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Blog Topic: A SENSE OF SUFFERING Father Marcin Drabik

Suffering

My Dear Brother and Sister in Christ, my Friends

Today, I would like to present to You the last before Summer Holidays – thought based on the mysteries of our faith: A SENSE OF SUFFERING

How can we reconcile the omnipotence of God’s love with our suffering? I am now considering the suffering of an innocent man, the suffering of a child or the suffering of people dying of cataclysms. If God loves, He cannot inflict pain, He cannot agree to let a loved one suffer. We cannot reconcile love and suffering. With regard to God, this question is even more difficult, for we know that God’s love is omnipotent, and that God could, by one act of His will, remove all suffering from the earth.

I would like to emphasise clearly that at the moment we are touching a great mystery. Father Karl Rahner, one of the great theologians of our time, mentioned the departure of one of his friends, who suffered in a most painful way during the last months of his life. When his friend came to him a few hours before his death, he asked him: ‘What are you going to God with?’ He replied: ‘With a question I have not found an answer to. Why is there so much suffering on earth? ‘

We stand before the mystery, but the secret of human suffering is similar to a great cave. At its entrance there is an inscription: ‘Not investigated’. However, because such a description exists, it does not follow that it is impossible to enter this cave. A man living on earth enters this cave of suffering whether he wants to or not. The cave will remain a cave, the mystery will remain a mystery, and yet you have to enter its depths. And this is the purpose of our contemplation today; we need this understanding to enter ‘the cave of suffering’. Fortunately, we have a Guide who knows the cave of the mystery of suffering well because He voluntarily entered it, touched its bottom and became its Lord. He is Jesus Christ, the only Man living on earth with whom one can talk sensibly about suffering. He accepted suffering voluntarily and it seems that He came to the earth precisely to give us the key to this great mystery, incomprehensible to us since the creation of the world.

Christ did not remove suffering, but gave it a meaning. He made it a tool for the salvation of the world. It is significant that in Scripture the first word about suffering, the word of God himself, is closely connected with birth. After the sin, God addresses the woman and utters the significant words: ‘From now on you will give birth in pain’. Suffering is closely connected with the birth of a new life, it is part of the birth process. Today, it is well known that not only the mother suffers during childbirth, but a baby also suffers, and in a very painful way, the child that is born. For a child, it is a shock to go from one world to another, and this shock is related to suffering. This suffering is also needed to leave this world in which it lives, to break free from it in order to breathe in the values of another world.

Jesus Christ, speaking about the birth of man, through which he enters the space of a new spiritual life, clearly refers to the pain of a woman who is giving birth. He has first and foremost in mind the improvement of love. This is the first step that Jesus draws attention to. Suffering, even the suffering of an innocent man, is the process of shaping his maturity. We cannot, unfortunately, answer a whole range of questions. We do not know to what extent the suffering of a tiny child, which is destroyed in the womb by abortion, contributes to shaping its maturity. But God knows that. Suffering is closely related to the process of a new birth and then it makes sense. Like a mother waiting for childbirth, she perfectly recognizes the meaning of her suffering, knowing that she must go through childbirth so that a child will be born, so our suffering is always a stage on the road leading to the birth of a new person.

The second moment to pay attention to is the fact that in every suffering we have to deal with destruction. It is always a destruction, and however spiritually, we can see the increase of the spirit, however, standing by the bed of a sick, suffering man who dies in pain, we see how suffering kills him. It destroys not only his body, but in many cases destroys his nervous system, destroys his psyche. It is a process of destruction, and yet through this process of destruction, man approaches God. Again, I will turn to the picture illustrating this problem. Suffering hits a man like a hammer hits a nail. If the nail could feel, it would be very painful for it. But it is through these impacts that the nail is set in the place where it is to fulfil its role. It is only then that the nail gains the meaning of its existence, when it is stuck where it should be. Man should be firmly immersed in God, and precise suffering striking him, drives him into God, joins him with God. And that is why it is a salvation of suffering. We feel pain, and in many cases we do not even see a meeting with God, but let us remember that strokes that involve suffering always tend to unite us with God. I repeat this again – in my priesthood I have met many more people who found God, who were reconciled with God in their suffering, painful sickness and dying than people, who were comfortable in every stage.

