JOY TO ALL MEN AND PEACE TO MANKIND
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Bishop Ralph to leave Gibraltar
I will not
BISHOPS MOVE Pope moves Scottish bishop to new diocese
W
hile this is the first time a Bishop has been moved away from our Diocese, it is not unprecedented. In April this year Pope Francis moved Bishop Joseph Toal from his diocese of Argyll and the Isles to replace the retiring Bishop of Motherwell. Bishop Toal had been Apostolic Administrator of the South Lanarkshire diocese since June last year and will now take over the role permanently.
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Bishop Devine of Motherwell tendered his resignation in August 2012 on his 75th birthday but continued in his post for 10 months as no successor was appointed. Regarding the move, Bishop Toal said “While I am sad to be leaving, my home diocese of Argyll and the Isles, I know the deep faith of the people there will sustain them as they await a new bishop.�
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Anne Mesilio writes in a time of transition.
leave you as orphans June 2014 - Bishop’s Ho
use, Gibraltar
Dear Reader, By the time you read this note I wi ll be making the fin arrangements to lea al ve Gibraltar and to take up my new appointment as Bis hop of Hallam or, indeed, may have arrived in Sheffiel already d!
I
t was Ascension Day 2014 and I was reflecting on this Christian festival which dates back to 68AD, commemorating when Jesus was ascended bodily into heaven, witnessed by all of his disciples.
This event was physical and visible and certainly miraculous, as Jesus was raised upwards to return in glory to his Father. His disciples were gathered with him by Mount Olivet near Jerusalem, those who, for three and a half years, had been his constant companions, witnesses to his teachings, miracles, his torture and death. He had died,
I have much to be grateful for as I pr epare to leave Gib after almost four ye raltar ars. It has been en orm ous privilege for me serve the priests an to d people of Gibralta r as bishop. It is a I never expected, privilege but one that was giv en to me out of Go and for his own pu d’s kindness rposes. Now God’s kindness and purp about to take me els ose is ewhere! And while I am sad at the pr leaving, I must als ospect of o have an open an d generous heart for come, for the sake what is to of those whom I am now called to serve . I would also like to take the opportunit y once again to tha everyone who works nk to produce the “Upo n This Rock” month month. It is no sm by all undertaking! It provides a great fre of information an e service d formation. The fea tures provide both “newsy” element an a d opportunities thr oughout the year to understanding of grow in the faith and the spiritual and mora that it will contin l life. I pray ue to provide this service for many ye ars to come. Meanwhile we conti nue to pray for on e another.
left them, was returned to them after three days and now, forty days later, he was about to leave them again, this time for good. He had talked to them about this but they were +Ralph simple men, not yet Bishop of Gibraltar imbued with the Holy Spirit and surely they felt bereft? Jesus had tried to comfort them “Do not let fearless preachers, spreading the your hearts be troubled…I will Word. They became the living not leave you as orphans, I will stones, building and creating, come to you” (John 14:18). Small giving living witness as they comfort at such a sad moment I spread the Gospel. would suppose. It was ten days At midday on Tuesday 20th May till the coming of the Holy Spirit, 2014, Bishop Ralph Heskett, in tongues of fire, which accompanied by several priests, turned the apostles into announced, at the most emotional
Upon this Rock magazine is published monthly by EuropeAxess Media, Gibraltar. Editor: Fr. S. Chipolina: editor@uponthisrock.gi. Production Editor: A. Sargent angela@europeaxess.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 Ltd. as a not-for-profit project. For Advertisers: 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: +350 200 79335 email: angela@europeaxess.com. Editorial is selected by EuropeAxess Media in liaison with the Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar. Neither of these
and poignant press conference yet, in the Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned, that he had been appointed Bishop of Hallam
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 Ltd. reserves the right to refuse space to any submissions or advertisements. Efforts have been made to establish copyright owners of images, but if we have used your material, and have not credited you, please contact us to discuss restoration. The magazine is online at uponthisrock.gi. You’ll find exclusive Christian gifts in the WebShop. COVER PIC: Bishop Ralph Heskett teaches those assembled at Corpus Christi, his last official function as Bishop of Gibraltar.
