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 Oct 17
A
long but happy day yesterday: a trip to Kowloon City Court in the early morning
to arrange bail release for a man in Lai Chi Kok men's prison; a meeting (at the
court) with a kind young man who is setting up a Facebook page for a new website
I've started - to help protect family life in HK from the radical rainbow
typhoon which is battering so many parts of the world; then a visit to Lai Chi
Kok prison to deliver the "get out of jail" letter & visit some
inmates due for court soon; then some office work at home (an urgent support
letter for a coming case & preparation of an affidavit for another case);
then a long visit to a HK Island legal office to finalise the affidavit; then
some time at the Catholic Centre in Central to say thank you for 71 years of
life; then an evening meal with some homeless people who sleep at McDonald's. No
trouble sleeping last night! My custom for many years now has been to have a
meal with poor people on Oct 16 as in 2016
and 2009
--------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
1 Maccabees 1:
Some Jews abandoned
their religion and made a pact with King Antiochus Epiphanes, a Seleucid
king of the Greeks. Antiochus conquered
many lands, including Israel.
He plundered the Temple and forced the Jews to renounce their religion. But many Jews
courageously stood firm and were punished with death. This was a sad and
terrible time for Israel.
Dear
God, please help us stay faithful to you
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
144: Blessed be the Lord, my rock,
who gives me strength for every situation. He is my love, my fortress.
He is my stronghold, my savior. To you, O God, will I sing a new song,
you who so often rescued David your servant. Happy the people whose God is the Lord.
Please continue to bless your people, Lord. Let our sons flourish like saplings
grown tall and strong from their youth;
our daughters graceful as columns,
adorned as though for a palace.
Let our crops and stock be blessed.
May there be no sound of weeping on our streets.
Lord, please help us love and
honor you every day.
Don't let us ever forget your love
Listen
James
3.3-10: When a bit is put into a horse's mouth, the
whole animal is under control. A tiny rudder can control a big ship. In the same way, if you can control your
tongue,
you can control every other part of yourself. The tongue is a whole wicked world in itself.
It is so hard to control.
We use it to bless God, but we also use it to curse people made in God's
image.
Jesus, please help me control my tongue!
Listen
Matthew 27.27-31: After the Roman soldiers scourged Jesus, they
made fun of him:
- they put a red cloak on him.
- they made a crown out of thorns.
- they put a reed in his right hand.
Then they knelt in front of him
saying "Hail, king of the Jews".
They spat on him.
They took the reed and hit him with it.
When they had finished making fun of him,
they dressed him in his own clothes and led him away to crucify him.
Jesus, please don't let me hurt other people by
making fun of them
Listen
Reflection on the above readings:
From the beginning of human history, evil people have persecuted and killed good people. At the time of the Maccabees, many people died for their religion. Jesus died for his religion. Every 6 seconds today a Christian dies for his/her religion. A fully mature Christian is prepared to die for his/her faith.
--------------------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text
Full Chinese text
204: Listen The current global situation engenders a feeling of instability and uncertainty, which in turn becomes "a seedbed for collective selfishness".
When people become self-centred and self-enclosed, their greed increases.
The emptier a person's heart is, the more he or she needs things to buy, own and consume.
It becomes almost impossible to accept the limits imposed by reality.
In this horizon, a genuine sense of the common good also disappears.
As these attitudes become more widespread, social norms are respected only to the extent that they do not clash with personal needs.
So our concern cannot be limited merely to the threat of extreme weather events, but must also extend to the catastrophic consequences of social unrest.
Obsession with a consumerist lifestyle, above all when few people are capable of maintaining it, can only lead to violence and mutual destruction.
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text
Full
Chinese text
187a: Listen
Each individual Christian
and every community is called
to be an instrument of God for the liberation and
promotion of the poor, and for enabling them to be
fully a part of society. This demands that we be
docile and attentive to the cry of the poor and to come to their aid.
-------------------------------------
Interactive
Bible Quiz - 1
Kings
Based on the actual
words of the Bible.