 

Jesus Christ suffered innocently. By accepting suffering on the cross, He simultaneously takes on the suffering of all innocent people on earth. “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40, 45). In this sentence the deepest mystery is expressed. An innocent man, whether he knows it or not, is connected to Christ and his suffering is included in the suffering of Christ. Imagine that the forest is burning, the fire is burning down thousands of trees, and the energy that is released is lost irrevocably. Nonsensical destruction. However, if we put these trees into a furnace, then the fire becomes useful energy. Now, if there was no Christ, then all the innocent sufferings on earth would be compared to the drama of a burning forest. Christ, on the other hand, embraced everyone with his heart and not one moment of innocent suffering, existing on earth, would be wasted. Suffering is gaining salvation thanks to Christ. This will become a great revelation for people who will find every second of their suffering in Christ. It will be their treasure. It will be their participation in the salvation of the world. St. Paul clearly wrote: “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church” (Colossians 1, 24). He is aware that through suffering he is included in the great richness of Christ’s saving love.

I emphasize this again. The suffering itself, especially the suffering of an innocent man, is evil and as evil cannot be justified. If it were possible to justify it, it would not be evil. However, if I am sitting in a dentist’s chair and I am suffering the removal of a bad tooth, then the pain I feel is not evil. This is good. This temporary suffering will bring me health. Suffering justified and explained is not evil. But innocent suffering is inexcusable and therefore Jesus Christ gives it new meaning. Jesus turned innocent suffering into an act of saving love. This is the mystery of Christ’s cross. From now on, anyone who can accept suffering and offer it to God can do more than one decade of creative work within one hour. Because creative work is above all a temporal dimension, and suffering has an eternal dimension. In this situation, human suffering becomes a great deed, a great work. A mature attitude to suffering is rewarded by the Just Judge as one of the greatest, most wonderful deeds. That is why Christians boast of those who have been able to suffer for Christ, who have been able to suffer innocently. The greatest heroes are those who have matured by unjust suffering.

This contemplation of today can also make us aware of the basic truth: Christ gave meaning to all suffering on earth. Still, the mystery remains a question: Why did God not remove suffering? We see that through the existence of suffering, salvation is accomplished, but why it is done through suffering is still a mystery. This cave of mystery of suffering, discovered with Christ, is even deeper.
The dying friend of Fr. Rahner rightly said, ‘I am going to God to ask him: Why is there so much innocent suffering on earth?’ He must have already recognized its saving sense, he must have received the answer from God Himself. We still do not know why God, when loving, accepts suffering. We cannot answer this question. Christ calls us to improve ourselves and to discover the meaning of life, and by following this path we will see the meaning of suffering and death, because these are essential elements of the mystery of life. Christ is our only Guide in suffering and death. Deuteronomy can be implemented only by God on the principle of private revelation.

 

 

With love, friendship and prayers – Fr Marcin

Blog Topic: Suffering as the Fruit of Ill-used Freedom

God and EvilMy Dear Brother and Sister in Christ, my Friends

Today I’d like to speak about “Suffering as the fruit of ill-used freedom.”

Speaking about man’s responsibility to God for his evil deeds, I turned my attention to suffering as a punishment in my last consideration. I made a distinction between suffering as punishment in the strict sense and as a punishment in a broader sense. The first is when God, as a loving Father, punishes his children with a desire to teach them wisdom. Sometimes we deal with such a punishment, coming from the hand of God, here on earth. More often, however, we experience punishment in broader terms; it is then the consequence of an evil act. This suffering is inseparable from the violation of the moral law. In this case, God does not punish; the man himself is responsible for his spiritual disability, which is the consequence of the sin committed.

