JOY TO ALL MEN AND PEACE TO MANKIND
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SPECIAL FEATURE: Diocesan Youth News 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: 200 79335 email: angela@europeaxess. com
Upon this Rock magazine is published monthly by EuropeAxess Media Ltd, Gibraltar. Editor: Fr. Stuart Chipolina: editor@uponthisrock.eu
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Cover Photo Credits: Statue of the Virgin, M. L. Aguilera Sky Dive Poster, S. Ballester Machu Picchu, Martin St-Amant Our Lady of Sorrows, A. Sargent Collage & Layout, A.Sargent Upon this Rock magazine is entirely supported by advertising and donations.
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Editorial is selected by EuropeAxess Media in liaison with the Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar.
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World Youth Day Preparations
Why World Youth Day is SO important...
if a choice is made to identify oneself as a Catholic, and Why does it matter so And not as a “Catholic but ...”, there is the risk of isolation. We often hear people complaining about the lack of young peomuch to Fr. Charlie, ple in the Church - specifically at Mass - but place yourself in the shoes of those who do practise the faith. “Am I the only that he will Sky Dive young Catholic?” It can feel that way for many, but thankwith the others to raise fully such people are not alone. WYD demonstrates that. PERSPECTIVE the funds for WYD RIO? GLOBAL World Youth Day is important because it gives young people
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hannon Donahoo, who teaches Religion, Ethics and Politics at a Catholic secondary school in the Melbourne Archdiocese, attended World Youth Day (WYD) in Cologne in 2005, here are excerpts from his testimony, together with comments from Fr. Charlie and Henry Earle. A contingent of Gibraltar youth also participated in the Cologne WYD. Fr. Charlie was following the events on TV and he noticed that whichever news channel he clicked on, English, Spanish or Italian, they were all showing coverage of the huge crowds of young people who had assembled to see the Holy Father. “When I saw that,” Fr. Charlie told me, “when I saw the fantastic media exposure this event was getting round the world, I thought, this must be good, this is something important, and I was converted then to World Youth Day.” Henry Earle had been to the very first Youth Day in Rome in 1985 with a group from Gibraltar, when young people had been called together by Pope John Paul II, as part of the ‘Year of the Youth’ celebrations. 500,000 young people attended. However, with each successive event more people are going. In Australia the announcement that the next WYD was to be held in Sydney, galvanised that nation. There had been some criticism of course: is WYD worth it or is it just a holy “bread and circuses” exercise? ‘To understand the importance of World Youth Day, it is important to understand the what it is like being a young Catholic today,’ explains Australian Shannon Donahoo. ‘Often young people are Catholic more because they are sacramentalised within the family than because they have met Christ in their hearts. They are often unsure of the Church’s teachings, the reasons for these and even how one is supposed to practise the faith.