How many times can you get 3/3 ?!
----------------------------------
10
years ago today:
------------------------------------------
I guess the problem is me ...but the older I get ... the
busier life is becoming. The good news is that the retirement age for priests in
HK is ......wait for it .....85!
--------------------------------------
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 17th
of
the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Shaanxi
And praying for one of
the world's poorest countries
each day of the month:
On this 17th of the month, Jesus
please bless the people of Malawi
And praying for one
Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Tuesday,
please pacify Boko
Haram
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Mon Oct 16
Because of Typhoon Signal No. 8 I ventured out only twice
yesterday: for lunch at McDonald's with 8 homeless/special people ....a very
happy meal; and for a canteen meal in the evening with two ex-addicts....also a
happy meal. Three of the lunch group were due to go to the Mercy Centre on
Cheung Chau Island last night. There are not many things in life as worthwhile
as helping the poor ....
A beautiful true story by John Allen:
When Jihad met the Virgin
New letter in English by man from Guinea,
again explaining how he was recruited, and again warning others not to be so
tricked - here
(Oct 5)
Letter in Spanish from a
South American inmate in prison in HK for drug trafficking - here
(Oct 13)
--------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Esther
6-8: On the night between the two banquets, the
king could not sleep.
To induce sleep he started reading the history of his kingdom. He read how some years ago two of his eunuchs
planned to assassinate him, but the plot was foiled by Mordecai. The king asked Haman how to honor a man whom
the king wished to honor. Haman thought the king was talking about
himself, Haman, so
he suggested royal clothes, a royal horse and a royal parade. The king agreed and told Haman to honor
Mordecai in this way.
This was a great humiliation for Haman.
And it got even worse for Haman. At the second banquet, Esther told the
king that she was Jewish and that Haman planned to
kill all Jews.
The result: Haman was hanged on the gallows which he had prepared for
Mordecai, and the Jews were not only spared annihilation - they were given
places of honor in the kingdom. The
Jews praised God for all his help through Mordecai.
Dear God, please stop people
like Haman
from committing injustice
My
recording of this reading: 01
02
Psalm
140-143: Lord, save me from
people who do evil,
you who do justice for the needy. I have no way out of
this situation.
And no one wants to help me. Lord, I beg you tonight
to make haste and give me an answer, for my spirit fails within me.
In the morning let me know your love
for I put my trust in you.
Lord, please help people who
are in big trouble
Listen
James
2.14-26: Faith and good works need to go together.
Suppose someone is lacking clothes and food,
and you say "I wish you well" and do nothing to help them. What good is that?
Faith
without good deeds is useless.
Jesus, please help me put my faith into action
by good deeds
Listen
Matthew
27.1-26: Early in the morning, the religious leaders
had Jesus bound with ropes.
They then took him to Pilate, the Roman governor. The leaders accused
Jesus of many crimes.
To the governor's amazement, Jesus remained silent. The leaders persuaded
the crowd to demand
the execution of Jesus. They called out to Pilate "Crucify him".
Pilate asked "Why? What has
he done wrong?"
The crowd shouted all the louder "Crucify him. Crucify him". Pilate then washed his hands in
front of the crowd and said
"I am innocent of this man's blood".
The crowd shouted "His blood be on us and on our children". Pilate then ordered Jesus to be
scourged and crucified.
Jesus, help people who are condemned to death
Listen
Reflection
on the above readings:
Pilate ordered Jesus to be
scourged.... the Gospels don't go into the gory details of the scourging....a
scourging that was meant to speed up death by making sure a person was half dead
before being crucified. This
medical article is hard to read ....not because of technical terms, but
because of its terrible details about the suffering that a scourged/crucified
person experienced. After reading it, all we can say is ...thank you Jesus...
--------------------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
203: Listen
Since the market tends to promote extreme
consumerism in an effort to sell its products, people can easily get caught up
in a whirlwind of needless buying and spending.
Compulsive consumerism is one example of how the techno-economic paradigm affects individuals.
