April 2015 166

Stop Press....How we can help in the

Middle East

John Pontifex makes a special appeal for suffering communities in the Middle East

Christians who have escaped from Mosul and Nineveh Plains gather for prayer in a refugee centre outside St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Ankawa, Photo: Aid to the Church in Need.

Erbil, Kurdish northern Iraq

We CAN all help!

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We can give emergency help to people fleeing persecution, in Syria, Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle East, by raising awareness and funding for basic needs and of course, with our prayers.

John Pontifex at St. Theresa’s

The Middle East, the birthplace of Christianity, was, until modern times, made up of a large proportion of Christians.

For instance, in Iraq there were more than a million Christians

before 2003 – more than the number of practising Catholics in England and Wales today.

Now in Iraq there are barely 300,000 Christians left. Up to half of them are internally displaced and desperate to leave. In response, charities are redoubling efforts to help – often combining forces in the process.

John Pontifex is UK Head of Press for Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need, which helps persecuted Christians. Having travelled to many countries where Christians suffer, John has

Upon this Rock magazine is published monthly by EuropeAxess Media, Gibraltar. Editor: Fr. S. Chipolina: editor@uponthisrock.gi. Production Editor: A. Sargent angela@europeaxess.com. Upon this Rock magazine is entirely supported by advertising and donations. It is run in liaison with the Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar by EuropeAxess Media Ltd. as a not-for-profit project. For Advertisers: This magazine is handdelivered 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.

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COVER PIC: Members of Emmaus Prayer Group at FLAME 2, London. Photos: S. Ballester

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Fr. Stuart has given up these pages for this Special Appeal on behalf of Aid to the Church in Need and KOHS Gibraltar, but he will be back next

month with his popular ‘Dear Friends’ editorial.

Archbishop Warda of Erbil seen the reality of persecution on the ground. He edited ACN’s Religious Freedom in the World Report 2014, assessing the situation for faith communities in 196 countries.

On a recent visit to Gibraltar John explained “The Knights of the Holy Sepulchre in Gibraltar contacted me in London. They invited me to come over and talk about how the threat posed by so-called Islamic State, and other extremists, is threatening Christian minorities in Iraq and Syria.

Their churches are being desecrated, their homes are being destroyed, they have been stripped of their livelihoods, they are being kidnapped and forced out of communities which have been home to Christians since the First Century AD. They are refugees and who is there to help them?

None of us want to see Christianity in the region disappear but it could happen.”

Sr. Annie Demerjian

Photo: Aid to the Church in Need

Photo: Aid to the Church in Need

Photo: Aid to the Church in Need.

“I would describe the attacks

by IS as pure evil, as bad as the Nazis.”

How are the funds raised

After fleeing for their lives (many of them professionals: engineers, doctors, accountants and teachers) they have resorted to sleeping under bridges or tarpaulins in the freezing winter temperatures.

Some of the more fortunate people have reached Erbil. This family are really happy to have been provided with an Aid to the Church in Need shelter, in the form of an empty PVC container in the grounds of St. Joseph’s Cathedral.

Photo: Aid to the Church in Need.

through this appeal used?

“The Knights in Gibraltar are responding to an appeal from the Vatican to expand their relief work in the region – helping the poorest of the poor.

Aid to the Church in Need is providing food, shelter, medicine and counselling for Christians from Syria and Iraq.

In Syria, for example, we are working closely with Sister Annie Demerjian and Archbishop Hindo in the northeast of the country.

ACN is supporting projects, coordinated by volunteers and spearheaded by Archbishop Warda of Erbil, for 125,000

Photo: ac3m.org

In an area known as ‘the Valley of the Christians’ a young lad has his plastic container filled with porridge. When asked about the girl next in line, John explained that having visited Lebanon and met Syrian refugees, it can be hard to tell what religion someone is just because of their headscarf, as sometimes Christians will also wear headscarves if they’ve come from predominantly Islamic areas. As I understand it, while most of those displaced in the Valley of the Christians are Christian, some moderate Alawite and Shia Muslims have also sought refuge there, as all minorities are persecuted by the terrorists, and the Church there is providing help for displaced families without regards to their religion.

Archbishop Jaques Hindo displaced Christians in Kurdish northern Iraq.”

If you can help in any way, contact Aid to the Church in Need via their website: www.acnuk.org, or KoHS contact Joe Garcia ftreasurer@eohs.gi Tel 56000454

What you are describing, and the atrocities we hear about in the Media, sound like something from WWII?

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Pope Francis sent his blessings to over 8,000 young people, gathered in Wembley Arena, for the Catholic Youth Ministry Federation Congress, entitled “Flame 2”, during the weekend of 8 & 9 March, one of the largest ever be held in UK.

