Aid to the Church in Need
Crossing the threshold of hope
Radiating Joy to the World 14 - 6
Be a ‘The Church’s vocation is to bring joy to the world’
you be young or old, rich or W hether I poor, able or not there is nothing to
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prevent you being a Missionary of Joy.
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imply pledge to say
• One ‘Our Father’ • One ‘Hail Mary’ & • One ‘Glory be’ every morning between now and Easter Sunday 2015 (April 5) and offer your prayer up for all the poor souls around the world who are suffering and dying for their Christian faith. Aid to the Church in Need
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Contents
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Radiating Joy to the World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J F Declan Quinn ................... 2 Striving to Posses the Holy Spirit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fr. Martin Barta .................... 4 Following the Cross. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ......................................... 6 Blessed are the Persecuted. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......................................... 8 Helping the Young Know God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........................................ 10 Speaking the Language of Love Along the Way . . ....................................... 12 Radiating Joy .......... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pope Francis ....................... 14 Our Hearts are made for Joy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pope Benedict XVI ............... 16 God is the Source of True Joy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pope Benedict XVI ............... 18 Preserving Christian Joy in Our Hearts. . . . . . . . . . . . . Pope Benedict XVI ............... 20 The Joy of Love ....... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pope Benedict XVI ............... 22 The Joy of Conversion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pope Benedict XVI ............... 24 Joy at Times of Trial and Suffering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pope Benedict XVI ............... 26 Be Missionaries of Joy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pope Benedict XVI ............... 28 On making the World more Human. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pope Francis ....................... 30 They will persecute you . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J F Heereman...................... 32
Editor: JĂźrgen Liminski. publisher: Kirche in Not / Ostpriesterhilfe, Postfach 1209, 61452 KĂśnigstein, Germany. De licentia competentis auctoritatis ecclesiasticae. Printed in Ireland - ISSN 0252-2535. www.acn-intl.org
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radiating Joy to the World A chairde,
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ilton’s ‘On his blindness’ was one of the poems which I learned by heart for my Intermediate certificate examination in 1968 and ever since it has been in my head and my heart. ‘Who best bear his mild yoke, they serve Him best.’ ‘They also serve who only stand and wait.’ are both sentiments which readily bring Matthew 11:28 and the writings of Blessed John h newman to mind. Basically as I understand Milton, Matthew and Newman, the good Lord… • Does not give us crosses without also giving us the graces needed to bear them, • Does not ask us to undertake missions for which we are incapable but rather He • Wants us to be what we were created to be…saints.
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ssentially then we are all created to be witnesses to Hope and are therefore required to radiate Joy in whatever situation or state of life we find ourselves, whether we be young or old, rich or poor, able or disabled, each of us are required to ‘take up our crosses’ and be a Missionary of Joy. This essential truth was brought home to me recently when late one evening a lady in her middle 90’s rang the office to encourage us in our work in support of the suffering and persecuted Church throughout the world. Over the phone and in a clear strong voice she informed me that she had lost her husband a few years ago, her only son many years previously and just a few months ago had to give up driving shortly before moving into a retirement home, where incidentally she is very happily ensconced. Very obviously this elderly lady radiated joy. Indeed to my mind she was unquestionably a Missionary of Joy. More than that she was being what she and what each of us in turn are meant to be…an everyday run-of-the-mill living saint.
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ere of course it is worth reminding ourselves that God established His Church for precisely this purpose, to create saints thereby bringing ‘true, full and lasting’ joy to the world. So it is that through our Baptism, Confirmation and all the sacraments we can access the strength 2
on his Blindness I consider how my light is spent W hen Ere half my days in this dark world and wide, And that one talent which is death to hide Lodg’d with me useless, though my soul more bent To serve therewith my Maker, and present My true account, lest he returning chide, ‘Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?’ I fondly ask. But Patience, to prevent That murmur, soon replies: ‘God doth not need Either man’s work or his own gifts: who best Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His state Is kingly; thousands at his bidding speed And post o’er land and ocean without rest: They also serve who only stand and wait.’ John Milton, 1608 - 1674
and graces we need to proclaim the Good News, to the best of our abilities, in whatever state or circumstances of life we find ourselves, always bearing in mind that ‘the Lord makes use of inadequate instruments’.
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o whether we be nine or ninety, rich or poor, able or not, on our own, within our families, among our friends and in our local communities, let us always… • give praise to the Lord, • count our blessings and • radiate Joy of being loved by God. God.
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ndeed and especially in the face of the world’s deepening darkness and prevailing pessimism, like the poet Milton, let us not be blind to the opportunities we have to share the love we have received with those in greater need. So remembering that love grows the more it is given away, please pray for all the millions of poor souls all around the world who are suffering and dying for their Christian faith. Beir Beannacht
J F Declan Quinn Director, Aid to the Church in Need (Ireland)
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striving to possess the holy spirit Dear Friends,
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he true meaning of the Christian life consists in striving to possess the Holy Spirit.’ These words of the Russian Saint Seraphim of Sarov show us the heart and essence of the longed for new evangelisation. Indeed, each and every renewal of faith can only come from a heart filled with the holy Spirit, in other words from a genuine love.
acterises the spirit of the present age, so that man has begun to think that he is the bringer of light.
In reality it is emotions, prejudices in the media, false teachings and ideologies which influence our reason and our hearts from outside. By contrast the Holy Spirit, the Love of God, speaks directly ‘The Holy Spirit is our People go to great to our inner hearts. strength, strength that can lengths to acquire He is the true Light for knowledge, posses- withstand every form of evil’ our reason, enabling sions and prestige; they us to think aright and want to think of themto evaluate the realselves enlightened and to bring about ity of life from the perspective of God. equality and liberty for everyone. The It is the Holy Spirit who cries out in us: belief in human reason and science char- ‘Abba, Father’ and who makes us capable of saying: ‘Jesus is Lord’ (1 Cor 12:3). This is the universal programme of the Holy Spirit. And the new evangelisation consists, above all, in this personal profession of faith.
