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Dear Friends...
Do you know JOY? Making a home for Jesus...
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ebruary starts with the feast of the Purification of the Lord. After Jesus’s birth, Mary fulfils the Jewish rite of purification after childbirth. Since she could not afford the customary offering of a lamb, she gives instead two pigeons as an offering from the poor. This rite, along with circumcision and the redemption of the first-born,
points to the fact that children are gifts from God. Jesus was born in an ordinary home where there were no luxuries. Like all good parents, Mary and Joseph raised their son in the fear and wisdom of God. He, in turn, was obedient to them and grew in wisdom and grace. The Lord’s favour is with those who listen to his word with trust and
obedience. Do you know the joy of submission to God? And do you seek to pass on the faith, and to help the young grow in wisdom and maturity? What is the significance of Simeon’s encounter with the baby Jesus and his mother in the temple? Simeon was a just and devout man who was very much in tune with the
Upon this Rock magazine is published monthly by EuropeAxess Media, Gibraltar. Editor Fr. Stuart Chipolina: editor@uponthisrock.eu Production Editor: A. Sargent angela@europeaxess.com Cover: Pope John Paul II and Bishop Charles Caruana in discussion with Mgr Louis Orfila in St. Peter’s Square, Rome on the occasion of the Bishop’s Ad Limina visit to the Holy See 2002. Photo: Fotografia Felici - www.fotografiafelici.com Upon this Rock magazine is entirely supported by advertising and donations. It is run in liaison with the Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar by EuropeAxess Media as a not-for-profit project. To advertise: This magazine is hand delivered to homes, churches, hospitals and many businesses around Gibraltar every month. To discuss your advertising requirements, or promote your church group or charity, call Tel: 200 79335 email angela@europeaxess.com Editorial is selected by EuropeAxess Media in liaison with the Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar. Neither of these parties is responsible for the accuracy of the information contained herein, nor do the views and opinions expressed herein necessarily reflect the views and opinions of either party. Advertisers are not endorsed by virtue of advertising in this magazine. EuropeAxess Media reserves the right to refuse space to any submissions or advertisements.
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Holy Spirit. He believed that the Lord would return to his Temple and renew his chosen people. The Holy Spirit also revealed to him that the Messiah and King of Israel would also bring salvation to the Gentile nations. When Joseph and Mary presented the baby Jesus in the Temple, Simeon immediately recognized this humble child of Bethlehem as the fulfilment of all the messianic prophecies, hopes, and prayers. Inspired by the Holy Spirit he prophesied that Jesus was to be “a revealing light to the Gentiles”. The Holy Spirit reveals the presence of the Lord to those who are receptive and eager to receive him. Do you recognize the in-dwelling presence of the Lord within you? Jesus is the new temple (John 1:14; 2:19-22). In the Old Testament God manifested his presence in the “pillar of cloud” by day and the “pillar of fire” by night as he led them through the
wilderness. God’s glory visibly came to dwell over the ark and the Tabernacle (Exodus 40:3438). When the first Temple was built in Jerusalem God’s glory came to rest there (1 Kings 8). After the first Temple was destroyed, Ezekiel saw God’s glory leave it (Ezekiel 10). But God promised one day to fill it with even greater glory (Haggai 2:1-9; Zechariah 8-9). That promise is fulfilled when the “King of Glory” himself comes to his temple (Psalm 24:7-10; Malachi 3:1). Through Jesus’s coming in the flesh, and through his saving death, resurrection, and ascension, we are made living temples of his Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 3:16-17). Ask the Lord to renew your faith in the indwelling presence of his Spirit with in you. And give him thanks and praise for coming to make his home with you. Simeon blessed Mary and Joseph and he prophesied to Mary about the destiny of this child and the suffering she would undergo for his sake. There is a certain paradox for those blessed by the Lord. Mary was given the blessedness of being the mother of the Son of God. That blessedness also would become a sword which pierced her heart as her Son died upon the cross. She received both a crown of joy and a cross of sorrow. But her joy was not diminished by her sorrow because it was fueled by her
DEVOTION TO OUR LADY OF EUROPE GOES WORLDWIDE
