Addressing the causes of poverty
Advocating against injustice
Responding to disaster
Hear the cry of the
earth and the poor
Whakarongo ki te tangi o Papatūānuku
me te hunga pōhara
Caritas Lenten Reflection Programme 2016
Praying and reflecting together during the Jubilee of
Mercy in the light of the Lenten Gospels and Laudato Si’
Caritas Lenten Reflection Programme 2016
PO Box 12193, Wellington 6144
Aotearoa New Zealand
www.caritas.org.nz
English version:
Lisa Beech, Sr Clare O’Connor, Br Kieran Fenn,
Taneora Ryall, Roger Ellis, Emily Benefield,
Murray Shearer, David Nonu
Te Reo Māori version:
Tongan version:
Piripi Walker
Langi Paasi
Tokelauan version:Eneliko Tovio
Samoan version:
Puletini Tuala
Pasifika programmes coordinator: David Nonu
Te Reo Māori oversight:
Te Rūnanga o te Hāhi Katorika ki Aotearoa
Additional advice and input: Pā Mikaere Ryan
Design: Miranda Lees
The Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand Lenten reflection programme is available in
English, Te Reo Māori, Tokelauan, Samoan and Tongan language versions.
This programme is a contribution to the
New Zealand Diversity Action Programme.
ISSN 2253-3370 (Print)
ISSN 2253-3389 (Online)
ISBN 978-0-908631-26-1 (Print)
ISBN 978-0-908631-32-2 (Online)
Caritas Lenten Reflection Programme 2016
Hear the cry of the
earth and the poor
Whakarongo ki te
tangi o Papatūānuku me
te hunga pōhara
Pope Francis: Laudato Si’ (paragraph 49), 2015
We want to live this Jubilee Year in light of the Lord’s words: Merciful like the
Father. It is a programme of life as demanding as it is rich with joy and peace.
In order to be capable of mercy, we must be willing to dispose ourselves to
listen to the Word of God. This means rediscovering the value of silence in order
to meditate on the Word that comes to us. In this way, it will be possible to
contemplate God’s mercy and adopt it as our lifestyle.
Pope Francis: Misericordiae Vultus – the Jubilee of Mercy
(paragraph 13), 2015
A guide to using the Caritas Lenten Reflection Programme
We live and share our faith with each other and with the wider community.
Lent provides an opportunity each year to deepen our understanding of our
faith by reflecting on the Gospels. During Lent we are called again to turn
back to God, to re-examine the practice of our faith and to consider what
we want to change in our lives.
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PRAYING WITH THE LENTEN GOSPELS
– LECTIO DIVINA
Central to the Caritas Lenten Reflection Programme is shared reflection on
the Gospels for the six Sundays of Lent in the style of lectio divina, a Latin
term which means ‘reading with God’. In this form of prayer, after the first
reading of the Gospel, members of the group repeat a word or phrase which
stood out for them. They may repeat several words or phrases each, as they
feel so moved. The Gospel is then read again, and there is an opportunity
for sharing.
PRAYING WITH THE GOSPEL OF LUKE – THE YEAR C
LITURGICAL CYCLE
Each Lent we also return to the three year cycle of Lenten Gospels. For
many these will be old friends; for others, new acquaintances. But we can all
find something new as we encounter these scriptures again. Year C of the
liturgical cycle focuses especially during Lent on the Gospel of Luke, which
is the Gospel of Prayer; in it Jesus prays before every important decision,
eight more references than other gospels. It is also the Gospel of the Holy
Spirit who is God’s answer to prayer. There are also more women’s stories in
the Gospel of Luke that balance out the men’s stories, and promises of joy,
praise and peace echo through the pages.
Importantly for this season of Lent, Luke had the task of educating his
Gentile audience in the great Jewish practices of prayer, fasting and
almsgiving. Luke has much to say about riches and poverty – the powerful
theme of social justice comes through in the parable of the rich fool in
chapter 12 and the rich man and Lazarus in chapter 19. In the Beatitude
“Blessed are the poor”, God takes up their cause as these oppressed ones
have no one else to turn to.
PRAYING WITH THE MESSAGE OF POPE FRANCIS
In 2016 we also visit these readings in the context of the Jubilee of Mercy
which Pope Francis has proclaimed. It will take place from the Feast of the
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Immaculate Conception on 8 December 2015 to the Feast of Christ the
King on 20 November 2016. During this year, he asks each of us to make
ourselves and our Church communities visible reminders of God’s mercy
and compassion. Each week of the Lenten reflection programme draws
on some of the insights of Misericordiae Vultus – the announcement by
Pope Francis of the Jubilee of Mercy. The core themes of the Jubilee accord
well with the messages in Luke’s Lenten Gospels of mercy, compassion,
forgiveness and reconciliation.
We also consider these Scriptures in the context of Pope Francis’s encyclical
Laudato Si’ (Praised be) which calls us to develop an integral ecology in
response to the environmental and social challenges facing all people
and the planet on which we live. Our Lenten theme in 2016 is taken from
paragraph 49 of this encyclical, in which Pope Francis teaches us that a true
response to the world always integrates ecological and social questions,
considering issues of justice for people and the environment in which we
live ‘so as to hear both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor’.
PRAYING WITH SOME OF THE PROJECTS SUPPORTED
BY THE BISHOPS’ LENT APPEAL
The Lenten reflection programme accompanies the Bishops’ Lent appeal
which occurs in parishes during Lent. Each of the giving envelopes
distributed to parishes for the six weeks of Lent gives an example of work
supported by the Catholic and wider community in New Zealand through
the Bishops’ Lent Appeal. The specific projects featured are chosen following
Caritas staff members’ own prayerful reflection on the Lenten Gospels using
lectio divina. Some of the Caritas perspectives and experience are shared
with an explanation of the programme on the first page of each week of
the programme. Participants may use this for personal background reading,
or may wish to incorporate it into their discussions. The intention is to assist
people to link to and deepen their understanding of the humanitarian,
development, education and advocacy work (in New Zealand and overseas)
supported by our communities during Lent.
