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 
Malaysia 
Nigeria 
Ph 
SA 
S.Amer
Thai 
Tz 
Ug 
EU
How campaign began
HK:how
long prison for trafficking?
www.AsylumSeekerHK.com
Name
& shame
Tues Aug 21
Yesterday
at the High Court three women from the Philippines received really heavy
sentences for drug trafficking - after unwisely pleading "not guilty"
and losing in a jury trial .... thereby missing the 1/3 discount for a guilty
plea. They will still receive 1/3 for good behaviour, which means, after
discount, they will be in prison for 14, 15 and 16 years (less 3 years already
served). Harsh HK ... for little fish. The story of the women is in letter of
Sep 10 here
Updated website of
Australian province of Oblates of Mary Immaculate (O.M.I.)
Pope on sexual abuse: We showed no care for the little ones.
Full text of Pope's letter - here
Pope's new letter -
"Rejoice and Be Glad":
136. True enough, we need to open the door
of our hearts to Jesus, who stands and knocks (cf. Rev 3:20). Sometimes I
wonder, though, if perhaps Jesus is already inside us and knocking on the door
for us to let him escape from our stale self-centredness
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The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Exodus 12-13: God said to Moses and Aaron
"From now on, this month is to be the first month of your year.
On the evening of the 14th day of this month
each family must kill and eat a one year old male sheep or goat.
Some of its blood must be put on your front door.
You must eat it in a hurry,
with a belt round your waist, sandals on your feet
and a staff in your hand.
This night I will go through the
Dear
God, please help me understand the full meaning of the Passover story
01
02
Psalm
135: Praise the name of the Lord,
praise him, servants of the Lord. Praise the Lord for he is good.
Sing a psalm to his name for he is loving. I know the Lord is great. He does whatever he
wills
in heaven, on earth, in the seas. Pagan idols are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
They have mouths but they cannot speak.
They have eyes but they cannot see. Sons of Israel, do not trust in useless idols.
Sons of Aaron, trust only in our Creator and Lord.
Dear Lord, please help people
who worship idols to know and love you
Listen
Galatians
5.19-26:
When self-indulgence is at work, the results
are obvious: sexual irresponsibility, sorcery, feuds and wrangling,
jealousy and drunkenness. What the Spirit brings is very different:
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, truthfulness, gentleness
and self-control. You cannot belong to Christ Jesus unless you
crucify all self-indulgent desires. Let us be directed by the Spirit. We must stop
being conceited, provocative and envious.
Holy Spirit, increase your influence in
my life
Listen
John
15.18-16.1:
At the meal, Jesus said to his disciples
"If you belonged to the world, the world would be friendly to you.
But because my choice withdrew you from the world, therefore the world is
unfriendly to you. Just as I am hated and persecuted, so you also
will be hated and persecuted. As the Scripture says 'They hated me
for no reason'. I am telling you these things now, so that when they happen, your
faith will not be shaken.
Jesus, if people are
unfriendly because I am a Christian, please give me strength and courage
Listen
Reflection on the above readings: Water causes a reaction when put on fire; goodness causes a reaction whenever it encounters evil
--------------------------------------------------------
10 years ago today: Marco
Polo: HK Baptist University students; roof-insulation program; HK Rosa C; shoe rack
------------------------------------------
On a wet morning on my way to High Court yesterday I heard
the usual announcement at the MTR (metro) station: "The floor is wet from
the rain" ... and I thought how appropriate this message will be when the
MTR opens its new cross-border station .... where the roof leaks
--------------------------------------
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 21st
of
the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Yunnan
And praying for one of
the world's poorest countries
each day of the month:
On this 21st of the month, Jesus
please bless the people of Benin
And praying for one
Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Tuesday,
please pacify Boko
Haram
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Mon Aug 20
Drug
Queen arrested in Kenya. She had sent 20 mules to other countries (including
a number to HK) in the past two years. I think she is Phoebe in
this profile. And see my post at East Africa's No. 1 blog - Jamii
Forums
Pope's new letter -
"Rejoice and Be Glad":
135. God is eternal newness. He impels us
constantly to set out anew, to pass beyond what is familiar, to the fringes and
beyond. He takes us to where humanity is most wounded, where men and women,
beneath the appearance of a shallow conformity, continue to seek an answer to
the question of life's meaning. God is not afraid! He is fearless! He is always
greater than our plans and schemes. Unafraid of the fringes, he himself became a
fringe (cf. Phil 2:6-8; Jn 1:14). So if
we dare to go to the fringes, we will find him there; indeed, he is already
there. Jesus is already there, in the hearts of our brothers and sisters, in
their wounded flesh, in their troubles and in their profound desolation.