Both the one and the other forms of suffering in the sense of punishment have a close relationship with human freedom. We cannot punish someone when he is not responsible for his actions. To make this more specific, we need to pay attention to our responsibility for someone else’s misfortune. Suffering on earth is the result of improper use of freedom by other people. Visiting the concentration camp, for example, Auschwitz – we can see how man’s hand prepared this terrible fate. The concentration camp was not God’s work and God is not responsible for its existence. It was a man-made death factory and man is responsible for the suffering and unhappiness that others experienced in the concentration camp. The same kind of responsibility can be seen by observing the suffering of a child who was conceived and born into a family in which there is no love. This child suffers from the beginning either because of indifference, or because of reluctance, or even because of the hatred of his parents. It is not God who is responsible for this child’s suffering. The responsibility rests on the shoulders of the parents. And suffering that will flow from torn marriages? It is one spouse who inflicts suffering on the other, cheating on him or leaving her. He is guilty because he caused the suffering. We suffer today in the world because of various diseases caused by polluted air and dirty water. It is not God who is responsible for this suffering caused by these diseases. It is people who poison the air, and many millions of people suffer from bone degeneration or suffer dying from cancer.

We are dealing with indirect liability here. However, man is always responsible for this suffering. It comes from badly used freedom. Man, in the name of misunderstood freedom, destroys others, destroys himself, sometimes even without knowing it.


The question arises: Should God, who knows perfectly well how much suffering will appear in the world due to the bad use of freedom by man, not take away this freedom from man? In other words, would it not be better if a man lost his freedom, because without this gift he would enjoy order on earth. At first glance, millions of people would support such a solution. Suffering innocently and unjustly, the cripples would prefer to give up their freedom, so that the world would be in order and their suffering would end.

However, the thing is not so simple. Let us ask the question: Is fire in the hands of people a gift or a curse? Based on the flame of fire, humanity constructed the whole machine of war. It is in the heat of melted steel that the knife is sharpened. It is in fire that weapons are made. The fire is closed in missiles. The fire has been freed from the atom and today it can destroy the whole earth. If this fire is threatening humanity and since it still destroys for centuries, it inflicts pain, terrorizes people, and if through the ages still, would it not be better to give it up? Would it not be better for God to take fire away from people? Then we will return to the age of the cave, the Stone Age, to feed on roots and fruits. In the face of such an alternative, each one of us will say: God must leave us fire, for the same fire that exists on earth gives much more good than evil.

Similarly with freedom. Freedom is such a gift that the earth enjoys much more good fruit than evil. And although suffering ties in with him, God will not take away freedom from man, because if He did, He would bring us to the level of animals. Then there would be no man. By allowing suffering, God leaves this amazingly creative power in our hands, because freedom, even when abused, determines the dignity of man and defines God’s love for a man who does not make him enslaved and crushed.

This consideration leads us to a simple and hopeful conclusion. Since the enormous amount of suffering on earth is the result of ill-used freedom, then it is possible to eliminate it. It is in our hands, after all. If wise people could isolate those who cannot take advantage of freedom, then one could build a house of peace and happiness in the world? In fact, the opposite is true, those who do not value freedom and cannot use it often isolate those who value and use freedom. It really lies in the hands of people and this paradoxical reality must necessarily be reversed. The world is upside down in this respect and the time is right for it to stand normally – on its feet. It is necessary that wise people, who value freedom, are able to use it for the benefit of others. As Christians, we are obliged to do everything that is in our capabilities to minimize the suffering on earth resulting from the misuse of freedom. This is the task of every wise man. This is the task of the health service, the task of educators, and especially it is the task of those whom we choose to rule over, that is, to serve. Authority should be handed over to people who know what a treasure freedom is, who can respect it and fight for it.

The simplest example. The removal of hunger from the earth lies within our capabilities. One hundred million annually starve to death. If each of us shared with them the bread which we eat, no one would die of hunger. None of us, eating about a quarter a day less, would not get sick because of it, and that’s enough to save one hundred million people from starvation. It really lies within the capability of every human being. And God is not in any way responsible for the death of one hundred million brothers and sisters from hunger. The abolishing of death through hunger on our globe is within our reach. It is us, and not God, who are responsible for every death through hunger.

There are, however, misfortunes against which a man is completely helpless. Volcano eruption, an earthquake, when tens of thousands of people die in the course of a few seconds. Cyclones, which, going in a powerful wave, can destroy entire villages and cities. A thunderbolt that kills a human on the spot. Here, freedom has nothing to say. Such misfortunes exist and God is directly responsible for them in the way of the question – why does He not stop it?