faith, hope, and trust in God and his promises. Jesus promised his disciples that “no one will take your joy from you” (John 16:22). The Lord gives us a supernatural joy which enables us to bear any sorrow or pain and which neither life nor death can take way. Do you know the joy of a life fully surrendered to God with faith and trust? Simeon was not alone in recognizing the Lord’s presence in the Temple. Anna, too, was filled with the Holy Spirit. She was found daily in the Temple, attending to the Lord in prayer and speaking prophetically to others about God’s promise to send a redeemer. Supernatural hope grows with prayer and age! Anna was pre-eminently a woman of great hope and expectation that God would fulfil all his promises. She is a model of godliness to all believers as we advance in age. Advancing age and the disappointments of life can easily make us cynical and hopeless if we do not have our hope placed rightly. Anna’s hope in God and His promises grew with age. She never ceased to worship God in faith and to pray with hope. Her hope and faith in God’s promises fuelled her indomitable zeal and fervour in prayer and service of God’s people. What do you hope for? The hope which God places in our heart is the desire for the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness. How do we grow in hope? By placing our trust in the promises of Jesus Christ and relying not on our own strength, but on the grace and help of the Holy Spirit. Does your hope and fervour for God grow with age? God Bless you. Fr. Stuart
BISHOP CARUANA, together with the Very Reverend Monsignor Charles Azzopardi, rector of the Shrine of Our Lady of Europe, and Ldo. D. Jesús Lopez Alfonso, International Coordinator, will convene a Marian Congress on our Lady of Europe next month. Speaking at a Press Conference held in the Bishop’s Parlour on the 20th February 2010, His Lordship announced this Academic Symposium which has already attracted participants from Valladolid, Salamanca, and Seville, as well as Sicily. Jesús Lopez Alfonso underscored the international aspect of the devotion, with places of worship dedicated to Our Lady of Europe not only nearby in Spain but also in Morocco and as far afield as Mexico. Mgr. Azzopardi added that recently a letter had been received from the Bishop of Iceland to say that a new church there was to be dedicated to the
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‘Mother of Europe’. This event is part of the programme of events that the Bishop of Gibraltar has planned to commemorate the 700th Anniversary of the Devotion of Our Lady of Europe and also the Centenary of the Dioceses of Gibraltar. The Marian Congress is to be held on the 5th - 7th March 2010 at the Europa Retreat Centre on Windmill Hill. The Congress is open to anyone interested in the study of “Mary as a sign of Christian identity” in Religion, Anthropology, History and Art. A full programme of the lectures with registration forms and further information is available from Mgr. Charles Azzopardi or Ma. Louisa Aguilera, General Secretary, e-mail: rector@ourladyofeurope.net, Tel: 20077138. The final day for registration is the 27th February 2010.
How the Church Works
Making Saints How do people become recognised as saints?
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n the Roman Catholic Church’s Latin rite, Venerable is the title used for a person who has been posthumously declared “heroic in virtue” during the investigation and process leading to possible canonization as a saint. Before a person is considered to be venerable he or she must be declared as such by a proclamation, approved by the Pope, of having lived a life that was “heroic in virtue” – the approved virtues being the Theological Virtues of faith, hope and charity and the Cardinal Virtues of prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance. Many years ago the historical information about Mary Ward was affirmed by the Vatican.
Now her heroic virtue has been recognised and Pope Benedict XVI has conferred on her the title of ‘Venerable’. (see article on next page) The next step is beatification. If the candidate’s reputation for holiness grows and at least one miracle through her intercession has been approved according to competent authority, the pope can declare that the beatification may proceed, and Mary Ward would then be recognised as Blessed. Canonization is the final step that declares someone a Saint. In his book, Making Saints: ‘How the Catholic Church Determines Who Becomes a Saint, Who Doesn’t and Why’, author Kenneth Woodward notes the following: “A saint is always someone
A few Saints of the Church: How many can you name?
through whom we catch a glimpse of what God is like -- and of what we are called to be. Only God ‘makes’ saints, of course. The church merely identifies from time to time a few of these for emulation. The church then tells the story.
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But the author is the Source of the grace by which saints live. And there we have it: A saint is someone whose story God tells.” The veneration of saints is a particular popular devotion to the saints. Although the term “worship” is sometimes used, it is intended in the old-sense meaning to honour or give respect (dulia). Divine Worship is properly reserved only for God (latria) and never to the saints. They can be asked to intercede or pray for those still on earth, just as one can ask someone on earth to pray for them. A saint may be designated as a patron saint of a particular cause or profession, or invoked against specific illnesses or disasters, sometimes by popular custom and sometimes by official statements of the Magisterium. Saints are not thought to have power of their own, but only that granted by God. Relics of saints are respected in a similar manner to holy images and icons. The practices of past centuries in venerating relics of saints for healing is taken from the early Church, but it would seem to be very much alive today as we saw when 95,000 pilgrims visited relics of St. Thérèse of Lisieux during their four day stay at Westminster Cathedral, with a total of 286,560 visitors in total during the month long stay in England and Wales last Autumn.