He is already there.
--------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Exodus
11: One last time God sent Moses to Pharaoh,
with this message:
"Tonight at midnight, God's angel will pass through
Dear God, please bless everyone in Egypt
!
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
134: O come, bless the Lord,
all you who serve the Lord, who stand in the house of the Lord,
in the courts of the house of our God. Lift up your hands to heaven
and bless the Lord through the night. May the Lord bless you from Zion,
he who made both heaven and earth.
Lord, please protect my
family tonight and every night
Listen
Galatians
5.13-15: Serve one another in works of love, since the
whole of the Law is summed up in the command "Love your neighbor as
yourself". If you go in for non-stop criticism and
personal attacks, you will destroy the church community
Jesus, help me avoid unfair/unnecessary
criticism of other people
Listen
John
15.9-13: At the meal, Jesus said to his disciples
"As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Remain in my love
by keeping my commandments, especially this commandment:
love one another, as I
have loved you. A man can have no greater love than to lay
down his life for his friends"
Jesus, thank you for loving us. Help us
to love one another as you have loved us
Listen
Reflection on the above readings: People can lay down their life for others in one dramatic moment .... or over a long period of years by sacrificing and selfless dedication to family/society etc
--------------------------------------------------------
10
years ago: Thomas & A-Lok from
Macau; David Clark from UK; HK Baptist University students
------------------------------------------
From
a reader in Australia: Trip to
Limerick
--------------------------------------
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 20th of
the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Sichuan
And
praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 20th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Gambia
And praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Monday,
please pacify I.S.
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Sun Aug 19
Since I spent so much time in prisons last week I am way behind in processing
mail/email etc. I look forward to Sunday ... no letters! I hope the new NGO
"Voice for Prisoners" will one day soon start doing my job more
effectively and more simply. Each little job takes much time. e.g. one of many letters
from a prisoner yesterday asked for a text book to go with a long-distance
learning program (both approved by Welfare officers at the inmate's prison). So
I phoned one HK bookstore ...and after all the usual recordings I was able to
speak to a live human who after much checking said "sorry, out of stock".
Same experience at a second bookstore. Then I tried Amazon where I spent much
time finding a good bargain for a second hand copy of the book - and a company
that would mail the book from USA to HK ... and finally ordered a copy. Then
replied to letter to say book had been ordered.
Lessons learned after over a year of staying overnight at
McDonald's
Lord, have mercy:
When a Solemnity and a Scandal Fall on the Same Day
Pope's new letter -
"Rejoice and Be Glad":
134. Like the prophet Jonah, we
are constantly tempted to flee to a safe haven. It can have many names: individualism,
spiritualism, living in a little world, addiction, intransigence, the rejection
of new ideas and approaches, dogmatism, nostalgia, pessimism, hiding behind
rules and regulations. We can resist leaving behind a familiar and easy
way of doing things. Yet the challenges
involved can be like the storm, the whale, the worm that dried the gourd plant,
or the wind and sun that burned Jonah's head. For us, as for him, they can serve
to bring us back to the God of
tenderness, who invites us to set out ever anew on our journey.
-----------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
c.f. readings for Sunday 20
Proverbs 9.1-6: Wisdom has built herself a house,
she has erected 7 pillars. She has sent out her maidservants
to proclaim from the city's heights:
"Come and eat my bread,
drink the wine I have prepared. Leave your foolishness and you will live.
Come and walk in the way of wisdom."
Lord, please help us accept
your invitation to grow in wisdom
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
34: I will bless the Lord at all times,
his praise always on my lips.
In the Lord my soul shall make its boast,
the humble shall hear and be glad. Glorify the Lord with me, together let us
praise his name.
I sought the Lord and he answered me.
From all my terrors he set me free. The angel of the Lord is encamped around those
who revere the Lord, to rescue them. Taste and see that the Lord is good.
They are happy who seek refuge in him. The Lord is close to the broken-hearted.
Those whose spirits are crushed he will save.
Lord, by our Bible reading and
prayer, may we taste and see your goodness each day
Listen
Ephesians
5.10-20: Try to discover what the Lord wants of you.
Have nothing to do with the futile works of darkness. Wake up from your sleep, rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you. Be very careful about the sort of life you
live.
