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esus’ disciples freely brought their troubles to him because they found him ready and able to deal with any difficulty, affliction, or sickness which they encountered. When Simon Peter brought Jesus to his home for the Sabbath meal (right after Jesus preached in the synagogue in Capernaum), his motherin-law was instantly healed because Jesus heard Simon’s prayer. Jesus could not avoid drawing a crowd wherever He went. No one who asked Jesus for help was left disappointed. Jesus’ numerous healings
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Who do and exorcisms demonstrated the power and authority of His word, the “good news of the kingdom of God.” When He rebuked the fever, it immediately left. When He rebuked the demons, they left as well. Why did the demons shudder at Jesus’ presence? They recognized that He was the Christ, the Son of God, and that He had power to destroy their kingdom by releasing those bound by it. Jesus came to set us free from bondage to sin and evil. Do you seek freedom in Christ and trust in His power to set you free? When Jesus and the disciples sought a lonely place to regroup and rest, they found instead a crowd waiting for them! Did they resent this intrusion on their hard-earned need for privacy and refreshment? Jesus certainly didn’t but welcomed them with open-arms. Jesus put human need ahead of everything else. His compassion showed
you take your troubles to? the depths of God’s love and concern for all who are truly needy. Jesus gave the people the word of God and He healed them physically as well as spiritually. We can never intrude upon God nor exhaust His generosity and kindness. He is ever ready to give to those who earnestly seek him out. Do you allow Jesus to be the Lord and Healer in your personal life, family, and community? Approach Him with expectant faith. God’s healing power restores us not only to health but to active service and the care of others. There is no trouble He does not want to help us with and there is no bondage He can’t set us free from. Do you take your troubles to Him with expectant faith that He will help you? God Bless you, Fr Stuart
Jesus’ disciples freely brought their troubles to him
image courtesy: jesusneedsnewpr.net
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.
Upon this Rock magazine is published monthly by EuropeAxess Media Ltd, Gibraltar. Editor Fr. Stuart Chipolina: editor@uponthisrock.eu Production Editor: A. Sargent angela@europeaxess.com
Cover: Robert J. Spitzer, S.J., Ph.D. during the second of three talks given to the International Youth Arise Conference. Main Photo. Pete Boucher.
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: 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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next month
aytime: 200 76108
vening: 200 73877
ind Regards
A Healing Conference with Father McAlear
ndrew Jeffries ssistant Company Administratoru
F
ather McAlear, a native of Boston, Massachusetts, entered the religious order of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate in 1960.
The testimony of one who experienced healing:
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“I would have never guessed this would happen to me, but on June 6, 2011, I attended a Healing Mass conducted by Father McAlear, with my husband. In retrospect, I now realize that God had planned this for me about 4 weeks in advance when I unexpectedly ran into an old friend that I had taught
with 21 years earlier, in 1990. As we were catching up with eachother about our lives and families, she shared the story of her own healing at one of Fr. McAlear’s Healing Masses. Coincidentally and surprisingly, she told me that several local Healing Masses with Father were scheduled just a few weeks
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from then. Now, I’ve been a Christian my whole life, but the only healings I knew of were the “staged” ones done by TV Evangelists that us kids used to joke about. Although I wasn’t sure what to think, I trusted my
Organised by The Catholic Charismatic Renewal at the Community Centre on Friday the 14th, Saturday 15th & Sunday 16th October, 2011 friend and I had a strong feeling, almost an urgency, to attend one of the Masses. When my husband and I arrived at the church and saw Fr. McAlear, I instantly felt the presence of Jesus Christ our Lord. It wasn’t far into the Mass, just after receiving the Sacraments, when I started to cry, feeling as though Father was speaking directly to me and my tribulations. As I began to cry harder, a helper of Father’s came to me, sat with me, and laid his hands on my cheeks while he softly chanted something that sounded like a Hebrew prayer to me. I felt a warmth flow through my body as he continued His work on me, and I began to relax and feel a sense of peace that I’ve never felt before and that I can’t begin to explain. Time stood still and I was with
Jesus. As the Mass continued, I waited for Fr. McAlear to bless me, and I knew that my life was being changed right then and there by Jesus Christ, working through the eyes, hands, and words of Fr.McAlear. When Father came to my husband and I and took our hands, I was crying pretty hard but I was able to tell him that I needed “everything healed,” including my body (chronic back pain for 9 yrs, worsening depression, liver and kidney disease, Epstein Barr disease) and marriage (19 yrs of marriage that was falling apart, with 2 beautiful children, unemployment for 2+ years, financial crisis). As Father blessed me and rubbed the oil on my forehead, I saw and felt Jesus Christ through him. Although I had been determined