a chance to meet other young people of faith. Not only does
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SKY DIVE DAY TRIP 15th Sept Ask abo ut c orpo rate spon sors hip 000282 M: 5852200 or M:54
DAY TRIP: 8.15am : Jump arrival at Sky dive drop zone near seville 11:30 starts at St. Theresa’s pilgrimage buses depart right after Mass
£20 adults, £15 students Lunch at a local restaurant included. To secure your Ticket And for more information call T:20072235 or email: rector@ourladyofeurope.net it put them in contact with others in the same situation, it also puts them into contact with the fullness of the faith through catechesis. At the event young Catholics are able to meet committed laity and clergy and
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World Youth Day Preparations
•A two year p •Developing •Building learn from them; not just from what they say but from their personal witness. ‘For example,’ Shannon continues ‘Bishop Christopher Prowse inspired many by taking the eight kilometre trek with us to the Vigil. He prayed with us, ate with us, camped under the stars with us, and walked home with us.’ Henry Earle explained that each WYD has a specific theme, the two years of ‘Youth Arise’ preparation are focussed on that theme, all the events, retreats and teachings work together in a cohesive programme, building up to the Youth Arise ‘Days in the
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Diocese’ and WYD itself. Shannon continued “The crux of our journey was a pilgrimage to the relics of the Magi. We had come as pilgrims to meet and be inspired by the first Christian pilgrims. We had also come to welcome Joseph Ratzinger as he returned to his homeland as Pope Benedict XVI. On the face of it, this WYD was notable purely for the fact that a German Pope was visiting Germany on his first foreign trip. However, there was a deeper resonance to this particular WYD. Pilgrims from Melbourne stayed in the parish of Porz
Diocesan Youth News
programme of formation g leadership skills good moral character and we were struck by the effect WYD was having. People stopped us on the street to talk; strangers paid for our drinks and meals; strangers even closed their businesses and ferried us home from the papal vigil! While buying supplies for the Papal vigil, an elderly German woman spoke excitedly to me. Her voice rose and her eyes filled with tears. I was mystified until her son translated. She wanted to thank the pilgrims for coming to Germany. World Youth Day, she said, proved that people from different cultures and races could be
united peacefully. This was a new Germany.” WYD is important because it is a catalyst for renewal - in the truest, best sense of that term. I know of several people who have met and married because of WYD, and several others who have recognised religious vocations because of WYD. I know of parishes that have been reinvigorated because of WYD. In my experience World Youth Day is special in providing opportunities for conversion and healing, for education and discernment. It is able to achieve what an
entire adolescence in a modern parish or school may not: the formation of a Christian character. FORMATION
Henry Earle emphasised this aspect of the Youth Arise and WYD programmes, saying “Our young people seem to be healthy and well nourished, but they are sometimes badly affected by the world we live in, they are under all sorts of pressures to conform to an unhealthy way of life, which popular culture teaches them is ‘normal’ like drugs use and inappropriate sexual behaviour. We give
them the tools to build strong moral values. Our youth have always taken a big role in the WYD proceedings, leading prayer, with the Mime Ministry and participating in Music Ministries for instance. The skills they pick up along the way are of value to future employers as well as the wider community. We have seen many World Youth Day participants to go on to become leaders in our society, people, some from humble backgrounds, taking important roles with exciting careers.”
On the 27th August 2011 Christian and Natalie Dalli celebrated their first anniversary. “We would like to thank everyone who helped to make our wedding such a special occasion, we are looking forward to our second anniversary after the birth of our baby.”
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The good the bad and the ugly in contemporary literature
not to Relax! There are
How erotic novels can ruin a good sex life. SPONSORS OF UPON THIS ROCK
Kristin Bird is a youth minister from Wisconsin, USA, she writes: few days ago I was sitting at the pool and noticed five ladies reading ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’. I knew the books were popular, so I suppose I shouldn’t have been all that surprised. What surprised me though, was that three of these ladies were teens. I had heard that these books are called “mummy porn,” but it’s not just mummies who are reading them. Fifty Shades of Grey is the first book in a trilogy which follows the relationship between an innocent virgin, Anastasia Steele, and a powerful, but emotionally damaged business man, Christian Grey. Like most romance novels, their complicated relationship, including his attempts to seduce her into his bed. There’s nothing normal about the seduction, though, as Grey tries throughout
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the books to convince Ana to join him in violent behaviour. Most romance novels centre around an innocent girl who is overwhelmed by a powerful and more experienced man. Her innocence and virginity are lost (usually outside of marriage) and readers cheer them along never realizing that this “love” story misses the mark on who God has created us to be. The ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ trilogy misses the mark as well. Christian Grey is a man who uses women for sex and misses out on the great Divine Love that human relationships were created for. I decided to ask one of these teens at the pool what she thought of the book, and she turned bright red when I interrupted her. She even admitted to being embarrassed because I interrupted her at “a really naughty part.” When we talked about it, she said that she knew the sex scenes were “a
The Spanish Seminar (Seminario de iniciación a la vida en el Espíritu Santo) will take place on the weekend Friday 12th - Sunday 14th October, non residential.