Testimonies from some of the Gibraltarian participants: Jamie Rocca I can honestly say the retreat was a profound encounter with God from start to finish. It was beautiful to see how, in the event itself, there were 8,000 people who all shared one thing in common, their love for Jesus Christ. The themes of joy and mercy were felt throughout the entire day in song, praise and through the various speakers which graced the stage. Cardinal Tagle particularly highlighted ‘the incalculable harm done by lack of mercy to individual persons, families and communities’ and asked us to be renewed in our Catholic call to be merciful individuals by delivering the mercy which Christ himself gives us.

The sense of unity I experienced in adoration within the arena, amongst thousands of people, was testimony to the fact that we all need time in Eucharistic adoration in order to find the strength, courage and desire to bring mercy and love to those who need it, through Christ. Flame 2 was ultimately a touching experience full of the fervent love which the Catholic youth have for God. The weekend has really opened my eyes to the way in which we need to ask Christ to show us how to best serve him and truly begin to do his work.

Ronnie Alecio I learnt a simple and well known lesson, that our God is a God of mercy and love. No matter how degraded, used or miserable we feel His love overpowers all. It is hard to forgive and be Christ-like sometimes. Indeed it is impossible by any power of our own. But if we acknowledge God as a source of love and mercy we begin a journey that helps us to overcome our limitations. It’s the first step to becoming whole and healed. The more we accept God into our lives (by prayer, meditation, the sacraments, but most importantly simply a desire to know Him) the more we can receive His blessings and graces that ultimately allow us to become more Christ-like, more loving and merciful. Suddenly and sometimes without warning the Holy Spirit comes upon us and transforms us, we let go of our egos and our resentment and depression, in its place the Lord fills us with wisdom and understanding and an ability to love and forgive like God loves

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Members of Emmaus Prayer Group at FLAME 2, London. and forgives. This weekend I learnt that our God is sweet and that a life with Him is a life of sweetness and beauty. You learn to let go and see the good in this sometimes sad and destructive world.

Transcripts from the inspiring Cardinal Tagle, thought-provoking Baroness Sheila and the powerful ‘Love Chooses You’ by David Wells are now online at www.cymfed.org.uk/flame2 Sean Ballester This retreat in Wembley has been one of a kind. Our group of 16 was accompanied by another 8,000 young people, at Wembley Arena, who came from all over to join in praise and worship. During the event, as Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle spoke about Joy and Mercy, I could not help but think and feel just how much God loves me. There is nothing I can do to gain or earn God’s Love. The bottom line is that God truly loves me because I belong to Him! Cardinal Tagle spoke about the lack of Mercy in today’s world and then went on to explain God’s Mercy and justice. As I listened to this inspirational man, it became evident how unworthy I am to receive God’s love yet God pours his love into my heart because I am His. Cardinal Tagle repeated this message several times, ‘You are mine, God says’. Prayer comes from God’s desire for relationship with us and we ourselves thirst for this same desire to be in relationship with Him. This retreat has been the platform for a truly personal encounter with God. The opportunity of sharing our faith with so many, is always an invaluable experience which makes you realize that our journey of faith is not to be made alone, but with the help of all those God puts in our path. I challenge both young and old to ask God for the gift of faith every single day. I recall how the person next to me turned and said, “if this is what it is like to praise God on earth, imagine what it must be like in heaven!”

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Photos: S. Ballester

Dana Garcia This quote sums up my experience this weekend “happiness cannot be travelled to, owned, earned or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude & being thankful for the life we have been given.” Thanks to all those involved in the organisation of this event.

Lorena Garcia I’m glad I went to the retreat, late but got there in the end. This weekend has been very moving. What hit me the most was the last night, when everyone was praying so deeply for one another in adoration. I got really emotional. I’ve also realised I have a lot to thank God for. It’s been a very touching weekend and I thank everyone who organised it and everyone who went for making it worthwhile.

Louise McCarthy I nearly didn’t go to the retreat on Friday as I had a presentation due Monday. However, I’m so glad I ended up going because it was truly an amazing experience. I think what touched me most was seeing so many young people in the same situation as me probably with so much work yet making an effort to be there with God.

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Jensen Ballestrino It was an inspirational experience, which has brought me closer to God and has also made me want to feel his love, mercy and grace more than ever before.

Oliver Porral A big step in a long journey of self discovery and finding God’s purpose in our lives, as well as coming closer to him.

Paul Earle I have really enjoyed the whole weekend. Being able to see all my friends for a few days in London was great. The best part of the retreat was the inspirational speakers in flame 2 and to top it all off we had live music from Matt Redman, someone whose songs have helped me in prayer for many years!