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GOSPEL REFLECTIONS
Following shared reflection on the Gospel, the programme offers
additional material to generate further discussion. Its focus is to help us
live the Gospels – to share our faith and the love that God has given us
with our neighbours. Participants have the opportunity to deepen their
understanding of the Scriptural context of the Gospels, in the light Catholic
social teaching and its application in the work of Caritas and in their daily
lives. We note this is a reflection and discussion programme, where the
focus is on faith development and sharing, rather than an academic study
programme. Some participants have used the Lenten reflection programme
as a starting point for further Scriptural and Theological study, for example,
through courses offered by The Catholic Institute (www.tci.ac.nz). Others
have brought insights and material from Scriptural or Theological study to
share with their group.
Additional sources of material used in preparing the programme
In preparing this year’s programme, Caritas has drawn on material including:
• Pope Francis: Misericordiae Vultus and Laudato Si’ (both these documents
can be found on the Vatican website www.vatican.va);
• The insights of Scripture scholar Br Kieran Fenn and Spiritual director
Sr Clare O’Connor who accompanied Caritas in the development of the
2016 programme.
• The practical experience of Caritas workers and our partners from our own
reflection and sharing on the messages of the 2016 Lenten Gospels.
PRAYERS
The programme offers suggestions for prayer, including Opening and
Closing Prayers. The Closing prayers draw on the final prayers from Laudato
Si’. If your group has other prayers you wish to use or a preferred style of
praying, please feel free to substitute these prayers. For example, you may
wish to use formal prayers of the Church or forms of intercessory prayer.
What is important is taking the time to pray together.
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BIBLE TRANSLATION
The Gospel and Psalm readings are taken from the Lectionary, based on
Ordo Lectionum Missae, Editio Typica Altera, Typis Polyglottis Vaticanis,
1981. This is the version of the Lectionary which is recommended for
use in Catholic parishes throughout New Zealand. For groups using this
programme in parishes, it helps many participants that the words and
phrases used in the lectio divina exercise during the discussion group are
heard again in the proclamation of the Word at Mass each Sunday.
Please feel free to read the Gospels from the Bible in another translation –
for example, groups who are new to the English language may prefer to use
a translation that simplifies the language, such as the Good News version,
and groups who are seeking more inclusive language may prefer to use a
translation such as the NRSV version.
GROUPS FOR SHARED LENTEN REFLECTION
Communities who use this programme include Catholic parishes,
ecumenical groups, families, ethnic communities, religious communities,
rest home residents, and groups in prison. A number of parishes organise
formal day-time or evening group meetings. The programme is used in
other ways: for example, families who reflect and pray together for the six
weeks of Lent or people who use it for individual prayer and reflection.
Please feel free to adapt the programme to suit your needs or the needs of
your group or community.
LEADERS
The role of the leader or facilitator is to assist the group by providing focus
and some structure to the session, as well as to encourage members to
share and to listen. This role can be taken by one person nominated for all
the sessions or it can be rotated among group members.
All members of Lenten groups have their own life experiences and faith
journeys, as well as different gifts and different insights. Each person has a
significant contribution to make to the weekly reflections. A prayer focus
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– a lit candle, a Bible, flowers, other symbols – and appropriate music as a
background to reflection can be very helpful.
DISCUSSION AND SHARING
PRAYER IN ACTION
Through the “Discussion and Sharing’, and the “Prayer in action” sections we
are invited to deepen our understanding of the Gospels, and to allow God
to transform us. A significant aim of our Lenten practice of prayer, fasting
and almsgiving is to change our behaviour and to respond with love to our
neighbours. Each session ends with an invitation and an opportunity to
make a personal commitment to put our faith into action. Members of the
group are asked to identify some tasks that we can work on individually or
together over the weeks of Lent, and to clarify an ongoing commitment we
make following Lent and Easter.
SESSION OUTLINE
A session is generally expected to last 60-90 minutes. The time-frame could
be as follows:
• Welcome, opening prayer and sharing 10-15 minutes
• Scripture context, Gospel reading and response 15-25 minutes
• Gospel reflection and discussion 30-40 minutes
• Prayer in action and personal commitment 5-10 minutes
• Closing prayer 5-10 minutes
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WEEK 1
A project supported by
donations to the Lent Appeal
Lent begins each year with the story of Jesus’ time in the desert at the
beginning of his ministry. In Luke’s version of this Gospel story, we
encounter Christ’s temptations to material comfort, power and glory,
and we are invited to share in his rejection of these.
Hunger in the desert is not just a Biblical story, but also a present day
reality. In Darfur, more than 2.5 million people have been internally
displaced since 2003 as a result of conflict. Many of these people have
lived for more than 10 years in camps for internally displaced people.
Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand continues to support its partners in
Darfur to help provide 500,000 people per year with basic needs and
services. We keep the displaced people of Darfur in mind as we begin
our reflection on the Gospel for the first week of Lent.
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SESSION 1
First Sunday of Lent
Jesus was led by the Spirit
through the wilderness
Without a witness to mercy, life becomes fruitless and sterile, as if sequestered
in a barren desert. The time has come for the Church to take up the joyful call to
mercy once more. It is time to return to the basics and to bear the weaknesses and
struggles of our brothers and sisters. Mercy is the force that reawakens us to new
life and instils in us the courage to look to the future with hope.
Pope Francis: Misericordiae Vultus – the Jubilee of Mercy
(paragraph 10), 2015
OPENING PRAYER
E te Atua, God, as we begin our Lenten journey we pray in solidarity
with those in desert places, people who survive despite the conflict that
surrounds them. We ask for an awakening of mercy and for lasting peace that
will provide security to people in need. Amen.
Responsorial Psalm 91
Response: Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High and abides in the shade of the
Almighty says to the Lord: ‘My refuge, my stronghold, my God in whom
I trust!’ R
Upon you no evil shall fall, no plague approach where you dwell.
For you has he commanded his angels, to keep you in all your ways. R
They shall bear you upon their hands lest you strike your foot against a stone.
On the lion and the viper you will tread and trample the young lion and the
dragon. R
His love he set on me, so I will rescue him; protect him for he knows my name.
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When he calls I shall answer: ‘I am with you.’ I will save him in distress and
give him glory. R
GROUP SHARING:
Leader: What are your hopes as we begin this Lenten journey?
GOSPEL READING
Invite a member of the group to read the following passage aloud
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke 4:1-13
Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus left the Jordan and was led by the spirit
through the wilderness, being tempted there by the devil for forty days.
