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A forum to promote and defend the vision of Vatican II 
Original articles have comment boxes - comments welcome!  

Edited by  Fr John Wotherspoon O.M.I.  胡 頌 恆 神 父    

DV  New articles 7 days a week to encourage people who are trying
 to keep the flame of Vatican II burning in the middle of the road
 despite extreme winds from Left and Right
and despite the Church going through a time of shame and sadness



More bloggers, more tank people,
 wanted  from all parts of the world!

Contact: jdwomi@gmail.com  

Agenda of "Reform of the Reform" tanks:   no more Communion under both kinds, Latin Mass with priest not facing people, no lay people (except altar boys) on sanctuary, 
no altar girls, no special ministers, Communion on tongue while kneeling down, no more deacons, more censorship, more control by Rome, Vatican II teaching undermined

Sunday December 2

The Worldly Logic of Power
David Timbs
(Sunday blogger from Australia)
The self-interested Roman Curia must be demystified and dismantled as a matter of urgent priority. It has survived as a sterile pretend church within the Church for too long. It needs to be curated in a museum as a constant reminder of what happens when people confuse institutional power and privilege with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. A possible realisable pathway for radical systemic change might well be the establishment of permanent national and local Synods which would include the election of bishops

If you think True story from Mexico
(on yesterday's menu) was an exaggeration, please check 

Witness to violence and death in Mexico Thomas Fox  (NCR)
and the second half of this video

Good mediators are good 
at conversation
 
Brian Fahey (ACP)
In these later years of my life, I have trained to be a mediator.  May I share some of these skills with you?

Lost in translation - after one year of new translation in Japan (Ucanews)

Philippines: priest lives with poor

Bible plan - Advent I readings

This week's smile 
Cardinals playing golf

Vatican II  Reflection 341
Jet-setting bishops?

John W:  Daily Blog - Dec 2
One way to change things

I'm due to be in Australia Dec 27 - Jan 30. Love to meet up with  readers 
in Melb, Syd, Bris, GC -
John W

Monday December 3

Feast of St Francis Xavier

John W: Daily Blog - Dec 3
St F. Xavier reflection/photos

Of concern to us all: 
the hard drug world 
  John W
As usual, for every issue, the first step is prayer....keep this issue in our prayers...With a usual second step: stay informed ...make the effort to follow this issue in the media....and help others do the same

New translation: Bar is set low
Fr Anthony Ruff OSB
(NCR)
Most Catholics have no reason to track the dirty politics behind the scenes of how the Vatican threw away 17 years of transparent and collegial work on a very fine revised English translation, and botched the new missal. There are issues of collegiality and the violation of Vatican II's explicit stipulation that approving translations belongs to bishops; ecumenism and the abandonment of liturgical texts formerly held in common with our Protestant brothers and sisters; inculturation and the imposition of a liturgical aesthetic from above onto widely diverse cultures; and collaborative leadership and the rejection of input from experts in liturgical translation
See comment by JW

4-course meal for Nov 26
Judas and his "Judas group"
A voice of peace
Insult means blessing
Living Water from Living Bread

Vatican II  Reflection 342
What a bishop should teach

Tuesday December 4

Ecumenical Council to be held 
every ten years "for ever"
   
  Martin Mallon 
(Tuesday blogger from Ireland)
"The frequent holding of general councils is a pre-eminent
means of cultivating the Lord's patrimony. It roots out the briars, thorns and thistles of heresies, errors and schisms, corrects deviations, reforms what is deformed and produces a richly fertile crop for the Lord's vineyard. Neglect of councils, on the other hand, spreads and fosters the aforesaid evils"
Ecumenical Councils are to be held every ten years “for ever”. Naturally, this did not go down well with subsequent Popes and curia as it deprived them of power and control

Cardinal George Pell: 
I support a return to the practice of the celebrant with his back to the people  
(c.f. Agenda of Reform of R)
       And I want to be Pope

Working too hard  Ron Rolheiser 

This website's November statistics
Many thanks to kind readers who check this site each day. Please invite others to check it

4-course meal for Dec 4
Beware of Romans bearing gifts?
The Romans will adore you
Never be a dictator over any
 group that is i n your charge
Police report: there has never been anyone who has spoken like him 

Vatican II  Reflection 342
Difficulties and questions by which people are burdened and troubled.