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hristianity does not depend, first and foremost, on being a ‘good person’, but on faith in the true God and faith in the truths that Christ has revealed to us. Yet how quickly we turn away from the true Spirit of Love and mould ourselves to the spirit of the age. Out of purely human respect for the spirit of the age we are often too timid in professing our faith and barely able 4
to find the right words, or the zeal, to stand up for the teachings of the Church. In the sacrament of Confirma Confirmation we were imprinted with the seal of the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands and the anointing with chrism, to give us the strength to stand up and be counted in the face of the onslaught of the ‘mainstream’. The holy oly Spirit gives us the sensus fidelium with which we can detect what is truth or lies.. He is our strength, a strength that can withstand every form of evil.
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he world will not be saved by science, money, politics or military power, but only by the power of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit reveals to us the inner nature of the Triune God, where there is only love and mercy. It is He who can bring about the fulfilment of the petition ‘thy will be done on earth as in heaven’.. Let us call out in prayer to Mary, that a new Pentecost may soon come down upon the world. From her place in heaven, she who is full of grace, the ‘Star of the new evangelisation’, shows us the way of the Holy Spirit, the way of Love, of Truth and Justice. My grateful blessing on you all
Father Martin M. Barta, Spiritual Assistant Aid to the Church in Need
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folloWing the Cross
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he ‘dictatorship of relativism’ identified by pope Benedict XVI - destroys value systems and damages young people who, in the turmoil of today’s society, are seeking guidance for the future. They urgently need the friendship of God and of people of good will. This is the goal of the ‘Finding our way in life’ youth outreach project, run by the Sisters of the Congregation of Jesus and the Jesuits in Bratislava, Slovakia. It is a three year programme, aimed at school pupils, students and young adults aged 15 to 30. Young people are made aware of the project through school and university visits and social network sites on the internet. They talk about faith, family and values at weekend meetings, gathering in smaller ‘Finding our way’ by following the Cross: Bratislava.
Listening attentively to the Gospel: Odessa, Ukraine .
groups for sport, games and prayer. In the third year of the programme there is a one-week summer camp, known as the ‘Way-Truth-Life Camp’, which includes a three-day retreat based on the spiritual exercises of Saint Ignatius Loyola. Those who stay with the programme for the full three years will acquire a firm knowledge of their faith - and they will also know that true friendship is more than merely a casual ‘like’ on the Internet. They will have lived out their friendship, sharing food and drink together and openly sharing their thoughts and feelings. They will have worked, laboured and prayed together with others - engaging directly with real people who cannot simply be switched off like a computer. They will have discovered the truth and experienced the reality of life, Jesus our Lord.
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In the missions with Father Avelino: Kenya.
the light of faith lights the Way
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hen the earth shook in haiti, churches, chapels and houses came tumbling down. That was four years ago, but the trauma still continues. Every time the sky clouds over, fear begins to rise again. But there is one thing the earthquake could not shake in Haiti’s bishops, and that is their hope and trust in a merciful Father in heaven. In this same trust Bishop Launay Saturné now wishes to rebuild the walls of sound Catholic teaching in human hearts and souls.
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his has become more necessary than ever. Many sects are exploiting fears of a wrathful vengeful God and a deep-seated tendency to superstition on this Caribbean island, in order to lead people astray.
his pioneering programme, which aims to combat relativism in Europe, requires intensive support. In other countries and other continents other methods and programmes are being used, but the objective is the same: to know and understand our Catholic faith and develop a personal relationship with Christ. In short, these courses cultivate friendship with God and ACN helps fnd them. • Meditating on the message – catechists following a lecture under canvas: Haiti.
evels of Church marriages, baptisms and Mass attendance have all fallen sharply, especially among young people. So the bishop with the aid of ACN wants to launch a major new evangelisation programme, involving a one week teaching programme that will equip 324 catechists, lay workers, youth pastors and prayer leaders from the 27 parishes of his diocese. The course’s main focus will be the holy scriptures and the writings of pope Francis. The Light of Faith - Lumen Fidei - will show the way of love and hope amid the ruins ravaged souls of Haiti. •
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Blessed are the perseCUted - InTervIew wITh CardInal vInko PulJIC
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xactly 100 years ago the First World War broke out. The event that triggered it was the assassination of the Austro-Hungarian Archduke Ferdinand and his wife in Sarajevo. So what is the situation of Christians in Bosnia and herzegovina today? What sort of help is coming from Europe? These questions were put to Cardinal Vinko puljic, the Archbishop of Sarajevo. have things changed for CathQ how olics in the past hundred years? to our statistics in 1914, A According there were some 460,000 Catholics
living in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Before the Second World War there were nearly 650,000 and in 1991 before the most recent war, there were just over 800,000 Catholics. Some 20 years later there are only about 450,000 remaining - almost half the 1991 figure. The Catholic families were always Pilgrims for a better future - on their way to the Archdiocese’s Youth Day: Sarajevo.