During that time he ate nothing and at the end he was hungry. Then the
devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to turn into a loaf.’
But Jesus replied, ‘Scripture says: We do not live on bread alone.’
Then leading him to a height, the devil showed him in a moment of time
all the kingdoms of the world and said to him, ‘I will give you all this power
and the glory of these kingdoms, for it has been committed to me and I give
it to anyone I choose. Worship me, then, and it shall all be yours.’ But Jesus
answered him’ ‘Scripture says: You must worship the Lord your God, and
serve him alone.’
Then he led him to Jerusalem and made him stand on the parapet of the
Temple. ‘If you are the Son of God’, he said to him ‘throw yourself down from
here, for scripture says: He will put his angels in charge of you to guard you,
and again: They will hold you up on their hands in case you hurt your foot
against a stone.’ But Jesus answered him, ‘It has been said: You must not put
the Lord your God to the test.’ Having exhausted all these ways of tempting
him, the devil left him, to return at the appointed time.
After the reading, pause for silent reflection. Then invite people to share a word or
phrase that stood out for them. Invite another group member to read the Gospel
passage aloud again.
9
REFLECTION ON THE GOSPEL
Luke opens with the heart of traditional Jewish practice – prayer, fasting and
almsgiving. In Tobit 12:8-9 almsgiving is a way of saying ‘thank you God for all
we have.’ In itself this is a prayer and one of the greatest prayers we can make.
These are values that Luke teaches the Gentiles, for whom he first wrote his
Gospel, and us today. Opposed to these values are the satanic temptations of
material comfort, prestige and position - temptations common to all people.
In resisting temptation Jesus is showing what kind of Messiah he is going to
be and who he is for - the powerless and dispossessed. Prayer and the Word
remain our two best weapons in the struggle against temptation.
Pope Francis teaches us in Laudato Si’ that human life is grounded in three
fundamental and closely intertwined relationships: ‘with God, with our
neighbour and with the earth itself’. When these relationships are broken,
both outwardly and within us, this rupture of relationships is sin. Pope Francis
says: ‘The harmony between the Creator, humanity and creation as a whole
was disrupted by our presuming to take the place of God and refusing to
acknowledge our creaturely limitations”. (Laudato Si’ paragraph 66)
GROUP DISCUSSION AND SHARING
The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness. Where is the Spirit leading us
today? Where and how is the Spirit prompting us to act? What word or image
will I take into my prayer and life this week?
PRAYER IN ACTION
Is there a way to concretise our prayer by engaging in some action in
response to the needs of people around us?
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An action we/I commit to undertake
this week:
Some ideas
• Share your reflections on
this week’s gospel with a
friend or family member.
• Fast once a week and offer
what you have saved to
feed hungry people in
Aotearoa or overseas.
• As you read or watch the
news, be aware of where
the temptation to misuse
power can be seen in
today’s society.
CLOSING PRAYER
Leader:
All powerful God, you are present in the whole universe
And in the smallest of your creatures.
Response:
Be with us Lord when we are in trouble.
Leader:
You embrace with your tenderness all that exists
Pour out upon us the power of your love
Response:
Be with us Lord when we are in trouble.
Leader:
Fill us with peace that we may live
As brothers and sisters, harming no one.
Response:
Be with us Lord when we are in trouble.
(adapted from the final prayer of Laudato’ Si)
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PRAY TOGETHER
Bless us
with courage, when we’re put to the test;
with humility, when we’re tempted to be puffed up;
with generosity, when we’re tempted to amass riches
with inclusivity, when we’re tempted to dominate.
Bless us with your unfailing kindness, Living God.
Āmene
(from Act, Love, Walk – praying in the Josephite Spirit)
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WEEK 2
A project supported by
donations to the Lent Appeal
In the Gospel for the second week of Lent, we accompany Jesus and his
disciples up the mountain, where he is revealed in glory. The light and
shadow of this Gospel reading accompanies us on our faith journey.
At times it seems that we see Christ clearly in the light; at other times we
feel, like the disciples, covered in cloud and shadow.
Following the devastation caused by two major earthquakes that hit Nepal
in 2015, Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand continues to support people across
the country in rebuilding their lives and livelihoods. As well as the specific
response to the crisis, Lenten donations from communities in Aotearoa
New Zealand support ongoing development work which supports
Nepalese farmers to grow vegetables and raise livestock to supplement
their subsistence living on rice and millet.
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SESSION 2
Second Sunday of Lent
They kept awake and saw
his glory
Jesus Christ is the face of the Father’s mercy. Mercy has become living and visible
in Jesus of Nazareth, reaching its culmination in him…Whoever sees Jesus, sees
the Father. Jesus of Nazareth, by his words, his actions and his entire person
reveals the mercy of God.
Pope Francis: Misericordiae Vultus – the Jubilee of Mercy
(paragraph 1), 2015
OPENING PRAYER
E te Atua o te ao mārama, God of light and understanding, the revelation of
your glory prompts us to respond to you by looking at situations differently.
Your light reveals to us who you are and who we are in you. We ask your love
and guidance to help us walk beside others when they move from darkness
to light, from not knowing into knowing. Amen
Responsorial Response: Psalm 27
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my help; whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life; before whom shall I shrink? R
O Lord, hear my voice when I call; have mercy and answer.
Of you my heart has spoken: ‘Seek his face.’ R
It is your face, O Lord, that I seek; hide not your face.
Dismiss not your servant in anger; you have been my help. R
I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living.
Hope in him, hold firm and take heart. Hope in the Lord! R
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GROUP SHARING
Leader: How has this week been? What stayed with you from last week’s
meeting? Did you do anything different this week as a result of our
discussion?
GOSPEL READING
Ask a member of the group to read the following passage aloud, from a Bible or
from this booklet.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke 9:28-36
Jesus took with him Peter and John and James and went up the mountain
to pray. As he prayed, the aspect of his face was changed and his clothing
became brilliant as lightning. Suddenly there were two men there talking to
him; they were Moses and Elijah appearing in glory, and they were speaking
of his passing which he was to accomplish in Jerusalem. Peter and his
companions were heavy with sleep, but they kept awake and saw his glory
and the two men standing with him. As these were leaving him, Peter said
to Jesus, ‘Master, it is wonderful for us to be here; so let us make three tents,
one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’- He did not know what he
was saying. As he spoke, a cloud came and covered them with shadow; and
when they went into the cloud the disciples were afraid. And a voice came
from the cloud saying, ‘This is my Son, the Chosen One. Listen to him’. And
after the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. The disciples kept silence
and, at that time, told no one what they had seen.
