Feb 2014 152 by EuropeAxess Media

JOY TO ALL MEN AND PEACE TO MANKIND

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fter Jesus was born Mary fulfills the Jewish right of purification after childbirth. Since she could not afford the customary offering of a lamb, she gives instead two pigeons or turtle doves as an offering of the poor. This rite, along with circumcision and the redemption of the first-born, point to the fact that children are gifts from God. Jesus was born in an ordinary home where there were no luxuries. Like all godly 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 favor 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

Dear Friends 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 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 fulfillment 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 indwelling presence of the Lord with you?

Jesus is the new temple. (John 1:14; 2:19-22)

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 Cover: Shutterstock: Young Woman by solominviktor 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 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 – uponthisrock.gi. You’ll find exclusive gifts with a Christian message in the WebShop.

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2 Turtle

n 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’ 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 that his Spirit dwells within 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 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.

Doves

While Our Lady and the child Jesus do take up a prominent position in the artwork, the two turtle doves have been highlighted by the contrasting form of their cage against the white cloth. We are not

entirely sure if the crowd are talking about Mary and her child, or the humble offering. How often are we distracted by gossip laced with judgement when Jesus is right before our very eyes in our temples?

imeon 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 fulfill 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 fueled her indomitable zeal and fervour in prayer and service of God’s people.

Do you know the joy of a life fully surrendered to God with faith God Bless you, and trust? Fr. Stuart

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Bishop Ralph Heskett welcomes Archbishop Vincent Nichols to the Shrine at Europa Pt.

ope Francis’ invitation to the faithful to take part in a survey, as preparation for an Extraodinary Synod of Bishops on the theme of ‘Pastoral Challenges to the Family in the Context of Evangelisation’, received a lot of attention last November when it was announced. The story being taken up by the BBC, NBC, CBS, The Times, The Telegraph, The Independent and many other

mainstream media. The move was said to be ‘surprising’, even ‘unprecedented’ but to those who have been following the actions of Pope Francis, it was very much in keeping with the humble character of the man. However the response to the survey, has been disappointing. The questions which were prepared by the Vatican were not particularly easy. The covered a wide range of topics including Catholic teaching in the family, mixed marriages, and contraception for instance. His Holiness also included questions inviting suggestions on how Faith in the family could be supported in the light of modern pressures. It could be that the difficult language of the questions, the personal nature of the topics included in the survey, or perhaps a combination of these factors, put people off handing in their answers. Some Bishops, including

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Faith • The Papal Survey • Congratulations to Archbishop Nichols • An Interfaith Initiative

our own, had published a more ‘user friendly’ version of the questions and taken the trouble to make these available online. Bishop Ralph made sure link to the survey download page was printed in his Pastoral Letter 29th December, this was distributed via all the churches, and from there it was subsequently also disseminated via social media. But here again, maybe people were reluctant to trust the internet with their personal experiences. We must pray in the certain knowledge that by the grace of God and the work of the Holy Spirit, the survey will succeed. The deadline to take part in

the survey passed on the 13th January, and by the time this edition of Upon This Rock goes to print, His Lordship will have gathered together responses he received, both online and as ‘hard copy’, collated them and sent them to Rome so they may be included in the preparation documents for the Extraordinary Synod of Bishops later this year.

he Archbishop of Westminster, the Most Rev Vincent Nichols, is to be made a Cardinal. Pope Francis announced the appointment on Sunday 12th of January, the feast of the Baptism of Our Lord, when 19 senior clerics from around the world were chosen to join the highest rank of Catholic clergy. The Archbishop was the first nonVatican cleric to be named in a list read out by the Holy Father. His nomination, almost five years after he succeeded Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor as leader of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales, was widely expected. It confirms his position as the most senior Catholic cleric in Britain and arguably the country’s most powerful member of the clergy