Gabriella Martinez I mainly looked forward to this retreat to be reunited with everyone but I’ve come out with much more. Hearing the talks in flame 2 made me understand and learn more about God’s mercy. This helped me in adoration as I saw things in a different perspective.

Alexandra Holliday The retreat has been a wonderful and different experience to the other retreats I have attended. Flame 2 was truly inspiring with their main focus being mercy and joy. The preachers expressed many times that we could not do anything without God. We need to seek humility, even though in the world we live, it seems hard to do so.

Henry Earle Senior This weekend turned out to be a personal encounter with Jesus, a loving and Merciful God who has/is/will always be by my side, no matter what I do, where I am or how far I try to go from Him. It was a blessing to be in London and share this experience with a group of friends who are open hearted young men and women, who were truthful and sincere, with themselves and each other.

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How does the festival of Easter have relevence today?

HISTORY Easter: festival of Christ’s resurrection and supreme feast of the Christian year, Easter also forms the core of Greek and Russian Orthodox Churches. The Jewish Passover happens at the same time.

This time is a curious mix of belief and custom, derived from two ancient traditions, Judeo-Christian and also older Pagan rites. Both Christians and Pagans have celebrated death and resurrection themes following the Spring equinox for millennia. Early Christian leaders quickly realised that native ideology could not be totally abolished and

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incorporated all that was not utterly irreconcilable with the new principles of Christianity in a process of inculturation.

EASTER TODAY In this modern, broken world of ours, Easter raises questions about living and dying which may be disturbing for some.

Living with an acceptance of our mortality can lead to compassion, which helps allay the fear of embracing our death, a fear that so often inhibits our ability to live fully. We only have to look as far as Europe to witness the grinding effects of austerity measures, and we are stirred to compassion for young people without work or

direction. Or to the misery faced in Eastern Ukraine, caused by the devastation of armed conflict and the humanitarian consequences of this (latest figures show that 1,070,000 people are displaced there), and to other world conflicts where life is taken with impunity and the spectre of death is ever present.

How then does the feast of

Easter have relevance today?

“Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are an Easter people and ‘Hallelujah’ is our song”. These rallying words from Pope John Paul II (now Saint) echo from the great St. Augustine from over 1,600 years ago. They are startling words, then and now, as we consider that we live in a ‘Good Friday’ world. This is a

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Families unite in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at St. Theresa’s Church Jan 2015 with Santos Productions Choir.

We are an Easter People

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Background

Anne Mesilio powerful expression helping to ground our faith in the reality of life as we know it. Media outlets bombard us with news from a world filled with cruelty and darkness. Personal experiences of sadness, pain, loss and hurt can be overwhelming (I speak from experience at this time in my own life).

Good Friday is a day of mourning in the Church, when we remember Christ’s suffering and death, and look forward to the resurrection which is the central teaching of Christianity.

We need to understand that Easter is a celebration of the ‘defeat of death’ for if He was not raised, then we are without hope. Easter spells out beauty; there is a promise of new life all around us as the earth blossoms forth after winter’s darkness. There is a restorative quality about Spring which we, as Easter people, must celebrate. It spells out rebirth

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and redemption despite the pain and suffering, unfairness and lack of basic human rights which endure. In our so called civilised society there is rampant greed, corruption and disharmony. Easter people do not escape from the Good Friday realities of struggles and heartache which clutter our days. Indeed the joyful news that He is risen does not change our world, but as Easter people we must keep Christ present in our daily lives as this human suffering prevails. Remember the Good Friday Agreement (1998) which brought to an end 30 years of sectarian conflict in Northern Ireland? Well, the significance of the day probably escaped me at the time but surely this is a great example of the courage to overcome, to bring new life out of death and destruction and to look beyond the tragedies which had beset so many lives.

Being an Easter people today does not mean an escape from the realities of our broken world where injustice and suffering still prevail. We are called upon to exercise compassion

as we tackle racism, cultural diversities, poverty, disease, loneliness and grief.

There is nothing wrong in celebrating this joyous season of Easter with chocolate bunnies and eggs. Certainly this day is one for indulging in frivolity; a festive air reigns for in general it is holiday time. It is said that the sun danced for joy on Easter morn, a delightful thought! Easter offers us the spiritual chance to accept the discipline, sacrifice and work needed, as Albert Einstein put it “Our task must be to free ourselves... by widening our

circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty”.

We celebrate the promise of new life, after darkness comes light, the ability of the human heart to overcome tragedy and begin to live in hope. This then is Easter.