recognised by the Church and only in 1909 was Mary Ward allowed to be named as foundress. The cause for Mary Ward’s canonization was opened in 1929. The historical research was begun by Fr Grisar SJ and completed by Sr Immolata Wetter CJ accompanied by the Postulator Fr Paul Molinari SJ and the Relator Fr Peter Gumpel SJ. This was accepted by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in 1995. The theologians completed their investigation in May 2009 and recommended unanimously that Mary Ward demonstrated ‘heroic virtue’ and that her cause should go forward. This was confirmed by the commission of Cardinals and Bishops in November 2009 and subsequently by the Pope. Mary Ward’s foundation exists today worldwide under the names Congregatio Jesu and Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Loreto) with about 3,000 members. The sisters are in fortyfour countries across five continents. If you would like to know more about Mary Ward, an excellent
THE VENERABLE MARY WARD
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n 19th December 2009 His Holiness Benedict XVI formally promulgated the Decree recognising the ‘heroic virtue’ demonstrated by Mary Ward and thereby conferring on her the title ‘Venerable’. Her cause will now go forward to the next stage in the process towards beatification and eventual canonization. Mary Ward (1585-1645) was an Englishwoman from Yorkshire who felt called by God to found a congregation of apostolic, non-enclosed religious women along the model of the Society of Jesus. She spent many years
in Rome petitioning the Pope to recognise her new congregation, but in 1631 her order was suppressed and Mary Ward herself accused of heresy. No charges were ever brought but she remained under the shadow of the Inquisition in Rome and her congregation was disbanded. Mary Ward’s ideal of an active congregation of religious women serving the needs of the Church was too advanced for her time. She suffered at the hands of authorities who in different circumstances might have recognised the need for such a congregation. Only in 1877 was her congregation
Pope Benedict XV1
book is available called ‘In the Presence of God’ and subtitled ‘Mary Ward’s Spirituality’. It is not only a story of her life but gives valuable insights into her apprehension of truths that are beyond the intellect. These are taken from her notes, and are just as relevant and informative in today’s world as they were the day she was writing.
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A Special Saints Day
St Valentine’s
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Loving feelings don’t show up on demand... ...but loving actions can.
hat did you buy me? Where are we going to go? Did you make reservations? You’re wearing that!? St. Valentine’s Day offers a whole lot of fuel for arguments because of the expectations it generates. For some it creates a sense of loneliness, of love lost, and of love never found. Who can blame people for getting stressed out? After all, St. Valentine’s Day isn’t just a day any more, it’s an entire season. It starts right after the New Year, when the shops and TV start advertising and selling St. Valentine’s Day products. Everything is about “love” – how to get it and how to prove it. Many criticise the day saying that it has become too commercialised. Some have stopped celebrating Valentine’s Day because it is just not worth the stress and disappointments that it might bring. So as Christians, should we celebrate St. Valentine’s Day? To answer that question we have to understand the origin of this day. We need to know why St. Valentine’s Day even exists. Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine, all of whom were martyred. St. Valentine is the Patron Saint of bee keepers, engaged couples, epilepsy, fainting, happy marriages, love, lovers, plague, travellers, and young people. He is represented in pictures with birds and roses. The legend is that St. Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he forbade marriage for young men. St. Valentine, realising the injustice, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. St. Valentine’s actions were discovered, he was
apprehended and brought before the Emperor, who ordered that he be beaten with clubs and afterwards beheaded. St. Valentine was executed on February 14, about the year 270 AD. So if you want to celebrate St. Valentine’s Day go ahead! But remember that we are celebrating the life of a Saint who believed in true love and marriage. Christians believe that to Love God with all your heart, mind, and strength and to love your neighbour as yourself are the two most important things in life. The Apostle Paul glorified love as the most important virtue of all. Describing love in the famous poem in 1 Corinthians, he wrote,
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres.”
Perhaps if we make this the foundation of our relationships then this day would be a truly special day. St. Valentine’s Day doesn’t celebrate love as a decision or a way of living. St. Valentine’s Day celebrates the feeling of being in love. Now, anyone who has ever been in love can tell you the feeling isn’t constant. It comes and goes. So what if on St. Valentine’s Day you don’t ‘feel in love’? Of course you still love each other and you’re still committed to each other. But that isn’t enough. The problem, either way, is that feelings don’t generally respond
(1 Cor. 13:4–7)
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well to command performances. You cannot decide today I’m going to ‘feel in love’ by having a candle-lit dinner, as this might not happen. So we are disappointed because we reckon that our relationship isn’t good enough because St. Valentine’s Day tends to make us look inwards and focus on our own feelings. That is the opposite of true love, which is self-forgetful and focused entirely on the other. A piece of advice for singles and couples it is the same. Forget about yourself! Forget about your feelings! Make February 14th the day when you act lovingly towards others. Jesus said ‘a new command I give you: Love one another as I have loved you, so you must love one another’ (John 13:34) No matter what you do on St. St. Valentine’s Day you should try to make time to say a Rosary or go to Mass together as a couple to thank God for your relationship and invite him to be a part of your relationship. It is only by His grace that you have grown to know and love each other. This is more important
Day than going out for dinner or giving or receiving a bouquet of roses. We offer a rose to Mary, our mother, with every Hail Mary that we say while praying the Rosary. That is why it is called
the Rosary! So don’t forget to send your spiritual bouquet of Roses to your Mother in heaven asking her to intercede for your relationship. For those who have children, pray as a family, teaching your kids the importance that God plays in your marriage and family. Don’t forget St. Valentine’s Day can be everyday or a new start to a way of life!