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Matters

of any denomination. has been disapointing. He said “Today, I am deeply moved by the honour conferred upon the Catholic Church in England and Wales and on the Diocese of Westminster in my appointment as Cardinal by His Holiness Pope Francis. The Catholic Church in our countries has always had a profound and loving loyalty to the Holy Father, the Successor of St Peter. This appointment enables me, on behalf of all, to serve the Pope in a direct and prolonged way. Personally, this is a humbling moment when I am asked to take a place in this service of the Holy See and in the line of much loved Cardinal Archbishops of Westminster. I seek the blessing of Almighty God for these new responsibilities and I ask for the prayers of all people of faith that

I may fulfil them with energy and devotion.” The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, said it was “wonderful news both for Archbishop Vincent personally and for the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales”. He added “It is also good to see that as a passionate fan of Liverpool FC, Archbishop Vincent will be getting a red hat to go with his precious red shirt.” Congratulations were also tweeted by the leader of the Coptic Orthodox church in the UK as well as by the UK’s first Muslim Cabinet minister. Archbishop Nichols visited Gibraltar in July last year as part of the interfaith Council of Christians and Jews (CCJ) after which Gibraltar was hailed as a model for interfaith harmony. See Upon This Rock issue 146. Archbishop Nichols will receive

the distinctive Cardinal’s red beretta at a Consistory in Rome this month.

competition has been launched in local schools by the Gibraltar Interfaith Group (GIG). The Competition theme ‘Living Happily Together in Gibraltar’, is to be submitted as an artwork by the youngest children, and for those over eight an essay on the topic ‘What would you do to make the world a better place?’

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The Mininister for Education, and the Minister for Culture have been hugely supportive of the initiative. They are very keen to hear from the children themselves about the importance of their Faith, especially in this age when there are calls from some sectors of the community for the removal of religious education from the school curriculum. The Very Rev. Dr. John Paddock, Dean of Gibraltar, Monsignor Paul Bear, and Momy Levy MBE, JP. will judge the competition and the prize giving ceremony will be held early in April.

The Gibraltar Interfaith Group aims to enable members of different faith communities to learn about each other’s beliefs, practices and traditions, to foster friendship and deeper understanding. It is hoped that this will help eliminate prejudice and fear and promote knowledge and appreciation of other’s faith traditions. The Group organises discussions and visits to places of worship.

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Heart-Throb

Anne Mesilio writes

• The Real St. Valentine? • Loving for Longer

aint Valentine is buried in Dublin! Worldwide he is known as the patron saint of lovers and I am aware of two other saints who bear that name and title. “Valentinus”, latin for worthy, strong or powerful certainly holds a place in history as does the Christian priest who secretly blessed marriages during the reign of the Roman Emperor, Claudius II, but discovering a third in Dublin was a surprise. However, love is in the air and on 14th February symbols of love abound as people express their feelings for partners with marriage proposals, red roses, cards full of cupids and hearts and imagine this, more than eight billion candy hearts are manufactured for this day

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alone! This has the makings of a happy day but there are those who will experience this as a sad heart day too, for any number of reasons. t is all about the heart, that lifegiving, ever beating muscle, whose primary function is to pump blood through the arteries, veins and capillaries. There is an estimated 60,000 miles (95, 560kms) of vessels throughout the adult body and every day five litres of blood is pumped continuously. The heart is at the centre of the circulatory system and without its pumping action, vital nutrients and oxygen cannot be carried around the body. It is an incredibly powerful organ and

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must be nourished with healthy food and lots of pure water. Discover, or even re-discover the joy of movement; stretch, dance, walk, run, jump! Our heart quite literally drives the vehicle of our being, for giving, loving, moving, and feeling and if not working properly nothing much else in our lives will work either. ‘Eat when you are hungry and drink when you are thirsty’ sounds simple, but with the plethora of cooking programmes clogging our airways (never mind our arteries) forever tempting us into more delicious and imaginative dishes, our common sense often deserts us. Now, we should love our food, it is not, and should not be our enemy, surely? Food is the fuel our bodies need to convert into energy to ensure our survival. Diets have sprung up like weeds in this garden of food, so much so it is often difficult to discern what we really need. Some diets are medically necessary, e.g. diabetes, and my attitude has always been to eat a well balanced diet for well being. If a diet becomes a necessity one is advised to seek the professional

supervision of a doctor or dietician. I am always very wary of the abundance of diets freely available today. Not every diet is suitable for everyone and this is where it pays to exercise common sense. On this Saint Valentines Day, the day of hearts, start learning to love yours. Listen to the heart throb, that pulsing life-giving beat, lub-dub, lub-dub, the rhythm of your life. The heart can do nothing for itself; your body is your responsibility, the power of looking after it is entirely in your hands.