After the reading, pause for silent reflection. Then invite people to share a word or
phrase that stood out for them. Invite another group member to read the Gospel
passage aloud again.
15
REFLECTION ON THE GOSPEL
In the Gospel we are told ‘This is my Son, the Chosen One. Listen to him’.
This Gospel invites us to look at Jesus differently, to seek mountain top
experiences where we can look at Christ with new eyes and learn to listen
to Jesus. One of the questions people often ask about this Gospel is ‘Where
did Peter go wrong?’ Peter was trying to keep Jesus just for himself. But we
know that we are a community of people responsible to and for each other.
Jesus is not just for building ourselves up, but for turning our attention to
Christ revealed to us in many ways, especially in the face of the poor.
The challenge is to wake up to our responsibility to recognising we belong
to all of God’s creation, as a community connected with and responsible
for each other.
In Laudato Si’ Pope Francis says we have to change our way of looking
at the world and each other. ‘If someone has not learned to stop and
admire something beautiful, we should not be surprised if he or she treats
everything as an object to be used and abused without scruple. If we want
to bring about deep change, we need to realise that certain mindsets really
do influence our behaviour. Our efforts at education will be inadequate and
ineffectual unless we strive to promote a new way of thinking about human
beings, life, society and our relationship with nature.’
(Laudato Si’, paragraph 215)
GROUP DISCUSSION AND SHARING
As Jesus was revealed in glory on the mountain, his disciples heard the voice
from the cloud saying “Listen to him”. How are we listening to Jesus in our
prayer, in our lives, in our world? Where do you go to pray and listen to the
voice of God? What word or image am I taking into my prayer and daily life
this week?
PRAYER IN ACTION
How can we concretise our prayer by engaging in some action in response
to the voice of God in our world?
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An action we/I commit to undertake
this week:
Some ideas
• Talk to someone in your
life about one idea from
today’s group.
• Make a commitment to
listen and understand this
week.
• Consciously seek to see
and hear Christ in people
living with poverty and
injustice.
CLOSING PRAYER
Leader:
Son of God, Jesus, through you all things were made.
Response:
You are our light and our salvation.
Leader:
You were formed in the womb of Mary our Mother,
You became part of this earth,
And you gazed upon this earth with human eyes.
Response:
You are our light and our salvation.
Leader:
Today you are alive in every creature, in your risen glory.
Praise be to you!
Response:
You are our light and our salvation.
(adapted from the final prayer of Laudato’ Si)
PRAY TOGETHER
E te Atua o te Ao Mārama, God of light and understanding, our own
transformation is connected to our response to the needs of others. As we
embark on the journey of enhancing the dignity of those in need, you reveal
to us how we can enjoy a full life. Āmene.
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WEEK 3
A project supported by
donations to the Lent Appeal
This week’s Gospel starts with the story of two situations that can be very
hard to comprehend – a natural disaster in which people died, and the
unjust and oppressive slaughter of a group of people. Following this, Jesus
gives us the parable of the gardener pleading for one more year to give the
fig tree the chance to bear fruit.
In the complex and difficult situations of conflict in the Middle East, one
of the largest mass migrations of people ever seen in history is currently
unfolding. Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand supports our Caritas partners in
the region to respond to the root causes of the conflict, as well as providing
desperately needed humanitarian aid. We must not give up on hope for
peace and reconciliation in the Middle East but, like the gardener, continue
to nurture and nourish the signs of life and hope that remain there.
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SESSION 3
Third Sunday of Lent
Leave it one more year
All is not lost. Human beings, while capable of the worst, are also capable of
rising above themselves, choosing again what is good, and making a new
start…We are able to take an honest look at ourselves, to acknowledge our deep
dissatisfaction, and to embark on new paths to authentic freedom. No system
can completely suppress our openness to what is good, true and beautiful, or our
God-given ability to respond to his grace at work deep in our hearts.
Pope Francis: Laudato Si’ (paragraph 205), 2015
OPENING PRAYER
Make our hearts O Lord rich soil for your word
Plant new seeds of faith, hope and love
Make our hearts O Lord rich soil for your word
Bearing grain a hundred fold
(Composed by Michael Herry FMS – this can be sung –
music at http://www.maristmusic.org.au/sundays-in-ordinary-time-year-a/ )
Responsorial Response: Psalm 103
The Lord is kind and merciful.
My soul, give thanks to the Lord, all my being, bless his holy name.
My soul, give thanks to the Lord and never forget all his blessings. R
It is he who forgives all your guilt, who heals every one of your ills,
who redeems your life from the grave, who crowns you with love and
compassion. R
The Lord does deeds of justice, gives judgement for all who are oppressed.
He made known his ways to Moses and his deeds to Israel’s sons. R
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The Lord is compassion and love, slow to anger and rich in mercy.
For as the heavens are high above the earth so strong is his love for those
who fear him. R
GROUP SHARING
Leader: How has this week been? What did you hear through active
listening?
GOSPEL READING
Ask a member of the group to read the following passage aloud, from a Bible or
from this booklet.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke 13:1-9
Some people arrived and told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate
had mingled with that of their sacrifices. At this he said to them, ‘Do you
suppose these Galileans who suffered like that were greater sinners than
any other Galileans? They were not, I tell you. No; but unless you repent you
will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen on whom the tower at Siloam
fell and killed them? Do you suppose that they were more guilty than all the
other people living in Jerusalem? They were not, I tell you. No; but unless
you repent you will all perish as they did.’
He told this parable: ‘A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard and he
came looking for fruit on it but found none. He said to the man who looked
after the vineyard, “Look here, for three years now I have been coming to
look for fruit on this fig tree and finding none. Cut it down: why should it be
taking up the ground?” “Sir,” the man replied “leave it one more year and give
me time to dig round it and manure it: it may bear fruit next year; if not, then
you can cut it down.”’
