Shared Reflections

· I was brought up in a community where there was prejudice. By the time I was 10, we still experienced the loathing of the Germans. During a trip, I lived with a German family, and had a great time with them. Brought up with a poor image of Irish people too. Mixing up with Irish people showed me how educated, how intelligent, trained they were as doctors, dentists, etc. The people we met were very different from the impression I was given as a child. I learned differently from encounter and experience

· Pope Leo was in Spain this week. You can’t pray unless you respect your brother.

· I recently visited the UK and in London visited the Imperial War Museum. WW1 was borne out of a very hostile situation.

· My husband from N. Ireland came to Dublin to work. We had fears of not being accepted as a Dubliner in N. Ireland. But I felt accepted and every door opened for us in the North. But at every step, someone helped us out and advised us. I learned so much from protestant theologians than I have learned in my Catholic upbringing! The standard of Catholic theological teaching is abysmal. But if we focus on God, all is made well. There are always two sides of the story, even when things are tough. Including a 600lb bomb that was under our Chapel!!! It was incredibly lucky how we survived that!

· Luisa Muraro, Italian feminist who passed today. I thank the lineage of feminists who taught us the beauty of feminism after centuries of the Church calling women as 'failed men'. Mathew Fox wrote how there is no original sin but an original blessing. Theologians and feminists for years have reminded us to focus on the original blessing, and that we are made for goodness.

· In Yorkshire, I have never seen racial hatred. The readings today were very helpful.

· We have gone so far from the child-like-ness, far from the original blessing. Putting that in the context of communal prejudices, our hurts, layers of conditioning... peeling it off is not easy, but it is beautiful that we are invited again and again to be free and to be child-like. When we discover that 'I am', we discover it in others. Many psychologists mistake spiritualism to self-love. Discovering oneself and our beauty - unless we love ourselves, we can't love others. I live in a part of India where Christians are the most Islamophobic. And some of our Church leaders propagate it. We have to be counter-cultural.

· I had the privilege of meeting Desmond Tutu. He is a delightful human being. Fox's original blessing is what I have been ruminating about for years. Tutu says, "We are not sinners in need of saving, but saints in need of see-ing!" The prejudice of English and Irish goes the other way as well.

· I committed the worst sin in my family - I became a Catholic! It took years for my family to accept!

· Kalen Dion says, "We have to repeat that Jesus died for our sins, but we often forget that he actually died for standing up to an oppressive ruling class who used faith and fear to oppress, exploit, influence, and profit."

· Nelson Mandela had started off as a terrorist. In N. Ireland we had Paisley against Catholics. We don't make so much peace with our friends, but we make them with our enemies.

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INTERCESSIONS:

· I thank God for WAC. I meet so many Catholics who appreciate what we are doing. I appreciate you all, and may God bless this group.

· I will be in Rome working with the International Central Committee to prepare for the 2029 World Day of Prayer, being prepared with ecumenical group. I ask your prayers that we feel united with each other - Christian women from different churches - and share their suffering, joys, and hopes, and prepare a liturgy that celebrates us all Christian women and men.

· I want to pray for the people of Gaza, West Bank, and Lebanon who feel they are forgotten or that we are indifferent to their suffering. People of Sudan and other places which are not even in the news. We pray for regions suffering from Ebola virus, that we may not be indifferent. We may not be able to fix it, but may we open our hearts to their suffering. May the Spirit guide us to do small things like speak up, sign a petition, protest, to remember that love is the only way to bring peace.

· I pray for Bessy who has been in palliative care from last week. She was a wonderful woman in her family, parish, and community. She remains so through her illness. She has drawn so many people around her. She worked for the Mexican mission, and had the power in a good way that was recognised for her work. She is on her way to Heaven.

Question for reflection:

If Thomas Merton were alive today and scrolling through your social media feed — the content you share, the voices you amplify, the outrage you engage — would he recognize what you practice as the faith you profess?