Now we come to the most difficult question. How to reconcile God’s love with suffering and misfortune that exist on earth, regardless of man’s will?

We, in human terms, reason in this way. If we genuinely love someone, we do not accept that they should suffer. If it is within our power, we will never allow a loved one to suffer. God’s love is omnipotent. So how can God, with His all-powerful love, look at the suffering that exists on earth? I will try to answer this question in our newsletter next week.

With love, friendship and prayers – Fr Marcin

Blog Topic: Blessed ‘Little Arab girl’ – Mariam of Jesus Crucified

My Dear Brother and Sister in Christ, my Friends

Last week was very reach in many ways in experience the Holy Spirit’s acting among us. Only good God knows how many situations and problems were resolve – we believe – – through His merciful interventions, inspirations and promptings. I believe, that it is a fruit of such powerful Novena Prayers to the Holy Spirit which we have prayed here before Pentecost. It reminds me also, that three years ago Blessed ‘Little Arab girl’ – Mariam of Jesus Crucified was canonized. I would like to introduce her to You, because I’m absolutely sure that her message is very much needed for all of us. Her message also inspired me to offer, once a month, the Votive Mass to the Holy Spirit for all us.

Miriam Bauardi of Jesus Crucified, , the sister of Bethlehem or the “Little Arab girl,” was born on January 5, 1846 in the town of Ibillin what was then southern Syria (now Israel) in the Ottoman Empire, between Nazareth and Haifa. She was the thirteenth child and only daughter (all the boys died in infancy) of the family Melkite, Greek Catholics of the Middle East. At the age of just under three years she became an orphan, and her upbringing and that of her brother was by relatives; a wealthy uncle, who after some time brought her to Alexandria in Egypt, and there he adopted her. When the girl was 13 years old her adoptive father betrothed her without her knowledge to a young relative of his wife, but shortly before the wedding, she heard an inner voice: ‘Mariam you are not to marry, but to devote yourself to God’. So the engagement was broken, causing the rage of her uncle-father, who for several months tormented her in various ways.

In the end, she managed to leave the foster home, intending to go to her brother in Nazareth, under the care of one of his servants as her patron – a Muslim who had made a good impression on her, and he began to persuade her to change religion. Once firmly she refused, on the night of 7/8 September 1858 a Muslim man slit her throat and left her in a dark alley in Alexandria. She nearly died from loss of blood, but – as she later confessed – she was suddenly in a cave, rescued by a “nun dressed in blue,” whom she recognised as the Mother of God. With her last ounce of strength she reached the Franciscan Church, where one of the monks took care of her and managed to get to her a job serving in a Christian family.

She said of herself: “I am a little nothing”. She sang … “floating above the linden trees”. She lived despite her injuries and one day she saw the Holy Spirit. He revealed to her a secret: You can be a source of help for priests. She was ashamed that He should come into her humble environment but she saw Him, she talked with Him as with her brother. She said on 14 November 1871. “I suffered because I did not feel God. My heart was like iron. I could not think of God, I called the Holy Spirit and said, ‘It is you who helps us to know Christ. The Apostles were a long time with Him, but did not understand Him, but one visit from You was enough to make them to understand. You now must come to me and show me Jesus as He is.” “The Lord showed me everything” – she said. – “I saw before me a Dove, over an overflowing cup, as if it were the source. What poured out of the cup, bedewed the Dove and washed me. I heard a voice which came with this wonderful light. He said: ‘Whosever shall call on the Holy Spirit (…) will find me through Him. His consciousness is like a delicate flower field. If it is a father or mother, then peace will reign in their family. The peace will be in their heart, both in this and the next world. They will not die in darkness, but in My peace. Earnestly, I want you to say that all priests who will celebrate the Mass of the Holy Spirit once a month, would honour me. And whoever will honour me and will participate in the Mass, will be honoured by the Holy Spirit; and will have light in themselves; in the depths of their souls will be peace. It is He who will come to heal the sick and awaken those who sleep. As proof of this, all those who will celebrate this Mass, or who participate in it, and who will invoke the Holy Spirit will leave Mass, having experienced this peace in the depths of their souls. They will not die in darkness “.