After the reading, pause for silent reflection. Then invite people to share a word or
phrase that stood out for them. Invite another group member to read the Gospel
passage aloud again.
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REFLECTION ON THE GOSPEL
In the face of oppression and tragic random accidents, all people stand in
need of repentance. There is no us or them. The unfruitful fig tree represents
people and places that have not produced the fruit that God desired. God,
in his mercy, gives more time for repentance – for turning back to God
and to right relationships with the earth and other people, which will lead
to fruitfulness. The gardener plans sound, practical agricultural practices:
composting, feeding the soil, digging and watering. These will certainly
create the conditions for growth. Revitalised soil will produce fruit, but it
needs time.
The Psalm for this week says “The Lord is compassion and love, slow to anger
and rich in mercy.” Our gracious God will always find a way to work with
what is, to bring about the fruit of mercy, justice and reconciliation. Echoing
his call in Laudato Si’ to hear both the cry of the earth and the poor, Pope
Francis in Misericordiae Vultus asks us in the Jubilee of Mercy not to turn our
eyes from situations of need and injustice, but rather – like the gardener - to
turn our attention towards them. ‘Let us open our eyes and see the misery
of the world, the wounds of our brothers and sisters who are denied their
dignity, and let us recognise that we are compelled to heed their cry for
help. May we reach out to them and support them so they can feel the
warmth of our presence, our friendship and our fraternity.’
(Misericordiae Vultus, paragraph 15)
GROUP DISCUSSION AND SHARING
The gardener pleaded for more time for the fig tree to produce fruit. How
are we using the time we have been given? How can we prepare the
ground so our lives are fruitful? What new insight am I taking into my prayer
and daily life this week?
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PRAYER IN ACTION
How can we concretise our prayer to take some action to nourish and
nurture any unfruitful areas of our lives?
An action we/I commit to undertake
this week:
Some ideas
• Ask God to help me look at
an area of my life I know is
in need of repentance.
• Take a look at the Caritas
Jerusalem website
(www.caritasjr.org) to learn
stories of hope from a
situation many have given
up on.
• Give time this week to an
area of your life requiring
nourishment.
CLOSING PRAYER
Leader:O God of the poor,
Help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this earth,
so precious in your eyes.
Response:
The Lord is kind and merciful.
Leader:Bring healing to our lives,
that we may protect the world and not prey on it,
that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction.
Response:
The Lord is kind and merciful.
Leader:Touch the hearts of those who look only for gain,
at the expense of the poor and the earth.
Response: The Lord is kind and merciful.
(adapted from the final prayer of Laudato’ Si)
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PRAY TOGETHER
E te Ariki, Lord, we rely on your mercy to teach us the patience and time
we need for your lasting peace. We thank you for your generosity through
which we receive hope. We ask for your guidance to bring about lasting
reconciliation to overcome conflict. We ask for time to better understand
and accept each other. You, in your mercy, give us ample time for
repentance which leads to fruitfulness. Āmene.
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WEEK 4
A project supported by
donations to the Lent Appeal
This week’s Gospel tells the story of a father with two sons, who loves and
accepts them both and desires only reconciliation with them and between
them. A “father with two sons” can be seen today in Aotearoa New Zealand,
where reconciliation between Māori and Pākehā is needed to redress and
overcome historic and present injustices.
One of the communities with which Caritas works in Aotearoa New Zealand
is that of Parihaka, where in the 19th century the prophets Tohu and Te Whiti
led a peaceful non-violent resistance against confiscation of their lands.
The present day community continues to work to rebuild a community
dedicated to peace, sustainability and self-determination.
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SESSION 4
Fourth Sunday of Lent
He ran to the boy
Every confessor must accept the faithful as the father in the parable of the
prodigal son; a father who runs out to meet his son despite the fact that he
has squandered away his inheritance. Confessors are called to embrace the
repentant son who comes back home and to express the joy of having him back
again. Let us never tire of also going out to the other son who stands outside,
incapable of rejoicing, in order to explain to him that his judgement is severe and
unjust and meaningless in light of the father’s boundless mercy.
Pope Francis: Misericordiae Vultus – the Jubilee of Mercy
(paragraph 17), 2015
OPENING PRAYER:
E te Atua o te aroha, God of love, you have shown us that the path to
reconciliation is through the expression of mercy and forgiveness. Help us
to find unity in the spirit of manaakitanga, love, respect and support.
Guide us to lift up the dignity inherent in every person, especially where it
is not recognised by others. Instill in us the ability to seek compassionate
solutions for unjust situations. Amen
Responsorial Response: Psalm 34
Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise always on my lips; in the Lord my
soul shall make its boast. The humble shall hear and be glad. R
Glorify the Lord with me. Together let us praise his name.
I sought the Lord and he answered me; from all my terrors he set me free. R
Look towards him and be radiant; let your faces not be abashed.
This poor man called the Lord heard him and rescued him from all his
distress. R
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GROUP SHARING
Leader: Recalling the story of the fig tree, how has this week been?
What have you been able to nourish?
GOSPEL READING
Ask a member of the group to read the following passage aloud, from a Bible
or from this booklet.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke 15:1-3. 11-32
The tax collectors and the sinners were all seeking the company of Jesus
to hear what he had to say, and the Pharisees and the scribes complained.
‘This man’ they said ‘welcomes sinners and eats with them’. So he spoke
this parable to them: ‘A man had two sons. The younger said to his father,
“Father, let me have the share of the estate that would come to me.” So the
father divided the property between them. A few days later, the younger
son got together everything he had and left for a distant country where he
squandered his money on a life of debauchery. When he had spent it all,
that country experienced a severe famine, and now he began to feel the
pinch, so he hired himself out to one of the local inhabitants who put him
on his farm to feed the pigs. And he would willingly have filled his belly with
the husks the pigs were eating but no one offered him anything. Then he
came to his senses and said, “How many of my father’s paid servants have
more food than they want, and here am I dying of hunger! I will leave this
place and go to my father and say: Father, I have sinned against heaven and
against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as one of
your paid servants.” So he left the place and went back to his father.
‘While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with
pity. He ran to the boy, clasped him in his arms and kissed him tenderly.