These three steps are the tip of the iceberg in caring for your heart, but a good starting point. According to the Bible, the heart is the centre not only of spiritual activity, but of all the operations of human life.

3 steps to a

healthy heart • Don’t smoke • Be active • Eat healthily

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Above all else, guard your heart,

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works constantly, without rest, beating approximately 100,000 times per day. The heart is a hollow muscular organ, nothing more than a pump really, (how unromantic is that!) and yet we associate our feelings and emotions with the heart; cold heart, warm heart, open, black, loving, beating, gold, which one are you? The heart represents love, the colour red suggesting blood, passion and strong emotions which can be associated with romance. The heart has long been recognised across many cultures as a love symbol. So, it would make sense to look after your heart? Of course it would, health is the heart of our lives and looking after our heart is vital to living a long and healthy life. There are those who exercise regularly and live the benefits, and maybe those who like me, after a recent health scare, have been dragged kicking and screaming into this concept of exercise. Well, I walked from A to B and back, but it now seems that this must increase from C to D and beyond! The relationship we have with our bodies is probably the most important one of all; it

for everything you do flows from it”. Proverbs 4:23

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Celebrate St.

6 Ways Giving is Good for the Body as well as the Soul

Traditionally, many have been a bit wary about St. Valentine’s, but as it originates with the good works of an early Saint, surely any excuse to be generous and loving to one’s partner, these days, has to be seized with both hands?

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e grew up learning that it’s better to give than to receive. Now science has the proof, here is a guide to six ways to what’s in it for you.

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Valentines! Thought That Counts

Simply contemplating generosity boosts your immunity. When Harvard students watched a film about Mother Teresa tending to orphans, the number of protective antibodies in their saliva surged; when the students were asked to focus on times when they’d been loved by or loving to others, their antibody levels stayed elevated for an hour. In another study, the brain’s pleasure centers lit up

4. Listen,

when people made check marks next to a list of organizations to which they wanted to donate.

Help Your Heart

2. Lend a

Hand, Lower your Pain

People suffering from chronic pain report decreased intensity, and less disability and depression, when they reach out to others in similar pain. In one study, pain was reduced by 13 percent. Scientists believe the release of endorphins explains the phenomenon.

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1. It’s The

Being generous with your attention can reduce your risk of heart attack. Cardiac arrest is highly correlated with the amount of self-reference (“I,” “me,” “my”) in a person’s speech. The best advice? Listen to and connect with others— social ties lower your risk of dying from heart disease.

5. Love Heals

In a 2005 Ohio State University study, married couples were given tiny blisters on two occasions. During the first visit, they talked to each other supportively; during the second, they hashed out relationship conflicts. The blisters took a day longer to heal after the second visit, and two days longer in couples with high levels of anger.

6. The Loving Touch

3. Goodness Nose!

In a study conducted at Carnegie Mellon University, people who were socially connected reported catching fewer colds. Volunteering is, of course, one of the simplest ways to connect. In Gibraltar we are blessed with hundreds of charitable and nonprofit organisations, and most of them are crying out for help, and looking for additional volunteers. Why not give your time as a couple to a good cause, you might reap most unexpected benefits

There’s an off switch for the adrenal gland’s production of the stress hormone cortisol: massage. A study that recruited retirees to give massages showed that their cortisol—as well as their anxiety and depression—levels dropped significantly.

This article by Stephen Post, PhD and Jill Neimark, was first published for 2012 Thanksgiving edition of Oprah magazine, and has been adapted for the St. Valentine’s edition of Upon This Rock Magazine 2014.