Follow your enlightened mind, not your unruly passions. Avoid drunkenness. Instead, be filled with the
Spirit.
Sing prayer songs when you are together, and when you're by yourself, keep
on singing to the Lord in your heart, always giving thanks to God
Jesus, make my heart sing right through the
day
Listen
John
6.52-58: The people said among themselves
"How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" Jesus replied "If you refuse to eat
my flesh , and drink my blood, you will not have life in
you. Anyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood has eternal life. For my flesh is real food, and my blood is
real drink. Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me, and
I live in them. As I, who am sent by the living Father, myself
draw life from the Father, so whoever eats me will draw life from me. This is the bread come down from heaven.
Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever"
Jesus, thank you for the gift of your Body and
Blood
in Holy Communion
Listen
Reflection on the above readings: God the Son became a FOOD baby, born in Bethlehem ("House of Bread"), placed in a manger (a feeding box for cattle). Just before the Passover (where a lamb was FOOD) he gave the teaching of John chapter 6 about his Body and Blood being our spiritual FOOD. He died at Passover itself (as the LAMB of God). Each Mass, each Communion is a celebration of Christmas and Easter! Each Mass, each Communion, we receive the FOOD Baby of Christmas, the Paschal LAMB of Easter. Every Sunday/Eucharist we can say: Happy Christmas & Happy Easter!
Video
commentary on today's readings - in Italian, Chinese, English, and
Spanish
Daniel Daring: 智慧邀人赴宴
--------------------------------------------------------
10 years ago today: Thank you Norton, Ribbo & staff of United Italian Corporation for roof
insulation of buildings at Marco Polo Center
------------------------------------------
Hour
of Love HK radio program 8.30
pm HK time tonight
- with items about HK prison inmates
-------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------
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 19th
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Shanxi
And praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 19th of the month, Jesus
please bless the people of Sudan
And praying for one Islam-related
intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Sunday,
please bless all Muslims in my country
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Sat Aug 18
Last Wednesday I spent 8 hours at Lo Wu women's prison, and
yesterday I spent another 8 hours there. Each trip involving 3 hours travelling
time. Long days, but very worthwhile. Yesterday I made a point of visiting many
Indonesian inmates on their National Day.... especially a group of 5 who I'm
trying to help with their appeals .... all recruited by the same Nigerian Drug
Lord, William, in Kuala Lumpur to bring drugs to HK. William's profile is here
Hongkonger protesting Philippine jail term thrown into solitary confinement
Protesters slam bid to cut asylum application time
Pope's new letter -
"Rejoice and Be Glad":
133. We need the Spirit's prompting, lest we be paralyzed by fear and
excessive caution, lest we grow used to keeping within safe bounds. Let
us remember that closed spaces grow musty and unhealthy. When the
Apostles were tempted to let themselves be crippled by danger and threats, they
joined in prayer: "And now, Lord, look upon their threats, and grant to
your servants to speak your word with all boldness" (Acts 4:29). As
a result, "when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered
together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the
word of God with boldness" (Acts 4:31).
--------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Exodus
10: Pharaoh's
advisers urged him to let the Israelites go.
They said to him "How much longer is this affair going to go on?
Let the Israelites go before Egypt
is ruined."
Pharaoh agreed to let the men go, but not the rest of the people.
So God sent two more plagues on the Egyptians:
locusts which devoured all the plants and trees,
and then three days of total darkness,
except in the land where the Israelites lived.
But even after the above nine plagues,
Pharaoh still wouldn't let the Israelites go.
Dear
God, stubbornness can sometimes be a good thing, but please don't let me
be stubborn if that will hurt other peopleMy
recording of this reading
Psalm
133: How good and how pleasant it is
when people live in unity. It is like precious oil upon the head,
running down upon the beard. It is like the dew of Hermon
which falls on the heights of Zion. For there the Lord gives his blessing,
life for ever.
Dear Lord, please help all the
peoples of the world to live as one family, in unity.
Listen
Galatians
5.1-6: When Christ freed us, he meant us to remain
free.
Stand firm then and do not return to a life of slavery to Jewish Law. As a Christian, it doesn't matter if you are
circumcised or not.
What matters is faith that is put into loving action
Jesus, help people whose lives are being
damaged by unreasonable religious laws
Listen
John
15.1-8: At the meal, Jesus said to his disciples
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. Each branch in me
that bears no fruit, he cuts off. Each branch that does bear fruit, he
prunes to make it bear even more fruit. As a branch cannot bear fruit by itself, but
must remain part of the vine, so you can't bear fruit unless you remain
in me. Cut off from me, you can do nothing. If you remain in me, and my words are alive in
your heart, you can ask for any good thing and you will get it. It is to the glory of my Father that you
should bear much fruit".