not to fall over backwards, I had no control- I had allowed Jesus to do what He knew I needed. I left Mass feeling at peace, refreshed in my relationship with God, and feeling hopeful that everything was going to be alright. I didn’t immediately know that I had been healed, but just 2 days later, I noticed that I was pain-free, my body was healed, my marriage was healing, my depression was gone, my worries were lifted, and my life was full of Jesus’ abiding love. Because of Jesus Healing me through the presence of Father McAlear, I know that no matter what may come, I will walk all the rest of my days knowing that Jesus Christ our Lord is right here with me, that He has felt what I am feeling, and that He is listening to me, loving me,
www.frmac.org forgiving me, and bringing me closer to Him all the time. I pray that everyone, everywhere can someday be healed by Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. Thank you, Father McAlear for your ministry of healing and love.”
More about Fr. McAlear Fr. McAlear studied in Rome and was ordained there in 1970. In 1972 Father McAlear became involved in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal and he entered into the healing ministry in 1976. His charismatic work included healing prayer along with a strong outreach. Father McAlear was subsequently appointed as the Vocation Director for the Oblates of Mary Immaculate. In this capacity he was stationed in Washington, D.C. for ten years, since then he has been assigned to devote himself full time to teaching and the healing ministry. If you would like to attend the Conference contact Andrew Jeffries Daytime: 200 76108 Evening: 200 73877
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Marian Devotion
We Celebrate the birthdays of everyone close to us. Our Lady is no exception.
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t is remembered for us, the moment of our birth. We do not recall our first cry which surely echoed the relief of all after the straining and struggle which pushed us into the world. We do not recollect the moments of awe, looks of wonder, tears of joy, hands reaching out to hold and touch with blessing for this new life come among us. “Happy Birthday to You” is the most recognised song in the English language and is traditionally sung to celebrate the anniversary of a person’s birth whether that be one year after we are born, or, as in many
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Asian cultures you are ‘one’ at birth and then gain a year after each Lunar New Year. The song, first introduced by two sisters, Patty and Mildred J Hill as the song “Good morning to all” in 1893 has been translated into eighteen languages and when you think about it, it must be sung many times over every day of the year! How old are you? Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) foremost prose satirist in the English language, tells us from “Polite Conversations” the correct answer is, ‘as old as my tongue, and a little older than my teeth’. Be that as it may birthdays are important to us and they are
celebrated according to custom and tradition. They are fun days where family and friends gather to celebrate and shower the celebrant with good wishes for another year. They are days of optimism and reflection, remembrance and poignancy. We do not remember the moment we are celebrating but our mothers/parents hold and share that moment for us. They pass onto us the traditions that mark a special birthday; for example, Jewish boys become Bar mitzvah on their thirteenth birthday. It is common to hold a ‘sweet sixteen’ birthday for girls in Europe and North America. In India; Hindus have the 13th/14th birthday replaced with a grand ‘Thread Ceremony’. The child takes a blessed thread and wears it, symbolising his coming of age. I rather like this, the thread which links us all together no matter where we celebrate birthdays. On September the eighth we have a feast celebrating the birth of Our Lady, mother of God, one
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of the many feasts the Church reserves for her. Hers is one of only three birthdays in the Church calendar, the Nativity, December 25th, and the birth of John the Baptist, June 24th. All three were born without original sin, although Mary and Jesus were conceived without sin, and St. John was cleansed of original sin whilst in his mother’s womb at the Visitation of Mary. On Our Lady’s birthday we celebrate the first dawning of redemption with the birth of our Saviours mother. She occupies a unique place in the history of salvation and has the highest mission ever commended to any creature. Through her all grace is given to man. In Mary all human nature is exalted, we rejoice that she is our mother too as we celebrate her birthday. Her birth represents the entrance into the world of a new grace, a new blessing in a world which at the time was dominated by vices and idolatry which would be vanquished at the coming of the Saviour.