Then his son said, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I
no longer deserve to be called your son.” But the father said to his servants,
“Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger
and sandals on his feet. Bring the calf we have been fattening, and kill it; we
are going to have a feast, a celebration, because this son of mine was dead
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and has come back to life; he was lost and is found.” And they began
to celebrate.
‘Now the elder son was out in the fields, and on his way back, as he drew
near the house, he could hear music and dancing. Calling one of the
servants he asked what it was all about. “Your brother has come,” replied the
servant, “and your father has killed the calf we had fattened because he has
got him back safe and sound.” He was angry then and refused to go in, and
his father came out to plead with him; but he answered his father, “Look, all
these years I have slaved for you and never once disobeyed your orders, yet
you never offered me so much as a kid for me to celebrate with my friends.
But for this son of yours, when he comes back after swallowing up your
property – he and his women - you kill the calf we had been fattening.”
‘The father said, “My son, you are with me always and all I have is yours.
But it is only right we should celebrate and rejoice, because your brother
here was dead and has come to life; he was lost and is found.”’
After the reading, pause for silent reflection. Then invite people to share a word or
phrase that stood out for them. Invite another group member to read the Gospel
passage aloud again.
GOSPEL REFLECTION
In welcoming back his errant younger son with food, clothing and the
recognition of his place in the household in the form of his ring, the
abundant generosity of the father restores the son’s mana – the recognition
of his dignity. In this Gospel the father sees the person whereas the oldest
son who remained only sees the sin. The older son is also offered the chance
to enter into the joy of the father but it is up to him whether he accepts it.
This week’s Psalm reinforces the Gospel message that God has an
abundance of generosity. With the younger son fully restored to the family
the whole village is invited to participate in this act of reconciliation where
the younger son acknowledges his wrongdoing and the father can express
his forgiveness witnessed by all present. The father goes out to both sons
but the elder son remains aloof – he is not yet ready to forgive. Who then
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is the lost son? Our lesson to learn here is that the loyalty, fidelity and
generosity that we show to God should also be made abundantly clear to
all our sisters and brothers.
In the Year of Jubilee, Pope Francis asks us to extend this mercy and
compassion to all we encounter. He invites us to be like the loving father,
who does not just wait for his children to come to him, but runs out to
meet his younger son, and also notices his older son missing from the
celebrations and also goes in search of him. For Pope Francis, welcome and
acceptance is not something grudgingly given once a person arrives at our
Church door, but something he urges us to go out and give, even before it
is asked for.
GROUP DISCUSSION AND SHARING
The loving father goes out to meet both his sons and responds to each
of them in the way they need. How have you experienced God’s loving
welcome and forgiveness? When have you experienced welcome and
manaakitanga (hospitality) that was more than you deserved?
PRAYER IN ACTION
How can we concretise our prayer to take some action to bring
reconciliation into our world?
28
An action we/I commit to undertake
this week:
Some ideas
• Ask God to uncover a
relationship that needs
healing. Take the first step.
• Invite someone around for
a meal.
• Find something about
what the New Zealand
Catholic Bishops have said
on reconciliation between
Māori and Pākehā (see
NZCBC statements on
www.catholic.org.nz).
CLOSING PRAYER
Leader:Father, we praise you with all your creatures!
Response:
Taste and see the goodness of the Lord
Leader:They came forth from your all-powerful hand.
Response:
Taste and see the goodness of the Lord
Leader: They are yours, filled with your presence and your tender love. Praise be to you!
Response:
Taste and see the goodness of the Lord
(adapted from the final prayer of Laudato’ Si)
PRAY TOGETHER
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come,
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Āmene
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WEEK 5
A project supported by
donations to the Lent Appeal
The story of Jesus and the accused woman is one of forgiveness and mercy.
It is about freeing her from her bondage, and preventing an unjust death.
It also frees her accusers of the bondage of the attitudes that trapped them
into thinking it was their duty to judge and condemn her.
There are many forms of bondage in the world today. In some
circumstances whole communities become trapped inside destructive
relationships in which some groups of people are judged and condemned.
Indigenous people in Cambodia have been discriminated against.
Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand is working with them to develop livelihoods
that allow them to live their lives autonomously and with dignity.
30
SESSION 5
Fifth Sunday of Lent
Neither do I condemn you
The Lord asks us above all not to judge and not to condemn. If anyone
wishes to avoid God’s judgement, they should not themselves be the judge
of their brother or sister. Human beings, whenever they judge, look no
further than the surface, whereas the Father looks into the very depth of the
soul…To refrain from judgement and condemnation means, in a positive
sense, to know how to accept the good in every person and to spare
them any suffering that might be caused by our partial judgement, our
presumption to know anything about them.
Pope Francis: Misericordiae Vultus – the Year of Jubilee
(paragraph 14), 2015
OPENING PRAYER
E Hēhu Karaiti, Jesus Christ, your word is empowering and your mercy
reaches every person. You encourage us to be compassionate and
merciful to people who are vulnerable. Help us to act with aroha (love) and
understanding (māramatanga). Amen.
Responsorial Response: Psalm 126
The Lord has done great things for us;
we are filled with joy.
When the Lord delivered Zion from bondage, it seemed like a dream.
Then was our mouth filled with laughter, on our lips there were songs. R
The heathens themselves said: ‘What marvels the Lord worked for them!’
What marvels the Lord worked for us! Indeed we were glad. R
Deliver us, O Lord, from our bondage as streams in dry land.
Those who are sowing in tears will sing when they reap. R
31
They go out, they go out, full of tears, carrying seed for the sowing:
they come back, they come back, full of song, carrying their sheaves. R
GROUP SHARING
Leader: How has this week been? How are you responding differently to
people around you since the beginning of Lent?
GOSPEL READING
Ask a group member to read the following passage aloud, from a Bible or from
this booklet.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John 8:1-11
Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. At daybreak he appeared in the Temple
again; and as all the people came to him, he sat down and began to teach
them. The scribes and Pharisees brought a woman along who had been
caught committing adultery; and making her stand there in full view
of everybody, they said to Jesus, ‘Master, this woman was caught in the
very act of committing adultery, and Moses has ordered us in the Law to
condemn women like this to death by stoning. What have you to say?’
They asked him this as a test, looking for something to use against him.
