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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


The New Translation
    



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

Contact: jdwomi@gmail.com  
(notice that tank man is on a crossing!)

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

   Wishing all dear readers the peace of Christmas right through 2013 !  
  Please enjoy Say Merry Christmas (YouTube)     and this one ! 


Sunday
December 23

Reclaiming It   David Timbs
(Sunday blogger from Australia)
The Druids, Romans and others celebrated the winter solstice with its celebration of the return of the Sun – Sol Invictus. Christians subsumed this observance into Christmas. Coca Cola and big business have now identified a weak spot in the Christian facade and struck back on behalf of the pagans. Christmas has now been successfully retrieved and rebranded with the face of that jolly great identity thief, Santa Claus.

A Christmas gift worth gold
Giving your time and presence to another is more precious than gold.

40th Anniversary:
On Christmas Day 1972, Fr Rick Thomas SJ and his USA El Paso prayer group went across the border to Juarex in Mexico, taking enough food for 150 people who eked out a living at the local rubbish dump. 300 people showed up, but the food didn't run out, and even plenty left over. Google "miracle of the rubbish dump" for this beautiful true story


RRP:  Reading, Reflection, Prayer
- with readers' comments
Menu for today Dec 23:
 Readings for Advent IV, with the theme:  Jesus is someone to be shared with others
Please add your comments and reflections. Any story about the joy of helping someone to know Jesus?

This week's smile
A favorite Christmas smile

Vatican II  Reflection 362
Bishops' conferences emasculated

John W: Daily Blog - Dec 23
A lovely Christmas card

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

Monday December 24

Christmas reflection 
Joseph Girzone
The best (Christmas) preparation
 we can offer Jesus is to be thrilled at his coming and although we have nothing to give him but a heart with a little space in it for him to feel welcome, we can then at least let him know that we are finally realizing what he means to us and that, from this day, we will try to make more room for him in our lives and hearts

Christmas banquets:
See last 2 para of this article

Christmas classic:
Bing's recording of  'The Small One"

Famous WWI Christmas truce

100th Anniversary today of  Lottie Moon, one of the bravest Christian women to walk this earth.
Every couple of years I love to read this simple but moving book

RRP:  Reading, Reflection, Prayer
- with readers' comments
Menu for today Dec 24
 Special readings on this Christmas Eve, summing up the human family's longing for the Saviour
Please add your comments and reflections re our longing/need for Jesus the Light of the World

One group of Muslims against wishing anyone Merry Christmas
But note comments by higher leaders
....And an even higher message!

Celibacy and the Catholic Church

55 children killed by guns each week in the US - see comment at 
The last time I will write about this?
May Christmas give leaders the courage to oppose the gun lobby

Vatican II  Reflection 363
Let dioceses be smaller!

John W: Daily Blog - Dec 24
Photos of last night's Christmas party


Tuesday
December 25
Christmas Day!

Joy To The World
  Martin Mallon 
(Tuesday blogger from Ireland)
This beautiful reflection has link to  great article about Charles Dickens' "Christmas Carol", with the words
" historians believe that this story is responsible for our continued observance of Christmas. It revived very old customs that had been on the verge of dying out"

You are my child Daniel Daring
Christmas Day reflection
The problem that many churches are facing is that the majority of their members were baptized as children. They seem to know very little about Jesus, and they often live as if God does not matter much. In such cases, the word of God cannot effect His creative and transforming power. Without our willingness to receive Jesus and believe in His name, God’s power will be unable to transform us

One Drover's Christmas
Lovely poem by
Bruce Prewer
with the words "He did something he hadn't done for years. He fell down on his knees in that stable, and shed unaccustomed tears"

White Christmas?! (YouTube)
c.f. Dec 23 was Melbourne's hottest Dec night on record...and today is HK's coldest Dec 25 for 12 years!
  
RRP:  Reading, Reflection, Prayer
- with readers' comments
Menu for today Dec 25
  Midnight Mass readings
 with the theme:
 The world's most famous Baby
Please add your comments and reflections. What does Jesus' birth mean for the world? 
See readers' comments Dec 23

Vatican II  Reflection 364
Military chaplains???

John W:   Daily Blog - Dec 25
This Christmas a turning point?

Wednesday December 19

The Jesus Child
Chris McDonnell
(Wed blogger from UK)
A proclamation of the Nativity 
to help us prepare for Christmas.

Say Merry Christmas (YouTube)
- really beautiful
Helping keep "Christ' in Christmas"

Connecticut shootings:
1: "Bug-Splats" (George Monbiot)
It must follow that what applies to the children murdered by a deranged young man also applies to the children murdered in Pakistan by a sombre American president

2: Global perspective on US deaths
Donna Mulhearn
(Eureka Street)
The US killings are considered an act of someone who is 'sick' or 'mad', and are universally condemned. But the Pakistan children are killed at the hands of an intelligent, sophisticated, technologically advanced society which is fully aware of what it is doing. These deaths receive little attention, let alone condemnation.

