Bishops refuse donations

Speaking at the end of the Ghana bishops’ conference, its president, Bishop Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, said the bishops “will not accept any donations that are the fruit of illegal mining”, and upped the ante, saying sanctions could be applied against the same people. “The sanctions will be further tightened, to the point that we can even deny Holy Communion if, despite warnings, one openly participates in illegal mining of minerals and continues this dangerous activity.” The bishops urged their people to reject any involvement in mining operations that damage the environment.

We need peace

Fr Jeffrey F. Kirby, writing in the Catholic news website Crux, spoke about where one can find peace. “In our hurried world, where one thing quickly leads to another, we need peace. Peace is found in prayer, and one of the wellsprings of prayer is the call to slow down and to ask God where he is in the present moment, and then to wait for his answer. Such a posture will always be rewarded with an outpouring of divine wisdom. As we discern God’s presence in the present moment, we are taught to wait for God in our lives and to anticipate his activity throughout the world.”

King of my heart

In his Angelus address on the feast of Christ the King, Pope Francis told listeners to ask themselves who is the king of their heart. “Brothers and sisters, listening to the Lord brings light into our hearts and into our lives. So, let us try to ask ourselves: can I say that Jesus is my ‘king’? Or do I have other ‘kings’ in my heart? In what sense? Is his word my guide, my certainty? Do I see in him the merciful face of God who always forgives, who is waiting for us to give us his forgiveness?”

(Compiled by Fr Joe Borg)