The Preacher will be Padre Pepe Marquez from Sevilla. Anyone interested can contact: Cristina Gomez 20071169 / 56000269 Susan Goldwin 20078212 Frances Moreno 54220000
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o read lots of reasons little much” but didn’t see anything wrong with it. There’s only one reason why these books are so popular. It’s because of the sex scenes that are found within the pages. It’s because they are scandalous and shocking. But those scandalous scenes are exactly why we should steer clear of Fifty Shades. REASONS NOT TO READ BOOKS LIKE THIS: • Because sex is more than use. Sex – and all the things that physically, emotionally, and mentally lead to sex – was created by Godto be shared between a married man and woman. Sex is an expression of love that reflects the Divine Love of God – a Love that is free, total, fruit-
ful, and faithful. Pornography and erotica are a mockery of the intimacy and beauty of Sacramental love. It reduces the mystery of sex to mere use, turning something sacred and Godly into something profane and dark. As Blessed John Paul II said, “The opposite of love is not hate, the opposite of love is use.” The lust that these books infect us with is all about self-gratification – it’s all about use. • Because the Church teaches us it’s not okay. Pope Benedict addressed the issue of pornography and erotic literature saying, “A relationship that does not take into account the fact that a man and a woman have the same dignity represents a serious lack of humanity . . . The moment has come to energetically
‘Fifty Shades of Grey’
halt the widespread distribution of material with an erotic and pornographic content, including through the internet in particular.” • Because lustful thoughts lead to lustful actions. Pope Benedict and Blessed John Paul II both understood that erotic words and images (like in Fifty Shades of
Grey) create lustful thoughts in us. Those lustful thoughts don’t just end there; they cause in us physical reactions which end in lustful actions. Even St. Augustine struggled with this disordered and vicious pattern in his own life. After his conversion he wrote about his struggles with Continued on page 11
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A local charity with a global action plan
GibMissionAfrica team set out on
Machu Picchu sponsored trek.
Ethical tourism promises rewards for hard pressed Catholic charity
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n the 25th of September Dilip Tailor and four companions will set out on a three week adventure which sounds like a recce for the next Indiana Jones film. Dilip explains “The ambition to visit Machu Pichu has been a personal calling of many years and it is only now that I am able to go without any worries. Initially I wanted to go by myself, but found it was a mammoth logistical task. When my niece Hemma got involved, she found a Peruvian travel company which put together an itinerary that proved so irresistible she and the others opted to make up the team.�
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Compiled by Angela Sargent
Machu Pichu photo: Martin St-Amant
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ne day of the Peru itinerary, for example, will see the group flying to the Amazonian jungle town of Puerto Maldonado, then navigating the Madre de Dios River to a lodge deep in the rainforest. From there they will explore the forest trails, learning the difference between primary and secondary rainforest: its components, use and transformation by man, and its relevance for the world today. This will be followed by a river safari to see caimans and other indigenous nocturnal animals, as night falls. Dilip’s enthusiasm shone through, “It will be a journey of a lifetime for us but by staying for so much time we can absorb the local atmosphere before making a spiritual trek through the mountains up to Machu Pichu.” The name Machu Picchu means “Old Peak”, the 35 mile trek through the mountainous Cusco Region of Peru will bring the group to the medieval ‘City of the Incas’ 2,430 metres above sea level, that’s 5.7 times higher than the Rock of Gibraltar. During the four day trek they will stop along the way, leaving most of their gear behind at the base camp, so they have only the minimum to carry during the final ascent in the thin air. Dilip has been training for many months for the hike, by walking up the Mediterranean Steps. But he explained “As chairman of GibMissionAfrica it was important to me that this endeavour should form part of our fundraising work for Fr. George Grima’s work in Kenya and Ethiopia.” see overleaf...