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Joanna
Marian Traditions
Lovely as a Rose There is a Gibraltar connection to this story in that a statue in St. Joseph’s Church, blessed by Our Lady herself and known as the Pilgrim Madonna was installed there on January 11th 1990.
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y mother loved roses, and each year her garden was filled with a sweet profusion which never failed to charm or delight. Ever since my childhood, a garden without roses seems to lack a heart, as the rose, this queen of flowers has been venerated throughout the ages in art, literature, nature, used in symbolism and healing and even has a language all its own. The red rose equals love, and there will be plenty of those around for Saint Valentines Day as there has never been a flower which so universally represents one idea, that of love. The Minoans, a Bronze Age civilization on the island of Crete (2700-1450BC) painted it, the Greeks cultivated it before enshrining it in their mythology, and fashionable Romans spent fortunes on it. The rose is the flower of the entire world and its
to take to his bishop in order to convince him of her appearance. Heavenly apparitions have a long history and while Pope Benedict XVI has declared his belief in them he has prudently ordered his bishops to root out false claims of visions. Growing up I learned about the visions in Knock (1897) and we were led to believe implicitly in this happening. “The apparition was neither sought nor expected by the humble honest people who were its astonished witnesses”.
outstanding beauty is immortalized by Thomas Moore (17791852).
“Rose, thou art the sweetest flower, That ever drank the amber shower; Even the gods who walk the sky Are amorous of thy scented sight”. Way back in antiquity the rose was considered a symbol of mystery and its symbolism in relation to Mary, Mother of God dates from the 5th century. Mary herself has shown us her predilection for roses. Just think of any Marian Shrine and Lourdes (feast day 11th February) almost immediately springs to mind. Lourdes is one of the many church approved apparitions and Mary always appeared wearing rose garlands and roses at her feet. In one apparition at Guadalupe in Mexico, 1531, to Juan Diego she had to miraculously produce roses in winter for him
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Pierina Gilli
he apparitions which concern me here are when heaven met earth in 1947 at the little mountain hamlet of Montichiari, in the province of Lombardy in northern Italy. It takes its name from the mountains which surround it, ‘clear mountains’, and it is reputed to be a charming place. Our Lady appeared to a nurse called Pierina Gilli who saw her dressed in a beautiful white gown with three roses on her breast, white for prayer, red for sacrifice and
gold for personal penance. The first apparition took place on 8th December 1947 in a room at the hospital; it was followed by at least seven more in various venues, and on that first time Our Lady requested that an hour of grace for the world be observed every 8th December at noon from that day forward. She made a specific request that this message be conveyed to the then Pope, Pope Pius XII. Pierina Gilli had not known who this Lady was and on asking was told “I am the mother of Jesus and the mother of you all”. During another apparition she told Pierina “Here in Montuchiari I wish to be venerated as the Rosa Mystica and every July 13th to be celebrated for the Rosa Mystica”. These apparitions kept happening and on 17th April 1966, nineteen years later, Our Lady appeared at the small village of Fontanelle, (apparently in keeping a promise to Pierina,) three kilometres from Montichiari where she gave miraculous powers to a spring saying “the sick should come”. Pierina Gilli was born 3rd August 1911 to a humble peasant family. She was 36 years old at the time of the first apparition, eventually entered a convent, at the urging of her spiritual advisor, where she died on 12th January 1991. There is a Gibraltar connection to this story in that a statue in St. Joseph’s Church, blessed by Our Lady herself and known as the Pilgrim Madonna was installed there on January 11th 1990. This
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Anne Mesilio
was the Golden Rose, the Popes gift for our Lady of Europe celebrations. After a while I began to really think and decided it could not be this so I waited curiously. He arrived in the late evening of 7th September 2009 with Christine Loddo carrying a statue of Our Lady. I bade them welcome and waited. Fr. Grima began to tell me the story I have outlined and I realized this statue would stay in my home for one week. Goodness, I was not prepared for this! Like any good hostess I rose to the challenge of accommodating this unexpected quest and quickly got used to her calm presence in my living room. We became ‘friends’ in that unusual week. I was very surprised to learn that this practice has been carried out for several years and Fr. Grima told me of impromptu parties being held at the end of her many household visits. To fill the empty space she had left I had to go and buy a single pink rose to stand by itself in its vase, elegant as a queen should be, and was reminded of the Song of Solomon, “I am the Rose of Sharon and the lily of the valleys”.
If 1947 was a time of diminishing faith, just after the gruesome world war, what sort of spiritual wasteland are we living in today? Do we need reminding to pray for the world we live in, so full of war and want, abuse, famines and so on. The recurring theme in all the Marian apparitions seems to be one of pleas to reform, to pray for one another, spread devotion, pray the rosary and so on, as well as exhortations to prayer and repentance. There has been a dramatic increase in Marian apparitions during the 20th century, thirty in 1980 alone. Not all are reported, not all are approved by the church. We are not bound to believe these sightings, but are we missing a message, one of urgency as we stand on the threshold of self destruction? It is worth thinking about at least before our world becomes less than lovely as a rose.