John W:   Daily Blog - Dec 4
Thank you Blog readers!

Wednesday November 28

This Advent Coming
Chris McDonnell
(Wed blogger from UK)
Four short pieces, one written for each Sunday in Advent, formed in the structure of the Japanese Haiku:
 5 syllables, then 7 and then 5
 

Crisis & criticism in the Church
Robert E. McNally (America)
A stirring challenge to the bishops of 2012 to imitate the humility and courage of bishops in previous times of trial. I hope every bishop in the world, especially the Bishop of Rome,  will read this article. jw

Top of this page now has a new search engine. Test drive today!

Swiss abbot's call for reform (ACP)
Abbot Werlen deplores the lack of courage, vision and creativity in the Church. He says  discussion of too many issues is forbidden

The Church in a time of crisis
Garry Everett
(CathBlog)
Reader: Excellent reminder 
of the steps partially traversed 

Dysfunctional Church
stares into the abuse abyss
Fr Michael Kelly SJ (E. Street)
There won't be healing until there is systemic change that fixes the culture in which mismanagement thrives 
and transparency is lacking.

4-course meal for Nov 28
Victory by prayer and courage
strength from Strength
Inside more import than outside
life from Life

Vatican II  Reflection 337
Bishops helping bishops 

John W: Daily Bog - Nov 28
How to change the Church!


Thursday
November 29

Vatican  II  Reflection 338
Definition of a bishop:
a service station attendant!

Every Thursday, Daniel Daring's reflection on the Sunday readings,
 to help us prepare for Sunday: 
Advent 1: Do not give up
 There is something special about those who believe: no matter how badly life treats them they are always hopeful. They are unable to resign their fate to the forces of life. You can spot them in the crowd by the way they walk, without slouching, looking straight in life’s face, and greeting everybody with a smile and an encouraging word. They draw strength from faith in Jesus Christ, the Lord of history knowing that He is coming to deliver them from all sort of troubles

Asian bishops meeting Dec 10-16 in Vietnam  Thomas Fox (NCR)
(
Media told to stay away).  It seems a new generation of leaders, more timid and less trusting of the world around them, has taken hold of the organization.- see JW's comment 

A Church in need of reform
... reform forced from outside. (FR)

Priests should be better preachers

Overhaul of abuse response
Sr Annette Cunliffe, President
CRA

4-course meal for Nov 29
Prayer & courage keep winning
Memo for corrupt leaders
Pay back with a blessing!
Will you also leave me?

John W:  Daily Blog - Nov 29
HK banners ...& Church changes


Friday
November 30
Feast of St Andrew
Patron saint of Russia & Scotland

Book review - John W
The Homeless Bishop
 
by Joseph Girzone
This is a simple book with a profound message.It shows what the Church could be like, with more leaders like Carlo. May this lovely book be an inspiration to all who hope and pray for the Church once again to be the medium and not the Message. Book quotes Cardinal Ratzinger: "The church speaks too much about structures. It needs to speak more about God". Book says "The countries of Europe have turned secular mostly because the people are tired of hearing about church. They hunger for spirituality and intimacy with God, and all we give them is church. Carlo was determined to make Jesus real again for the people, knowing from experience that when he preached Jesus, it changed their lives"

Fr John Dear this week on a peace mission to Afghanistan
I'm going to Afghanistan as a way to say a public no to this senseless, illegal, immoral, impractical, evil U.S. war, the longest in our nation's history. About 2,000 U.S. soldiers have needlessly died in Afghanistan since 2001, but how many tens of thousands of Afghan civilians have died? And who cares?

Religious in India push to revive missionary fervor (NCR)

Today's Bible plan: 
Readings for Feast of St Andrew

Vatican II  Reflection 339
 V2 & B16 failed to reform Curia!