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Anne Mesilio writes about the living stones that make up our Church in Gibraltar
and would leave us by summer. To say we were surprised was putting it mildly. Suddenly, the apostle’s consternation at the Ascension was understandable; being left without a leader was a scary place to be. Surely Jesus’ first followers must have doubted their ability to carry on. Discussing this with a friend I was surprised at her reaction, “We are the Church, the priests are the first to say, do not believe
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in me, believe in Jesus Christ: the Catholic Church is comprised of 1.2 billion Christians around the world, it is a huge organisation, and it will carry on, each of us is a member of a parish, and many also belong to an apostolic movement or prayer group and their work will continue uninterrupted during this time of transition.” Her conviction was persuasive. Living Stones! Of course, this suddenly made sense. “Thou art Peter and upon
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On the 21st May, Bishop Ralph led the Diocesan Procession of Our Lady of Europe to the Shrine at Europa. “As you come to Him, the living stones … rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him ... you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house...” (1 Peter 2:5ff).
this Rock...” (Mathew 16:18). “As you come to Him, the living stones … rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him ... you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house...” (1 Peter 2:5ff). Being living stones is a challenge. Spreading the Word born of an ancient time has not been easy when modern times have seen men walk on the moon. Our young are an educated elite, independent, full of knowledge, yet doubting. Sometimes I think we are still rooted in the first century and for the Gospel to have relevance today it must be seen to address the many woes of poverty, slavery, injustice etc with which we are plagued. We can only wish Bishop Ralph well in his new appointment. His leaving is a wrench for all of us, and in our sadness at losing him pray so that his future is filled with peace, happiness, good friends and above all the love and protection of Jesus Christ.
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Our Lady of Europe’s
Bishop Ralph shares the testimony of an Anglican priest who witnessed something extraordinary in Lourdes.
S
peaking at the Shrine of Our Lady of Europe, at the culmination of the Procession from St. Bernard’s Church in May this year, His Lordship Bishop Heskett related, what were for him, the two highlights of the 2014 Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes. Firstly he spoke about the honour Gibraltar had been given to lead the torchlight procession there, and secondly the key role members of the Gibraltar contingent played at the International Mass, where Our Lady of Europe was again carried in procession. The ‘Our Lady of Europe Effect’ cannot be underestimated, and Bishop Ralph went on to tell us a story that reminds us that our devotion to Our Lady, and veneration of the icon, is not just a local eccentricity, and that the image of Our Lady can and does touch the lives of people beyond the Shrine here, and that indeed, her influence extends further than we dare to hope or imagine. A week or so after returning from Lourdes, Bishop Ralph received an e-mail from an Anglican priest, reminding him of
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something that had happened during the International Mass. He related how he had seen a mother bring her wheelchairbound daughter to look at the statue of Our Lady of Europe. The daughter was one of the intellectually challenged participants, she had been very agitated and restless, trying to get out of her wheelchair, and calling out. It is likely that dealing with this sort of situation had been the daily lot of her mother all the child’s life. But then something extraordinary happened. When the child was before the statue held by her mother, she in turn was allowed to hold the baby Jesus. She did this with such tenderness, her demeanour becoming suddenly calm, a stark contrast to the strength she had just displayed in her mental anguish. The whole scene was transformed; the mother was no longer merely a carer, but could be a tender, loving mother. In the quiet of this moment, the mother took the opportunity to do what all normal mums take for granted: she took a photo of her child enjoying herself.
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Influence
of both grief for his mother for the first time, and thanksgiving. The Anglican priest was specifically writing to Bishop Ralph as he felt he owed a debt of gratitude to him and the people of Gibraltar for their presence in Lourdes, along with the statue of Our Lady of Europe. But the miracle was not over, the Anglican priest went on to tell how he was moved to tears observing this scene, this, he said was unusual, as he insisted he was a gruff, Northern English type, but as he beheld the love of the mother for her child, a love without restraint, he was deeply touched.