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Editorial Selected by Dr. Monique Risso

CALLE Mary Ward!

he Congregation of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Seville, received a great accolade recently when Seville Mayor, Juan Ignacio Zoldo, named a road after their founder, Mary Ward. The IBVM Sisters have been running a school in the Bellavista-La Palmera district of the city for 44 years and their headmistress, Angelines Vazquez was absolutely delighted with the recognition, saying “We can all feel proud that the city of Seville is the first in [Spain] to name a street after Mary Ward.” The mayor stressed that while he knew the occasion was a dream come true for many people, the request had been unanimously approved adding that the founder of Loreto had “left an indelible mark on many generations of children in Seville, keeping alive her spirit, her principles and her teachings.” To conclude the street naming event, the large audience, including many pupils and old girls, sang the Loreto School anthem.

MORE ABOUT THE FOUNDER OF

LORETO

‘In the Presence of God’ Mary Ward’s Spirituality KINDLE edition £4.84 Available online from uponthisrock.gi

Proceeds to the IBVM Ireland.

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Going from Promiscuity

I spent most of my life doing whatever I wanted. From the age of 13 until 33 I had pretty much given myself control of my own life. honestly believed that God was a merciful God and He would forgive me of anything I did, even if I didn’t humble myself and admit I was wrong with contrition. All of that was a foreign concept to me. I stopped feeling shame for my promiscuity when I turned 30. At that point in my life I no longer felt that it was wrong for me to be sleeping with multiple partners at the same time, and according to my “counselor” at Planned Parenthood, who I saw once a month for STD testing, I was being responsible. Why? Because I was getting tested and I was sterilized so I couldn’t get pregnant. So allowing men to treat me like a toy to use for their pleasure was perfectly fine according to them. In fact, whenever I went in with one of the particular men that I was involved with, the clinic workers would flirt with him, never mind that he was bringing me in there to get tested for STD’s, all while treating me like trash and talking to me with anything but dignity and respect. They still thought he was a catch. Not feeling shame for

immoral behavior was a pretty good sign that I was not living God’s plan for me. I was not ashamed of any of my actions. In fact I was proud of it. I was proud to be sleeping with two of the most dangerous men in my small town. I was proud that everyone knew it and I was proud that men thought sleeping with me was something to brag about. It might be shocking to some of you who read this, but there are many women out in the world who have lied to themselves and told themselves that being used as a sexual commodity is something to be proud of. I was one of them. My point of telling you all of this is to show that 1) I was a lost soul, 2) I have been in the world and seen what it has to offer and 3) to show you that I was the most disobedient person on the planet and finally to show you that chastity was not something I practiced, ever.

Submission to authority is not something that I have ever been good at. Ever since I was a small child I would do the opposite of what anyone told me to do. Because of that personality trait I caused myself, my mother and God a lot of grief. BUT it has also been a gift, because nobody could have ever told me about Church teaching and expected me to follow it blindly, without knowing it is the TRUTH. I’m pretty offended when people assume that about me actually.

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There are many aspects of my life where I have submitted to Church teaching even if I still struggle with understanding it, but I will tell you about the major thing that changed me and when I would say I became an obedient servant instead of a rebellious lost sheep.

appointment and we thought that for sure Father would marry us ASAP. When I began RCIA, Stacey had moved all his stuff out of the house and left to go overseas and now he was back and we had NO idea what to do about our living arrangements. We wanted to be married by the

My husband and I went to Rome during Lent of 2010. We were not married yet and I was coming into full communion with the Church that Easter. My husband was not confirmed, but we did not know that. Well, our plan was to elope in Rome, during Lent, as baptized Catholics... yeah. That is how ignorant of Church teachings I was. And even though my RCIA facilitator told me that was a stupid idea, I didn’t listen. Why? Well go back and read the first few paragraphs. I’m not the listening to others type of person. Needless to say that plan did not really work out. The Italian at the marriage license place literally laughed out loud when we told him our plans. But during our trip we decided that we did want to be married and we knew we had to be married in the Catholic Church. Throughout our trip we fell more and more in love with the Church and with God. After our trip he went back to Afghanistan and I came home and came into the Church 3 days after landing back in the States. (All four of my kids were baptized and received all of their Sacraments too. It was a great night!) Stacey was set to come home that June and we planned on talking to Fr Jonathan as soon as he landed. I made the

Church and live as practicing Catholics. We loved our faith and we wanted to do everything right. For us that meant getting married in the Church and going on with our life, but as usual God had a lesson for us.