The Statue of the Rosa Mystica
is one of seventy nine others that she blessed on the steps of the miraculous well at Fontanelle in 1989 saying “I shall be present with these statues wherever they be, and I shall give you the abun-
dant graces of our Lord”. I found this quite startling and was even more taken aback when Fr. Grima phoned to ask if he could call round with the Rosa Mystica. I immediately said yes thinking it
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Christian Music
SALT: ADD
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hatever your taste may be, SALT is surely one band that will add flavour to your life! How hard it is to make it in the music industry! Well it’s even harder as a Christian Band! The best gig SALT has ever done was a concert in July 2007 before some 15,000 people where they opened for Winter Moods, a very popular Maltese band. Last month I wrote about the Maltese group called ACTS (Announcing Christ to Schools) who form part of a commu-
SPONSORS OF UPON THIS ROCK
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nity in Malta called the Tabgha Foundation. One of the most amazing fruits of this community is their Christian band SALT. Joe Gauci the band leader explained that SALT is an ‘experience’ besides being a band. Their aim is to spread the word of God and His personal love for all those He created through quality music, music that can be played on any secular radio and hold its ground alongside any secular band. “What motivates us is the fact that we feel that in SALT we are fulfilling
ING FLAVOUR TO LIFE!
God’s will and the knowledge of God’s personal love for us” said Joe. The band consists of seven members: Joe (Keyboards and Backing Vocals), Janice (Vocals), Louis Anne (Vocals), Manuel (Drums), Karl (Bass), Dave (Guitar) and Jude (Guitar). They started in 2003 as the need arose for a band for the Youth Fellowship meetings. They were called YWAV Band. In 2005 they were invited to play in World Youth Day in Germany, where people were begging for their CD and
they had nothing to show. We invited them to take part in our Youth Festival ‘Rock Alight’ in the summer of 2006 and they played in our Christian concert. By then they had changed the band’s name to SALT and finally released their first CD called Hello Truth. This is an inspiring album filled with captivating lyrics and unique melodies that capture a listener’s attention from the first note. The Gibraltar Catholic youth relationship with the Maltese grew in the summer of 2007 when we travelled to Malta. Amongst other events, we joined the Youth Fellowship in a great beach BBQ which was attended by several hundred youngsters and SALT played live. Of course the Gibraltarians were in the front row, bought their CD and got it signed. What an amazing experience! Apart from playing in Gibraltar, SALT has had some international exposure, playing in World Youth Day celebrations live in Germany 2005 and Australia 2008. They have recently sent their two al-
bums to a Spanish international label. You are probably wondering why they are called SALT. It comes from Matthew 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its flavour, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.” Christ instructed his followers to be “salt” in the world around them, calling them to share their experience of the Gospel. They have won two ‘Bay Music Awards’ in Malta. In 2007 they were voted best newcomer and in 2008 they won best band. The BMAs is the more prestigious of the 2 main awards in Malta that showcases the top Maltese music talent and is comparable to any of the best International shows of the same genre. The first year they were shortlisted together with another 3 bands among all the other bands in Malta eligible as newcomers. The second year they were again shortlisted with 4 other bands. They were up against some of the best and most established bands on the Island. It is great
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to hear that SALT has succeeded in Malta’s greats gig and has had a stadium full of young people singing along to their songs, songs which are prayers. I look forward to listening to their new album called ‘Less Noise, More Love’ which was released in December 2009. Joe mentioned “Less Noise More Love is a more mature album than our first, both musically and lyrically. It is also a more personal album, with the songs being born out of specific instances or times in our life. We’re very excited about it and are very pleased with the final product. This album has a more powerful sound than the first. However it has its quiet reflective moments too. It has been recorded in record time too. Most of the songs were in fact written and recorded between July and November 2009.” Joe Said “SALT are very excited about Youth Arise in Gibraltar next year and are dying to come.” If you would like to follow SALT online you can check their website http://saltband. net/.
Stewards of the Environment
How Fragile Hu As this issue of the magazine was in creation, the scenes of awful destruction in Haiti unfolded.
