V2Catholic.com
A voice for the poor
by HK prison chaplain 胡頌恆神父Dr
Jesus Centre 187 Temple St Jordan
Fr John Wotherspoon
O.M.I.
jdwomi@gmail.com
+852 67095674
Imitating
Pope Francis
Tues Sep 2
Hello from Dr Jesus Centre in Jordan early Monday evening
....before I leave for the airport to take a flight to Australia ....to
join the annual O.M.I. retreat in Melbourne Sep 7-12 ... then to Brisbane Sep 12
....due back HK Sep 18 Pls God. My first trip to Australia for 5 years. Thank
you for a prayer
Dear Holy Spirit, ples bless all schools which began the new
academic year yesterday ... with a special blessing pls for MercyHK"s
Patricia who, at 2 years and 6 months (almost) began pre-school yesterday!
Yesterday morning at West Kowloon Court one of our bail cases
heard the good news "Case dropped". Thank you Jesus. After being on
bail for a year, and before that 3 months detention. Yesterday was the 8th (!)
court appearance for a hearing.
Powerful
speech by Maria
Ressa from Philippines,
the 2021 Nobel peace prize laureate
US-sponsored Israeli genocide in Gaza: Why
Irish woman is on protest boat to Gaza
---------------------------
The
Book Blog:
readings + recordings
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Proverbs
7-8: To Wisdom say "My sister".
Call Perception your dearest friend. Wisdom says:
"The Lord created me before time began.
I was by his side, delighting him day after day. Happy those who keep my ways.
Happy those who listen to me. Whoever finds me finds life.
I am more precious than silver or gold."
Dear Lord, please help me to be
a friend of Wisdom
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
98: Sing a new song to the Lord for he has worked
wonders.
His right hand has brought salvation. The Lord has made known his salvation.
He has shown his justice to the nations.
He has remembered his truth and love for the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the
salvation of our God.
Shout to the Lord all the earth, ring out your joy. Sing psalms to the Lord with the harp,
with the sound of music. Let the sea, the world and all peoples
acclaim the King, the Lord. Let the rivers clap their hands
and the hills ring out their joy at the presence of the Lord, for he comes to rule the earth.
He will rule the world with justice
and the peoples with fairness.
Lord,
may all peoples in all countries know your love and goodness
Listen
Philippians
4.4-9: I want you to be happy, always happy in the
Lord.
Let your tolerance be evident to everyone. If there is anything you need, with prayer and
thanksgiving ask God for it. Fill your minds with everything that is true,
everything that is noble, everything that is good and pure, everything
that is worthwhile. Then the God of peace will be with you
Jesus, please fill my mind with good things
Listen
Matthew
16.13-20: One day Jesus asked his disciples
"Who do people say the Son of Man is?" The disciples replied
"Some people say you are one of the famous prophets". Jesus then asked them
"And what about you. Who do you say I am?" Peter answered
"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God". Jesus then said to Peter
"Blessed are you, for my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. So I now say to you:
you are Peter ('the rock') and on this rock I will build my church.
I will give you the keys of the kingdom."
Jesus, Son of God, please help the church to continue your work on earth
Listen
Reflection: Jesus called Simon "Rock" ("petros") from which we get the word "Peter"
------------------------------
To go with today's Gospel!
-------------------------------
Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day, especially for the leaders of that area:
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 one
part of the Mainland each day of the month:
On this 2nd
of
the month, Jesus please bless the people of Fujian
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 Central African Republic
And praying for one
Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Tuesday,
please pacify Boko
Haram
----------------------------
----------------------------
Mon Sep 1
Very late tonight I'm due to take a flight to Australia ....to
join the annual O.M.I. retreat in Melbourne Sep 7-12 ... then to Brisbane Sep 12
....due back HK Sep 18 Pls God. My first trip to Australia for 5 years. Thank
you for a prayer
This has to be one of the saddest letters I have ever processed, from a
young Brazilian mother in prison
in HK: Drugs,
prostitution and trafficking - my life since I was 12 years old ***
Portuguese
Israel
kills more people who were trying to get food
------------------------
The
Book Blog:
readings + recordings
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Proverbs
6: Idler, go to the
ant. Ponder her ways
and grow wise.
