video ....to know what's going on in the US.
Leadership change for
HK diocese
--------------------------------------------------------
Chris McDonnell
The
marking of ground
The day of burial
brings together family and friends to celebrate a life and determine a
conclusion to this earthly pilgrimage
-------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
1 Kings 19: Elijah once spent a night in a cave.
The Lord then told him to stand at the mouth of the cave. Then there was a mighty wind that
shattered trees and rocks.
But the Lord was not in the wind. Then there was an earthquake.
But the Lord was not in the earthquake. Then there was a gentle breeze.
And the Lord was in the breeze. Not long after this
Elijah called Elisha to become his follower.
Dear Lord, please help us
be aware of your presence in our lives
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
84: How lovely is your sacred temple, Lord.
My heart is longing to spend time in your holy dwelling. Even sparrows and swallows are your
temple guests.
They build homes for their young near your altar. Blessed are the people who live and work in
your temple.
And blessed, too, are people who keep the memory of your temple in
their hearts. As they go through the troubles of life,
you give them strength to face the trials of each day. Lord, one day within your temple
is better than a thousand anywhere else.
Dear God, thank you for special
places of prayer
Recording
1
Thessalonians 5.1-11: The Lord's coming will not find us unprepared
if we live a good life. You are not children of the night and of
darkness.
You are children of the light and of the day. Put on faith and love for a
breastplate.
Put on the hope of salvation for a helmet. Encourage one another. Strengthen one
another.
Jesus, please help me be a person of
encouragement, not
discouragement
Recording
Matthew
7.1-27: Jesus said to the people: Do not judge other people,
and God will not judge you. It's so easy to be aware of other people's
faults
yet be blind to your own faults. Persevere in prayer. Ask and you will receive.
Search and you will find.
Knock and the door will be opened. You like to give good things to your children.
God likes to give good things to you. Treat other people
the way you would like them to treat you. Beware of bad leaders.
A sure way to know if someone is good or bad: are their
actions good or bad? If you put my words into practice,
you are like someone who builds his house on rock. If you ignore my words,
you are like someone who builds his house on sand.
Jesus, please help me put your
words into practice
Recording
Reflection
on the above readings:
The
LGBT juggernaut is an attack on the very foundation of society - the family. As
today's Gospel says, a faulty foundation means the collapse of a building.
-------------------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
136: Recording On
the other hand, it is troubling that, when some ecological movements defend the
integrity of the environment, rightly demanding that certain limits be imposed
on scientific research, they sometimes fail to apply those same principles to
human life.
There is a tendency to justify transgressing all boundaries when experimentation is carried out on living human embryos.
We forget that the inalienable worth of a human being transcends his or her degree of development.
In the same way, when technology disregards the great ethical principles, it ends up considering any practice whatsoever as licit.
As we have seen in this chapter, a technology severed from ethics will not easily be able to limit its own power.
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
135: Recording
Let us now look at preaching
within the liturgy, which calls for serious consideration by pastors. I
will dwell in particular, and even somewhat meticulously, on the homily and its
preparation, since so many concerns have been expressed about this important
ministry, and we cannot simply ignore them.
The homily is the touchstone for judging a pastor's closeness and ability to communicate to his people. We know that the faithful attach great importance to it, and that both they and their ordained ministers suffer because of homilies: the laity from having to listen to them and the clergy from having to preach them!
It is sad that this is the case. The
homily can actually be an intense and happy experience of the Spirit, a
consoling encounter with God's word, a constant source of renewal and growth.
-------------------------------------
Q: The
tombstone of which famous comedian has the words 'I
told you I was ill' ?!
A: See
article by Chris McDonnell, above
--------------------------------------
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 2nd
of
the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Fujian
And praying for one of
the world's poorest
countries each day of the month:
On this 2nd of the month, Jesus please
bless the people of Niger
And praying for one
Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, 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
同志婚姻自2004年立法後，美國麻省的改變
（ 廣東話附字幕版）
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- 67095674
China
mobile +86-13828421861 - (only
when in China)
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