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The verse that struck me was in the 3rd reading: Merton's life work was a sustained work about poverty of spirit, love of our neighbour, and a ruthless suspicion of our own certainty. It is so important for me to remember that if I am too focussed on something and don't listen to anybody else's point of view, I need to look again and listen more. Because the soul that is most convinced of its own righteousness is in the most danger - it is scary to think of that!

An hour ago, I was on LinkedIn. One of the posts discussed exactly that - about God of the Crusader - 'Deus Vult' - God wills it. The motto of the crusader. And the cross is an instrument to conquer, and to justify war. As a response I said, "Whatever happened to the God of the Sermon of the Mount?" The God we have now is the God of the armies, in whose name we can kill and genocide. It is not the god of the 'Blessed are the Meek'. It is everywhere, not just in the US. The beatitudes are not really being seen, they don't show much on the algorithm. In terms of immigrants, I was so shocked that in Dublin there was an anti-immigrant demonstration. Many had the picture of the Sacred Heart. I thought it was such a blasphemy to use the Sacred Heart of Christ to abuse immigrants and to refer to them as a threat to our religion! The symbols of Christianity and our flags are being used to oppress and to kill. But that is what is present on the algorithm.

Thank you for taking this theme. When I read that the cross becomes a flag, I see that in the last 2 decades, religious nationalism has become so strong. The Hindu symbol of 'Om' has become the national symbol in India. When politics and religion join hands to promote vested interest - it becomes dangerous. I see such a reflection in a different context. Merton has said the words prophetically. The present regime is using religion to promote the national flag and targeting Muslims and Christians. So it is the same thing that we see in the West and anywhere in the world where there is an unhealthy nexus of religion and politics, we see the same story over and over again. So it is so important to keep up the spirit of the gospel, inclusion, beatitudes - even though we are a minority. We become a little fire, a spark that keeps hope alive.

It must be about 10 years ago when I was on holiday in Belfast, in August. We went out, strayed into East Belfast, where flags of the Union Jack and St George was on every house and pavements painted in colours of the flag. And I never felt so intimidated while driving there in the car. We were four of us and could not believe what we were seeing, trying to drive our way out of it. It made us realise how the flag and the cross being used as Christian nationalism. In the US, I was in Minneapolis, and then went south to Mississippi and Alabama, encountering the flags outside the houses. And we were again reflecting on the symbol of it standing for Christian nationalism, which seems to me the regime's interpretation of Christianity, where Pope Leo can be criticised because he is weak on war. It is frightening to see it manifested so obviously. It reminded me again of the manifestation in East Belfast being so much in your face, and in the Southern States of US, seems to make me question my own interpretation or my own way of walking with Jesus of the Gospel. As you say, the Beatitudes should be our hallmark - the Christian's hallmark - which is an antithesis of Christian nationalism. The Cross is not about conquest, but a symbol of what happens to those who REFUSE TO CONQUER, as Jesus did.

I am in Spain at the moment. Hundreds of immigrants living here are receiving their right to work, which is positive. Of course, the right wing protests it. A member of our annual Eucharist told me about an inter-religious pilgrimage on the Way to Santiago. I have put my name down for it. It consists of a group of 70 - Buddhists, Christians, Muslims, Bahai, Jews, and Hindus who are marching for 6 days and each day is dedicated to one religion. In the evenings, we will have vegetarian suppers so as not to offend any of the religious people. It should be an interesting, positive occasion. I am not strong enough to walk the 25km, but I hope the Spirit will strengthen me.

I have a sense that at this moment, due to the fear and dark clouds, and bombing - we are living a collective trauma. A lot of people feel this. A lot of strong people have taken over and I feel a sense of grief. James Talarico is running for Senate in Texas is doing well, and is Presbyterian. Matthew 5 is his motto (the Beatitudes). He is being targeted by MAGA because he talks about real Christianity. I feel encouraged by people like him. Recently in Spain there was a summit of multilateral people, and Lula of Brazil was there with others, coming together as a force against Netanyahu and Trump. It gives me hope to see these counterforces for peace. Pope Leo is absolutely wonderful at this time using his platform giving the voice to the voiceless.

Pope Leo said: "You are called to be Channels, not Filters."