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hat brought the scale of the disaster home to me, more than any of the horrific scenes of body parts sticking out of the rubble, was the ruined Cathedral. Built between 1884 and 1914, it was dedicated on December 13, 1928 (1928-12-13) and became the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Port-au-Prince. The roof and the towers flanking the main entrance collapsed in
the Haiti earthquake last month although the lower parts of the walls remain standing. The Archbishop of Port-au-Prince, Monsignor Joseph Serge Miot, was killed in the earthquake. Sitting in our comfortable front rooms watching this disaster and others like it unfold before our eyes on the television screen we begin to suffer from ‘Disaster Fatigue’. A feeling of powerlessness envelops the sadness, anger at how slow the relief efforts appear to be, we
Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption, Haiti, before the earthquake.
don’t understand WHY, in this day and age, the aid is so slow to arrive where it is needed. And so, as the news channels are completely given over to reporting from the area, and we may sometimes even feel embarrassed at the persistence of some of the reporters, who appear to be getting in the way of the medical teams where they are working on the ground, so we may end up switching off. We may feel that these disasters have always happened, that the people of that area are used to it. We may even feel confident that they will pick up their lives and carry on as they have no doubt done in the past. But seeing that Cathedral in ruins, made me wonder. If this is something that happens regularly
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in the Caribbean, how come that Cathedral has stood for almost 100 years? It was only 3 years away from celebrating the centenary of it’s completion! Sure enough, my research shows that Haiti does stand on a fault line. We know now that the
Diagram showing Techtonic Plates
Earth’s upper crust, the mantle, the part where all the countries are, is not one continuous piece of stuff floating on magma, the peel of an orange, but made up
umanity
Angela Sargent
Right: Archbishop of Port-au-Prince, Monsignor Joseph Serge Miot who died in the Earthquake. Below: images from Google earth showing the destroyed Cathedral.
Haiti
Top: Map of the Caribbean. Above: Fault Lines running through Haiti
of sections which are of different shapes and sizes. The image of a baby’s head comes to mind, where the parts of the skull knit together only slowly after birth. The Earth’s hard, boney covering is made up of shapes often roughly corresponding to the shapes of the continents that we know. These sections are called ‘tectonic plates’ and they move slowly past, over, under or away from each other, creating mountains, like the Himalayas, where they pile up, and valleys which may flood giving seas like the Mediterranean where the Eurasian and Arabian Plates have separated. The lines where the plates touch are called ‘Fault Lines’ and indeed, we may be tempted to lay the blame for earthquakes there. But enough of apportioning blame for the disaster, what can
we do to help. Churches are formed of people: before we consider rebuilding in concrete, we must rebuild the community. If you regularly donate to CAFOD, your support is already helping the huge relief effort in Haiti. But CAFOD fears that more than three million people could be affected. They are responding to this need through their church partners, including Caritas Haiti. In this way CAFOD works with trusted, local groups staffed by local people, and their aim is to strengthen partners through improving skills, resources and systems so they can better help those in need. CAFOD have immediately pledged £100,000 to help. It is used to supply
water, food, medicines and shelter to the most vulnerable in the worst affected areas. To read more about the work and to
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make a donation, or to set up a regular monthly donation visit the website: http://www.cafod. org.uk/haitiearthquake
An Apreciation
Mgr. Louis Orfila 1926-2010
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N SATURDAY 16TH JANUARY 2010 the Cathedral announced the death, during the early hours of that morning, of Mgr Louis Orfila at the age of 83. Mgr Orfila had been living in the Cathedral Clergy House during his retirement, and for the past few years had been devotedly looked after by his personal carer, Mr Clayton Corrêa-Durão De Aquino. A tireless and devoted pastor, steeped in a deep spirituality and ardent fervour, and an accomplished preacher, as well as a consummate linguist, Louis Orfila was born in Gibraltar on 1st March 1926. At the time when he was evacuated with his family in London during WWII, he decided to become a priest. After attending junior seminary, he completed his ecclesiastical education at St John’s Seminary in Wonerash, near Guildford. He was ordained at the Cathedral on 20th May 1951 by the late Bishop Richard Fitzgerald. He was nominated Chaplain to His Holiness on 4th January 1985 and Protonotary Apostolic on 18th March 2007. During his early years as a priest of the Diocese he exercised a wide variety of ministries. He was a curate at St Joseph’s Parish, chaplain to the Loreto Nuns, chaplain at the KGV Chest Hospital and chaplain at the St Jago’s Secondary School, amongst others. He also helped to expand the movement of Knights and Handmaids of the Blessed Sacrament among the children in secondary schools. When he became Bishop of Gibraltar in 1973, the late Mgr Edward Rapallo appointed Fr Orfila as his secretary, and also made him responsible for chaplaincy work and religious education in secondary schools. From 1974 to 1976 he was given sabbatical leave to undertake postgraduate study in England. The first year he spent at (the then) St Mary’s College of Education in Twickenham, where he was trained as a secondary schoolteacher. The second phase he spent at the