Jesus, please help me stay close to you. Help me bear
much fruit
Listen
Reflection on the above readings: Our life depends on Jesus for life just as a branch depends on the vine for life. Not just for life, but also for producing fruit ... for doing any good. The best way for anyone to help someone else is .... to stay close to Jesus.
-------------------------------------
10
years ago today: Hong
Kong South China Morning Post - why I'm nominating Premier Wen Jaibo for the
Nobel Peace Prize
------------------------------------------
To go with today's reading from Exodus:
--------------------------------------
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 18th
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Shandong
And praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the
month:
On this 10th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Ivory
Coast
And
praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Saturday,
please pacify the
Taliban
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Fri Aug 17
This morning at the HK High Court, an Indonesian woman (on Indonesia's National
Day!) is applying to appeal against sentence. I am due to be in prison all day
and am not able to attend the hearing, but I will be praying for the woman and I
ask readers also to pray for her. Her story is here
Through increased dedication to helping the poor
and through a revolution of humility at all levels, may the Church start to atone
for this: 
More
than 300 priests committed sexual abuse over decades
Full page report in yesterday's HK Apple Daily: Online copy
May there also be a return to the teaching of 1 Timothy 3.1-15 for men to be priests, since an increasing number of studies are saying there is a link between clerical child abuse and compulsory celibacy
O.M.I. outreach to the poor:
Rosies
hoping to expand to north side of Brisbane
Pope's new letter -
"Rejoice and Be Glad":
131. Look at Jesus. His
deep compassion reached out to others. It did not make him hesitant,
timid or self-conscious, as often happens with us. Quite the opposite. His
compassion made him go out actively to preach and to send others on a mission of
healing and liberation. Let us acknowledge our weakness, but allow Jesus
to lay hold of it and send us too on mission. We are weak, yet we hold a
treasure that can enlarge us and make those who receive it better and happier.
Boldness and apostolic courage are an essential part of mission.
-------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from Simple
Bible
Exodus 9: Through Moses, God kept saying to
Pharaoh
"Let my people go to offer me worship."
But Pharaoh kept refusing to let the people go.
So God sent three more plagues:
all the Egyptians' animals died,
then all the Egyptians were covered with boils,
then the land was hit by a fierce hailstorm.
During the hailstorm, Pharaoh said the people could go.
But as soon as the storm stopped, he changed his mind again.
Dear
God, please help us not to ignore your voice
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
130: Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice.
If you, O Lord, should
record our guilt,
Lord, who would survive? But with you is found
forgiveness.
For this we revere you. My soul is waiting for the Lord.
I count on his word. My soul is longing for the Lord
more than watchman for the daybreak. With the Lord there is mercy
and fullness of redemption. Israel indeed he will redeem
from all its iniquity.
Lord, please forgive me for all
the bad things I have done
Listen
Galatians
4.4-6:
When the appointed time came, God sent his
Son, born of a woman, born a subject of the Law, to redeem the subjects of
the Law, and to enable us to be adopted as children of God, brothers and
sisters of his Son. The proof that we are children is that God has
sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts: the Spirit that cries
"Abba, Father".
Jesus, help me understand how I have been
adopted,
how you are my Brother
Listen
John
14.23-27: At the meal, Jesus said to his disciples
"If you love me, you will put my words into practice, and my Father
will love you, and we shall make our home in your heart. The New Friend, the Holy Spirit, whom the
Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of
all I have said to you. Peace I leave with you, my own peace I give
you, a peace the world cannot give"
Father, Son and Holy Spirit, please help me
understand how you live in my heart. Thank you for your peace
Listen
Reflection on the above Bible readings: Both Paul and John in above readings refer to the Trinity. Our lives come from the Trinity and we are meant to share the life of the Trinity for ever in Heaven. Our life here on earth should more and more be a conversation with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
----------------------------------------------
10 years ago today: Andrew, Angus and Clement, all from
Macau, with their former teacher HK Rosa H
------------------------------------------
After a 5pm meeting yesterday afternoon with the wonderful
professional people who are setting up the new NGO "Voice for
Prisoners" I went straight to a Yau Ma Tei canteen for 6.45 meal arranged
by my other new NGO "MercyHK" with the homeless group who sleep at
McDonald's and in parks etc. Maybe someday there can be a joint function for the
two NGOs?!