Mariam’s devotion to the Holy Spirit was not common in her time. And yet her spiritual journey seemed to be guided by the Spirit in unprecedented ways. Inspired by having received a special prayer to the Holy Spirit during one of her ecstatic experiences, she was convinced that devotion to the Holy Spirit, who was then commonly known as the Paraclete, was needed by the whole Church. She even sent a petition to Pope Pius IX asking him to cultivate a greater devotion within the Church to the Holy Spirit. No one knows what the pope thought of this at the time, but 20 years later Pope Leo XIII published an encyclical about devotion to the Paraclete.

“The world and religious communities are seeking novelties in devotions, and they are neglecting true devotion to the Paraclete. That is why there is error and disunion, and why there is no peace or light. They do not invoke light as it should be invoked, and it is this light that gives knowledge of truth. It is neglected even in seminaries…Every person in the world that will invoke the Holy Spirit and have devotion to Him will not die in error.”

Specific lifeline. One Votive Mass to the Holy Spirit a month. – ‘I’ve seen so many things brought about by this devotion, celebration, that you could write thick volumes ‘– said Little Arab girl –‘ but I cannot talk about it. I am uneducated, can neither read nor write. The Lord will shed the light on whomever He wishes’ … Why should we not believe her word? We will offer one Mass each month as the Votive Mass to the Holy Spirit (this month will be this Tuesday at 7.00pm).

A few sayings of Blessed Sister Mariam while in ecstasy:

Mariam of Jesus Crucified – “I am in God, and God is in me. I feel that all creatures, the trees, the flowers belong to God and also to me. I no longer have a will, it belongs to God. And all that is God´s is mine.” – “Pay attention to little things. Everything is great before the Lord. The Lord does not want robbery in the sacrifice. Offer and give Him everything.

– “In heaven, the most beautiful souls are those that have sinned the most and repented. But they made use of their miseries like manure around the base of the tree.”

– “Be very charitable; when one of your eyes sees what is not right, shut it and then open the other one! Change everything into good.” – Her prayer: Holy Spirit, inspire me, Love of God, consume me, on the right path lead me. Mary, Mother, look at me, Jesus bless me. From all evil, from all illusions, from all danger save me. Amen

With love, friendship and prayers – Fr Marcin

Blog Topic: The Surge of Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery today

Human Trafficking 2

This year, the Day for Life has been assisted by the work of the Santa Marta Group. As an initiative of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, the Santa Marta Group was set up in 2014 and brings the church, the police and local community together to combat human trafficking globally. Through a series of conferences, the Santa Marta Group has become an international alliance of leaders in Law Enforcement and the Church from around the world. The work of these 30 members has been endorsed by Pope Francis, who speaks of human trafficking as “an open wound on the body of contemporary society”.

“Organized crime and the illegal trafficking of human beings choose their victims among people who today have little means of subsistence and even less hope for the future… The basic response lies in creating opportunities for integral human development” Pope Francis

The Santa Marta Group engage with local groups, the Caritas network, and other charities. You can find more about their interactions through their twitter feed at @santamartagroup. One particular partnership is with the Diocese of Westminster who run a safe house for women survivors of human trafficking. Their website hosts a range of useful resources to download. Here you can download a poster, prayer card and some simple resources for parishes. Your involvement does not have to end with the Day for Life; you can access the Bakhita Day Resources, which include information on human trafficking, suggested social media posts, bidding prayers and other key factors to help you engage with awareness building. Find this and more at Website: Santa Maria Group

The proceeds of the Day for Life collection to be held in parishes in England and Wales will assist projects working to fight human trafficking, as well as other life-related activities supported by the Church.

 

Testimony

Human Trafficking

“My name is Daia*. I’m from a small town in Edo State, Nigeria. My family were very poor and from a young age I was always chasing a ‘better life’. At 18 I met and fell in love with Victor*, from Lagos. I was so impressed by his fine clothes and his confidence. Victor suggested going together to London – he said he had friends there and a job for me, cleaning in a hair salon. I was so excited. Victor travelled ahead and I was to follow him. After a long journey I arrived in Dublin. I had never heard of this place but thought it was just another stop-over on my way to London. Victor had arranged for someone to meet me. This man took me in his car. But we did not go to Victor, or to the hair salon, or to London. He took me to a brothel. I have been here ever since.”