But Jesus bent down and started writing on the ground with his finger. As
they persisted with their question, he looked up and said, ‘If there is one of
you who has not sinned let him be the first to throw a stone at her.’ Then he
bent down and wrote on the ground again. When they heard this they went
away one by one, beginning with the eldest, until Jesus was left alone with
the woman, who remained standing there. He looked up and said, ‘Woman,
where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ ‘No one, sir,’ she replied.
‘Neither do I condemn you,’ said Jesus, ‘go away, and don’t sin any more.’
After the reading, pause for silent reflection. Then invite people to share a word or
phrase that stood out for them. Invite another group member to read the Gospel
passage aloud again.
32
GOSPEL REFLECTION
What is most important: Love of the law or the law of Love? In this story
the scribes and Pharisees are trying to trap Jesus. They want to prove
that he is showing contempt for the law of Moses. In order to accomplish
this they are prepared to use this woman as bait. In doing so they have
exploited her for their own ends. The woman is twice shamed publicly for
the purpose of religious point scoring. The guardians of the law of Moses
are exposed as using the law to push their own agenda, and Jesus turns it
back on them. Jesus appeals to a higher law, the law of love to expose their
motives. By writing in the sand Jesus diverts everyone’s attention away from
the woman, and from her shame. He also buys time to defuse the tension
resulting in the oldest, and presumably wisest, of the accusers, dropping
their stones and walking away. The intervening time has given them pause
to reflect on how they are no different to those they condemn. Eventually,
no-one is left to accuse the woman. A lethal act has been averted, replaced
with an act of mercy and compassion where forgiveness is freely given.
This week’s Psalm “Deliver us from our bondage” highlights that we
can sometimes have bonds that bind us to a particular perspective.
If we choose a loving perspective we can choose to release ourselves
from those bonds. In Laudato Si’ Pope Francis asks us all to extend our
perception of those to whom we extend our sense of compassion and
mercy, to encompass all of human life and to the natural world.
“When we fail to acknowledge as part of reality the worth of a poor person,
a human embryo, a person with disabilities – to offer just a few examples –
it becomes difficult to hear the cry of nature itself; everything
is interconnected.” (Laudato Si’, paragraph 117).
GROUP DISCUSSION AND SHARING
Rather than responding as the scribes and Pharisees expect, Jesus leads
them into deeper reflection of themselves. In what ways do we judge and
condemn others? What groups am I inclined to race to judgement about?
How can I instead tap into Jesus’ mercy and show that to those around me?
33
PRAYER IN ACTION
How can we concretise our prayer to embody mercy rather than
condemnation?
An action we/I commit to undertake
this week:
Some ideas
• Withhold judgement on
those suspected or accused
of sexual misconduct or
other forms of behaviour.
• Seek an opportunity for a
conversation with a person
I might normally avoid.
• Look at opportunities to
speak out on the human
rights of a marginalised
group.
CLOSING PRAYER
Leader:Teach us to discover the worth of each thing,
To be filled with awe and contemplation.
Response:
The Lord has done great things for us,
we are filled with joy. Leader:Teach us to recognise that we are profoundly united with every creature. As we journey towards your infinite light.
Response:
The Lord has done great things for us,
we are filled with joy.
Leader:We thank you for being with us every day.
Encourage us, we pray, in our struggle
For justice, love and peace.
34
Response:
The Lord has done great things for us,
we are filled with joy.
(adapted from the final prayer of Laudato’ Si)
PRAY TOGETHER
God of understanding, e te Atua o te māramatanga, hear our prayer and
listen to our hopes. Free us from the urge to judge and condemn others and
show us the way to mercy. We ask this through Christ Jesus, friend of sinners,
and face of the Father’s compassion and mercy. Āmene
35
Hear the cry of the
earth and the poor
Whakarongo ki te tangi o Papatūānuku me te hunga pōhara
As we approach Holy Week and our attention turns to our remembrance of the
suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus, we recall again the theme of Lent:
Pope Francis’ plea to us to hear the cry of the earth and the poor.
In Christ’s passion and death on the cross, we remember and join with not just
his suffering in a particular historical moment, but in all suffering and death.
We also look forward to, and join in, the hope of his approaching resurrection.
Injustice is never invincible.
Pope Francis tells us in Laudato Si’: ‘The Creator does not abandon us; he never
forsakes his loving plan or repents of having created us. Humanity still has the
ability to work together in building our common home.’ (paragraph 13)
In his message for the Jubilee of Mercy, Pope Francis also reminds us that to be
merciful like the Father is the “motto” of this Holy Year. “In mercy we find proof
of how God loves us. He gives his entire self, always, freely, asking nothing in
return. He comes to our aid whenever we call on him…The assistance we
ask for is already the first step of God’s mercy towards us. He comes to assist
us in our weakness. And his help consists in helping us accept his presence
and closeness to us. Day after day, touched by his compassion, we can also
become compassionate towards others.’ (Misericordiae Vultus, paragraph 14).
36
SESSION 6
Palm Sunday
Into your hands I commend
my spirit
This is the opportune moment to change our lives! This is the time to allow our
hearts to be touched! When faced with evil deeds, even in the face of serious
crimes, it is the time to listen to the cry of innocent people who are deprived of
their property, their dignity and even their very lives.
Pope Francis: Misericordiae Vultus – the Jubilee of Mercy
(paragraph 19), 2015
OPENING PRAYER
E te Ariki, Lord, we recall the courage of Jesus on the cross, concerned for
the welfare of others as he breathes his last. Grant us the courage to follow
in his steps as we listen to his voice in the cry of the earth and the cry of the
poor. Amen
Responsorial Psalm 22
Response:
My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
All who see me deride me. They curl their lips, they toss their heads.
‘He trusted in the Lord, let him save him; let him release him if this is his
friend.’ R
Many dogs have surrounded me, a band of the wicked beset me.
They tear holes in my hands and my feet. I can count every one of my
bones. R
They divide my clothing among them. They cast lots for my robe.
O Lord, do not leave me alone, my strength, make haste to help me! R
I will tell of your name to my brethren and praise you where they
are assembled.
37
`You who fear the Lord give him praise; all sons of Jacob, give him glory.
Revere him, Israel’s sons.’ R
GROUP SHARING
How has this week been? Looking back to last week were you able to reach
out to someone outside your usual circles?
