In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart . . . I see the world gradually being turned into a wilderness, I hear the ever-approaching thunder, which will destroy us too, I can feel the sufferings of millions and yet, if I look up into the heavens, I think that it will all come right... In the meantime, I must uphold my ideals, for perhaps the time will come when I shall be able to carry them out.

An entry in July 1944 from The Diary of a Young Girl. These are the concluding words of the play based on that, The Diary of Anne Frank.

The response to war is to live like brothers and sisters. The response to injustice is to share. The response to despair is a limitless trust and hope. The response to prejudice and hatred is forgiveness. To work for community is to work for humanity. To work for peace is to work for a true political solution; it is to work for the Kingdom of God. It is to work to enable every one to live and taste the secret joys of the human person united to the eternal.

Jean Vanier, Community and Growth

From Mary we learn to surrender to God's will in all things. From Mary we learn to trust even when all hope seems gone. From Mary we learn to love Christ her Son and the Son of God!

Pope John Paul II

Thank you John Paul II, a video by saltandlighttv.org .

Flower

Josefa Segovia (10 October 1891 – 29 March 1957)

You have watered my garden today,
and your blood
will make my flowers grow,
I do not aim to be a rose,
a lily or anything great
or beautiful,
to be admired by people.

A wild flower,
a tiny violet in the fields –
insignificant, simple,
yet tended
by Your own hands.

Many times have I picked
fragrant wild flowers
to present them to my Mother.
She takes with her fingers
my offering of love
to place this at Your feet.

Today, would that
my Mother will pick my flowers –
wild, born in poor soil,
but watered by the
blood of my Redeemer.
Filled with the signs of

Redemption:
fragrance, color, life.

Como florecilla ante mi Jardinero, (Adapted by Teresita Barcelon)

I tried to acquire a fondness for the very poor, and I finally came to like them very much if they were rather good. But I was not satisfied with liking them; I wanted to love all the poor whom I met.

Rose Hawthorne (20 May1851 – 9 July 1926)

Learn more about the extraordinary life of Rose Hawthorne (Mother Alphonsa) here and the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne, which she founded, here.

Ozamiz Housing Project

By Fr Oli McCrossan

I am pleased to tell you that we have finished our first four houses and the first families have taken up residence in their new homes. The families are all members of the Pedaling to Live project here in Ozamiz City. The project is now six years old and we have 87 tricycles! The housing project is to help the families who live in poor housing on the seafront of this city. It has been their dream to have better living conditions for their children.

On one small area of ground we plan to build 20 houses. The arrangement is ‘rent to own’. The beneficiaries will pay a daily rental of 30 pesos towards ownership of their house.

We are also developing a communal garden and play area as well. Another exciting development is the use of clay, rice hulls (also called ‘rice husks’), rice straw and sawdust in building the walls of the houses. We can save a lot of money and the use of adobe clay makes the houses cool and pleasant to live in. It's a new technology we have learned from Thailand.

Our families are very pleased to move into their new homes. Our thanks go to all our friends who are supporting us, here in the Philippines, in Australia, in Ireland and in the USA.

‘May mercy, peace, justice and generosity fill our hearts as we pray and wait for the Risen One who comes soon!'