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the first schools of faith. But as a result of the war of 1991, many families were forced to flee, and after the war it was mostly only the older people who returned. The politicians are making no effort to encourage the return of the Catholics. So today there is a lack of younger families, and hence also of spiritual vocations. the Christians of today have Q do more freedom than 100 years ago? A A 100 years ago under Ottoman rule the Christians were discriminated
against. After that there was a period of tolerance. Church structures were established, including churches, cathedrals and schools. Today the Catholic Church in Bosnia and Herzegovina both culturally and religiously, is a bridge between East and West. On this path of dialogue the education provided by Catholic schools plays an important role. That is also the purpose of the John paul II Youth Centre with its programmes to help young people develop their own sense of identity. There is so much that we can do together for the welfare of everyone. Many Muslims also share this same spirit of solidarity. However, since the recent war of 19921995 the relationship has changed. The influence of
the Arab countries has become stronger. Radicalisation is gaining ground. Even older Muslims, who have always lived side by side with the Christians, are disturbed by this. But money is what counts, especially in politics. On top of this there is the legal insecurity, particularly for the Catholics. the Christians receive help Q do from europe? varies greatly. To give two examA Itples: When the Serbian Orthodox
Church in Mostar began rebuilding the damaged Orthodox churches, all the international bodies supported them. The same thing was true of the Orthodox church in Sarajevo. When the Muslims began the renovation of their mosque in Banja Luka, they were given support by the American government. But when we Catholics asked for help, we were told that they did not support churches, only cultural monuments. Is the Catholic Church not also a part of the country’s culture? It
Commemorative plaque in Sarajevo where the shot that started the First World War was fired.
is a the same story with the support for returning refugees: for the others there was plenty - for Catholics there is little or nothing. how ow is the region recovering from Q the terrible flooding this spring? Forty parishes within my archdiocese A were flooded. In twenty of them the
damage was severe. The initial wave of solidarity was tremendous, but it was a matter of basic survival. Now it is about getting on with life. Livestock was decimated, farm buildings, houses and furniture were destroyed. Many people simply lack the strength to rebuild again from scratch. The state has failed them. No one is bothering about the plague of flies, or repairs for the broken river dykes. But the biggest problem is the creation of jobs and economic development. How are we supposed to live? •
Still always close to us - Cardinal Puljic at Father Werenfried’s graveside.
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helping the yoUng KnoW god
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iving money to the poor is like lending money to God, there is no better investment.’ Saint Don Bosco (1815-1888) had a sense of both earthly needs and of heavenly perspectives. He also combined heaven and earth in his approach to education, and this is what made him the ‘father and teacher of youth’ (Pope Saint John Paul II). This same educational approach, centred in trust in God underlies the work of many religious sisters and youth workers all over the world today. In Armenia many children grow up without a father or a grandfather, because these men are living abroad, seeking work. Together with orphans, disadvantaged and handicapped children, they find loving care, Safe in their big summer family - a youth camp in Armenia.
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support and security in the summer camps organised by the Armenian Sisters of the Immaculate Conception. The children spend all year looking forward to the fortnight with the sisters which sustains them for many weeks afterwards. 850 children aged between 8 and 14, will take part this year. These 16 days will be an opportunity for them to forget, or come to terms with, their needs, cares and worries - all thanks to the generosity of ACN benefactors.
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y contrast, the summer camp in Kazakhstan has a somewhat different perspective. It has been organised by Father Jozef Trela and his Catholic parish arish of our Lady Queen of
Taking the little ones by the hand, in the summer camp of the Sisters of the Archangel Michael: Cameroon.
the Rosary, together with Orthodox Father Aleksandr Merinov and his parish arish of Saint Elijah in Urdzhar, in the southeast of the country. Their aim is to live in a spirit of ecumenism, along with a group of 60 young people. Prayer, discussions and catechetical sessions will help them to grow in a spirit of mutual understanding and friendship.
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A day trip in Kurdistan: Iraq.
ut whether the approach involves a loving family environment, ecumenism or a deepening of faith, there are even today, countless numbers of young boys and girls who, like those Don Bosco encountered in Turin, will find their way to God’s love difficult without the caring help of others. In summer camps like these you are helping to smooth out the way for them, and it often happens that during this time not a few of them will hear God’s call in moments of silent prayer. This must be the best possible ‘return’ on your investment - exactly in the way that Don Bosco meant it. • On their way to the campfire: Israel.
Fun for everyone: Kazakhstan.
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speaKing the langUage of love along the Way
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he spoken word expresses the spirit; it opens our eyes to the understanding of the Word. That is why our Lady of Guadalupe speaks to Juan Diego in his own Indian dialect of Nahuatl, and to Bernadette of Lourdes in her local Pyrenean dialect. To Jacinta, Lucia and Francisco in Fatima she speaks Portuguese. Mary shows us how to make the Good news heard. Her words inspire and encourage us. That is why, thanks to your help, we have translated the Child’s Bible into so many different languages, and why we are doing the same thing with our Rosary booklet, our Little Catechism and the You-Cat. Today the Child’s Bible God Speaks to his Children is available in 176 different languages. And our work is still far from finished. In Kenya there are around 50 local languages in addition to the official English and Swahili.
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he semi-nomadic Pokot people only know their own language and traditions. With the help of the Child’s Bible in Pokot, the Comboni Missionaries can not only teach them to read and write but also empart the message that they, the Pokot, are also children of God. The plan is to distribute 10,000 copies in 340 schools. Madagascar likewise needs books in its own language. Four out of five Madagascans only speak their own language, Malgasy. And one in every three is illiterate. The Daughters of Saint paul are very grateful for the fact that we are sending them Child’s Bibles, Rosary booklets and catechisms in Malgasy for their work of education and evangelisation on the island. Similarly, the bishop of Mahajanga is delighted at the 25,000 copies of God Speaks to His Children in the local language. His country is desperately poor, and he could never have found the means to pay for these Child Bibles.
Studying by candlelight… as there is no electricity: Burma.
Once I learn to read, a happy life I’ll lead: Albania.
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lbania is also desperately poor but, nonetheless, there is hope for the future. The churches are full of young people, and over a hundred catechumens are regularly baptised on major feasts such as Easter in the Cathedral of Tirana. There is great demand among young people for books about faith, and 20,000 copies of ACN’s Little Catechism in Albanian were snapped up in no time at all. Following the cruel times of atheist persecution, which claimed the lives of so many martyrs, there are few Albanians left among the older generation with a solid knowledge of their faith. This young country - the average age is just 30 years - is thirsting for God’s Word. ‘Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ’, said Saint Jerome, the great Church Father and translator of the Latin Vulgate, who came from this part of the world. The 520,000 or so Catholics in the country (around 10% of the total population) want to know Christ better. They cannot do so without the Bible.