He recognised that the three of them had been blessed by the presence of the Virgin in that place. Even now, the miracle was not over, and having shared the story so far already with Bishop Ralph at Lourdes, we now come to the reason for his email. The Anglican priest went on to say that the event had played over and over in his mind, along with a folk version of the Ave Maria his grandfather used to have him sing when he was a boy. He explained that his mother was a staunch Catholic, and that he was baptized into the Roman Catholic Church at three months. Unfortunately his birth had
He concluded by saying that he had long since stopped believing in ‘coincidences’ preferring to call them ‘God-incidences’: lives on multiple trajectories that God brings together to serve his purpose.
caused his mother great health problems, she was never able to go to church and thus he was never introduced to it, and as he grew up, again due to her illness, he had to do a lot of what would traditionally be her work, shopping, cleaning, and so on while all she seemed able to do was either sleep or watch TV. This led him to develop a certain level of resentment against his mother to the point that when she died, unexpectedly, in his eight year old mind he did not seem to suffer any loss, but welcomed the freedom her passing seemed to offer. Years and years later, he says, I have come to understand why the child I once was would think like that, and I have been able to forgive that child. But it was not until he witnessed that mother with her child, and then reflect upon it, that it suddenly dawned on him that he had never, ever, given thanks for his own mother; he had never ever thought about her love for him despite her illness. This had been something akin to a revelation for him, and it opened the gates
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Curpus Christi 2014
Bishop Ralph says
‘Hasta Pronto’ His Lordship reflects on the themes that brought the faithful together in Gibraltar’s Piazza on the Feast of Corpus Christi
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• Farewell • Thanksgiving • Commissioning
M
onseigneur Paul Bear commenced with a glowing appreication of our Bishop, reminding us that two members of the English clergy with Gibraltarian links had become Arch-bishops, Archbishop Bowen and Archbishop Amigo, and that who knows what the future holds for Bishop Ralph.
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His Lordship, visibly moved, thanked him, saying humbly that he hardly recognised himself in Fr. Paul’s words, but that as we were gathered together the evening did take on an added significance, marking his official farewell, but he said “More of a ‘Hasta pronto’, hopefully.” He underscored the importance of marking all the comings and goings that shape the lives of each of us, which make us the people we have become, saying that there was no better place
to do that than in the Eucharist. Writing to the Church in Corinth, Bishop Ralph continued, St. Paul tells us that “On the same night he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread, broke it and said, ‘This is my body.’ In the same way after supper he took the cup and said, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Whenever you drink it, do this as a memorial of me.’” So the night before he died, at what was to be his farewell meal, the Scriptures remind us that
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Where better to say farewell than in the Eucharist? ‘Do this in memory of me.’
Jesus blessed, broke, pored and shared in this way leaving us the gift of himself and for all time. “In Jesus,” said Bishop Ralph, “uniquely, the giver and the gift are one.” Going on he remarked that when any of us leaves a place of family or friends or a community
we leave a ‘footprint’. For good or ill, when we move on or move away, we leave something of ourselves. In Corinth, St. Paul is faced, among other things, with dissensions in the community, and having heard the campaign slogans of Cephas and Apollos, he announced “I did the planting, Apollos did the watering, but God made things grow.” Bishop Ralph said he hoped that he was able to sow some seeds in the past four years, and that now someone else will do the watering and God in his own good time, will give the increase.
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Bishop Ralph says ‘Hasta Pronto’ His Lordship then dwelled on the theme of ‘thanksgiving’, describing the Eucharist as the great thanksgiving prayer of the Christian family. In particular he wished to express his own thanks for all that he had experienced and received from the people of Gibraltar over the past four years, in particular he mentioned “The
warmth of your welcome in the fiery furnace of the RAF hanger on the day of my ordination 10 July 2010. Your continuing concern for my happiness here in Gibraltar and that I should feel at home here. Your countless little kindnesses that have ensured that I was indeed happy and felt at home these last years. Your readiness, also, to
overlook my shortcomings and my failure, perhaps, to meet your expectations. And the privilege of leading you a little further along the path of holiness by the preaching of the Word and the celebration of the Sacraments.” In conclusion Bishop Ralph turned his attention to the way we renew our personal discipleship with the Lord in every Eucharist,
and how we are invited to excercise that discipleship by sharing the Good News with others. The priest’s dismissal, at the end of Mass to “Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord” and to “Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life” could not put more emphasis on this. So, Bishop Ralph felt that this Corpus Christi celebration was not just a moment of farewell or an opportunity for a word and prayer of thanks, but the moment when the priests and people of Gibraltar commissioned him, and sent him out to take up the new mission entrusted to him. “That way,” he said, “I can go in confidence knowing that I have your blessing to protect me and your prayers to support me.” The team at Upon this Rock magazine would like to assure His Lordship on behalf of their readers, that this is indeed the case.