Happy Birthday, Azalea!
A Blessed Moment
Mary’s parents, Anne and Joachim, would remember for her how, after many years of childlessness an angel appeared to tell them that they would have a child. Anne promised to dedicate the child to God and they nurtured her, taught her and brought her up to be a worthy mother of God. It was surely their example of parenting that Mary must have called upon to find the courage and strength she would need to stand by the Cross as her son was crucified. Our birth is remembered for us and the Venerable Sister Maria de Agreda (1602-1665), a discalced Franciscan nun from a little town in Old Castille on the borders of Aragon became known for her holiness and has left us her writings “The Divine History of the Mother of God.”
These are accounts of special revelations which she declared were made known to her by God and tells us Our Lady “was born pure and stainless, beautiful and full of grace thereby demonstrating that she was free from the laws and tributes of sin”. She goes on, “although
her birth was substantially like other daughters of Eve, yet her birth was accompanied by such circumstances and conditions of grace that it was the most wonderful and miraculous birth in all creation. At twelve o’clock in the night, this divine luminary issued forth, dividing the night of the ancient law and its pristine darkness from the new day of Grace, which now was about to break into dawn”. What a first rate description of what must have been a blessed moment at the hour of her birth, because when God so willed it, He made the perfect creature to be born to become the mother of the Saviour. We are her children, by her choice rather than by our own merits and on this day of her birth as well as honouring it, we are uniquely placed to ask special graces from her. She has a treasure trove of them waiting to be dispensed and ready to meet our needs. She is the Queen of Heaven and Queen of all creation, her holiness surpasses the holiness of all the angels and saints put together. By her dignity of being the mother of God, she is our advocate before Him. September the eighth is taken to mark the end of summer and the coming of autumn. The days hold urgency as they hurry towards shortening and traditionally this time has thanksgiving celebrations and customs associated with it. Not well known but taking place none the less is the feast of “Our lady of the Grape Harvest” in France. The best grapes are brought to the church and blessed followed by a festival which includes the new grapes. Being a country girl I love this
Anne Mesilio
one where in Austria this day is called “Drive down Day” when the sheep and cattle are driven down from their high summer pastures to the safety of the valleys for the winter. To all who celebrate a birthday today, especially my treasured granddaughter Azalea, four
today, Happy Birthday! Main Photo: Our Lady Crowned Queen of Peace and surrounded by flowers in St. Peter’s Square. Courtesy: thecalloffatima.com Insert: Azalea, who shares Our Lady’s Birthday. Courtesy Anne Mesilio.
DIVINE MERCY PILGRIMAGE
Accompanied by Fr. Stuart
9th April – 16th April 2012
€1500 per person
Full Board in 5 Star hotels, a full pilgrimage itinerary is available from Richard Martinez in the St Paul’s Church Sacristy. Please give your names in to the Sacristy if you wish to receive more information. A deposit of €100 will confirm your seat. Limited seats available!!