Romano Guardini had already foreseen this: "The gadgets and technics forced upon him by the patterns of machine production and of abstract planning mass man accepts quite simply; they are the forms of life itself. To either a greater or lesser degree mass man is convinced that his conformity is both reasonable and just".
This paradigm leads people to believe that they are free as long as they have the supposed freedom to consume.
But those really free are the minority who wield economic and financial power. Amid this confusion, postmodern humanity has not yet achieved a new self-awareness capable of offering guidance and direction, and this lack of identity is a source of anxiety. We have too many means and only a few insubstantial ends
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
186: Listen
Our
faith in Christ, who became poor, and was always close to the poor and the
outcast, is the basis of our concern for
the integral development of society's most neglected members
-------------------------------------
10
years ago today:
First Breaking of Bread in Deqing church for 50 years
First visit to Deqing Shiyan Government Primary School
------------------------------------------
Check
video at
this site - a horse called "Witherspoon"!
--------------------------------------
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 16th of
the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Qinghai
And
praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 16th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Afghanistan
And praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Monday,
please pacify I.S.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Sun Oct 15
I
am at present reading a fascinating book on the history of cocaine. Yesterday I
was staggered to learn that the CIA played a large role in the spread of cocaine
in the US:
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/Candy-Machine/Candy-Machine-043.jpg)
Video
interview with my former student Bishop Mark Edwards O.M.I. - preparing for the
Year of Youth
The
disturbing case of an imprisoned Chinese priest
-----------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
c.f. readings for Sunday 28
Isaiah 25: On Mount Zion in Jerusalem,
the Lord will prepare for all peoples
a banquet of rich food, a banquet of fine wines. On this mountain
he will delete Death. The Lord will wipe away
the tears from every cheek. Lord, you are my God,
I extol you, I praise your name. You, Lord, are a refuge for the poor,
a refuge for the needy in distress.
Lord, please give hope and
courage
to people who are sad and troubled in the world today
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
23: The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I
shall want.
Fresh and green are the pastures where he gives me repose.
Near restful waters he leads me, to revive my drooping spirit. He guides me along the right path. He is true
to his name.
If I should walk in the valley of darkness no evil would I fear.
You are there with your crook and your staff; with these you give me
comfort. You have prepared a banquet for me in the
sight of my foes.
My head you have anointed with oil. My cup is overflowing. Surely goodness and kindness shall follow me
all the days of my life. In the Lord's own house shall I dwell for ever
and ever.
Thank you, Lord, for being my
good shepherd
Listen
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
Listen
Matthew
22.1-10: Jesus said
to the chief priests and elders of the people: The kingdom of heaven may be
compared to a king who gave a feast for his son's wedding. He sent his servants
to call those who had been invited, but they would not come. Next he sent some
more servants. "Tell those who have been invited" he said "that I
have my banquet all prepared, my oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered,
everything is ready. Come to the wedding." But they were not interested:
one went off to his farm, another to his business, and the rest seized his
servants, maltreated them and killed them. The king was furious. He dispatched
his troops, destroyed those murderers and burnt their town. Then he said to his
servants, "The wedding is ready; but as those who were invited proved to be
unworthy, go to the crossroads in the town and invite everyone you can find to
the wedding." So these servants went out on to the roads and collected
together everyone they could find, bad and good alike; and the wedding hall was
filled with guests.
Reflection on the above readings:
Sometimes people in a group are not welcoming to
new members. Don't want any more.
But God's policy is "always room for one more" ..."the more the
merrier"...."a full house"
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
202: Listen
Many things have to change course, but it is we
human beings above all who need to change.
We lack an awareness of our common origin, of our mutual belonging, and of a future to be shared with everyone.
This basic awareness would enable the development of new convictions, attitudes and forms of life.
A great cultural, spiritual and educational challenge stands before us, and it will demand that we set out on the long path of renewal.