* This is a true story. Names have been changed to protect identities.

Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery

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Jesus tells us, “I have come that you may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10 NJB).

But many people do not have life to the full. They have fallen victim to the scourge of human trafficking and modern slavery which are an assault on a person’s innate human dignity. People are not commodities to be traded ruthlessly for criminal profit. Indeed, this is something that is happening in communities across our country, not just in our big cities. It’s not only happening in brothels and nail bars, but on farms, building sites and factories as well. Nor is this a problem confined to immigrant communities, it is affecting our own citizens too.

Trafficking is a growing problem and the UN estimates that over 40 million people worldwide are in slavery. In the UK alone, it is estimated that every year there are over 13,000 victims of trafficking from all countries. Criminals exploit some of the most vulnerable and desperate people. We can act together to stop this. It is a crime hidden in plain sight, it’s difficult to investigate, and the police need our help to identify and stop the traffickers and rescue and support the victims.

How Can We Help?

Human Trafficking

The Catholic community can make a real difference to help solve this problem – to help them find freedom and live life to the full. There are many organisations working to put a stop to human trafficking and modern slavery. One of these, the Santa Marta Group, works internationally to bring the Catholic Church and law enforcement agencies together to eradicate slavery. To read more visit Website: Santa Maria Group

Locally, dioceses, Caritas and other church communities can effect real change for trafficked people living in these areas.

with best wishes Father Marcin Drabik

human trafficking 2

Pope’s Video Calls for Action Against Slavery – ‘Slavery is not something from other times.’

MAY 07, 2018 16:07 ZENIT STAFF HUMAN RIGHTS AND JUSTICE Pope Francis on May 7, 2018, call for global action against slavery, reminding world leaders that “Slavery is not something from other times.”

His remarks came in a video message the Holy Father sent to participants in the II International Forum on modern slavery, on the theme “Old problems in a new world”. The Forum, promoted by the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Archbishop of Constantinople, in collaboration with the Archdiocese of Buenos Aires and with the Patriarch Athenagoras Orthodox Institute in Berkeley, California, is taking place from 5 to 8 May, at the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Text of the Video Message of the Holy Father

Dear brothers and sisters:

I have welcomed the invitation to send a greeting to you, participants in this Forum on modern forms of slavery, “Old problems in the new world”, organized by the Orthodox Archdiocese of Buenos Aires, guided by the beloved Metropolitan Tarasios , and by the Orthodox Patriarchate Athenagoras Institute of Berkeley in California with the patronage of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. First of all, I express my heartfelt gratitude to the Ecumenical Patriarch, His Holiness Bartholomew I, and to the Archbishop of Canterbury, His Grace Justin Welby, who last year inaugurated this Forum. It comforts me to know that we share the same concern for the victims of modern slavery.

Slavery is not something from other times. It is a practice that has deep roots and continues to manifest itself today and in many different ways: trafficking of human beings, exploitation of work through debt, exploitation of children, sexual exploitation and forced domestic work are some of the many forms. Each one is as serious and inhuman as the others. Despite the lack of information available to us from some regions of the world, the figures are dramatically high and, most likely, underestimated. According to some recent statistics, there would be more than 40 million people, men, but especially women and children, who suffer as a result of slavery. Just to give us an idea, imagine that if they lived in a single city, it would be the largest megalopolis on our planet and would have, more or less, four times the population of the entire urban area of Buenos Aires and Greater Buenos Aires.

Faced with this tragic reality, no one can wash their hands of it without being, in some way, an accomplice to this crime against humanity. A first task to be imposed is to put into effect a strategy for ensuring greater awareness of the subject, breaking the veil of indifference that seems to cover the fate of this portion of humanity that suffers, that is suffering. It seems that many do not want to understand the extent of the problem. There are some who, directly involved in criminal organizations, do not want it to be talked about, simply because they earn high profits as a result of the new forms of slavery. There are also some who, despite knowing about the problem, do not want to talk because they are there where the “chain of consumption” ends, as a consumer of the “services” offered by men, women, and children who have been turned into slaves. We can not become distracted: we are all called to leave behind any form of hypocrisy, facing the reality that we are part of the problem. The problem is not in the opposite lane: it involves us. We are not permitted to look elsewhere and declare our ignorance or our innocence.