We were visited by a friend from Southern Europe and she gave me this special rosary. It is propagated by Medjugorje from Croatia. It consisted of 3 prayers for peace. And I think it is encouraging that already heaven is responding to our predicament down here. Right-wing thinking and politics is endangering peace and Mary is trying to give us a means to work against it, not only in Europe but everywhere.

It is kind that the people at the Road to Santiago are choosing to eat vegetarian meals to avoid hurting the sentiments of each others' religions that are against specific meats. But why don't we all come together and eat vegetarian because we do not want to offend the EARTH? We know that meat consumption is affecting the planet. This might sound selfish, but I am hoping that this global blockade at Hormuz will force the world to give up fossil-fuels and turn to cleaner means of energy and transport. This is a critical moment.

I was struck by the readings. I could be certain (about my own ideas), but we also need to be open to the fact that other people have other certainties. Just because it is different, it doesn't mean it is wrong. We can be true to our own beliefs, that is important, but we also need to be aware that we have differences. Even when people can't walk on the Way to Santiago, some needed to take a taxi and meet us at the end, but we are still all part of the same journey.

Hearing the Texas story, looking at the political situation around the world, I am very often remembered what is the first big sin in the Bible - it is the will to be like God. If you see the political leaders, they are trying to be Gods. They mean they can take the life, the freedom and peace of other people. It is important to look at possibilities to REFUSE to such people and situations. There is a big solidarity and I hope it grows to a major communion of people (who want peace).

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Shared Prayers and petitions:

Let's pray for human aid workers who work under dire conditions to ensure that people have basic needs met.

I pray for EU on Europe Day, that the original goal for peace may continue to guide our actions against genocide and war.

I pray for a family member with Cancer, that all treatments may go well.

Pray for scientists working under pressure, in the struggle to access helium and chemicals under war conditions, while working hard to find solutions to newer diseases like Hantavirus and protect global human health.

Pray for all the efforts that go behind making us present here today to uplift each other.

Theme: Fraternity (and Sorority)

• I feel quite angry. I see no relationship between the church and what we have read. Where is the fraternity and humbleness? The ordained behave like gods and expect us to bend down before them. We have a lot to do to restore the church to being synodal.
• I agree. The ordained clerics are only concerned about rituals. The homilies they give are far removed from reality. The church has forgotten the teachings of Jesus. Pope Leo has raised his voice against the brutality of war. Where are the voices of the other US bishops and of the people? The prayers of the faithful do not include a prayer for peace. It pains me to see that the church has drifted away from Jesus. The core values have been forgotten.
• Agree. The churches are focussed on dogma. In previous centuries you were killed. The main commandment is to love one another. Orthodoxy not orthopraxis. Do what Jesus is asking us.
  
  
• Agree. All there in the many readings. Love one another, be kind. It’s also there for all the hierarchy. Structure has become the focus. Thanks to the readers for including Sisters as well as Brothers.
  
  
• Independently from the institutional church we understand what the gospels are saying. Do we really need it?
  
  
• Pope Leo will soon be one year in office. He has been good on external issues like calling for peace for all wars. Yet for internal church matters he has been very cautious. It was disappointing to see him washing the feet of 12 priests where Pope Francis had washed the feet of 12 women. If Pope Leo approves the German Synodal Conference before the end of 2026 that will be a good sign! If not, then I will see Pope Leo as ultra conservative.
  
  
• Can we ourselves push for movement towards Jesus in the right direction? I sometimes feel guilty.
  
  
• Fraternity and Sorority is salvific (= Salvation). Everyday relationships gives salvation. There is too much barbarity and hatred being unleashed in the world. Even relationships on the internet we can relate with other people in different countries and cultures and religions. People are dehumanised in numbers: “300 killed”. Each person is god being murdered. What you do to the least of mine, you do to me.
  
  
• Pope Leo is leading a Peace Vigil at 6pm CET today.
  
  
• Many thanks to François who prepared our Eucharist for today.