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Sexual to Chastit y

“From age 13 to 33 I had given myself control of my own life...”

Eucharist and I was not about to do anything that meant I could not receive. Nothing. No way, no how. So Stacey and I had a long month of fights, arguments and tears ahead of us. We went to everyone we could go to to try and get them to talk Father

Jonathan into marrying us sooner, but he stood his ground on the issue. After one of our meetings with him he told us flat out that we could probably find another priest that would marry us; it was our choice. Continued overleaf

When we went in to talk to Father Jonathan, he told us that he would be happy to marry us. In 3 months… Both of us were pretty upset at that alone and then came the kicker. Chastity. Father told us that if we were going to live in the same house (He wasn’t happy about that idea, but because of my kids and all that they had gone through already emotionally with my divorce and other things, it was what we discerned to be in their best interest.) that we would have to live as brother and sister, which, in adult language, meant no sex. Stacey and I had never been chaste in our lives! We didn’t even know what that word meant. Stacey’s first words after leaving Father’s office were; “I’m not listening to that priest. What does he know? What is he 12?” (By the way, Fr J is fully aware of that comment now!) By that point I had fallen in love with my Lord in the

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Editorial Selected by Monique Risso

Going from

Sexual Promiscuity

to Chastit y

Continued Our choice: Those were the key words. We had a choice to be obedient and do what Father was asking of us or we could go and find a priest who would tell us what we wanted and do what we wanted. What WE wanted not what God wanted of us. We made our choice and it was to be obedient to our Priest and do whatever he asked. We made our choice because we both realized that if we were going to be Catholic, if we were going to be married in the Church, then we were going to do it right. All the way right, which meant doing whatever it was God wanted from us, and not taking it upon ourselves to do what we wanted. all while saying we were Catholic. Being Catholic means more than just going to Mass, having envelopes, being a part of Parish activities, being on the Parish Council or any

of that. Being Catholic means being obedient to God and His Church in all things, not just the teachings that we choose to follow. I’m not perfect. I still struggle with many things. I still think things are right that are wrong. I still sin, I still choose the wrong thing. I still let anger control my actions. I have to humble myself and confess many things. But what I don’t do anymore is publicly say “the Church is wrong” about any of Her teachings. Because I understand that doing that is saying God Himself is wrong. I pray that anyone who doesn’t see that connection will look deep into the Authority of the Church and Who gave it to Her. I know what it is to do things my way, it never turns out good. I now know what it is to do things God’s way, and I have found nothing but peace following His Will. Stacey and I will forever be grateful to Father Jonathan for never budging on the issue. It is by the Grace of God that we even made it into his office without being married by the JP. It is by the Grace of God that we have a great marriage and a great life. It is also the by the Grace of God that Fr J told us the truth, in love, and that we chose to be obedient to God’s Will. By His Grace, Stacey and I made Jesus the Lord of our Sexuality. Thanks be to God.

CYC Retreat... ENAMORATE DE MI

on’t miss out on this promising opportunity to come and fall in LOVE with the LORD at this special weekend retreat. Prices:- 2 nights stay, full board £30.00 per person. Meals only with no overnight stay. £15.00 per person. Payment is required by no later than 14 February 2014 and to be taken to Joe Berllaque at the Cigar Shop in Main Street, or brought

to Prayer Meeting.