GOSPEL READING
The full account of the Passion of Christ, which is read on Palm Sunday, can be
found in Luke 22. A short excerpt has been chosen for this programme, but you
can choose to use a different passage from the Passion, or to read the whole
Passion Gospel from a Bible.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke 22:14 – 23:56
When they reached the place called The Skull, they crucified him there and
the two criminals also, one on the right, the other on the left. Jesus said,
‘Father forgive them; they do not know what they are doing.’ Then they cast
lots to share out his clothing.
The people stayed there watching him. As for the leaders, they jeered
at him. ‘He saved others,’ they said, ‘let him save himself if he is the Christ
of God, the Chosen One.’ The soldiers mocked him too and when they
approached to offer him vinegar they said, ‘If you are the King of the
Jews, save yourself.’ Above him there was an inscription: ‘This is the King
of the Jews.’
One of the criminals hanging there abused him. ‘Are you not the Christ?’ he
said. ‘Save yourself and us as well.’ But the other spoke up and rebuked him.
‘Have you no fear of God at all?’ he said. ‘You got the same sentence as he
did, but in our case we deserved it; we are paying for what we did. But this
man has done nothing wrong. Jesus,’ he said ‘remember me when you come
into your kingdom.’ ‘Indeed, I promise you,’ he replied, ‘today you will be with
me in paradise.’
38
It was now about the sixth hour and, with the sun eclipsed, a darkness came
over the whole land until the ninth hour. The veil of the Temple was torn
right down the middle; and when Jesus had cried out in a loud voice, he said,
‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit. ‘With these words he breathed
his last.
After the reading, pause for silent reflection. Then invite people to share a word or
phrase that stood out for them. Invite another group member to read the Gospel
passage aloud again.
GOSPEL REFLECTION
Jesus is “classed with the criminals” – he dies with them and for them.
Jesus has entered so fully into the human condition that he is prepared to
go to the margins in order to fully identify with us. In this Gospel of great
forgiveness Jesus dies forgiving even those people who have perpetrated the
greatest injustice upon him. This reveals the depth of God’s forgiveness that
knows no bounds. In this Gospel, the assembled crowd of people are not
presented as God’s enemies. It is the leaders and soldiers who mock Jesus in
words that echo the temptation in the desert (first week of Lent).
Only in Luke’s Gospel is the story of the ‘Good Thief’ to whom Jesus replies
‘Today’ signifying the moment of salvation. This word can also be found in
Luke 2:11 ‘Today born to you...’ and Luke 19:9 ‘Today salvation has come...’
marking a beginning not an end. The darkness over the land recalls the ninth
plague of Egypt which preceded the death of the first born. It heralds a new
salvation event that begins with the death of God’s own first born child. The
tearing of the curtain of the Temple open’s God’s presence to all humanity.
Jesus now breathes his last with the beautiful evening prayer of the Jewish
people from Psalm 31:5 ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit’.
GROUP DISCUSSION AND SHARING
In today’s reading, Jesus forgives even those who take his life. Where are
people forgiving each other in extraordinary circumstances today? What
insights have I gained this Lent? Where has God led me to conversion?
39
PRAYER IN ACTION
What action am I choosing to continue beyond Lent?
Record your commitment to yourself in this box:
An action we/I commit to undertake beyond Lent:
CLOSING PRAYER
Leader:
God of love, show us our place in this world,
as channels of your love
for all the creatures of the world, for not one of them
is forgotten in your sight.
Response:
Into your hands we commend our spirits
Leader:
Enlighten those who possess power and money
That they may avoid the sin of indifference
That they may love the common good, advance the weak,
And care for this world in which we live.
40
Response:
Into your hands we commend our spirits
Leader:
The poor and the earth are crying out.
O Lord, seize us with your power and light,
help us to protect all life,
to prepare for a better future,
for the coming of your Kingdom of justice, peace,
love and beauty.
Praise be to you!
Response:
Into your hands we commend our spirits.
PRAY TOGETHER
Into your hands we commend our spirits O Lord. Into your hands we
commend our hearts. For we must die to ourselves in loving you. Into your
hands we commend our lives. Āmene.
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42
Feedback form
Caritas appreciates hearing back from participants about how the Lenten
programme was used, what you liked about it, and what you would like to
see changed or improved. Your feedback helps us to see how widely the
programme has been used, and to improve it for 2017.
Name:
Parish/group/community:
Time and day your group met:
What was positive about the programme?
What can be improved?
How did participating in the programme affect your group, or your
personal behaviour during Lent?
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Specific sections of the programme:
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Guide to using this
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Lectio divina style of
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projects and
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suggestions for action
Further Comments and Feedback:
Please return to:
Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand, PO Box 12-193, Wellington 6144
Fax: 04-499-2519 [email protected]
44
Caritas Lenten Reflection Programme 2016
PO Box 12193, Wellington 6144
Aotearoa New Zealand
www.caritas.org.nz
English version:
Lisa Beech, Sr Clare O’Connor, Br Kieran Fenn,
Taneora Ryall, Roger Ellis, Emily Benefield,
Murray Shearer, David Nonu
Te Reo Māori version:
Tongan version:
Piripi Walker
Langi Paasi
Tokelauan version:Eneliko Tovio
Samoan version:
Puletini Tuala
Pasifika programmes coordinator: David Nonu
Te Reo Māori oversight:
Te Rūnanga o te Hāhi Katorika ki Aotearoa
Additional advice and input: Pā Mikaere Ryan
Design: Miranda Lees
The Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand Lenten reflection programme is available in
English, Te Reo Māori, Tokelauan, Samoan and Tongan language versions.
This programme is a contribution to the
New Zealand Diversity Action Programme.
ISSN 2253-3370 (Print)
ISSN 2253-3389 (Online)
ISBN 978-0-908631-26-1 (Print)
ISBN 978-0-908631-32-2 (Online)
Addressing the causes of poverty
Advocating against injustice
Responding to disaster
Hear the cry of the
earth and the poor
Whakarongo ki te tangi o Papatūānuku
me te hunga pōhara
Caritas Lenten Reflection Programme 2016
Praying and reflecting together during the Jubilee of
Mercy in the light of the Lenten Gospels and Laudato Si’