--------------------------------------
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 17th
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Shaanxi
And praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the
month:
On this 17th of the month, Jesus please bless the
people of Malawi
And praying for one Islam-related
intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Friday,
please bless all Muslims
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Thu Aug 16
Yesterday I was
at Lo Wu women's prison for about 8 hours ... talking with dozens of inmates,
including some from Mainland China who are in the same boat as Li
Dan Dan who was recently acquitted after nearly 3 years behind bars. I'm
hoping that some of the Mainland women can appeal against sentence ... helped by
Dan Dan's case. The story of one of the women, and photos/info re the Nigerian
boyfriend who deceived her, are in "C" at this
link (I met the guy in Kuala Lumpur last year)
Pope's new letter -
"Rejoice and Be Glad":
130. Blessed Paul
VI, in referring to obstacles to evangelization, spoke of a lack of fervour
(parrhesia) that is "all the more serious because it comes from
within".[103]
How often we are tempted to keep close to the shore! Yet the Lord calls us to
put out into the deep and let down our nets (cf. Lk 5:4). He bids us
spend our lives in his service. Clinging to him, we are inspired to put all our
charisms at the service of others. May we always feel compelled by his love (2
Cor 5:14) and say with Saint Paul: "Woe to me if I do not preach the
Gospel" (1 Cor 9:16).
--------------------------------------------------------
The Book Blog: 4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from Simple
Bible
Exodus
8: After
seven days, God told Moses and Aaron to go to Pharaoh again, this time causing a
plague of frogs to cover the land when Pharaoh again refused to let the
Israelites go. Then God got Aaron to strike the ground and the dust turned into
mosquitoes which attacked people and animals throughout
Dear God, please help all world leaders to listen to your voice
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
128: O blessed are those
who love the Lord and walk in his ways. By the labor of your hands you shall
eat. You will be happy and prosper: your wife like a fruitful vine in the heart
of your house; your children like shoots of the olive, around your table. Indeed
thus shall be blessed the people who love and honor the Lord. May the Lord bless
you from Zion all the days of your life. May you
see your children's children in a happy
Jerusalem! On Israel, peace!
Dear Lord, may all married people live to see their children's children
Listen
Galatians
3.26-28: Through faith in
Christ Jesus, you are children of God. When you were baptized, you entered into
a special relationship of friendship with Christ. This relationship cancels out
old labels like Jew and non-Jew, slave and free, male and female. These old
labels have been replaced by a new one hanging around your heart: Made in
Christ.
Jesus, help me better understand our relationship
Listen
John
14.8-21: At the meal, Jesus said to
his disciples "To have seen me, is to have seen the Father. I am in the
Father, and the Father is in me. Whatever you ask for in my name, I will do it,
so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you love me, you will
keep my commandments. I will ask the Father and he will give you another Friend
to be always with you. This Friend is the Spirit of Truth who will be living in
your heart. If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love
him, and we shall come to him and make our home in his heart"
Father, Jesus, Spirit of Truth - three Persons, one God - thank you for
living in my heart
Listen
Reflection on the above readings: Ever since the time of Jesus, some people have not believed that the Holy Spirit is a person. But Jesus' words clearly say that the Spirit is a person, make that Person. c.f. Wikipedia
-----------------------------
10 years ago today: English Camp at Yunfu
arranged by "Small9" & her Lets Go Outdoor Club volunteers
------------------------------------------
When
you access this website in Chrome, a message at the top left of the screen says
"not secure". But the same message appears www.afl.com.au
(my football page) and for www.abc.net.au/news
(Australian news) and HK govt news site www.news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/!
So, www.v2catholic.com is in good (?)
company?!