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Women’s Health
Sponsored by
Young women and fertility care
With the CRMS women, from their very first period (menarche), can learn how to track their fertility. Fertility awareness gives women essential information about their general health. Menstrual cycle problems can easily be detected and treated. These problems would otherwise be overlooked and could be a cause of infertility. As the classes are on a one to one basis, the information is targeted to your current stage in life. Single, young (and not so young) women are empowered by the knowledge they receive from their daily fertility awareness. We support and encourage chastity for a healthy life and a wonderful marriage in the future, or encourage a healthy, fulfilling single life. FertilityCare for Young Women is a newsletter packed with information and interesting facts about your fertility. Find out more on: http://www.popepaulvi.com/
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FCYoungWomen.htm So, what is Chastity? If you Google “chastity”, the third or fourth link that appears is the website www.chastity.com, this is an excellent website which covers all the many dimensions of this topic. One of the questions presented is one that many have asked before: Isn’t being chaste the same as thing as being a prude? Their reply explains to us the marvellous essence of Chastity: “The world looks at chastity and sees repression: a dull and frigid lifestyle that is probably the result of fear or not being able to find a date. “Those poor people living chaste lives. They don’t have a clue what they’re missing. If only someone could liberate them from their prudishness.” Sound familiar? This may come as a surprise to those who think that chastity and prudery are synonymous, but chastity has nothing to do with having a negative idea of sex. In fact, only the pure of heart are capable of
Dr. Monique Risso
The Creighton Model Fertility Care System (CRMS) is more than a method of Natural Family Planning. seeing the depth and mystery of sex. For the person who is pure, sex is a sacred gift and the body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the foundation of chastity is the dignity of every person and the greatness of sex. Sure, chastity says no to sex before marriage. This is not because sex or the body is bad but, on the contrary, because sex is a holy mystery and a person’s body is a holy temple. Holy things are not open to all; they are only for those who meet the requirement, who pass the test. Think of the Holy of Holies in the Jewish temple, into which no Israelite dared enter except the high priest once a year. The doors were closed to other good and pious Jews not because the Holy of Holies was dirty or because the Jews were embarrassed about it. On the contrary, it was restricted because it was so holy, so special, that it was appropriate only for the one priest pledged to the temple’s service to enter. A human body likewise is holy and special, and access to this temple is only for the one pledged forever to it in the
sacrament of matrimony. If we understood chastity for what it is, we would see that nothing testifies to the goodness of the body and sex as much as chastity does. Just as humility is the proper attitude toward greatness, purity is the proper attitude toward sex. Purity guards the secret of sex because of its greatness. Those who treat sex as if it were a fair exchange for a nice dinner or six months of commitment are the ones who have yet to discover its real value. As writer Elisabeth Elliot said, “There is dullness, monotony, sheer boredom in all of life when virginity and purity are no longer protected and prized. By trying to grab fulfillment everywhere, we find it nowhere.”[1] We constantly look for what we can get out of someone, how we can please ourselves and “live in the moment.” Chastity has a bad reputation because it involves dying to ourselves. But this death serves a purpose. In the words of Christ, “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (John 12:24). The world sees chastity as death because it does not have the patience to see the life and love that spring forth from the sacrifice. It is not repression or guilt that motivates the chaste man or woman; it is the desire for real love. As a result, the virtue of purity is deeply alluring. Freed from selfish sexual aggressiveness, the
pure are empowered to love as we were created to love. The problem with lust is not that the desires are too strong; they are too weak, lukewarm, and self-absorbed. Prudishness is fittingly represented as cold and frigid, but purity is white hot. Purity burns with a passionate love that puts lust in the freezer.
the
[1]. Elisabeth Elliot, Passion and Purity (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Revell, 1984), 21.”
Chastity was one of the topics covered during the recent Youth Arise International Festival at the Living Life Loving Life event. We are looking forward to organize further events of this nature. Dr Risso offers FertilityCare and NaPro Technology to young single women too, contact her if you would like to know more about NaPro Technology and/or
Chastity events. DR MONIQUE RISSO MB ChB MRCGP Specialist Medical Clinic Unit F7, 1st Floor, ICC Building, Casemates Square, Gibraltar. Tel:+350 200 49999 Email:mrissofertilityspice@ hotmail.co.uk
Baptism at the Shrine.
Mgr. Charlie Azzopardi welcomed Lilja Angel Chandler into the Church on the 6th August 2011 at the Shrine of Our Lady of Europe. Lilja is here her with Godparents Peter Boucher, Jesse Fernie-Reese, Siggi and Ásdis Lindal as well as other members of the family and friends. First time visitors to the Shrine commented on how beautiful it was, what a peaceful place, one local said she did not know you could go inside and another said she’d always wanted to see inside.