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
185: Listen
In
what follows I intend to concentrate on two great issues
which strike me as fundamental at this time in history. I will treat them more
fully because I believe that they will shape the future of
humanity. These issues are first, the inclusion of
the poor in society, and second, peace and social
dialogue.
-------------------------------------
Hour
of Love HK radio program 8.30
pm HK time tonight
- with items about HK prison inmates
-------------------------------------------
Another
Catholic typhoon visiting HK region
today. Catholic. ...because it comes on a Sunday ...and from the
Philippines!
But if it's Catholic why does it cause the cancellation of Masses? This
morning's Masses cancelled because Signal No. 8 launched....the third time
Masses have been cancelled over the past few months
--------------------------------------
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 15th
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Liaoning
And praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 15th of the month, Jesus
please bless the people of Zimbabwe
And praying for one Islam-related
intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Sunday,
please bless all Muslims in my country
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--------------------------------------------------------------------
Sat Oct 14
I
spent most of yesterday at Lai Chi Kok men's prison ...and it was like a holiday
for me! After spending so much of Mon-Thurs at my computer doing office work, it
was a pleasure to have a day off mixing with inmates! Except for a very
expensive cup of tea: an Indian asylum seeker kindly offered me a cup of tea
(the same as that which is provided for the inmates) and it was beautiful since
I'd be doing a lot of talking and my throat was very dry. But when I finished
the tea he asked me a favor: "You please find me a nice local Chinese girl
to marry, so I can then get residence and stay in Hong Kong". Beware
of Greeks (Indians) bearing gifts?!
25 million people
die in agony without morphine every year
Click here
for daily posts at MercyHK!
--------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Esther
5: After Esther prayed to God for a long time,
she went to the palace and presented herself to the king. At first the king was angry that
Esther came without being invited,
but then his heart softened and he
welcomed her. When King Ahasuerus saw that
Esther was distressed,
he asked her what was wrong. He promised to do anything for her. Esther asked that there be two
special banquets for herself,
the king and Haman. The king agreed and the banquets were arranged.
Haman meanwhile was making his
own arrangements:
a high gallows on which to hang Mordecai.
Dear God, please move the
hearts of rulers
to be kind to their people
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
148: Praise the Lord from the heavens,
praise him in the heights. Praise him all his angels,
praise him all his spirits. Praise him, sun and moon,
praise him, shining stars. Let them praise the name of the Lord.
His word gave life to all of them. Praise the Lord from the earth,
sea creatures and all oceans. Praise him fire and hail, snow and mist,
stormy winds that obey his word. Praise him all mountains and hills,
all fruit trees and cedars.
Praise him all animals, wild and tame,
reptiles and birds in the air. Praise him all earth's kings and peoples,
earth's princes and rulers. Praise him young men and maidens,
old people together with children. Let them praise the name of the Lord.
He is the praise of all who love him.
Lord our God and Creator, you
are worthy of all praise
Listen
James
2.1-13:
Don't try to combine faith in Jesus Christ,
our glorified Lord, with the making of distinctions between classes of
people. Suppose two men come into your prayer meeting,
one beautifully dressed and with a gold ring; the other poor and in shabby
clothes. If you welcome the rich man, and look down on
the poor man, you are making a big mistake. It was those who are poor according to the
world that God chose to be rich in faith. So, never make distinctions between classes of
people.
Everyone is your neighbor. Love your neighbor as yourself. There will be judgment without mercy for
people who have not been merciful. But merciful people need have no fear
of judgment.
Jesus, help me treat everyone equally and
fairly. No favorites
Listen
Matthew
26.69-75: Peter went to the place where the religious
leaders had Jesus on trial.
A young woman in the courtyard of the place said to him.
"You are a friend of the Galilean". In front of the woman and people
around her
Peter said "I don't know what you're talking about". Peter went to the gateway of the
place, where another woman said to people around her "This man is a
friend of the Galilean".
Peter replied strongly "I don't know the man". Not long after this a group of
people said to Peter
"You are his friend. We can tell by your Galilean accent". Then Peter even more strongly
replied "I do not know the man". At that very moment, a rooster
crowed.