--------------------------------------
Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day:
Sun:
Mon:
Tues:
Wed:
Thurs: S.E. Asia, Pacific
Frid:
Sat:
Cent,
Jesus,
today, Thursday,
please bless
the people of
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
And praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 16th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Afghanistan
And praying for one Islam-related
intention each day of the
week:
Jesus, today, Thursday, please pacify Al-Qaeda
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Wed Aug 15
Feast
of the Assumption of Mary to Heaven
John W: August 15 Reflection: In our spiritual DNA, there's something about Mary that moves our hearts on August 15. May this reflection be an encouragement to people who might be influenced to doubt the beautiful importance of Mary in God's plan and in our lives
At the meeting I attended two nights ago in Wong Tai Sin -
discussing the shortage of housing in HK - I was given a copy of a book exposing
the falsity of the govt's consultation on land supply. Whole book is here
(last section is in English)
HK
CE trying to help HK man in prison in Phils for drug trafficking
China's Gaza:
Beijing denies a million
Muslims in internment camps
'It
can't get much hotter can it?' How heat became national US problem
Pope's new letter -
"Rejoice and Be Glad":
128. This is not the joy held out by today's
individualistic and consumerist culture. Consumerism
only bloats the heart. It can offer occasional and passing pleasures, but
not joy. Here I am speaking of a joy lived in communion, which shares and is
shared, since "there is more happiness in giving than in receiving" (Acts
20:35) and "God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Cor 9:7). Fraternal
love increases our capacity for joy, since it makes us capable of rejoicing in
the good of others: "Rejoice with those who rejoice" (Rom
12:15). "We rejoice when we are weak and you are strong" (2 Cor
13:9). On the other hand, when we
"focus primarily on our own needs, we condemn ourselves to a joyless
existence".[102]
--------------------------------------------------------
Chris McDonnell
Brother Roger of Taize
Thirteen years ago, on August 16th, 2005,
the founder of the Taize ecumenical community was attacked and killed during
evening prayer
-------------------------------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
c.f. readings for Assumption
Revelation
12: The sanctuary of God in heaven opened and the ark of the
covenant could be seen inside it. Then came flashes of lightning, peals of
thunder and an earthquake, and violent hail. Now a great sign appeared in
heaven: a woman adorned with the sun, standing on the
moon, and with twelve stars on her head for a crown
My
recording of this reading
Mary
of Guadalupe
Many people see in this picture the Woman of today's first reading: dressed in the sun, standing on the moon,
crowned with stars
Psalm
44: The daughters of kings are among your loved ones. On
your right stands the queen in gold of Ophir. Listen, O daughter, give
ear to my words: forget your own people and your father's house. So will the
king desire your beauty: He is your lord, pay homage to him. They are
escorted amid gladness and joy; they pass within the palace of the king
Recording
1
Corinthians 15:
Christ has been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of all
who have fallen asleep. Death came through one man and in the same way the
resurrection of the dead has come through one man. Just as
all people die in Adam, so all people will be brought to life in Christ;
but all of them in their proper order: Christ as the first-fruits and then,
after the coming of Christ, those who belong to him. After that will come the
end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, having done away with
every sovereignty, authority and power. For he must be king until he has put all
his enemies under his feet and the last of the enemies to be destroyed is death,
for everything is to be put under his feet.
Recording
Luke
1: Mary set out and went as quickly as she could to a town in the
hill country of Judah. She went into Zechariah's house and greeted Elizabeth.
Now as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leapt in her womb
and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She gave a loud cry and said,
"Of all women you are the most blessed, and blessed is the fruit of your
womb. Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord? For
the moment your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leapt for joy.
Yes, blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would
be fulfilled." And Mary said: "My soul proclaims the greatness of
the Lord, and my spirit exults in God my saviour; because he has looked upon
his lowly handmaid. Yes, from this day forward all
generations will call me blessed, for the Almighty has done great things for
me"
Recording
Reflection on the above readings:
The spirituality of Mary invites us to the values of Catholic Social Teaching: concern for the poor, solidarity with all people, a preference for the ways of nonviolence rather than military might, forgiveness and reconciliation rather than domination and manipulation.
Daniel Daring: Mary the Ark of the New Covenant (Chinese text)
-------------------------------------------------------
10 years ago today: Many thanks Macau Hope
Group for conducting another clinic for poor
people at Marco Polo Center
------------------------------------------
I know things are getting bad in HK .... we seem to be
heading for the Law of the Jungle in more ways than one .... but I was shocked
last night to see an armed guard at the door of a local canteen. "Does even
a little canteen need a shotgun guard?" I was thinking .... until I saw
another guard with him .... they work for a security company collecting cash to
take to bank!
--------------------------------------
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 15th
of
the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Liaoning
And praying for one of
the world's poorest
countries each day of the month:
On this 15th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Zimbabwe
And praying for one
Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Wednesday,
please pacify Al-Shabaab
---------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------
My Africa trips:
2015: Tanzania, Malawi
2016:
Kenya, Uganda
2017:
Southern Africa, Dubai (
The
Last Run)
2018:
My trip to Latin America
March 18, 2018: South China Morning Post report on my work
--------------------
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
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The official launching
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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
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