October 11. After a mini-mission some of the parishioners shared amongst themselves. “I have been fascinated how in African families goods and money are shared more readily than in white families. I don’t know if my brother would pay my children’s school fees.” “But do we not also have to look beyond our own families?  Should I offer to pay school fees for those refugee children or donate regularly to the orphan programme?” “Many of us give to charity in a general way but would it be good to make it more personal, even with our twin parish?” “We just heard that Pope Leo is following the way of Pope Francis and has issued a new letter to the Church about love of the poor.”

Reflect, share, act. Scripture:  A woman said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you.” Jesus said, “blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”  Luke 11:27-28. Pope Francis:  Led by the Spirit the family circle is not only open to life by generating it within itself, but also by going forth and spreading life by caring for others and seeking their happiness.  This openness finds particular expression in hospitality.   The family lives its spirituality precisely by being at one and at the same time a domestic church and a vital cell for transforming the world.  AL 324.  JUBILEE.  All of us, however, need to recover the joy of living, since men and women, created in the image and likeness of God (cf. Gen 1:26), cannot rest content with getting along one day at a time, settling for the here and now and seeking fulfilment in material realities alone. This leads to a narrow individualism and the loss of hope; it gives rise to a sadness that lodges in the heart and brings forth fruits of discontent and intolerance.   SNC 9. Act and Pray for the needs of families and our calling to become true missionary disciples.