No one gives her orders, yet she makes sure of her food. Night and day you spend so much time sleeping.
In no time poverty and want will be at your pillow. Avoid deceitful people, those who have leering
lips,
winking eyes, shuffling feet, beckoning fingers. Avoid people with a haughty look
and people who sow dissension. Do not desire the beauty of your neighbour's
wife.
Adultery means trouble and disgrace.
Dear God, please give us the
wisdom
to avoid deceit and dishonesty
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
Listen
Philippians
3.20 - 4.1: Our homeland is in
heaven. We wait for the
Savior from heaven who will transfigure these wretched bodies of ours
into copies of his glorious body. He will do this by the same power he has as
C.E.O. of the universe. So, do not stop running but
remain faithful in the Lord.
Jesus, please increase my longing for heaven
Listen
Mark
8.22-26: In the village of
Bethsaida, a blind man was
brought to Jesus.
His friends begged Jesus to touch him. Jesus took the man by the hand and led him
outside the town.
Jesus put spittle on the man's eyes
and placed his hands on the man's eyes. "Can you see anything?" asked Jesus.
The man was starting to see and replied "I can see people. They look
like trees, but they are walking about". Jesus then placed his hands on the man's eyes
again, and he saw clearly. He was healed and could see everything
clearly.
Jesus, heal my friend
....(name)...who is blind
Listen
Reflection: Today's Gospel records a "gradual" healing ... maybe to teach us patience and perseverance when we pray for healing
-------------------------
Yesterday after my usual two Masses I stayed at the desk working
on mitigation letters for the High Court. Pls God the letters will help some
prisoners get a small reduction of sentence ....and give me a sense of relief of
"homework finished" !
--------------------
Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day, especially for the leaders of that area:
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 one
part of the Mainland each day of the month:
On
this 1st of
the month, Jesus please bless the people of Niger
And
praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 1st
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Anhui
And praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Monday,
please pacify I.S.
-----------------------
----------------------
Sun Aug 31
Sunday
Examiner report about MercyHK's new drug treatment centre
in Sha Tau Kok
Moving
letter from a
young HK mother ...
from a suicide case family.... left school early ...father in prison
...financial problems....began using drugs ....caught up in drug trafficking
.... remorse, regret, determination to improve ....all this as a warning to
others about the risk of turning to drugs and drug trafficking: My
life unravelled *** Chinese
Israel's
"no mercy" policy ***
Trump
won't stop Gaza famine
------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
readings + recordings
Readings are from
Simple Bible
c.f. readings for Sunday 22
Sirach
1-3: All wisdom
comes from God. Love for God is the source of wisdom. If you desire wisdom, keep
the Lord's commandments, in private as well as in public. Keep the commandment
to honor your parents. Respect for your father will atone for your sins. Honor
for your mother will gain you blessings. Support your father in his old age.
Even if his mind should fail, show him kindness. Do not despise him in your
health and strength. Be
gentle in the way you live your life. The greater you are, the more
humbly you should behave.
Dear God, please help me always respect and honor my parents
My
recording of this reading
Psalms
66-68: O God, be gracious
and bless us and let your face shine its light upon us. Let all the peoples
praise you, O God. Let all the peoples praise you. O sing to the Lord, make
music to his name. Rejoice in the Lord, exult at his presence. Father of the
orphan, defender of the widow, God
provides a shelter for the homeless. God gives his people strength.
May all the peoples of the earth know you and praise you, O God
Listen
Hebrews
12.18-13.6: Your
ancestors were at Mount Sinai when God spoke to Moses. But you already have one
foot in the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, where millions of
angels gather in praise. So, continue to live a life of love and hospitality. Keep
in mind those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them.
Keep your marriage undefiled. Avoid greed. Be content with what you have
Jesus, help me remember heaven....and people in prison
Listen
Luke
14.12-14: Jesus said to
the meal guests "When you give a lunch or a dinner, do not ask your
friends, family, or rich neighbors. Rather, when
you have a party, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind.