‘I believe’, though most of the children in the school are Muslims: Kenya.
The words of the Gospel know no frontiers: ‘Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, …teaching them comto observe all that I have com manded you’ (Mt 28:19ff), Jesus tells his tells his disciples. This is as true for Burma as for pakistan, Sri Lanka, East Timor, Congo, the philippines and the rainforests of the Amazon. Everywhere this message brings hope. For the most beautiful language on earth is the language of love. And you are helping to teach it. •
aUthor of the Child’s BiBle he author of ACN Child’s Bible and Little Catechism was Eleonore Beck, a lay theologian from Germany. ‘Her heart was on fire for the Bible’, as the bishop of her local diocese said in the homily he delivered at her funeral. Ever since the first edition of the Child’s Bible, she was closely associated with ACN. Today the number of Child’s Bibles distributed worldwide has reached a total of 51.2 million, in 176 different languages, while that of the Little Catechism, which she wrote in 1998, is almost 8 million, in 31 31 different languages. She died in February this year at the age of 87. We are profoundly grateful to her and remember her in our prayers. •
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radiating Joy - Pope Francis1
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oving others is a spiritual force drawing us into union with God; indeed, one who does not love others ‘walks in the darkness’ (1 Jn 2:11), ‘remains in death’ (1 Jn 3:14) and ‘does not know God’ (1 Jn 4:8). Benedict XVI has said that ‘closing our eyes to our neighbour also blinds us to God’, and that love is, in the end, the only light which ‘can always illuminate a world grown dim and give us the courage needed to keep living and working’. When we live out a spirituality of drawing nearer to others and seeking their welfare, our hearts are opened wide to the Lord’s greatest and most beautiful gifts. Whenever we in love encounter another person, we learn something
new about God. Whenever our eyes are opened to acknowledge the other, we grow in the light of faith and knowledge of God. If we want to advance in the spiritual life, then, we must constantly be missionaries. The work of evangelisation/being a missionary... • enriches the mind and the heart; • opens up spiritual horizons; • makes us more and more sensitive to the workings of the Holy Spirit, and • takes us beyond our limited spiritual constructs. 1 The following words have been abstracted from Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, the complete text of which is available at www.acnireland.org. 2 Para. 272. 3 Para. 273. 4 Para. 274.
‘I cannot imagine a Christian who does not know how to smile.
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committed missionary knows the joy of being a spring which spills over and refreshes others. only the person who feels happiness in seeking the good of others, in desiring their happiness, can be a missionary. This openness of the heart is a source of joy, since ‘it is more blessed to give than to receive’ (Acts 20:35). We do not live better when we flee, hide, refuse to share, stop giving and lock ourselves up in own comforts. Such a life is nothing less than slow suicide.2
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y mission of being in the heart of the people is not just a part of my life or a badge I can take off; it is not an ‘extra’ or just another moment in life. Instead, it is something I cannot uproot from my being without destroying my very self. I am a mission on this earth; that is the reason why I am here in this world.
creation. God created that person in His image, and he or she reflects something of God’s glory.
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very human being is the object of God’s infinite tenderness, and he himself is present in their lives. Jesus offered his precious blood on the cross for that person. Appearances notwithstanding, every person is immensely holy and deserves our love. Consequently, if I can help at least one person to have a better life, that already justifies the offering of my life. It is a wonderful thing to be God’s faithful people.4 •
We have to regard ourselves as sealed, even branded, by this mission of bringing light, blessing, enlivening, raising up, healing and freeing.3
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f we are to share our lives with others and generously give of ourselves, we also have to realise that every person is worthy of our giving. Not for their physical appearance, their abilities, their language, their way of thinking, or for any satisfaction that we might receive, but rather because they are God’s handiwork, His Aid to the Church in Need
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oUr hearts are made for Joy - PoPe BenedICT XvI5
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oy is at the heart of Christian experience…
• the joy of communion, • the joy of being Christian, • the joy of faith. … In a world of sorrow and anxiety, joy is an important witness to the beauty and reliability of the Christian faith. The Church’s vocation is to bring joy to the world, a joy that is authentic and enduring, the joy proclaimed by the angels to the shepherds on the night Jesus was born (cf. Lk 2:10). Not only did God speak, not only did He accomplish great signs throughout the history of humankind, but he drew so near to us that He became one of us and lived our life completely.
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n these difficult times, so many … people all around you need to hear that the Christian message is a message of joy and hope! … A yearning for joy lurks within the heart of every man and woman. Far more than immediate and fleeting feelings of satisfaction, our hearts seek a perfect, full and lasting joy capable of giving ‘flavour’ to our existence.
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his is particularly true for …(young people) … because youth is a time of continuous discovery of life, of the world, of others and of ourselves. It is a time... • of openness to the future and • of great longing for happiness, friendship, sharing and truth, • a time when we are moved by high ideals and make great plans.
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• • • • •
ach day is filled with countless simple joys which are the Lord’s gift: the joy of living, the joy of seeing nature’s beauty, the joy of a job well done, the joy of helping others, the joy of sincere and pure love.
5 Adapted from message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI for the Twenty-Seventh World Youth Day 2012 15 March 2012, the complete text of which is available at www.acnireland.org
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f we look carefully, we can see many other rea-sons to rejoice. There are the happy times in... • • • • •
family life, shared friendship, the discovery of our talents, our successes, the compliments we receive from from others, • the ability to express ourselves and to and to know that we are understood, and • the feeling of being of help to others. others.
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here is also the excitement of...
• learning new things, • seeing new and broader horizons open horizons open up through our travels and encounters, and • realising the possibilities we have have for for charting our future.
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e might also mention the experience...
of reading a great work of literature, literature, of admiring a masterpiece of art, art, of listening to or playing music, or or of watching a film.