Love in Action

1. It is easy to love people next to you. But what about human rights in many countries? Actions are important.

2. The song says, “It’s not about win or lose”. But many are hurting, for example by floods. What happens in other countries also affects us! All of us have a responsibility to make this a better world.

3. Actions are greater than love. Freedom is when we act in a genuine loving way with our neighbour.

4. Thanks for the gospel (‘What you did for one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me’. We are all human beings. Moved by hunger and justice for all.

5. Atheists say we don’t need religion. Conservatives have twisted faith.

6. “There is nothing good unless we do it”. The message in the gospel is very easy. Walk around with open eyes: Who needs help? Where can we abstain? Easy to understand – but hard to do.

7. The linking of love and freedom is a core message of the gospel. Know the truth and the truth will set you free. In true love you don’t need any law. The churches are bound by too many laws and have gone away from the message of freedom and love.

8. I work for NPO along with those of other religions. We are educating the next generation; to help them claim their rights as citizens. One person shared they have two albums: (1) My family book (2) How I grew in myself. No religion necessary – just values.

9. “God bless you” says the greeting. I don’t believe that God interferes. There is always injustice. God only has your hands, your feet, your ears etc. Do blessings yourself. God will bless others.

10. Love as an action rather than a feeling means we must assume accountability and responsibility. I have been promoting an EU petition to suspend the special EU trade agreement with Israel because of the human rights abuses. one million signatures and support from 7 EU countries required. The EU was founded with human rights at its core. Love is not a fluffy word. Link to EU petition: https://eci.ec.europa.eu/055/public/#/screen/home

11. In his Old Testament theology, Gerhard von Rad affirms that justice is the fundamental category of the Old Testament. Justice toward God, toward humans, and toward other creatures. Confirmation of this is found in the text of the prophet Michaeah: "You have been taught, O man, what is good and what the Lord requires of you: to practice justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God." Justice in the Old Testament means starting with the poor. God presents himself as the defender of the orphan, the widow, and the stranger, and asks believers to do the same. In the Gospel of Matthew 25, the final judgment unfolds by revealing Jesus' identification with the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, and the imprisoned, both male and female, who have lived throughout history. What is our relationship with these poor people we encounter in life?

12. A special thanks to Rachael who prepared our St Valentine’s Eucharist!

1. I was baptised aged 3 days. My mother was sick and could not attend. My mother had to be “cleansed” after giving birth by a priest.

2. The Holy Spirit is within us. Use the Holy Spirit in our communities and in the world.

3. I was baptised twice: Aged 5 as an Anglican and 32 years later as a Roman Catholic.

4. The baptism of Jesus by John shows he was fully human.

5. Baptism is not just for the lower ranks of society, also the upper ranks are included. Some do listen to the word of God, and are humble and care for those who have nothing.

6. We must “Move from Churchianity to Christianity”. We must be followers of Christ not followers of the patriarchal church.

7. Baptism makes each of us an Alter Christus. This is a high understanding of baptism Incarnation continues in us. St Theresa of Avila said: “Christ has no hands but our hands; no eyes but our eyes; no words but our words.” When God calls, do we say “Here I am?”

8. We have a responsibility from our baptism. Lay people should ask the clergy to explain the responsibility of the laity? The ordained are supposed to be there to support the laity. I was baptised a Catholic thanks to the faith of my parents. It was my choice to stay with it. Matthew Fox’s “Original Blessing” bowled me over. The theology regarding Original Sin should change.

9. The theologian Prof. Herbert Haag wrote about Original Sin. It used to be taught that without baptism an infant could not enter heaven!

10. Baptism is Good News; feeling blessed. Baptism means opening up a way to join the community.

11. Original sin could be understood as human condition without God. Without Grace we cannot succeed. There were disputes between Protestants and Catholics regarding regarding justification by our own actions, or by faith. Without grace (faith) we cannot do anything worthwhile.

12. Baptism into the Roman Catholic Church or Church of Ireland is unfortunate in the extreme. Recruited to a partisan group. Theology is the only subject where you can arrive at nonsense conclusions without any arguments. It gives power to church authorities. They have the “keys” to control people. God can allow whoever God wants into heaven. Theologians cannot decide who to admit to heaven.