Peter remembered Jesus' words "Before the rooster crows, you will
deny me three times". Peter went outside and wept loudly.
Jesus, please help me not to deny you.
Give me courage to say "I am a Christian"
Listen
Reflection on the above readings:
For the rest of his life Peter was probably disturbed each time he heard a rooster crow. No wonder he (Peter, not the rooster) turned out to be such a humble pastor ....his morning began with a humbling reminder of what happened that fateful Thursday night when Jesus was arrested
----------------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
201: Listen The
majority of people living on our planet profess to be believers.
This should spur religions to dialogue among themselves for the sake of protecting nature, defending the poor, and building networks of respect and fraternity.
Dialogue among the various sciences is likewise needed, since each can tend to become enclosed in its own language, while specialization leads to a certain isolation and the absolutization of its own field of knowledge.
This prevents us from confronting environmental problems effectively.
An open and respectful dialogue is also needed between the various ecological movements, among which ideological conflicts are not infrequently encountered.
The gravity of the ecological crisis demands that we all look to the common good, embarking on a path of dialogue which demands patience, self-discipline and generosity, always keeping in mind that "realities are greater than ideas"
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
184b: Listen
Furthermore, neither
the Pope nor the Church have a monopoly on the
interpretation of social realities or the proposal of solutions to contemporary
problems.
Here I can repeat the insightful observation of
Pope Paul VI: "In the face of such widely varying
situations, it is difficult for us to utter a unified message and to put forward
a solution which has universal validity. This is not our ambition, nor is
it our mission. It is up to the Christian communities to
analyze with objectivity the situation which is proper to their own
country".
-------------------------------------
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 14th
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Jilin
And praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the
month:
On this 14th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Ehtiopia
And
praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Saturday,
please pacify the
Taliban
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Fri Oct 13
Today is the 100th anniversary
of the
miracle of the sun at Fatima in Portugal
Yesterday I had a most useful meeting with some people from
Indonesia to warn Indonesian domestic workers in HK about the danger of being
tricked/recruited by Nigerian Drug Lords and their associates ....in person or
through social media....as happened to this Indonesian woman in prison whose
letter in English is here
10,000
from migrant communities say "No" to same-sex marriage
Letter in Swahili from a Tanzanian woman in prison in HK for drug trafficking - here
-------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from Simple
Bible
Esther 4: When Mordecai heard about Haman's plan,
Mordecai asked Esther to appeal to Ahasuerus for help. Mordecai and Esther both knew that to approach
the king
without an invitation was a crime punishable by death,
unless the king saw fit to welcome an uninvited person. So they prayed to God to move the heart of
Ahasuerus to welcome Esther.
Dear God, please move the
hearts of rulers
to care for their people
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
139: O Lord, you search me and you know me.
You know my resting and my rising. You know exactly what's going on in my life,
all my ways are an open book to you. Before ever a word is on my tongue,
you know, O Lord, what I'm going to say. Your knowledge is beyond my understanding,
too high, beyond my reach. It was you who created my being,
knit me together in my mother's womb. I thank you for the wonder of my life,
for the wonders of all your creation.Lord, thank you for the gift of
life. Please help me follow the path to eternal life
Listen
Revelation 12.1-6 (for
Fatima anniversary): A great sign appeared in heaven:
a Woman, dressed in the sun, standing on the moon,
crowned with 12 stars. She was giving birth to a Child,
and she cried out in the pain of childbirth. Then a second sign appeared:
a huge red dragon, which wanted to eat the Child. The Woman gave birth to a Son, the ruler of
all nations. The Son was taken straight up to heaven, to
God on his throne.
The Woman escaped to safety in the desert,
to a place prepared for her by God.
Jesus, protect us from Satan
who goes round like a hungry lion wanting to eat us
Listen
Luke 1.46-56
(for Fatima anniversary):
Mary said "My soul praises the
greatness of the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my savior. Starting
from today, all generations will call me blessed, for the Almighty has
done great things for me". Mary stayed with Elizabeth about 3 months and
then went home.