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ll these things can bring us real joy. Yet at the same time we also face any number of difficulties. •
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god is the soUrCe of trUe Joy - Pope Benedict XvI6
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he quest for joy can follow various paths, and some of these turn out to be mistaken, if not dangerous. • How can we distinguish things that give real and lasting joy from immediate and illusory pleasures? • How can we find true joy in life, a joy that endures and does not forsake us at moments of difficulty? Whatever brings us true joy, whether the smallest joys of each day or the greatest joys in life, has its source in God, even if this does not seem immediately obvious. This is because God is a communion of eternal love, He is infinite joy that does not remain closed in on itself, but expands to embrace all whom God loves and who love Him. God created us in his image out of love, in order to shower His love upon us and to fill us with His presence and grace.
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od wants us to share in His own divine and eternal joy, and He helps us to see that the deepest meaning and value of our lives lie in being accepted, welcomed and loved by him. Whereas we sometimes find it hard to accept others, God offers us an unconditional acceptance which enables us 6 Adapted from message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI for the Twenty-Seventh World Youth Day 2012 15 March 2012, the complete text of which is available at www.acnireland.org.
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to say: ‘I am loved; I have a place in the world and in history; I am personally loved by God. If God accepts me and loves me and I am sure of this, then I know clearly and with certainty that it is a good thing that I am alive’. God’s infinite love for each of us is fully seen in Jesus Christ. The joy we are searching for is to be found in Him. We see in the Gospel how the events at the beginning of Jesus’ life are marked by joy. • When the Archangel Gabriel tells the Virgin Mary that she is to be the mother of the Saviour, his first word is ‘Rejoice!’ (Lk 1:28). • When Jesus is born, the angel of the Lord says to the shepherds: ‘Behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a Saviour has been born for you, who is Messiah and Lord’ (Lk 2:10-11). • When the Magi came in search of the child, ‘they were overjoyed at seeing the star’ (Mt 2:10). The cause of all this joy is the closeness of God who became one of us. This is what Saint Paul means when he writes to the Philippians: ‘Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near’ (Phil 4:4-5).
our first reason for joy is the closeness of the Lord, who welcomes me and loves me.
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n encounter with Jesus always gives rise to immense inner joy. We can see this in many of the Gospel stories. We recall when Jesus visited, a dishonest tax collector and public sinner, He said to him: ‘Today I must stay at your house’. Then, Saint Luke tells us, Zacchaeus ‘received Him with joy’ (Lk 19:5-6). This is the joy of meeting the Lord. It is the joy of feeling God’s love, a love that can transform our whole life and bring salvation. Zacchaeus decides to change his life and to give half of his possessions to the poor. At the hour of Jesus’ passion, this love can be seen in all its power. At the end of his earthly life, while at supper with his friends, Jesus said: ‘As the Father loves me,
so I also love you. Remain in my love... I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete’ (Jn 15:9,11). Jesus wants to lead his disciples and each one of us into the fullness of joy that He shares with the Father, so that the Father’s love for him might abide in us (cf. Jn 17:26). Christian joy consists in being open to God’s love and belonging to Him. The Gospels recount that Mary Magdalene and other women went to visit the tomb where Jesus had been laid after his death. An angel told them the astonishing news of Jesus’ resurrection. Then, the Evangelist tells us, they ran from the sepulchre, ‘fearful yet overjoyed’ to share the good news with the disciples. Jesus met them on the way and said: ‘Peace!’ (Mt 28:8-9). They They were were being offered the joy of salvation. Christ is the One who lives and who overcame evil, overcame evil, sin and death. He is present among us as the Risen One and he will remain with with us us until the end of the world (cf. Mt 28:20).
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vil does not have the last word in our lives; rather, faith in Christ the Saviour tells us that God’s love is victorious. This deep joy is the fruit of the Holy Spirit who makes us God’s sons and daughters, capable of experiencing and savouring his goodness, and calling him ‘Abba’,, Father (cf. Rm 8:15). Joy is the sign of God’s presence and action within us. • Aid to the Church in Need
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preserving Christian Joy in oUr hearts
- Pope Benedict XvI7
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ow do we receive and maintain the gift of deep, spiritual joy?’
One of the Psalms tells us: ‘Find your delight in the Lord who will give you your heart’s desire’ (Ps 37:4). Jesus told us that ‘the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field’ (Mt 13:44). The discovery and preservation of spiritual joy is the fruit of an encounter with
the Lord. Jesus asks us to follow Him and to stake our whole life on Him. Do not be afraid to risk your lives by making space for Jesus Christ and his Gospel. This is the way to find inner peace and true happiness. It is the way to live fully as children of God, created in His image and likeness. Seek joy in the Lord: for joy is the fruit of faith. • It is being aware of His presence and friendship every day: ‘the Lord is near!’ (Phil 4:5). • It is putting our trust in God, and growing in His knowledge and love. Dear friends... • Learn to see how God is working in your lives and discover Him hidden within the events of daily life. • Believe that He is always faithful to the covenant which He made with you on the day of your Baptism. • Know that God will never abandon you. • Turn your eyes to Him often. He gave His life for you on the cross because He loves you. Contemplation of this great love brings a hope and joy to our hearts that nothing can destroy. Christians can never be sad, for they have met Christ, who gave his life for them. 7 Adapted from message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI for the Twenty-Seventh World Youth Day 2012 15 March 2012, the complete text of which is available at www.acnireland.org..
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o seek the Lord and find Him in our lives also means accepting his word, which is joy for our hearts. The Prophet Jeremiah wrote: ‘When I found your words, I devoured them; they became my joy and the happiness of my heart’ (Jer 15:16). Learn to read and meditate on the Sacred Scriptures. There you will find an answer to your deepest questions about truth. God’s word reveals the wonders that He has accomplished throughout human history, it fills us with joy, and it leads us to praise and adoration: ‘Come, let us sing joyfully to the Lord; let us kneel before the Lord who made us’ (Ps 95:1,6).