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Gibraltar Youth Conference Success
And the Youth arose! Delegates from 26 countries give Dr. Robert Spitzer a standing ovation at the Gibraltar Youth Arise International conference, prior to World Youth Day.
C
hief Minister Caruana opened the Youth Alive International (YAI) Conference at the Tercentenary Hall on Thursday 11th August, he urged the Youth present to show everyone that we, as Christians think there is a better way to live our lives. That we value our faith, and that we can collectively rediscover the way to community, the way to peace. He lifted up Gibraltar as an example of a community, a microcosm of this
peace, where 30,000 people in seven square miles understand harmonious coexistence. Where family values are the building blocks of our society, and he promised with gusto, “They will remain that way!” Finally, he encouraged the young representatives of all other participating countries at the Conference to help Gibraltar to fly the flag in Madrid, “So that the Holy Father sees it and knows that you are there.”
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W
hen Henry Cappello, Founder and President of Youth Alive International (YAI) gave his welcome message, he transported his audience far away from the balmy, August evening air on the Rock, back in time and far north to cold, grey Aberdeen, where he found himself as a student when a question came to him ‘Quo Vadis?’ ‘Where are you going?’ the ques-
tion which had changed the direction of his life. Henry Capello asked each of the young, and not so young people at the YAI Conference to ask themselves, now, and when the music stops, and again and again throughout their lives, ‘Where are you going’. For he is certain, that if you stop your life wandering without direction, and search for the Father, he is sure, and in fact guarantees that you will find His love, and His peace.
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R
obert J. Spitzer then took the stage for the first of his talks. Fr. Spitzer is a Jesuit priest, the former president of Gonzaga University, a widely published author, entertaining speaker, and teacher, as well as a participant in community affairs. He is currently active as President of Magis Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to public education concerning
!
the complementary relationship among the varied disciplines of physics, philosophy, reason, and faith. It was clear from the start that Fr. Robert is gifted in being able to make very complicated, scientific and theological facts easy to understand. He himself is clearly as at home discussing astrophysics and metaphysics as you or I may be in talking about the price of fish or the latest iPhone app. It was in this easy manner that he presented a talk peppered with anecdotes and similes. A talk delivered with enormous energy and huge enthusiasm that drew in the young audience, some of whom were clearly familiar with the professor, and had them on the edge of their seats.
Angela Sargent
Applauding spontaneously when he reached the climax of a point he was illustrating, often with a dry humour that sent a ripple of appreciative laughter through the crowd. So what was he saying, that was so well received by the Youth? In his first talk Fr. Robert covered the beginning of time, well the fact that time has a beginning, and the importance of what or who came before time, and the logical conclusion that there must be a Creator. To loud applause. He has given a whole new generation the tools to prove to their doubting peers the existence of God. The scientific reasoning behind this is laid out in an open letter on his website:
T
o those who deny the compatibility of reason and faith. Many of you have made the claim that there is no evidence for a transcendent being (or a being not conditioned by time) – and that this is the reason that you are atheist. First – before denying that there is evidence or making claims that you have heard no evidence for the existence of God, it is important for the sake of intellectual honesty to attempt to investigate this evidence. Some of the greatest minds who have ever lived were rational theists, and there are serious ideas and reasons proposed for rational theism by Plato, Aristotle, Sir Isaac Newton, John Locke,
Albert Einstein, Sir Arthur Eddington, Wernor Heisenberg, Arno Penzias, and Sir Fred Hoyle – to name just a few. They wrote about this evidence in a serious and cogent way that should not be passed off with trite phrases like one pulled from our Facebook site, “All statements I have heard to support the claim of a particular god can be used equally well to support all gods, and for that matter, the celestial tea pot, invisible pink unicorn, and flying spaghetti monster.” Apparently many of you believe that theistic philosophy has no relevance to the modern mind, but before you say this, you should consider that philosophical arguments for God are based on logic – which
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Youth Conference Success
One delegate from Uganda related how he had been going through a bad time in his life and his studies had been suffering. His mother had insisted he go to a Catholic Youth Conference. Although he was reluctant, he went in obedience to her. At the end of the weekend, he said to himself. “Maybe I will give this Jesus guy a go, and maybe he will help me with my academics.” So he started to pray, just ten minutes each night, and he found his grades started to improve. So he was encouraged to pray more, and at the end of the year he graduated top of his class, and in fact, with the highest score in the whole of his country! Another of the short testimonies was from one of the youth representing the underground Catholic Church in China. We cannot show her picture, the priest that was to accompany them was arrested at the airport as they were leaving. (He has now been released) She told how she had been wanting to come to a World Youth Day for ten years, and what a huge blessing it was to be able to pray openly, to have such great music, and worship in freedom as we do.