Please feel free to contact us on the following numbers:Joe Berllaque 5402 4221 any time Rosana Hollins - 5401 8025 after 18:00 hours

ABOUT Leticia

Leticia is a 35 year old Catholic wife and mother. She has four children of her own and three step sons. In the last two years her family has been on an amazing journey into the Catholic Church. She and her children were received into the Church at Easter in 2010. In October of that same year, she and her husband were married in the Church and he was Confirmed that November. The following May her three step sons were fully initiated into the Church and they became a family of nine fully Catholic people. They have learned a lot about God and their Faith in the last two

years. She hopes to share some of what she has learned with anyone who is willing to listen. You can find this article and others by her at: www. catholicsistas.com and she has her own blog at: http://theramblingsofacrazyface. wordpress.com

Marriage Care The Gibraltar Counselling Service 200 Main Street. Tel: 20071717

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Fill These Hearts T Recommended Reading

his is a book about Desire. Not just trivial wants or superficial cravings, but the most vital powers of sexuality and spirituality that haunt us and compel us on our search for something. Along the way, Fill These Hearts blows the lid off the idea of Christianity as a repressive, anti-sex religion and unveils the hidden truth of life – that the restless yearnings we feel in both our bodies and our spirits are the very cry of our hearts for God. DESIRE Discover why as human beings we feel this universal “ache” for something more. Where does this hungry void in us come from? Why do we have it? What are we supposed to do with it? The sexual relationship holds out a seemingly irresistible promise of happiness. For many, sexual love seems to offer the one chance of finding satisfaction, of filling that void. We live in a

culture sated with sex, but we remain starved for love. Why is that? What role does sexuality play in our search for happiness? Design Learn what the very design of our bodies as male and female tells us about God. Why were we created as sexual beings? Why is sex designed to be so alluring and attractive? Was it only to dangle a carrot in front of our noses and then forbid us the satisfaction of eating it? Is the purpose of sex just to continue the species? Perhaps there is something deeper at work here, something grander beyond the merely physical that reveals the very meaning of existence.

Destiny Find out how we are created for bliss and why our hearts know this somehow. Desire has a trajectory. Wherever we aim it, that’s where we will ultimately arrive. According to the Christian faith, the happiness

we yearn for is precisely what God wants to give us— eternally. That’s what makes the Gospel “good news.” But the destiny of bliss is not a given. We must learn how to direct our desires according to the divine design if we are to reach our destiny.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Christopher West is a bestselling author, educator and theologian recognized around the world for promoting an integral, biblical vision of human life, love and sexuality. He serves officially as a research fellow and faculty member of the Theology of the Body Institute near Philadelphia and is the founder of The Cor Project, an organization dedicated to cultural renewal through the Theology of the Body. Fill These Hearts is available from The Cornerstone bookshop or the UponThisRock.gi shop to buy online with home delivery or Click and Collect.

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The Winds of

War OFFER For

e sit and pray, those who would delay, we sit and fast, our colours pinned to the mast. We feel the danger, amidst the raucous clash. We feel the sands of time reduce this clash of principles: we see the death of Truth, in the Winds of War We sit aloof, yet anchored in our pity. We watch the fall of yet another city. What will this gain? This anger mixed with pain? What will this augur, the death of yet another daughter in the Winds of War? Will we stop killing? With chemicals our offspring, with pills and potions poisoning our women? Will we stop filling our seas and skies with deceit and lies, while oceans die and the last birds fly? Will we stop chilling tales of murder and abuse by those so righteous, so clever in the use of words, in places once trusted but now misused? Will we stop injustice in the hands of politicians blinded by their office to simple, soft compassions? Will we bring peace to the Middle East? To Jew and Palestinian will we bring any relief? With the Winds of War? Will we gain oil? With all this blood and boil, with all the grief and toil, will we alleviate our stress? Can we perceive the mess this unholy quest for spoils more nebulous than gas, more terrible than mass destruction of the sands of foreign lands will bring upon us all, in the Winds of War? Can we take heart that Man will learn a lesson still unlearned, but costing more or less a generation by the Winds of War?

SPECIAL

Can we hope that this will be the last one? That now we can pass on to times of peace and halcyon days? Through the Winds of War? Will we embrace the face of Jesus Christ or Saviour, will we save the human race or will we perish in the Winds of War?

Will we stop profiting from misery brought upon our brothers by substances forbidden but secretly enjoyed by those that keep it hidden? Will we prevent disease? Will one life be lengthened? Will one child be strengthened? In the Winds of War? Will we eradicate starvation, Third World debt and deprivation? Will we stamp out exploitation, bring equality to nations by the Winds of War?