That they cannot repay you means you are fortunate, because repayment will
be made to you when the virtuous rise again"
Jesus, help me do more to help poor people
Listen
Reflection on the above readings: My Christmas Day meal in 2005 consisted of a rice box with a group of poor people who were rubbish collectors in Zhaoqing
Reflection by Fr Peter: English Chinese
-------------
Video
commentary on today's readings - in Italian, Chinese, English, and
Spanish
(+
Cantonese audio)
-------------------------------
Hour
of Love HK radio program 8.00
pm HK time tonight
- with items about HK prison inmates
-------------------------------
At
yesterday's usual Saturday afternoon Mass for cancer patients, one man told how
his doctor said "eat what you like, as much as you like, whenever you
like" ...which caused his whole family to put on weight. Even the cat got
fat!
------------------------------
Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day, especially for the leaders of that area:
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 one
part of the Mainland each day of the month:
On this 31st
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Tianjin
And praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 31st of the month, Jesus
please bless the people of Uganda
And praying for one Islam-related
intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Sunday,
please bless all Muslims in my country
-----------------------
----------------------
Sat Aug 30
Yesterday morning at the High Court a kind judge gave a man from
Africa a reduction of 6 months for taking part in a "controlled
delivery" (of drugs, when he was arrested at HK airport) and for taking
part in my anti-drug campaign
From the High Court I went to
the nearby offices of the Chinese University of HK and the HK Management
Association where I enrolled 15 prisoners for correspondence courses (paid for
by MercyHK) and where my Voice for Prisoners colleague Jane Chow
at the same time enrolled around 40 other prisoners (paid for by Voice for
Prisoners)
Mary's
Meals now providing meals for 3 million children each school day
UN
chief condemns Gaza horrors *** Live
updates
---------------------------
The
Book Blog:
readings + recordings
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Proverbs
4-5: Acquire wisdom, never forget her.
Do not desert her. She will keep you safe. Wisdom is life to those who obtain her,
health for the entire body. Take no notice of a loose-living woman,
go nowhere near the door of her house. Drink the water of your own cistern,
fresh water from your own well. Find joy with the wife you married in your
youth,
let hers be the love that always holds you captive.
Dear Lord, please give married
people the wisdom to stay faithful to each other
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
96: O sing a new song to the Lord.
Sing to the Lord, all the earth.
O sing to the Lord, bless his name. Proclaim his help day by day.
Tell among the nations his glory,
and his wonders among all the peoples. It was the Lord who made the heavens.
Give the Lord, you families of peoples,
give the Lord glory and honor. Bring an offering and enter his temple.
Worship the Lord in his sacred place. Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad.
Let the sea and all within it thunder praise. Let the land and all it bears rejoice,
all the trees of the forest shout for joy.
Everyone and everything,
give the Lord glory and honor.
Lord, you are our Creator. We
love and praise you
Listen
Philippians
3.12-14: I am not yet perfect. I have not yet won the
race.
But I am still running,
trying to capture the prize for which Christ Jesus captured me. I forget the past, and strain ahead for what
is still to come.
I am racing for the finish,
for the prize to which God calls us to receive in Christ Jesus
Jesus, please help me keep running each day!
Listen
Mark
7.31-37: Jesus
travelled through the area south of the
Sea of Galilee.
A deaf man with a speech impediment was brought to him. Jesus took the man aside in private, away from
the crowd.
He put his fingers into the man's ears and put spittle on his tongue.
Then he prayed and said "Be opened".
The man's ears were opened and his speech became normal. The people said "He has done all things
well. He makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak".
Jesus, heal (..name..)
who is "deaf and dumb"
Listen
Reflection: A beautiful description of Jesus: "He did all things well"
-----------------------
Yesterday afternoon I went to the dentist for a
filling ... during which I was thinking about and praying for the people of Gaza
.... no dentists ... what do they do when they have a toothache?!