Elizabeth gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives shared her joy.
When the child was circumcised on the 8th day, he was given the name John.
Jesus, please bless all women who are having a
baby today
Listen
Reflection on the above Bible readings:
In 1982 I had the privilege of spending two
nights in Fatima ... just like Lourdes ...a place of prayer where Mary helps us
focus on Jesus. A great old movie: The
Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima (trailer)
----------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
200: Listen
Any technical solution which science claims to offer
will be powerless to solve the serious problems of our world if humanity loses
its compass, if we lose sight of the great motivations which make it possible
for us to live in harmony, to make sacrifices and to treat others well.
Believers themselves must constantly feel challenged to live in a way consonant with their faith and not to contradict it by their actions.
They need to be encouraged to be ever open to God's grace and to draw constantly from their deepest convictions about love, justice and peace.
If a mistaken understanding of our own principles has at times led us to justify mistreating nature, to exercise tyranny over creation, to engage in war, injustice and acts of violence, we believers should acknowledge that by so doing we were not faithful to the treasures of wisdom which we have been called to protect and preserve.
Cultural limitations in different eras often affected the perception of these ethical and spiritual treasures, yet by constantly returning to their sources, religions will be better equipped to respond to today's needs.
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
184a: Listen
This is not the time or the place to examine in
detail the many grave social questions affecting today's
world, some of which I have dealt with in the second chapter.
This Exhortation is not a social document, and
for reflection on those different themes we have a most suitable tool in the Compendium
of the Social Doctrine of the Church,
whose use and study I heartily recommend.
-------------------------------------
10
years ago today:
------------------------------------------
For Fatima anniversary:
Q: What was the Third Secret of Fatima?
A: Close Lourdes!
--------------------------------------
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 13th
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Jiangxi
And praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the
month:
On this 13th of the month, Jesus please bless the
people of Mali
And praying for one Islam-related
intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Friday,
please bless all Muslims
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Thu Oct 12
Moving letter in English from a Brazil man in prison for drug
trafficking ... how poverty led him into the clutches of the Sao Paolo Drug Lords
- here
Article
in Russian media (in Russian!) about young Russians being tricked to become
drug mules. Article mentions case of one young man in prison in HK
This
is most disturbing:
Government pushes for easier sex changes for kids
Why
HK and Australia need to fight against same-sex marriage .... to avoid this:
Pornography
targeting youth in high schools, middle schools, and public libraries.
I
won't intentionally help my patients to end their lives
This is a very important article - by John Allen:
Meeting Middle East Christians is where Western stereotypes go to die
Some new photos of SCMP function on Sep 29 are here
--------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from Simple
Bible
Esther
3:
About this time Haman from the land of Agag
was promoted by King Ahasuerus to a top position. All other officials were
to bow and prostrate themselves before Haman. Mordecai refused to bow to
Haman. This made
Haman very angry. Haman found out that Mordecai was a Jew.
Haman decided to kill Mordecai and all Jews in the kingdom. Ahasuerus agreed to Haman's plan
and a decree to this effect was announced:
all Jews were to be killed on the 14th day of the 12th month.
Dear God, please protect poor
people from people like Haman
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
138: I thank you, Lord, with all my heart.
You have heard the words of my mouth. With the angels I will bless you.
I will adore you in your holy temple. I thank you for your faithfulness and love
which are far above what we can understand. On the day I called you answered.
You increased the strength of my soul. All earth's kings shall thank you
when they hear the words of your mouth. They shall sing of the Lord's ways:
"How great is the glory of the Lord!" Though I walk in the midst of affliction
you give me life and frustrate my foes. Your love, O Lord, is eternal.
Do not abandon us whom you have made.
Lord, when we remember how much
you love us and help us, every day of the year is a Thanksgiving Day
Listen
James
1.26-27:
Don't go thinking you're "religious"
while your tongue is out of control. That's the wrong idea of religion. Genuine religion, in the eyes of God our
Father is this: coming to the help of orphans and widows, and staying
clear of bad values.