At the Easter Vigil, the Church sings the Exultet, a hymn of joy for the victory of Jesus Christ over sin and death: ‘Sing, choirs of angels! ... Rejoice, O earth, in shining splendour ... Let this place resound with joy, echoing the mighty song of all God’s people!’ Christian joy is born of this awareness of being loved by God who became man, gave his is life for us and overcame evil and death.. It means living a life of love for Him. As Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, a young Carmelite, wrote: ‘Jesus, my joy is loving you’ (P 45, 21 January 1897). 1897). •
The liturgy is a special place where the Church expresses the joy which she receives from the Lord and transmits it to the world.
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ach Sunday at Mass the Christian community celebrates the central mystery of salvation, which is the death and resurrection of Christ. This is a very important moment for all the Lord’s disciples because His sacrifice of love is made present. Sunday is the day when we • meet the risen Christ, • listen to His word, and • are nourished by His Body and Blood. As we hear in one of the Psalms: ‘This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice in it and be glad’ (Ps 118:24).
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the Joy of love - Pope Benedict XvI8
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oy is intimately linked to love. They are inseparable gifts of the Holy Spirit (cf. Gal 5:23). Love gives rise to joy, and joy is a form of love. Blessed Teresa of Calcutta drew on Jesus’ words: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’ (Acts 20:35) when she said: ‘Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls; God loves a cheerful giver. Whoever gives with joy gives more’. As the Servant of God paul VI wrote: ‘In God himself, all is joy because all is giving’ (Apostolic Exhortation Gaudete in Domino, 9 May 1975).
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n every area of your life, you should know that to love means to be steadfast, reliable and faithful to commitments. This applies most of all to friendship. Our friends
expect us to be sincere, loyal and faithful because true love perseveres even in times of difficulty. The same thing can be said about your work and studies and the services you carry out. Fidelity and perseverance in doing good brings joy, even if not always immediately. If we are to experience the joy of love, we must also be generous. We cannot be content to give the minimum. We need to be fully committed in life and to pay particular attention to those in need. The world needs men and women who are competent and generous, willing to be at the service of the common good. • Make every effort to study conscientiously, to develop your talents and to put them at the service of others even now. • Find ways to help make society more just and humane wherever you happen to be. • May your entire life be guided by a spirit of service and not by the pursuit of power, material success and money. Speaking of generosity, I would like to mention one particular joy. It is the joy we feel when we respond to the vocation 8 Adapted from message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI for the Twenty-Seventh World Youth Day 2012 15 March 2012, the complete text of which is available at www.acnireland.org. .
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to give our whole life to the Lord.. Do not be afraid if Christ is calling you to the religious, monastic or missionary life or to the priesthood. Be assured that He fills with joy all those who respond to His invitation to leave everything to be with Him and to devote themselves with undivided heart to the service of others. In the same way, God gives great joy to men and women who give themselves totally to one another in marriage in order to build a family and to be signs of Christ’s love for the Church.
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et me remind you of a third element that will lead you to the joy of love. It is allowing fraternal love to grow in your lives and in those of your communities. There is a close bond between communion and joy. It is not by chance that Saint Paul’s exhortation: ‘Rejoice in the Lord always’ (Phil 4:4) is written in the plural, addressing the community as a whole, rather than its individual members. Only when we are we are together in the communion of fellowship do we experience this joy. In the Acts of the Apostles, the first Christian community is described in these words: ‘Breaking bread in their homes, they ate their meals with exultation and sincerity of heart’ (Acts 2:46). I ask you to make every effort to help our Christian communities be special places of sharing, attention and concern for one another. • Aid to the Church in Need
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the Joy of Conversion - Pope Benedict XvI9
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xperiencing real joy also means recognising the temptations that lead us away from it.
Our present-day culture often pressures us to seek immediate goals, achievements and pleasures. It fosters fickleness more than perseverance, hard work and fidelity to commitments. The messages it sends push a consumerist mentality and promise false happiness. Experience teaches us that possessions do not ensure happiness. How many people are surrounded by material possessions yet their lives are filled with despair, sadness and emptiness! To have lasting joy we need to live in love and truth. We need to live in God.
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od wants us to be happy. That is why he gave us specific directions for the journey of life: the commandments. If we observe them, we will find the path to life and happiness. At first glance, they might seem to be a list of prohibitions and an obstacle to our freedom. But if we study them more closely, we see in the light of Christ’s message that the commandments are a set of essential and valuable rules leading to a happy life in accordance with God’s plan. How often, on the other hand, do we see that choosing to build our lives apart from God and
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His Will brings disappointment, sadness and a sense of failure. The experience of sin, which is the refusal to follow God and an affront to His friendship, brings gloom into our hearts.
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t times the path of the Christian life is not easy, and being faithful to the Lord’s love presents obstacles; occasionally we fall. Yet God in his mercy never abandons us; He always offers us the possibility of • returning to Him, • being reconciled with Him and • experiencing the joy of His love which forgives and welcomes us back. have frequent recourse to the sacrament of penance and Reconciliation: It is the sacrament of joy rediscovered. Ask the Holy Spirit for the light needed to acknowledge your sinfulness and to ask for God’s forgiveness.
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elebrate this sacrament regularly, with serenity and trust. The Lord will always open His arms to you. He will purify you and bring you into His joy: for there is joy in heaven even for one sinner who repents (cf. Lk 15:7). • 9 Adapted from message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI for the Twenty-Seventh World Youth Day 2012 15 March 2012, the complete text of which is available at www.acnireland.org.
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the sign ign of the Cross
n the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. amen the lord’s prayer
who art in heaven, hallowed O urbe Father, 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. amen lord, by Your Cross and resurrection, You have set us free. You are the Saviour of the world.