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The Charismatic Movement
Chris Pittaluga writes
Christ the King
Prayer Group: Celebrating
Quarter of a Century As the sun sets on a balmy late spring evening, its rays filter through the stained glass windows of St. Bernard’s Church, filling it with the serenity of the end of day, the quiet peace of dusk typical of the south district of Gibraltar. Each Tuesday evening, at 8.30pm this quietude is broken by the start of the Christ The King (CTK) Catholic Charismatic prayer meeting which usually kicks off with a couple of busy musical numbers involving clapping and singing and maybe even a bit of dancing. Refreshingly, Pope Francis is an avowed fan of the Charismatic Renewal which he proved recently by speaking to and allowing himself to be prayed for by a conference of over 50,000 charismatics in Latin America. CTK has been running for over 25 years now. It was begun by John Byrne at a time when all the other Charismatic prayer groups in Gibraltar were essentially held in Spanish so that those who felt more comfortable praying and praising in English could have somewhere to go for worship. Its first meetings were held in the old Bookshop at the Catholic Community Centre but in due time it moved to the parish ‘hut’ at St Bernard’s where, in the mid 1990s, CTK enjoyed its highest attendances and most expansive period. At this time, the old St Bernard’s Church would fill to capacity with over 100 people attending. CTK has always been an unashamedly charismatic prayer group and it has remained faithful to its Charismatic
Renewal roots throughout its existence. The meetings are, typically, filled with songs and worship and praising in tongues is evident every week. The prayer group has a very dedicated Intercession ministry which meets separately each week to pray for all the intentions brought to it, as well as praying individually at the end of each Tuesday meeting for those people who come for prayer and healing. Its Music Ministry usually comprises three or four acoustic guitars and a keyboard, although for Life in the Spirit Seminars, which are held once or twice a year, the ministry incorporates other instruments. A Seminar was held early in April and although attended by only around 15 new participants, some of these have remained faithful to the prayer group. The Seminar was given by Gabriel Sedda, a lay helper at the Goodnews Magazine in the UK. This was Gabriel’s third visit to Gibraltar and, as always, his talks were inspiring and his prayer for those who came forward to be baptised in the Holy Spirit quite remarkable and touching. The prayer meeting is still held in English and it has retained this identity throughout its history, not for any ideological reasons but simply because the majority of those who attend still feel more comfortable praying and
praising in English. Tea and coffee are served in the parish hut after the meeting closes each week, usually accompanied by some extraordinarily delicious desserts or biscuits. These are quite social and animated occasions.
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As summer closes in and holidays begin, attendance falls off a little but there is always a core of worshippers who come together each week to give thanks and praise to Jesus Christ who is the way, the truth and life; priest, prophet and King.
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Looking back on lent 2014
Lenten talks
• guidance on the use of The Creighton Model System is available
in Gibraltar from Dr. Monique Risso MB ChB MRCGP General Practitioner and NaPro Technology Physician. Specialist Medical Clinic, Unit 7, First Floor, ICC Building, Casemates Square, Gibraltar. • tel +350 20049999 • www.ladyofeuropefertilitycare.com
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WORLDWIDE
Charismatic PRAYER HOUR
H
is Lordship Bishop Ralph Heskett and Msg. Charlie Azzopardi launched the Gibraltar Catholic Charismatic Renewal Prayer Hour with a concelebrated Mass at St. Theresa’s Church. The Worldwide event was held to Pray for the Conversion of Youth on Saturday 31 May this year. Many young as well as older participants came to pray and praise, in song and in silence, led by Fr. Charlie Azzopardi. The music ministry played beautifully with many inspiring and uplifting songs, the large screen graphics meant that everybody could join in with the singing. The event took place in parishes all around the world and images were uploaded to the facebook page the same day, with posts from the Gibraltar Prayer Hour.
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Gender bending dangers in our environment. From the Pill to Plastics, are toxins finding their way into our bodies, and those of our unborn children?
• Estrogen found in aquatic animals • Phthalates in plastics New research strengthens the link between water pollution and rising male fertility problems. The study shows for the first time how a group of testo-
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sterone-blocking chemicals is finding its way into UK rivers, affecting wildlife and potentially humans. Senior author Professor Charles Tyler of the University of Exeter’s School of Biosciences said: ”Our research
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shows that a much wider range of chemicals than we previously thought is leading to hormone disruption in fish. This means that the pollutants causing these problems are likely to be coming from a wide variety of sources. Our findings also strengthen
the argument for the cocktail of chemicals in our water leading to hormone disruption in fish, and contributing to the rise in male reproductive problems. There are likely to be many reasons behind the rise in male fertility problems in humans, but
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Angela Sargent writes
these findings could reveal one, previously unknown, factor.”1 One type of gender bending pollutants finding their way into the water system are estrogens. These are steroidal hormones that play an important role in human physiology, especially reproduction. The have been linked with a wide range of negative effects in both humans and wildlife, including cancer, birth defects and other developmental disorders.