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In addition to Rex Band, shown above during a body popping dance routine, the high quality bands included, Salt (Malta) and Gibraltar’s 7even, the Mime Ministry.
happens to ground both physics and mathematics. If you want to throw out my philosophical arguments, you must necessarily throw out the validity of physics and math because they share the same logical root. Yet you claim your atheism is grounded in rationalism. Many go so far as to claim that belief in a theistic creator and reason are inherently incompatible. How does your rationalism proceed without logic? Apparently you have insights that were not available to those great minds that came before you, and you have been able master logic so well that you have seen all of its inadequacies and devised an entirely new system. Do you see the disconnect here? I suppose one could respond that this argument only applies to mathematics, but not to physics. After all, physics is grounded in empirical evidence as well as logic. Philosophy also begins with the observable world, and then uses logic to reach conclusions beyond the scope of empirical observation. This is not very different from contemporary physics, which theorizes possible realities beyond the scope of our universe. Stephen Hawking’s recent book, “The Grand Design,” is based mostly
on such theoretical constructs. These include M-theory, and other concepts for which there is no empirical data whatsoever – including bouncing universes, the multiverse, etc. Because these theories are quite literally beyond our ability to measure in an empirical way different from that grounding philosophy (constrained and bound as we are within our own universe), they are constructed using logic and mathematics. Interestingly, those are the basis for philosophy as well… So, I challenge you to be intellectually honest. Evaluate my arguments for a theistic God using the same tools you use to evaluable physics. Accord them the respect you give to the logical arguments of physicists, because they are grounded in the same academic discipline. You are free to disagree with my conclusions of course, but dismissing them because you hold philosophy, metaphysics or logical proofs to be invalid and without real-world implications creates a standard that must be applied evenly. If you dismiss philosophy, you must also dismiss M-theory, the multiverse, bouncing universes and ALL speculation about reality beyond the strictly observable universe.
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Otherwise you are either intellectually dishonest or ignorant. Ignorance is no crime, but the willfully ignorant shouldn’t presume to ask big questions if they aren’t educated enough to understand big answers. Disagree with me? I welcome your comments, but base them in logic – the same type of logic that grounds physics and mathematics. Otherwise they hold no value based on your own clearly stated definitions. What is the specific evidence? With all due respect, I would like to ask you to read a book or books that attempt to elucidate it. I have written such a book (“New Proofs for the Existence of God”) which attempts to be fair to the thought, logic and mathematics of David Hilbert (the father of finite mathematics and one of the greatest mathematicians who has ever lived), Bernard Lonergan (a philosopher of science who has written an extensive book on the subject titled: “Insight: A Study of Human Understanding”) and the thoughts of outstanding physicists such as Albert Einstein, Arno Penzias (who won a Nobel prize for discovering the background radiation from the Big Bang),
Angela Sargent
Bishop Ralph and Mgr. Charlie talk to guest speaker Bishop Tony Palmer one of the founders of the Ark Comuunity, an ecumenical group. Mayor Julio Alcantara and Minister for Culture Youth and Sport Clive
Beltran were also in attendance underlining, the close relationship between Church and State enjoyed in Gibraltar and praised by Youth Alive International Founder Henry Capello in his opening address.