13. A special thanks to Hugo Castelli and Members of Espiritualidad e Iglesia (Madrid) who developed our ZOOM Eucharist for 10 January 2026.

14. I was baptized when I was, I don't know, seven days old. Of course I was unconscious. Today I understand that we aren't baptized because we are guilty from the beginning, that we aren't children of God because we are baptízed, but the other way around: we renew our baptism because we are children of God. It’s different. Through our baptism we believe we can be all siblings, and we want the Church of Jesus to be a sign of universal fraternity. This is what baptism means to me.

Comments shared at the Zoom Eucharist on 13 December 2025

1. Today (13 December) is the Feast day of St. Lucy/Lucia. We are approaching the shortest day of the year. Then the light will shine again, like Christ. Recognise the good in our daily lives and when we make major decisions. Call things by their name. Conquer evil by the power of light.

2. The shepherds and Magi show what it means to be innocent. Not fixed on ideas of power and divinity. Respond to anguish. Follow the star. Fearless and innocent.

3. Experiences of wisdom and joy. Five adults were watching an 11 month old boy learning how to walk. He opened a door. Smiles. No one spoke. He closed the door. Opened it again. Rattled a teapot. Smiled at the adults. Got on his toes – would he walk? No. Crawling again. Hurt himself. His mother picked him up at once. Reading and music are gifts.

4. A reconciliation prayer with blind people. How do they interpret light? We get amazing insights from blind people who are in eternal darkness. Are we overusing the gift of sight/light? How do we see innocence in blind people’s eyes? The blind are the blessed ones – pure, no lust, not seeing. One of my nephews is blind. He has a sharp 6th sense. He sees things. Innocent. Blessed is he. He sees his uncle 5 miles away and tells his mother. His uncle Mr Bito arrives in 15 minutes. See. I told you. Have we spoiled the world with our eyes? Blind people can’t. What is our vision of the blind and their vision of the people with sight?

5. In a world of constant noise and judgements Kochurani has given us a gift. There is a rush for Christmas; buy; buy; go here and there. Kochurani’s gift is “The power of silence”. For 20 minutes. See yourself in glorious technicolour. Be in silence. Thank you Kochurani.

6. I am reminded of the emperor’s new clothes sold to him by fraudsters. Only wise people can see this magnificent costume. The emperor parades through the streets. A child calls out: “He’s got no clothes on! He’s naked!” Speaking truth to power. If 2000 years ago Trump had been amongst the shepherds or Magi, he would not have found the Christ child in a barn with animals. We must speak our truth to power.

7. Innocence and intimacy. The shepherds were the first to hear of the birth of Jesus. Practically every year I had a pet lamb in need of care. My dad would distribute them to look after feeding them with a child’s bottle. Nursing the lamb back to health. Then letting go when the lamb was healthy enough to let it go back into the field. Always waiting for another lamb again next year. Being the youngest, begging my mother to have another baby. All the children in my class had babies. I told my mother it was easy to have a baby – the midwife came with her bag of tricks. Innocence and intimacy linked for me.

8. Innocence is dangerous in today’s world. Be street smart. We need intimacy and innocence in our lives. A spirit of innocence.

Participants from 9 different countries shared their reflections on the Readings. 

1. “Love relentlessly” is challenging. Meeting with a Member of Opus Dei… reminded that Sainthood was devalued by the canonising of Opus Dei founder Escrivas. All our names should be included in the litany of saints.2. The litany of Saints was by Mary Lou Kownacki (who was a good friend of Joan Chittister). Miriam Therese Winter is one of her favourites. Enjoyed studying in Berkley, California with Sandra Schneider. USA were so far ahead of us then. Now it is sad. So many millions put a man into the White House, who seems to be destroying the US. You will come through it and come to a better place. You are sitting on the shoulders of wonderful women.

3. Good that our litany included non-Christians like Rumi and different religions. There are so many good people among the non-baptised – they are good human beings. People who are not Christians live lives of real Christians. Happy to see them included in the litany of Saints.