The main source of environmental estrogens is the contraceptive pill, as both natural and synthetic versions of estrogen are the active component in many of these pills. The estrogens are naturally excreted in urine and, because they can be difficult to remove during sewage treatment, often make their way into streams, rivers and the sea, and then into the water supplies or fish. Hence, most countries have instigated active monitoring programmes for estrogen in both environmental and drinking water. 2 Anna Warwick Sears, Executive Director of the Okanagen Basin Water Board, in Canada, having read new research on the fate of endocrine disrupting chemicals in wastewater issued a statement claiming that while the Canadian lakes provided the highest quality water, she advised “For those concerned about their personal exposure to endocrinedisrupting compounds and other chemicals, the best place to
start is your bathroom cabinet. The main way we encounter EDCs in everyday life is from ordinary lotions, conditioners, deodorants, and fragrances that contain parabens, phthalates, and related compounds. Personal care products and pharmaceuticals are a primary pathway for these compounds to enter wastewater and from there, Okanagan lakes and streams.”3 These reports are from the UK, Argentina and Canada, it is clear that concern about rising levels of pollutants entering water systems, fish and other wildlife worldwide form where they can potentially affect human gender orientation is not new and apparently not unfounded. (Upon This Rock previously published an article on the feminisation of frogs in November 2012.) Dodging back to the USA, The peer-reviewed International Journal of Andrology recently published a new study led by Dr. Shanna H. Swan, a professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the director of the University of Rochester Medical Center for Reproductive Epidemiology, that analyzed two types of chemical called phthalates. Phthalates are used in a large variety of products, including coatings on pharmaceutical tablets and much more (see insert). Phthalates they are easily released into the environment, and most Americans tested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have metabolites of multiple phthalates in their urine The study shows that exposure to anti-androgen phthalates can significantly and adversely affect the development of masculinity in the male brain. The conclusion of the study states “These data support the hypothesis that prenatal phthalate exposure at environmental levels can adversely affect male reproductive development in humans.”4 . Phthalate exposure may be through direct use or by indirect
means through leaching and general environmental contamination. Diet is believed to be the main source of one phthalate known as DEHP as well as other phthalates in the general population. Fatty foods such as milk, butter, and meats are a major source. In studies of rodents exposed to certain phthalates, high doses have been shown to change hormone levels and cause birth defects. 5 In the same way that industry eventually had to accept the consequences pay up and of their actions in the Thalidomide scandal during the last century, may we one day see class action cases against industry for the damage done to babies in the womb, not this time minus their limbs, but with muddled sexual orientation? The good news is that we are getting closer to identifying the dangers caused by these chemical pollutants. And, perhaps, in wishing to divert attention from her municipal water supplies, Anna Warwick Sears may have hit the nail on the head when she advises us to take a look round our own bathroom cabinets, to start doing something about it. 1. http://www.exeter.ac.uk/news/ archive/2009/january/title_2126_ en.html 2. http://www.separationsnow. com/details/ezine/14660a74c90/ Clean-water-with-cheap-detectionDetecting-estrogens-with-LC-DADand-multivariat.html?&tzcheck=1 3.http://www.kelownacapnews. com/news/262155341.html 4. http://www.worldissues360. com/index.php/chemical-pollutionlinked-to-upsurge-in-homosexualitytransgenderism-3906/ 5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Phthalate
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Phthalates
are used in a large variety of manufacturing processes: • coatings of pharmaceutical tablets and nutritional supplements • viscosity control agents • gelling agents • film formers • stabilizers • dispersants • lubricants • binders • emulsifying agents • suspending agents End-products include: • adhesives and glues • electronics • agricultural adjuvants • building materials • personal-care products • medical devices • detergents and surfactants • packaging • children’s toys • modeling clay • waxes • paints • printing inks and coatings • pharmaceuticals • food products • textiles
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