------------------------------
Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day, especially for the leaders of that area:
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 one
part of the Mainland each day of the month:
On this 130th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Shanghai
And praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the
month:
On this 30th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Rwanda
And
praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Saturday,
please pacify the
Taliban
------------------------
------------------------
Thu Aug 28 & Fri Aug 29
Sad
letter from a
man from Holland who
has 22 grandchildren ... the pain of being away from his family.... the
difficulty of communicating with his family ....his remorse ... his warning to
others not to engage in illegal activities: Imprisoned
in a distant land
Pope's
plea for an end to collective punishment in Gaza ***
Leader
to boycott Trump dinner with King Charles *** MSF:
Israel
denying water to Gaza
Caritas condemns Gaza famine *** Owen Jones: Link between Iraq and Gaza (I read every word of this most important article) *** Israeli media not giving Israelis the truth
-------------------------
The Book Blog:
readings + recordings
Readings are from
Simple Bible
c.f. readings for feast of the Beheading of John the Baptist
Jeremiah
1: Jeremiah
lived in a village not far from Jerusalem. Jeremiah's father was a priest. God
said to Jeremiah: "Before
I formed you in the womb, I knew you. I have appointed you as prophet to the
nations." Jeremiah said to God: "Lord, I do not know how to
speak. I am so young." God then touched Jeremiah's mouth and said: "I
now put my words into your mouth. Go and tell the people everything I ask you to
speak. Do not be dismayed by anyone. I am making you strong. You must confront
Judah's kings, priests and people. They will oppose you, but will not overcome
you, for I am with you."
Lord, please give special courage to people who speak your message for the
world
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
71: In
you, O Lord, I take refuge. Please hear me and help me. Be a rock where I can
take refuge. Rescue me from people who want to hurt me. It is you, O Lord, who
are my hope. In
you I have trusted since I was young. From my mother's womb you have been
my help. My hope has always been in you. Now that I am old, please do not forget
me. Now that my strength fails, do not abandon me. Now that I am old and
grey-headed, may I continue to trust in you and proclaim your help. To you I
will sing with the harp.
Lord, may all elderly people put their trust and hope in you
Listen
Mark
6.17-29: Not
long after Jesus began traveling and teaching, King Herod arrested John the
Baptist and put him in prison. This was because John had told Herod he was
breaking the Law by living with Herodias, his brother's wife. During a
birthday party for Herod, the daughter of Herodias danced. Her dancing so
pleased Herod that he said he would give her anything she wanted. Herodias told
her to ask for the head of John the Baptist on a dish. Herod
then had John beheaded.
Jesus, please give the world good leaders, and protect people from bad
leaders like Herod
Listen
Reflection on the above Bible readings: Unmarried John the Baptist was murdered for speaking truth to power about the sanctity of marriage ... he who once said he was happy to hear the voice of the Bridegroom
-----------------
Another most worthwhile English Corner yesterday at the Doctor
Jesus Centre .... for people from the Mainland. God bless all participants,
especially the kind volunteer facilitators
--------------------
Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day, especially for the leaders of that area:
Sun:
Mon:
Tues:
Wed:
Thurs: S.E. Asia, Pacific
Frid:
Sat:
Cent,
Jesus,
today, Thursday,
please bless
the people of
And praying for one
part of the Mainland each day of the month:
On this 28th of the month, Jesus please bless the people of
And praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 28th
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, Thursday, please pacify Al-Qaeda
----------------------------
Wed Aug 27
I
had intended to visit a prison yesterday but .... I needed stay at the desk to
work on many mitigation letters for cases coming soon at the High Court
Condemnation
for killing of bomb site rescuers and media people
-----------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Proverbs 3:
Let kindness and loyalty never leave
you.
Tie them around your neck. In everything you do, keep God in mind.
He will help you take the right path. Love God and turn your back on evil.
This will give good health to your body. Do not refuse a kindness to anyone who asks,
if it is in your power to help them.
Lord, please help us to be kind
to everyone
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
95: Come ring out our joy to the Lord.
Hail the rock who saves us. Let us come before him giving thanks.
With songs let us praise the Lord.
A mighty God is the Lord,
a great king above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth.
The heights of the mountains are his. To him belongs the sea, for he made it,
and the dry land shaped by his hands. Come in, let us bow and bend low.
Let us kneel before the God who made us.
For he is our God and we are the people who belong to his pasture.