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hotos, top left, local businessman Dilip Tailor, his nieces Mala and Hema Tailor, and bottom right, John Acris. Jason Galton who was also inspired to join the charity trek is not shown in the photos. Please see the sponsorship form overleaf if you could donate, even just £1?
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$
Gib Mission Africa
Machu Picchu Trek Sponsorship Form 4 day mountain trek in Peru, following the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu covering 35 miles, climbing to 2,430 m above sea level. Help us to raise funds to build a special, purpose built complex for Fr. George Grima’s ‘Missionary Movement’ for disabled children in Ethiopia. Currently, there is no help for disabled children there, they are left to fend for themselves and the survival rate is very low.
At the new ‘Cardinal van Thaun’ complex disabled children will receive, Food, Medical Treatment, Education and Boarding. I Sponsor .......................................................................... (Name of the walker from team overleaf, or leave blank)
My Name:.......................................................................... Address/Contact No.......................................................... .......................................................................................... Amount:.............................................................................
Please send your cheque to Gib Mission Africa, PO Box 1437, GX11 1AA, Gibraltar. Please do not send cash by post, contact Dilip Tailor M: 54303000 Tel: 20078714 or email: info@gibma.org
Readers will be familiar with the work of Fr. Grima, he is currently raising funds for a clinic specifically designed for physically and mentally challenged children in Kenya with facilities for nourishment, education and medical treatment, as was featured in our May and June issues. If you can help Dilip and his team raise funds for this invaluable humanitarian work, please use the sponsorship form above.
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Examples of the good the bad and the ugly in contemporary literature
There are lots of reasons
not to read
‘Fifty Shades of Grey’
Continued from page 7 lust saying, “Lust indulged became habit, and habit unresisted became necessity.” If you want to live a virtuous life, you have to be vigilant about it. Evil only needs to find a tiny little chink in your armour of holiness to begin to work. Don’t let these books crack open your virtue and start you down the vicious cycle of self-grat-
ification and lust. Avoid these books, this author, and authors like her. Pray for the intercession of St. Augustine and Our Blessed Mother in remaining chaste and pure in all of your thoughts and actions. “Of all inner conflicts the most arduous are concerned with chastity. These battles are of daily occurrence.” – St. Augustine
How proper use of sex makes a person holy.
If
this book does not contain everything you want to know about sex, it tries to come close. Underlying all the information and advice is the principle that proper use of sexuality is holy and makes a person holy. You read that right: Sex contributes to sanctity! This book might even persuade you that the converse is true — to have good sex you must be striving equally as much for holiness. Popcak is by his own definition a “talk radio psychotherapist” who writes about theology and sexuality in popular language. He makes Catholic teaching about sex and Pope John Paul II’s ‘Theology of the Body’ easily comprehensible. The author’s breezy tone and earthy sense of humour (a bit rough in a few places) encour-
age the reader to relax with the material. He maintains engagement by illustrating with anecdotes about couples he has counseled. Using a framework of human sexual evolutionary stages, the first part of the book reviews Catholic teaching on sexuality and debunks inaccurate perceptions. Popcak calls the fifth stage “Holy Sex” or “Infallible Loving” and devotes the second part of the book to the “Five Great Powers of Holy Sex.” These five powers are pathways to an intimacy that Popcak expands upon in separate chapters:
1 - the power to make the common holy 2 - sacramental and redemptive power 3 - power to be a physical sign of God’s passion for us 4 - the power to unite 5 - the power to create Any person who tries to read the book alone may soon want to draw his or her spouse into at least the quizzes and exercises, which are designed to provoke discussion. Popcak recommends that couples use the book together since “the sexual relationship is only as good as both partners think it is.” Readers who skip over some parts of the book to get to the tips and techniques or the last part’s practical treatment of questions and problems still cannot avoid the message that eroticism is no substitute for a soulful love life.
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