John W:   Daily Blog - Nov 30
Bible Greek in prison!


Saturday
December 1
World Aids Day

True story from Mexico  John W
Reason for kidnapping 
was not greed but hunger

Three letters re celibacy (Tablet)
 
As one who has been a celibate priest for 61 years I have learned that celibacy does not guarantee sanctity. Sadly, it can become an escape from personal responsibility. Marriage is the way most men become mature, caring human beings. As Haldane points out, the best way for the church to counter the damage done by the scandal of priestly child abuse is by example. An obvious contribution to the rehabilitation of the priesthood's image can be made by a large number of responsible married priests serving alongside their dedicated celibate brothers.
From this flawed perspective the Church has led many to undertake celibacy who could not or cannot bear it, with recurrent hypocritical, tragic and scandalous outcomes, for individuals, for communities, and for the whole Church. 

Australian bishops statement
re abuse Royal Commission

Vatican disciplines Austrian priest

Vatican II Reflection 340
Vatican II: a universal Curia
Ben XVI: a European Curia

4-course meal for Dec 1

At last a time of peace

A temple's special peace

No peace at wild parties

  People were scared to talk about him, his brothers didn't believe in him,  & leaders wanted to kill him.

John W:  Daily Blog - Dec 1
A boy named Logos!

Many thanks for checking
 this website each day

Calendar      (any other items?):

Dec 1: World Aids Day

Dec 1: Hong Kong Oxfam Supporters' gathering 

Dec 10: Human Rights Day

Dec 10-16 Vietnam:
Asian Bishops' Meeting


John W's Australia schedule

For the above:
Come Holy Spirit !

 

Let's encourage more people 
to see 1-10  re Bishop Bill Morris
1: Judge's conclusions
2: Canon lawyer's report
 
3: Radio interview with judge

4:  "The Age" file of letters
5: Summary re Rome
 6: Frank Brennan's update
7: ABC radio Fr Frank Brennan

8. Update from Frank Brennan

9. Vatileaks & Bp Bill Morris

10: Tablet letter - Frank Brennan

After reading 1-10, check the "Pravda" report of CNA

Google "Morris" at top of this page
for many articles re Bishop BM

 

Bp Pat Power
Bp Geoff Robinson
Bruce Duncan
Catalyst for Renewal
Catholics for Ministry  
Catholics for Renewal
Frank Brennan
Peter Johnstone     
The Swag
 

      Bloggers' archives - current bloggers without ( )

(Hazel C)   Daniel Daring  Inigo Joachim  (Brian Lewis) (Judith Lynch)   Martin Mallon    Chris McDonnell 
(Bill Mulcahy)   (Des O'Donnell)    David Timbs
(
Peter Wilkinson)   Harry Winter   John Wotherspoon  

Other Archives
2012

  2011
 2010
  2009
2008

16 Documents of V2 
We Are Church
STANDUP4VATICAN2
VII - Voice of the Church

Catholic Priests Ireland

PrayTell
Donald Cozzens
Misguided Missal
 
Too Western/European
 

Fr Hans Küng:      Letter to bishops    Revolution to stop authoritarianism 
Fr Joseph Ratzinger:      Writings on Vat II      Robert Mickens: Vatican Implosion
Nicholas Lash:     Vatican II: Of Happy Memory - and Hope?

The new translation of the Mass
A ghastly process and a ghastly result

Excellent articles on Mission
by Fr Hugh McMahon SSC

Same-sex marriage and anal sex

Priests say 9 Masses a day - need to ordain married men

The evil of compulsory celibacy

The link between compulsory celibacy and sexual abuse

Why are women not being ordained to priesthood?

To publish an article on this site  please contact 
Fr John Wotherspoon:   jdwomi@gmail.com  
       Taking a stand           Next pope: load of rubbish
Navigation Aids        Standing up to bullies
Bible plan 2012              V2 Reflections
John's other site:  www.jesustower.com 

www.RicciCenter.com 

 www.SimpleBible.info 

www.DoctorJesus.org  

 China Library - essential reading for anyone interested in China's Christian history

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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