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eavenly Father help us‌
Count our blessings, not our crosses; Count our gains, not our losses; Count our joys, not our woes; Count our friends, not our foes; Count our courage, not our fears; Count our laughs, not our tears; Count our health and without fuss, Count on You and Your love for us.
hail mary
full of grace! The Lord is with H ailthee;Mary,blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. amen glory Be
be to the Father, and to the Son, G lory and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. amen o lord ord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
amen
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Joy at times of trial and sUffering - Pope Benedict XvI10
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n the end, though, we might still wonder in our hearts whether it is really possible to live joyfully amid all life’s trials, especially those which are most tragic and mysterious. We wonder whether following the Lord and putting our trust in him will always bring happiness. We can find an answer in some of the experiences of those who have found in Christ the light that can give strength and hope even in difficult situations.
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lessed pier Giorgio Frassati (1901-1925) experienced many trials during his short life, including a romantic experience that left him deeply hurt. In the midst of this situation he wrote to his sister: ‘You ask me if
I am happy. How could I not be? As long as faith gives me strength, I am happy. A Catholic could not be other than happy... The goal for which we were created involves a path which has its thorns, but it is not a sad path. It is joy, even when it involves pain’ (Letter to his sister Luciana, Turin, 14 February 1925).
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hen pope Saint John paul II presented Blessed Pier Giorgio as a model for young people, he described him as ‘a young person with infectious joy, the joy that overcame many difficulties in his life’ (Address to Young People, Turin, 13 April 1980). 10 Adapted from message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI for the Twenty-Seventh World Youth Day 2012 15 March 2012, the complete text of which is available at www.acnireland.org.
‘If you have God as the centre of all your action then you will reach the goal’ Blessed pier giorgio frassati
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loser to us in time is Blessed Chiara Luce Badano (1971-1990), who experienced how pain could be transfigured by love and mysteriously steeped in joy. At the age of eighteen, while suffering greatly from cancer, Chiara prayed to the Holy Spirit and interceded for the young people of the movement to which she belonged. As well as praying for her own cure, she asked God to enlighten all those young people by His Spirit and to give them wisdom and light. ‘It was really a moment of God’s presence. I was suffering physically, but my soul was singing’ (Letter to Chiara Lubich, Sassello, 20 December 1989). The key to her peace and joy was her complete trust in the Lord and the acceptance of her illness as a mysterious expression of His will for her sake and that of
everyone. She often said: ‘Jesus, if you desire it, then I desire it too’.
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testihese are just two testi monies taken from any number of others which show that authentic Christians are never despairing or sad, not even when faced with difficult trials. They show that Christian joy is not a flight from reality, but a supernatural power that helps us deal with the challenges of daily life. We know that the crucified and risen Christ is here with us and that He is a faithful friend always. When we share in His sufferings, we also share in his glory. With him and in him, im, suffering is transformed into love. And there we find joy (cf. Col 1:24). •
‘Jesus, if you desire it, then I desire it too’ Blessed Chiara luce Badano
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Be missionaries of Joy -
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e missionaries of joy for we cannot be happy if others are not. Joy has to be shared. Go and tell others about your joy at finding the precious treasure which is Jesus himself. We cannot keep the joy of faith to ourselves. If we are to keep it, we must give it away. Saint John said: ‘What we have seen and heard we proclaim now to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; we are writing this so that our joy may be complete’ (1 Jn 1:3-4). Christianity is sometimes depicted as a way of life that stifles our freedom and goes against our desires for happiness and joy. But this is far from the truth. Christians are men and women who are truly happy because they know that they are not alone. They know that God is always holding them in His hands.
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t is up to the followers of Christ, to show the world that faith brings happiness and a joy which is true, full and enduring. If the way Christians live at times appears dull and boring, you should be the first to show the joyful and happy side of faith. The Gospel is the ‘good news’ that God loves us and that each of us is important to him. Show the world that this is true!
Pope Benedict XvI11
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e enthusiastic witnesses of the new evangelisation! Go to those who are suffering and those who are searching, and give them the joy that Jesus wants to bestow. Bring it to your families, your schools and universities, and your workplaces and your friends, wherever you live. You will see how it is contagious. You will receive a hundredfold: the joy of salvation for yourselves, and the joy of seeing God’s mercy at work in the hearts of others. And when you go to meet the Lord on that last day, you will hear him say: ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant... Come, share your master’s joy’ (Mt 25:21). May the Blessed Virgin Mary accompany you on this journey. She welcomed the Lord within herself and proclaimed this in a song of praise and joy, the Magnificat: ‘My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour’ (Lk 1:46-47). ary responded fully to God’s love by devoting her life to Him in humble and complete service. She is invoked as ‘Cause of our Joy’ because she gave us Jesus. May she lead you to that joy which no one will ever be able to take away from you! •
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11 Adapted from message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI for the Twenty-Seventh World Youth Day 2012 15 March 2012, the complete text of which is available at www.acnireland.org.
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read evangelii Gaudium and lumen Fidei at acnireland.org
a poem of love Thanks and blessing Thank you for your wonderful work! Our family is inspired and humbled when we read the Mirror. God bless you and keep you! A family in Australia An everlasting poem of love I have just finished the book ‘Thank you, Father Werenfried’ and I want to tell you that I can’t find the words to describe what I felt while reading it.