Lord, you are our Creator. Our
life comes from you. We praise and love you, Lord
Listen
Philippians
3.7-11: Because of Christ, I have come to consider
all my former advantages as a scholar as disadvantages. Nothing is more important than knowing Christ
Jesus my Lord. For him I have accepted the loss of
everything, and I look on everything as so much rubbish if only I can have
Christ. All I want is to know Christ and the power of
his resurrection.
I want to share his sufferings by carrying the Cross with him. This is the way I can hope to receive eternal
life
Christ Jesus my Lord, knowing you is No. 1
Listen
Matthew
15.29-31: Jesus went up into the hills near the Lake of
Galilee.
Large crowds came to him bringing
the lame, the crippled, the blind, the dumb and many others. These they put down at Jesus' feet.
Jesus healed them all. The crowds praised the God of Israel
when they saw the dumb speaking, cripples whole again,
the lame walking and the blind able to see.
Jesus,
please give sick people more faith in your healing love
Listen
Reflection on the above readings: I'm not trying to put doctors and nurses out of a job ... but if we had more faith in Jesus there would not be a need for so many hospitals (...and this in fact would be a relief to so many over-worked doctors and nurses!)
-------------------
-------------------------
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 people
in one
part of China each day of the month:
On this 27th
of
the month, Jesus please bless the people of Tibet
And praying for one of
the world's poorest
countries each day of the month:
On this 27th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Tanzania
And praying for one
Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Wednesday,
please pacify Al-Shabaab
--------------------------------
------
(Several trips since 2020 but not convenient to post reports)
Africa:
2020: My trip to Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Johannesburg
Jan 1, 2020: How cocaine trafficking is impacting West Africa
2017:
My trip to Southern Africa, Dubai (
The
Last Run)
2016:
My trip to Kenya, Uganda
2015: My trip to Tanzania, Malawi
----------------
Latin America:
2019-05-10: No More Mules Peru FB boost 199,000 views!
2019-01-20: Article in El Pais, Uruguay - 01 02
2018-09-18: No More Mules Facebook campaign - more than 300,000 people reached in Venezuela
2018: My trip to Latin America
----------------
South East Asia:
Aug 16, 2020: CNN - Indonesian women recruited to take drugs to Hong Kong
Oct 23, 2019: FM988 Breakfast program in Kuala Lumpur at which I was a guest
June 2019: My campaign featured in The Malaysia Drug Trade (6 written reports & documentary video)
2019-03-25: Eleven HK01 video and photo reports about Malaysian drug mules arrested in HK- here (one of the reports is about my anti-drug campaign).
Dec 2018 - My Jan 2019 trip to Malaysia
2018: My trip to Thailand and Cambodia
--------------------
Hong Kong:
July 2019: My warning to HK domestic helpers - published here in HK Filipino media
2018-09-22:
My
60 min video interview with Radio99,
in Cantonese, is here: 01 02
to help stop people going to prison
2018-07-29: SCMP- Beware drug lords luring domestic helpers, refugees into narcotics trade
2018-04-08: The Pearl Report on TVB - concerning HK's Long Term Sentencing Review Board and my anti-drug campaign
March 18, 2018: South China Morning Post report on my work
2017-09-27: SCMP Spirit of HK Awards (video starts after 20 secs)
2017-08-24: Cable TV video report on my anti-drug campaign and a Facebook report on the video report (click "translation" for English)
2017-05-17: SCMP - The prison chaplain who has stopped 150 drug mules reaching HK
2017-03-25: Oriental Daily report of case of South African woman given discount for help to my campaign *** May 14 updates: Oriental Daily, Sing Tao
Dec 1, 2016 - HK News: More women being recruited as drug mules
2016-10-13: HK01 report about campaign and about work for the poor
2016-09-11: Oriental Daily report about my campaign - and same day Editorial
2016-08-27: Oriental Daily article about court case and campaign
My
anti-drug campaign sites
(skillfully
managed by kind HK friends):
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nomasmulas/
Facebook: Chinese no more mules page
http://hkdrugblog.org/name-and-shame/index.htm
----------------------
Photos
from my time in China 2001-20008
/2005-12-25areak03.JPG){kind=link}
---------------------
---------------------
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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
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ .
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