A second great task is to act in favor of those who have been turned into slaves: to defend their rights, and to prevent the corrupt and criminals from escaping justice and having the final word on the exploited. It is not enough for some states and International Organizations to adopt a particularly harsh policy in order to punish the exploitation of human beings, if then the causes, the deepest roots of the problem, are not addressed. When countries suffer extreme poverty, violence, and corruption, neither the economy nor the legislative framework nor the basic infrastructures are effective; they fail to guarantee security or assets or essential rights. In this way, it is easier for the perpetrators of these crimes to continue acting with total impunity. In addition, there is a sociological fact: organized crime and the illegal trafficking of human beings choose their victims among people who today have little means of subsistence and even less hope for the future. To be clearer: among the poorest, among the most neglected, the most discarded. The basic response lies in creating opportunities for integral human development, starting with a quality education: this is the key point, quality education from early childhood, to continue generating new opportunities for growth through employment. Education and employment.

This immense task, which requires courage, patience and perseverance, demands a joint and global effort on the part of the different actors that make up society. The Churches must also play a role task in this. While individuals and groups speculate shamefully on slavery, we Christians, all together, are called to develop more and more collaboration, to overcome all kinds of inequality, all kinds of discrimination, which are precisely what makes it possible for a man to make another man a slave. A common commitment to facing this challenge will be a valuable aid for the construction of a renewed society oriented towards freedom, justice and peace.

I wish this Forum every success, and I ask the Lord to bless you and to bless your work. And, please, do not forget to pray for me. Thank you.

© Libreria Editrice Vatican

Blog Topic: Rosary on the Coast of the British Isles Report

“Blow the trumpet; gather the people; assemble the aged; gather the children; Let them say: Spare your people O Lord.” (Joel 2)

Dear Rosary on the Coast participants, Sunday 29 April was a great grace for our Church and Nations as Catholics turned out in force to pray the Rosary on the Coast for Faith, Life and Peace in the British Isles. Rosary on the Coast was a sign of hope for the spiritual renewal of our Isles and for supernatural solutions for the difficulties we face personally, in our families, as a Church, as the British Isles and globally as nations. We were caught up in something greater than ourselves as instruments in the hands of our Blessed Mother. It was exciting to know we were part of a mighty “assault of prayer”. We trust that, in God’s time, His powerful intervention will manifest itself in the people of our Isles, our Church and Governments.

Bishop John Keenan said: We gather here … conscious that we are united with tens of thousands of our fellow Catholics and friends in Christ, spread across 400 locations in every corner of our lands and in the far-off Islands. … We have gathered together sensing an inspiration from Our Lady herself, who reminds us that ‘more is obtained with one day of intense prayer that with years of continuous discussions’.

e had locations from Lerwick in the far Isles of Scotland to Land’s End, Jersey and Guernsey in the Channel Islands as well as locations around the Coasts of Scotland, England, Wales and all the Isles around. It was incredible to view the final Map of Locations! The British Isles was encircled by the Rosary, the Angelic Salutation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Beautiful footage both photographic and video showed the witness of men, women and children of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities, who turned out to pray in spite of the terrible weather conditions in England and Wales. Scotland was all blessed with glorious sunshine! We had 400 confirmed locations with others not declared and individuals and families praying wherever they happened to be.

A reasonable estimate from reports through email, web and social media suggests 45,000 took part, joined in prayer by peoples across the world, especially from Ireland, Poland, the USA and Australia.
All the Bishops supported the event while seventeen attended events as the rest joined in prayer. It was a great grace to have this and much appreciated. The Apostolic Blessing from Pope Francis through the Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Edward Adams was a crowning glory.