Franciscan International Study Centre in Canterbury where he obtained a postgraduate diploma in pastoral theology. After he returned to Gibraltar in 1976, he worked in secondary schools as chaplain and supporting religious education. He left his work in schools in 1983 when he was appointed Parish Priest of Sacred Heart Parish upon the death of the then Parish Priest, Mgr Ernest Pons. In 1985 when Mgr Bernard Devlin became Bishop of Gibraltar he was appointed Episcopal Vicar for Youth. Needless to state that he will always be best remembered for his work as priest in charge and later Rector of the Shrine of Our Lady of Europe. Indubitably the Faithful of this Diocese in their entirety would concur that the Shrine would not be what it is today had it not been for the determined and resolute efforts of Mgr Orfila throughout most of his life as a priest. Perhaps the spark was first kindled during a very tragic event in the summer of 1954, the Marian Year proclaimed by Pope Pius XII. That year Fr Orfila organized a pilgrimage to Lourdes. Whilst the seventy pilgrims, which included Bishop Fitzgerald, were on their way to Lourdes, the train on which they were travelling was derailed near Puente Genil, in the province of Cordoba. Many passengers were injured and a number died, but all the Gibraltarian pilgrims were saved because of a mistake by the stationmaster in Algerciras, who placed the carriage on which they were travelling at the end of the train and not in the position allotted to it. In the chaos that ensued after the accident, where Fr Orfila bravely came to the assistance of the dying and the wounded, it began to dawn in the pilgrims’ minds that they had been saved by Our Lady. They continued to Lourdes where they thanked the Blessed Mother for her protection and when they returned to Gibraltar the Bishop organized another pilgrimage on the Feast of the Assumption to take the Image of Our Lady of Europe in procession from
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the Cathedral to St Joseph’s Church, which was the Church nearest to what had been the ancient Shrine of Our Lady near the Europa Point, and which at that time was still being used by the Army. Seven years later, on 17th October 1961, Bishop Fitzgerald’s successor, the late Bishop John Healy, was handed the keys to what had been left of the ancient Shrine. Fr Orfila’s words at the time sounded dispiriting, but they embraced a visionary hope: “The place was empty, drab, very damp and full of cobwebs, quite uncongenial to religious fervour, but in its own humble way, it was an impressive and historic beginning.” Through his efforts and the help of a small group of volunteers, what was a shabby, derelict old store room, was given a dignity of sorts for it to become at least a place where people might gather to say a few prayers. He would always enthrall his listeners with the moving story of the lady, whose identity, faithful to her wishes, he never disclosed, that intruded on him while he was praying amidst the squalor of the dilapidated room; she gave him a pot of paint and some money—small beginnings indeed! Eventually his prayers were answered, on 28th September 1962, the eve of his departure for Rome to attend the Second Vatican Council, Bishop Healy celebrated Mass there. The climax of these small beginnings was in May 1966, when several thousand Faithful, inspired by the spirit of the place, made a pilgrimage to what was by now being called “The Shrine of Our Lady of Europe”, on the day the British Foreign Secretary, Michael Stewart, was holding talks on Gibraltar with his Spanish counterpart, Fernando Maria Castiella. The pilgrims, led by Bishop Healy, left St Joseph’s Church taking the Image in procession to the grounds near the Shrine. The event was truly an occasion of prayer, a prayer for peace. Many still remember the resounding voice of the Bishop as he led the Litany of Loreto and repeated
the final petition in a crescendo: “Queen of peace … Queen of peace … Queen of peace …” and the Faithful kept answering evermore fervently, “Pray for us”. This indeed was a place of prayer and Fr Orfila soon set his mind to fulfill two things: to make this a permanent place of prayer—a Shrine as it had once been, and to have the Image of Our Lady returned to this Shrine. Soon after he started saying the Rosary every Sunday evening at the Shrine with a congregation which would increase every week; the first Baptism was held in November 1966 and the first wedding was celebrated in July 1976. On the 7th October 1967, after 263 years, Our Lady’s Image was returned to the Shrine permanently. Throughout the decade of the 70’s Fr Orfila, who was now the Rector of the Shrine, worked tirelessly to spread the devotion to Our Lady at the Shrine. Pilgrimages started to arrive from UK and “The Shrine Messenger”, edited and produced by Fr Orfila himself, started to be published every month. He also helped to promote the Shrine by seeking the Government’s help in issuing a set of commemorative stamps and a £50 gold coin. Meanwhile he sought the Faithful’s support to decorate, what had once been an Army storehouse and prison, to become a fitting place where the ancient Image of Our Lady could be venerated. The final result is evident to this day; it is marked by a simplicity and beauty, which portray the exquisite elegance which was all Mgr. Orfila’s own. The serene atmosphere it evokes is most conducive to prayer I am very sad to hear of Fr. Orfila’s passing. He was truly an inspiring priest, showed us what community life should be like and in these recent years, took up the cross of suffering with amazing dignity and love for the Lord. Rest in Peace Father and Thank you for all you have done for us. Sarah Cumming
Bishop Caruana, helped by Mgr Orfila with many pilgrims behind them, presented the Image of Our Lady to the Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, during the General Audience in St Peter’s Square in 2002.