Roger Penrose (who discovered one of the first singularity theorems, along with Stephen Hawking) and many, many others. A serious consideration of their work, along with my own synthesis, would go a long way to deepening your awareness of the evidence for theism. To pass this evidence off with mere quips is no better than my throwing scripture quotes at you to induce belief. It’s ludicrous. Sincerely, Fr. Spitzer
three communities together – the maritime and religious connection to Malta – and the families’ connections to Malta and La Linea. A walk through Gibraltar and glance at our telephone directory would have shown our Maltese friends how much we shared. He was envious of their meeting with the Holy Father and wished them all manner of blessings. He apologized for what his generation had managed to do with their world inheritance –
Mayor Greets Young Pilgrims
M
ayor Julio Alcantara greeted over a hundred young pilgrims from Malta and La Linea shortly before they left on their way to Madrid to meet the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI. In presenting them with a book reflecting the many facets of Gibraltar, he pointed to the history that curiously tied all
with wars, the ravaging of the environment, the promotion of greed and consumerism, and now, economic chaos. He hoped that this gathering of the young in Madrid would prove to be a first step in their creation of a healthier future, in peace and harmony. He hoped their time in Gibraltar had shown them something of what our little nation is like and the harmonious relationships between different faiths and communities.
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Youth Conference Success
A
big thank you also goes to the speakers Andrew Cosiglio, Salvatore Marinez (above left) Fr Gino Henriques, unfortunately we did not have time to hear them all before the magazine went to print. Huge amounts of work went into producing the Youth Arise International event in Gibraltar and thanks
is due to the international team who have helped in the planning at every stage along the way. During the event each country contributed also to the smooth running and logistics, for example
providing M.C.’s to provide some colourful and entertaining continuity between the different parts of the event. But we must also thank many people in Gibraltar who may not have been in the limelight, or even able to attend during the days of the Conference, but who were silently working and praying in small groups or in isolation. A special mention must also go to Henry Earle (above) for his tireless work in promoting Gibraltar’s participation in the World Youth Days.
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Meditation on the Prayer of St. Francis
Lord,
make me an instrument of your peace.
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s Christians, we should all have the desire to contribute towards a better world, this we can do, by transmitting this in our society, in those environments in which we move. We have to be instruments of peace, wherever we are, we should be seen as peaceful and serviceable people, we should evangelize, giving personal witness of Jesus and his Gospel, being bearers of the Good News. All this must be done in a very simple way, the way we see
things, the way we express ourselves, the way we react, with a spirit of service and sacrifice, in other words, the way we live. We cannot escape from the reality, that we are weak, that is why Jesus told Peter in the Mount of Olives, “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” [Matthew 26:41] Therefore this evangelization is possible, only with the help of Our Lord, whatever we do, it has to be done, for Him and together with Him. That is why the first thing we should do is pray to Our Lord asking Him to make us instruments of his peace. Because only with His help, we will make it possible for love to reign where there may be hate. We can encourage forgiveness, where there is offence. We can unite where there is disunity or discord.
Where there is error, we must always be there with the truth. With our faith, we can help others who have doubt. We are all well aware how disagreeable despair can be, that is why we must always be sowers of hope. There are many people who may be going through a life of darkness, let us be for them, the torchbearers of Our Lord’s light. May our joy, eliminate the sadness in many hearts. We should have the desire, to console rather than to be consoled. We should always do our best to understand others, than to be understood, we must always place ourselves in the other persons shoes. Of course it is wonderful to be loved, but let me be the first to love. How true it is, that Our Lord
always pays us back 100%, for every 1 we give, we get 100 in return, especially when we do not expect anything in return, humanly speaking it may not make sense, but it is in giving freely that we receive. And how true also, that in forgetting, we find. How encouraging it is, to be aware, that by forgiving we are forgiven. And how reassuring it is to know that when our time comes, all this will conduct us to eternal life, not for fear of God, but because of our profound love for Him. [“In my Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you, for I go to prepare a place for you.”] John 14:2 Pax et Bonum. Your brother in Christ. Louis. <>< 03 . 8 . 11
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