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Will the humble be exalted, catapulted to the moon? Or is it far too soon to expect answers to the questions cried in darkness and depression blown in by the Winds of War. The winds of war blow violently past my window frame. The winds of war thrust young men into unwanted fame. Who hangs their photo now in a silver frame? Who mourns their graves now in a terror end game: The Winds of War.

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The winds of war choke any hope of peace. The winds of war destroy the golden fleece. Where now the brave? Amid the smoke and fear? Where now the wise, are they before the tanks now, so derisive? Old tensions rise, new weapons can’t destroy the age old greed the hungry power lords feed with the Winds of War. A. Sargent.

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Anne Mesilio

GOLDEN YEARS “At 10.30am on a rather wet morning which later brightened up, I married Miss Lilian Borastero at the Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned with his Lordship the Bishop John Farmer Healy officiating.” Manolo Gomez shared his memory with me as he recounted their wedding day, 50 golden years ago on September 14th 1963. Later at the reception it transpired that the lovely bride and the Bishop shared in common the fact that they had both been born in Jamaica where Gibraltarians had been evacuated to during World War two. Later that day another wedding took place, that of Manolo’s friend since school days, Johnny Llamas who married Miss Marie Carmen Netto at St. Joseph’s church. Both marriages and friendships have endured and

both couples celebrated with a holiday as indeed they shared their honeymoon trip through Spain, France and Italy, 50 years ago. In this 21st century of technological advances once undreamed of and mans quest of ever pursuing new horizons, what keeps a marriage grounded. Especially after 50 years of this new ‘throw away’ society? Once the wedding finery is packed away the learning begins, not just about the person you have pledged your lifetime to, but also about yourself. This lifelong pledge has been seen by Pope Francis as “Promising love forever is possible when we perceive a plan bigger than our own ideas and undertakings, a plan which sustains us and enables us to surrender our future entirely to the one we love.” Historically, celebrating wedding anniversaries dates back to the days of the Holy Roman Empire when husbands crowned their wives with a silver wreath for their 25th anniversary and a golden wreath for the 50th anniversary. It certainly calls for celebrations when couples have

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cherished their marriage through change, growth, stumbles, and the sharing of sad and happy times. By any calculation, 50 years is a long time, half a century even! It is indeed a solemn moment but one filled with joy and festivity. Once upon a time man communicated by way of smoke

signals but communicated is the operative word. Couples who share by listening and talking to each other with respect, warmth and love will keep a friendship alive in the relationship. The writer Anais Nin put it beautifully when she said, “Each friend represents a world in us,

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Forever

a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born”. I know we have been shot into the digital age of instant communication at the touch of a button, but nothing can beat switching off the television and mobiles, unplugging the phone and sitting comfortably to actually enjoy an uninterrupted chat together, this has to be the foundation of any marriage where ‘going for gold’ becomes a focus. Manolo, Lilian, Marie Carmen, Johnny and all those who will celebrate a milestone anniversary this year, my prayer for you... “May the Lord bless and continue to guide and protect

you within the holy bonds of marriage. May love and friendship help you overcome the challenges you may yet face together, and may you always rejoice in the gift of your love”.

The Annual Wedding Anniversary Celebrations Registration Form

Cut out (or photocopy) this form and hand it in to the Catholic Bookshop next to the Cathedral no later than the Saturday 11 January 2014.

Mr. & Mrs._ _________________________________________ Forenames: Husband _ ________________________________ Forenames: Wife_____________________________________

Neé_________________________________________________ Address_ ____________________________________________

e-mail_______________________________________________

Tel. No. Home________________________________________ Tel. No. Work ________________________________________

Mobile_ _____________________________________________ Date of Marriage _____________________________________ Church______________________________________________ N.B. If marriage took place outside Gibraltar please produce a copy of the marriage Certificate when handing in this form. This form should be handed in at the Cathedral bookshop as soon as possible and no later than Saturday 11th January. You can e-mail above detail/form to: duos@gibtelecom.net

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