Jesus, help me control my tongue
...and help me do more
to help the poor
Listen
Matthew
26.57-68: The men who arrested Jesus took him to a
meeting of the religious leaders. The leaders wanted to condemn Jesus to
death,
even if they had to use false evidence. Jesus remained silent before
their accusations.
Then the main leader challenged Jesus:
"Are you the Saviour, the Son of God?" Jesus replied "Yes".
The main leader then called out "We have heard him claim to be of Divine origin. This is blasphemy".
The rest of the leaders shouted
"He should die". Then they spat in Jesus' face and hit him with their fists.
Jesus, thank you for submitting yourself to
insult and spittle
for the salvation of the world
Listen
Reflection on the above Bible readings:
I can remember only one occasion when someone spat at me. I walking along a footpath one afternoon on the Gold Coast in Australia, very, very tired after just getting off a plane from HK early that morning ....for annual holiday, especially to see my aging mother .....when a 12 year old boy on a bike rode past me, on the footpath, and spat on my jumper. My exhausted bones came to life, I sprinted after him (and his companion) and caught him and confiscated his bicycle overnight in a nearby shop where the owner knew me. Bike was returned to boy the next day. A very unpleasant experience to be spat on. A tiny, tiny glimpse of what Jesus must have felt like. And in his case the spittle was onto his face.
-------------------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
199: Listen It
cannot be maintained that empirical science provides a complete explanation of
life, the interplay of all creatures and the whole of reality.
This would be to breach the limits imposed by its own methodology.
If we reason only within the confines of the latter, little room would be left for aesthetic sensibility, poetry, or even reason's ability to grasp the ultimate meaning and purpose of things.
I would add that "religious classics can prove meaningful in every age; they have an enduring power to open new horizons. Is it reasonable and enlightened to dismiss certain writings simply because they arose in the context of religious belief?"
It would be quite simplistic to think that ethical principles present themselves purely in the abstract, detached from any context.
Nor does the fact that they may be couched in religious language detract from their value in public debate.
The ethical principles capable of being apprehended by reason can always reappear in different guise and find expression in a variety of languages, including religious language.
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
183d: Listen
All Christians, their
pastors included, are called to show concern for the
building of a better world.
This is essential, for the Church's social thought is primarily positive: it offers proposals, it works for change and in this sense it constantly points to the hope born of the loving heart of Jesus Christ.
At the same time, it unites "its
own commitment to that made in the social field by other Churches and Ecclesial
Communities, whether at the level of doctrinal reflection or at the
practical level".
-------------------------------------
One dream I have is to help set up a sort of permanent
"soup kitchen" in the form of a simple restaurant which could be
self-supporting through ordinary business .... and which would be like
McDonald's ....allowing needy people to stay overnight ...not in beds but at the
tables. A possible name - as a thank you to McD's for their compassion: McMercy!
--------------------------------------
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 12th
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Jiangsu
And
praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 12th of the month, Jesus
please bless the people of Guinea Bissau
And
praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Thursday,
please pacify Al-Qaeda
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--------------------------------------------------------------------
Wed Oct 11
Yesterday afternoon I spent some time with a Mainland Chinese man who came to HK
for the day to visit his older sister in Lo Wu women's prison in Sheung Shui. He
told me that before his sister was arrested some years ago, he actually saw the
African man in China who tricked his sister to take drugs to HK. His sister,
like other Mainland women in prison for the same reason, refused to plead
"guilty" to get a shorter prison sentence ..."why should I
lie?" (...strong Confucian culture..) ..but did not have enough evidence to
prove her innocence ...so she lost her case and is now serving a very long
sentence. The African Drug Lord might like to check this
story
Yesterday morning I finally finished filling in the last of some 120 letters
....and addressing an envelope for each one....for the 120 prison inmates in HK
from Latin America....in preparation for my trip to South America after
Christmas, God willing. Letters are due to be mailed on time today. Blank letter
is here
--------------------------------------------------------
Chris McDonnell
Dividing
the seasons
With age comes the
recollection of memories, the thinking back to where we have been, friendships,
the tears and laughter we have experienced
-------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Esther 2: A selection process was begun to find a woman
to replace Vashti as queen. Esther was a beautiful Jewish orphan girl who
had been brought up by her cousin Mordecai. After the long selection process was finished,
Esther was chosen to be queen.