The new translation - surveys
See important distinctions made in comments. And see also file at top
 of this page
The New Translation

 
RRP:  Reading, Reflection, Prayer
- with readers' comments
Menu for today Dec 19
 Special readings before Christmas,
today with the theme: two famous  conceptions pre-figuring the miraculous conception of Jesus
Please add your comments:
 
Is every conception a miracle?

Vatican II  Reflection 358
Let pastors turn over administration
(finance, schools) to lay people

John W: Daily Bog - Dec 19
Connecticut & a HK funeral


Thursday
December 20

Recommended by reader:
One of the cleverest emails ever!

The Spirit is still on the job
Bishop Luigi Bettazzi
(C'weal)
Amazing interview with Italian 
bishop who was at Vatican II 

From link in above article:
The Catacomb's Pact of the
 Poor and Servant Church
First time I've heard of this.
Full text of document - signed by 540 bishops who were at Vatican II, promising to live simply, avoid banquets, wear simple clothes.

Where has this document been?
It is mind-blowing!

Every Thursday, Daniel Daring's reflection on the Sunday readings,
 to help us prepare for Sunday:
 
Faith is spelled as courage

How to face difficult situations following the example of Mary.
It takes courage to believe that no matter who you are, no matter what the circumstances of your life, God works mightily to accomplish His plan in your life

A new Inquisition: 
the Vatican targets US nuns

RRP:  Reading, Reflection, Prayer
- with readers' comments
Menu for today Dec 20
 Special readings before Christmas,
today with the theme: A 16 year old virgin will conceive
Please add your comments:
 
What do you think of Mary?

Vatican  II  Reflection 359
Ordain "suitable people"
instead of closing/merging parishes

John W:  Daily Blog - Dec 20
Murder of young children 


Friday
December 21
1.
N. Hemisphere: Winter Solstice
2.
Happy Chinese Winter Festival !

3. Winter Festival & Christmas

Christmas in Africa - A day of
 unity and peace
  Bakhita
(Friday blogger from Africa)
On this day, what is common to everyone around the world and what unites us- no matter our color or culture, rich or poor - is we all get together in prayer and in celebrating the birth of Christ. If we can do this for a day, why can we not make it a daily occurrence…. Let's celebrate Jesus Christ everyday! 
 
Jesus revolutionized our understand- ing of religion.  It was no longer empty customs and rituals focusing on the worship of God only.  True religion pleasing to God was caring for one another, looking upon each other as members of God’s family.
  Joseph Girzone Daily Posting 1218 


Gun violence: a moral challenge
for "pro-life" Christians
John Gehring
(Faith in Public Life)

 Pope accepts Patriarch's resignation
c.f. Why Pope should retire

Recommended by Stephen K:
Morbid Symptoms - the Catholic Right's False Nostalgia

RRP:  Reading, Reflection, Prayer
- with readers' comments
Menu for today Dec 21
 Special readings before Christmas,
today with the theme: Jesus'  coming means joy and hope
Please add your comments:
 
What difference does Jesus make?

Vatican II  Reflection 360
Diocese: The place of Religious

John W:   Daily Blog - Dec 21
 Out of the mouths of babes...joy


Saturday
December 22

Christmas in a broken world
Christmas is not a time to pretend as if everything's right with the world. This is tempting, but ultimately self-defeating and contrary to the Christian gospel.

Christmas rituals help us hold together These traditions provide a celebration of continuity, comfort, company, family and community....In these times of fast-paced change, the observance of time-worn and adapted ..traditions has become more important and powerful. All of us, including the dislocated and the grieving may find comfort in some form of celebration

Swiss abbot makes fiery appeal
 for church reform
c.f. ACP report

Review of a year of religious upheaval  (ABC)
Barney Zwartz & Michael Mullins

Bishop Geoffrey Robinson
 in a "must watch" video
(Catholica)

Terrorism in Pakistan: 
will we be alive tomorrow?
Let's keep Pakistan in our prayers

RRP:  Reading, Reflection, Prayer
- with readers' comments
Menu for today Dec 22
 Special readings before Christmas,
today with the theme: Mary's famous prayer The Magnificat, with its focus on God, not Mary
Please add your comments:
How can we focus more on God and less on ourselves?

Vatican II Reflection 361
Thou shalt not have a synod?

John W:  Daily Blog - Dec 22
Christmas behind bars!

Many thanks for checking
 this website each day

Calendar      (any other items?):

 

 


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 ( )

Bakhita (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?
Robert McNally: Crisis & Criticism in the Church 
Ron Schmit:  1962 Mass a condemnation of Vat II

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
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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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