matt talbot was a read his story at acnireland.org
Without any doubt Father Werenfried’s life was a story and an everlasting poem of love! A true saint, whose 90-year pilgrimage on earth was a sign of how wonderful the love of God and our fellow men is, above all of those who suffer. It has moved me to the depths of my heart and from now on ACN can count on my help more than ever. Father Werenfried now continues his work from heaven. For my part, I will do everything in my power to help here on earth. A benefactor in the portugal For the refugees in South Sudan I read the article you sent me on South Sudan, where Monsignor Taban described the situation of the people of Malakai who were driven further south and now have lost everything. I am sending you a cheque to help these people. A benefactor in the Canada
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on maKing the World more hUman - Pope Francis12
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he joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. Those who accept His offer of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness. With Christ joy is constantly born anew. …I wish to encourage the Christian faithful to embark upon a new chapter of evangelisation marked by this joy.13 At Pentecost, the Spirit made the apostles go forth from themselves and turned them into heralds of God’s wondrous deeds, capable of speaking to each person in his or her own language. The Holy Spirit also grants the courage to proclaim the newness of the Gospel with boldness in every time and place… Let us call upon Him today, firmly rooted in prayer, for without prayer all our activity risks being fruitless and our message empty.14 ow I long to find the right words to stir up enthusiasm for a new chapter of evangelisation full of fervour, joy, generosity, courage, boundless love and attraction! Yet I realise that no words of encouragement will be enough unless the fire of the holy Spirit burns in our hearts.15
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12 The following words have been abstracted from Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, the complete text of which is available at www.acnireland.org. 13 Para. 1. 14 Para. 259. 15 Para. 261 16 Para. 264. 17 Para. 265. 18 Para. 266.
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The primary reason for evangelising is the love of Jesus which we have received, the experience of salvation which urges us to ever greater love of Him. The best incentive for sharing the Gospel comes from • contemplating it with love, • lingering over its pages and • reading it with the heart. If we approach it in this way, its beauty will amaze and constantly excite us. But if this is to come about, we need to recover a contemplative spirit which can help us to realise ever anew that we have been entrusted with a treasure which makes us more human and helps us to lead a new life. There is nothing more precious which we can give to others. 16
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ometimes we lose our enthusiasm for mission because we forget that the Gospel responds to our deepest needs, since we were created for what the Gospel offers us. Enthusiasm for evangelisation is based on this conviction. We have a treasure of life and love which cannot deceive, and a message which cannot mislead or disappoint. It penetrates to the depths of our hearts, sustaining and ennobling us.17
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ut it is impossible to persevere in a fervent evangelisation unless we are convinced from personal experience that it is... • not the same thing to have known known Jesus as not to have known Him, • not the same thing to walk with Him as Him as to walk blindly, • not the same thing to hear His word as word as not to know it, and • not the same thing to contemplate contemplate Him, to worship Him, to find our peace in Him, as not to. • It is not the same thing to try to build to build the world with His Gospel as to try to do so by our own lights. We know well that with Jesus life becomes richer and that with Him it is easier to find meaning in everything. This is why we evangelise. A true missionary knows that Jesus • walks with him, • speaks to him, • breathes with him, • works with him. • He senses Jesus alive with him in in the the midst of the missionary enterprise.
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nless we see Him present at the heart of our missionary commitment, our enthusiasm soon wanes and we are no longer sure of what it is that we are handing on; we lack vigour and passion. A person who is not convinced, enthusiastic, certain and in love, will convince nobody.18 • Aid to the Church in Need
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Dear Friends,
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he persecution of our Christian brothers and sisters in Iraq - the land of Abraham - the brutal abduction and enslavement of Christian girls in nigeria, the inhuman and utterly unjustifiable sentences passed on young Christian mothers in Sudan and pakistan, the fate of so many refugees from and in Syria - every day these things remind us of the words of Scripture: ‘They will persecute you.’ These words are a shattering reality for so many Christians today. ACN is able to help many of them, and indeed thanks to your generous help, we are doing so.
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he hand of the Lord is not shortened- as the prophet Isaiah tells us (59:1): He can still save. We are giving signs of this hope, by rebuilding ruined chapels and churches, by sending Bibles and
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prayer books, catechisms and rosaries all over the world. Our charity, ACn, is like the arm of God - not the only one, of course, but nevertheless one that reaches far. Just as far, in fact, as your loving kindness will allow. The need is great. So now, as once Father Werenfried did, we are holding out our hands, so that we can combat the suffering and evil with good deeds and through the grace of God. That is why we are here.
Johannes Freiherr Heereman, Executive President of ACN International
to the mother of the living gospel
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ary, Virgin and Mother, you who, moved by the Holy Spirit, welcomed the word of life in the depths of your humble faith: as you gave yourself completely to the Eternal One, help us to say our own ‘yes’ to the urgent call, as pressing as ever, to proclaim the good news of Jesus.
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btain for us now a new ardour born of the resurrection, that we may bring to all the Gospel of life which triumphs over death. Give us a holy courage to seek new paths, that the gift of unfading beauty may reach every man and woman. tar of the new evangelisation, help us to bear radiant witness to communion, service, ardent and generous faith, justice and love of the poor, that the joy of the Gospel may reach to the ends of the earth, illuminating even the fringes of our world.
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other of the living Gospel, wellspring of happiness for God’s little ones, pray for us.
amen. allelUia! Where to send your contribution for the Church in need: Please use the Freepost envelope. Aid to the Church in Need, 151 St. Mobhi Road, Glasnevin, Dublin 9. TEL (01) 837 7516. EMAIL info@acnireland.org WEB www.acnireland.org Registered Charity Numbers: (RoI) 9492 (NI) XR96620. If you give by standing order, or have sent a donation recently, please accept our sincere thanks. This mirror is for your interest and information.
Stand firm in the faith, be strong. (1 Cor. 16:13)
‘The Holy Spirit is our strength, strength that can withstand every form of evil.’ ACn Spiritual Assistant AC
‘The new evangelisation involves a particular commitment on the part of the faithful; this means above all going out to those who have lost their faith. Hence, being Church today means offering a place with open doors, so that all may enter and so that we too may go out to proclaim the love of God.’ And you visited me… The (Child’s) Bible opens doors to the freedom of faith. The new evangelisation in an Angolan prison.
15th of October, 2013.
Aid to the Church in Need helping the Church heal the world. 151 St. Mobhi Road, Dublin 9. TEL 01 837 7516 EmaiL info@acnireland.org
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