4. Thinking about how I can be a Saint: Like a window where God shines through. I work with marginalised people – who lead messy lives. Meet again – change – love. God does work through all of us to become a window. You have to be loved first to love. It’s not only Christian – must love first to change. WAC for 30 years has been relentlessly knocking on the door of the Vatican. Now being part of it for the first time.

5. The combination of “Love” with “Relentlessness”. Those two words don’t often go together. An Irish bishop returning from the Synod reported that “prayer was relentless”. Poem “The hound of heaven”. Gods love is relentless – pursues us – pierces all our defences.. To be a saint is to open our hearts to God. Clenching of fist and closing of heart. Contraction call – heart of flesh – beating heart of Christ – relentless love pulsing through the universe and all of creation. Relentless spirit of love. Thank you for choosing this poem.

6. Also heard the bishop experience relentless prayer at Synod. So much love. Soline has love for the church.

7. Other people. See all people in a new relationship to God. The Relationship of God is love. Love first. Love all people. Make conditions on earth so all can live well there.

8. Attended two workshops in Rome. One on polarisation – no one in the middle is not good. Second on women. Polish woman did not want altar girls because they make the altar boys withdraw and then we will have no priests.

Comments shared at ZOOM Eucharist 4 October 2025 Reflecting on 800 years of St. Francis Laudato ’Si

1. Beautiful readings. When in Canada we enjoyed a walk beside Lake Superior where the Native Peoples were acknowledged. It was a pilgrimage in communion with all of nature.

2. Some of the Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address are read every day in some schools in the USA.

3. I think of family care and sustainability so dear in Native American culture. Europeans came to America, brought capitalism, greed for gold and a lust to destory the indigenous people. Since the mid 20th century Native American culture has been revived and now thrives.  The have much to teach us.

4. I live in a concrete jungle and don’t get to see much of nature. Love Grandmother Moon. I remember the book of Job “Where were you when….”The Native American way. The readings were like an operetta – so beautiful.

5. I lived with tribals for a few years and learnt about medicinal plants. A 14 year old girl in our school had a log fall on her foot, crushing two of her toes. She was sent 22km to a medical facility. The doctor said he would have to amputate her toes. The girl and her family ran away back to the school where they asked one of the Sisters to help the girl. The Sister feared the injury could become gangrenous. But the girls family were definite they would not go back to the doctor. They asked the Sister to do what she could. The Sister applied Aloe Vera plant to the crushed toes and tied them up. She had no anti-biotics. She prayed it would work. In 4 days the girl showed some improvement. She was completely healed. The Sister had never experienced anything like this. There is so much wonder in nature. But we are allowing a lot of chemicals to destroy our communities and health.

6. 8 years ago she lived with an indigenous community. They believed in sustainable development. Beauty so vivid. The government hospital was 20km away – but people only go to hospital to die. So different to how we deal with issues. Very inspiring readings. Thank you.

7. Thanks and gratefulness speak through the words. How do we see nature and the cosmos? We are a small part of the cosmos. Everything is interlinked with each other – the moon & sun & the cosmos. How it could be and how it was 100 years ago. Show us the way into the future. More responsibility and more connections. Find new ways to deal with technologies and our economic systems.

8. Teilhard de Chardin in “Divine Milieu” said at the heart of all matter is the heart of God. Teilhard was condemned, but Pope Francis embraced him. At the heart of all matter is God.

9. The spirituality of enough. Take from nature only as much as you need. The Mango tree laden with fruit: In cities fruits are robbed. With tribals they take one only if they are hungry. Don’t hoard. They have very little. They grow cucumbers in the rainy season. They share everything. Godly living. Having grown up in a city with property rights etc. In contrast the tribals are living so close to God.

10. I visited some islands devastated after a tsunami. There were government programs for orphans.. But the tribals have no word for orphans in their vocabulary. The community is the larger family. Some of the islands are considered sacred: Some where you wear no clothes; make no noise; take nothing away. Ways of maintaining harmony. Names of Mothers/Fathers are the same for all generations. Different relationships.