Rosary on The Coast SouthseaRosary on The Coast UK

Rosary on the Coast touched something deep in the hearts of the faithful around the world. Lebanon and the USA have announced their Rosary on the Coast will take place on 7 October. Poland, Ireland and Australia have already hosted theirs. Canada is pondering a date and so are other Nations. We had an episcopal leader in Bishop John Keenan of Paisley Diocese in Scotland. We also thank EWTN GB based in Walsingham and also EWTN Global, as well as Vatican Radio, who helped highlight Rosary on the Coast to a global audience. The Knights of St. Columba were a fantastic strength of support and organization at many locations.

We thank the Catholic Faithful, other Christians and people of goodwill who came out in force. They prepared their local venues for Rosary on the Coast with creativity, apostolic zeal and prayerfulness, aware of how the times we live in demand a great supernatural response in prayer, penance, fasting and sacrifice in order to face the challenges the world throws at us as individuals, families, as a Church, as communities and as nations.

Everyone bloomed where they were planted! Inland Parishes made contact with coastal parishes, people made new friends from other parishes. We connected as Catholics. Long may these friendships and spiritual support continue!

A lady sent in this beautiful prophecy: “As we started the Rosary, I sensed thousands of golden arrows, rather like long spears but with flattened shafts and arrow heads, forming a fence around the British Isles; a fence that reached up to the gates of Heaven from where Our Lady was looking down at us, spreading her mantle down to meet the arrow fence. Her mantle was silver-grey and was, in fact, formed by descending ranks of angels – so the cover went from Earth to Heaven and back forming a sort of tent. I had the further sense that, behind Our Lady, God the Father was looking down, smiling on us, but He was also saying: “Do not let this be the end, but the beginning. Go home and continue (this work) by becoming true witnesses to my Son and what He has done for the world.” … “The kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Repent and believe in the Gospel!”

So what next?

1. We are asking for feedback as to what the Holy Spirit is saying to the Church at this time. Please email brief thoughts (100 words) to Antonia at admin@rosaryonthecoast.co.uk who will collate them. It would help if you state your Parish and Diocese.
2. Initial feedback indicates that many want something like Rosary on the Coast again! Perhaps Parishes might arrange this locally as Rosary around the Parish. All it takes is a local leader! Think about it!
3. Penance and Reparation are key to our follow up on Sunday October 7th 2018 when we will join with the rest of the world in British Isles under the Cross, a time for Repentance & Reparation? Listen to Frances Hogan, Scripture scholar’s A Path to Healing a Nation, an hour long, but every sentence a jewel.

4. Finally there is the International dimension and a global call to unite in spiritual warfare prayer on Sunday 7 October, the Feast of the Most Holy Rosary. The USA and Lebanon have declared this date for their National Rosary Coast to Coast with spiritual preparation beginning on 15th August, the Feast of the Assumption.
5. The Irish Rosary on the Coast Team is preparing its response following the catastrophic referendum result in which around two thirds of the Irish population voted in favour of abortion. What might we do in the British Isles to become part of this?
6. On 22 September in Westminster Cathedral, 9.30am-4.30pm there is a Divine Mercy Day of Prayer invoking the intercession of Our Lady of Walsingham with Mass at 10.30 am. Bishop John Keenan is the keynote speaker. Save the date! This Day of Prayer will have a Life theme with an intense time of Reparation.

St. Catherine of Siena once said: “Be who you were created to be and you will set the world on fire! We are full of gratitude to God and Our Lady of the Rosary and we await in hope the great revival of Faith, Life and Peace in these Isles. Ave Maria!”

Bishop John Keenan, Antonia Moffat, John Mallon, Brian Timmons and Anne Collins

May God bless this work and bring it to a good outcome. In Corde Iesu + Philip

roasary of the coast UkThe ‘Rosary on the Coast’ will mark 50 years since the Abortion Act came into effect
After similar events in Poland and Ireland, Catholics plan to pray the rosary around the coast on Great Britain in April this year.
The event, which is scheduled for Sunday, April 29, will mark 50 years since the Abortion Act coming into effect.
Organisers say the mass-rosary prayer will help combat the “present threats to faith, the dignity of the human person and to peace”, and encourage a “re-flourishing of our Faith”.

  Read the Catholic Hearald’s Story

Rosary on the Coast  Official Website


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