and befits the veneration of the ancient Image of Our Lady. The altar, like that at the Abbey of Cîteau in southeast France, where St Bernard, to whom he was especially devoted, first became a monk in the 12th century, is round. In the true spirit of prudence that he always manifested, he made good use of the marble, donated by Pope Pius IX in 1864 for the Chapel of Our Lady of Europe, and which had been laying abandoned at the back of Mount Alvernia. Next Fr Orfila embarked on a plan to strengthen the devotion of the Faithful to Our Lady of Europe and to establish the standing of the Shrine. He convinced Bishop Rapallo to get ecclesiastical approval for the Shrine, to declare Our Lady of Europe principal Patron Saint of the Diocese and to transfer the Feast of Our Lady of Europe to 5th May, Europe Day. This was all obtained and authorised by the Holy Father himself in a letter sent to the Bishop in May 1979, signed by Cardinal Agostino Casaroli on behalf of Pope John Paul II. Since then very year on this Feast Day the Bishop of Mgr Orfila was a great man and a great priest. I first met him as a young teenager and I was impressed by his spirituality and intelligence. He did a lot of work with the CYC group and I will always remember his talks in retreats. I’m sure he’s enjoying being in Paradise now! May he rest in peace. Natalie Carreras
the Diocese together with his priests and people celebrate the Blessed Eucharist at the Shrine to commend the whole continent to the protection of the Blessed Mother. He also established the tradition of this celebration on the 10th September, Gibraltar’s National Day. He continued to seek help for more renovation and further refurbishment of the Shrine. It was during the celebrations on 10th September 1995 that plans, to include the building of an extension, an office, a museum and a tower, were revealed. This restoration, which was to be funded by the European Commission and the Gibraltar Government, was subsequently completed under his direction. Unquestionably, three further events were to give Mgr Orfila immense delight at seeing how devotion to Our Lady of Europe, for which he has so untiringly laboured over the years, has spread throughout
the Church in Europe, and how it has reached the central core of the Church. In May 1997 Cardinal Josef Tomko, the then Prefect for the Congregation of the Evangelisation of Peoples, presided at the Enthronement of the Image of Our Lady; many Bishops representing Churches all over Europe were also present. In 2002 during his “Ad Limina” visit to Rome, Bishop Caruana, helped by Mgr Orfila with many pilgrims behind them, presented the Image of Our Lady to the Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, during the General Audience in St Peter’s Square. But the one event which must have filled Mgr Orfila with rapturous joy was, no doubt, the celebration marking the closure of the Jubilee for the 700th Anniversary of the Shrine last year, when Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins, Prefect Emeritus of the Sacred Congregation for the Causes of Saints, representing the Holy Father himself,
I much benefited from his clear faith and spirituality when he used to come in to Bayside school. His devotion and dedication to Our Blessed Lady and to the Shrine were a testimony and an example to us all. He spoke many languages but I remember him telling me that when... he went to receive the Sacrament of Reconcilliation he prefered Spanish but his favourite to pray privately was German! Requiescat in pace Kevin Desoisa
As most of you, I have known Mgr Orfila for quite some time. He was an exemplary Priest! He was always there for me. Even during his long illness, no situation was too difficult for him. He always found time to hear my confession and to give me spiritual direction. I loved the way he celebrated Mass - in his face you could see he was in awe of God! I shall miss him so much! May God grant him eternal peace. Ana Maria Hayden
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presided at the Holy Eucharist at the end of which, in the name of Pope Benedict XVI, he presented the Shrine with the Golden Rose as a token of the Holy Father’s affection for the Shrine and the Faithful of Gibraltar. We all remember Mgr Orfila then, frail and weakened by old age and illness, but certainly not dispirited. True to the motto of his Alma Mater, “Spes Messis in Semine” (The Hope is in the Sowing), he had seen fulfilled the visionary hope he had expressed when he first saw the decaying building more than forty years earlier. We were all, therefore, so glad when it was announced that he was to be buried in his beloved Shrine, the home of Our Lady of Europe. We offer our most sincere sympathies to his brother and sister-in-law, Charlie and Lillian, and to his nephews and nieces, bidding them to rejoice with the Priests and People of the Diocese in the words of the Lord in St Matthew’s Gospel: “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have shown you can be faithful in small things, I will trust you with greater; come and join in your master’s happiness.” [Mt 25:23] There are many reasons for which I am grateful to Fr Orfila, but there are two that are directly responsible for the foundation of my faith. The first one was that he was the priest who baptised me, thereby making me a child of God. The second reason was connected to his being in charge of the propagation of the Knights of the Blessed Sacrament (KBS). He came to school and talked to us about the importance of the Blessed Sacrament in our lives. He also wrote to us encouraging us to be faithful to our ‘Morning Offering’ and other prayers to the Blessed Sacrament. Apart from this, he was always available to hear my confessions and even during illness he always encouraged me in my faith. For this and many other reasons, I will always remain grateful to this great priest. May he rest in peace and come to see the face of the eternal Father. Brian Hayden
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