No one in the palace knew she was Jewish.
Dear God, again I ask you,
please bless all kings and queens
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
137: By the rivers of Babylon we sat and cried,
remembering Zion.
On the poplars that grew there we hung up our harps. For it was there that they asked us, our
captors, for songs.
"Sing to us", they said, "one of Zion's songs". O how could we sing the song of the Lord on
alien soil?
If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand wither. O let my tongue cleave to my mouth
if I remember you not, Jerusalem, above all my joys.
Lord, please help people
who have been exiled from their homeland
James
1.19-25: Be quick to listen, and slow to speak, and
even slower to get angry.
God's goodness is never helped by human anger. Accept and submit to the word which has been
planted in your heart and can save your soul. Do what the word tells you. Don't just listen
to it. Actively put God's word into practice in your life.
Jesus, help me put your word into practice in
my life each day
Listen
Matthew
26.47-56:
While Jesus was still speaking, Judas
arrived.
Judas had with him a large crowd of men with swords and clubs,
sent by the religious leaders. Judas had told these men
"The one I kiss is the man. Take him".
So Judas went up to Jesus, said "Greetings, Master" and kissed
him.
The men then seized Jesus.
Jesus said to them "Am I a robber that you needed to capture me
with swords and clubs? Day after day I was openly teaching in the
Temple".
All of Jesus' apostles then deserted him and ran away.
Jesus, when I feel I am being
treated unfairly by other people,
may your arrest give me strength
Listen
Reflection
on the above readings:
During China's Cultural Revolution, parents were
betrayed by their children ...after their children had been brainwashed by
extremist ideas. The distress and sorrow of such parents gives us a tiny glimpse
of how Jesus must have felt to have been betrayed by Judas.
-------------------------------------------------------
Pope's
letter on climate change: Laudato Si 我主應受讚美
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
198: Listen Politics
and the economy tend to blame each other when it comes to poverty and
environmental degradation.
It is to be hoped that they can acknowledge their own mistakes and find forms of interaction directed to the common good.
While some are concerned only with financial gain, and others with holding on to or increasing their power, what we are left with are conflicts or spurious agreements where the last thing either party is concerned about is caring for the environment and protecting those who are most vulnerable.
Here too, we see how true it is that "unity is greater than conflict". (??? I don't understand this phrase in this context...)
------------------------------------
Pope Francis: The
Joy of the Gospel
Full
English text Full
Chinese text
183c: Listen
We love this magnificent planet on which God has put
us, and we love the human family which dwells here, with all its tragedies and
struggles, its hopes and aspirations, its strengths and weaknesses.
The earth is our common home and all of us are brothers and sisters.
If indeed "the just ordering of society and
of the state is a central responsibility of politics", the
Church "cannot and must not remain on the sidelines in the fight for
justice".
-------------------------------------
When my dear old Dad did a job that consisted of repeating
the same action .. like piling up a stack of bricks or painting a fence...when
he got to the last brick or last paling of the fence he'd say "that's the
one I was looking for". I used the phrase yesterday when I processed the
last of some 120 letters to Latin American inmates (see top of this menu)!
--------------------------------------
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 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, 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 (
The
Last Run)
--------------------
Australian Chinese for
Families Association
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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Thank you for checking this website each day. God bless all readers and bloggers!
Fr John Wotherspoon O.M.I. 胡
頌 恆 神 父
jdwomi@gmail.com
HK
mobile +852- 67095674
China
mobile +86-13828421861 - (only
when in China)
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