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Consecrated Life

Year of Consecrated Life 2015 - 2016

“Cherish God’s vocation in you.

Let it be constant, efficacious, and loving.” Venerable Mary Ward

In this year dedicated by the Holy See to Consecrated Life, one can sometimes ask oneself, “Are these nuns and monks celebrating this Year of Consecrated Life?” The answer to this is no. There are

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many forms of Consecrated Life, and one sometimes does not realise, that even their ‘next door neighbour’ could be a ‘consecrated person’.

Therefore, I invite you to read along and find out

more about all the forms of consecrated life …

Throughout the history of the Church there have been different forms of consecrated life; varied ways of expressing a desire to follow Christ with an ‘undivided heart’ (1 Corinthians 7:34).

Through vows of life-long celibacy and often through vows of poverty and obedience, men and women have sought to follow Christ’s own example as closely as possible.

Consecrated life may be lived as a member of an institute, such as in a religious congregation, or individually, where vows are made to the diocesan Bishop.

Consecrated Virgins [Ordo Virginum] Long before religious life had a distinctive identity in the Church, St. Paul mentions women who remained unmarried and devoted themselves to prayer (1 Corinthians 7).

However, as communal forms of consecrated life gradually became the central form of ecclesial consecration, these ancient Orders disappeared.

However, in the 1960s the Church reinstated the Order, where women who intended to remain virgins and who have never married are consecrated to perpetual virginity, to a life of prayer and penance, and to the service of the Church under the guidance of their local bishop.

Because consecrated virgins have no rule or community, own their own property and care for their personal needs, it is particularly important that those who are discerning this state of life are mature and self-reliant women.

Consecrated Hermits With the ending of the persecution of Christians in the fourth century, the first

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Re s e a r c h e d b y L o u i s a A g u i l e r a

Christian hermits, known as the Desert Fathers and Mothers, experienced a call to leave ‘the world’ to seek God in solitude, austerity and prayer. While some remained hermits, others attracted small communities around them, which became the beginning of Christian monasticism.

Throughout the history of the Church there have been a small number of people who are called to the life of a hermit. Today most hermits are attached to a religious community, in which they have lived and grown to a mature understanding of

their particular calling. For example, Thomas Merton lived in community as a Trappist monk for 25 years before becoming a hermit attached to his community. Others like Sr. Wendy Beckett are directly dependant on their local Bishop.

She had been a religious sister in a teaching order for many years before leaving her congregation to become a hermit and a consecrated virgin.

Religious Life Religious life is the form of consecrated life that Catholics are most familiar with. There are

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hundreds of different religious orders or congregations, each of which contributes a particular gift to the life of the Church.

Within religious life the main distinction is between monks and nuns who live in an enclosed convent or monastery and religious who work outside the cloister, for example in education, health-care or evangelisation.

Religious make vows of lifelong celibacy, poverty and obedience (though these are named differently in some congregations). They usually live in a community, where they support each other in prayer, in ministry and in providing for the daily needs of each one.

Each religious congregation is a public witness to one particular way of following Christ. Some religious wear a distinctive clothing or habit, others express their solidarity with those among whom they live and work by wearing ordinary clothes, often with a cross or distinctive symbol of their religious congregation.

Many male religious are priests but there is also a strong

tradition of religious brothers in the Church. The three types of male religious congregations are religious institutes of brothers (such as the De la Salle Brothers), clerical institutes (such as the Marist Fathers) and ‘mixed’ institutes, such as the Franciscan Capuchins, where members who are priests and those who are brothers express together the essential charism of the congregation.

Societies of Apostolic Life There are many forms of Societies of Apostolic Life, all

of which resemble institutes of consecrated life, but to different degrees. Members usually live in community and are dedicated to a specific apostolic or missionary task.

In some Societies of Apostolic Life members take private contined overleaf

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Consecrated Life

CH

R ISTI A

of the consecrated life have emerged, often within new ecclesial movements such as Focolare.

The Canon Law of the Church envisages new forms of consecrated life being approved by the Holy See in the future.

For full article see http://www. ukvocation.org/consecrated-life

FUNDING AVAILABLE

The Christian Mission Trust provides local Christians with donations for evangelistic SI O N T R initiatives and outreaches.

The Trust is ecumenical and has provided money to many groups, individuals and churches during the last 12 years. It is run by a Board of Trustees.

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Consecration in a Secular Institute Secular institutes are a relatively new form of consecration in the Church. They developed in the 20th century, enabling lay people to live entirely in the secular world of work and society while also promising to live in poverty, chastity and obedience according to the institute. Through this distinctive form of consecration in the world, members of Secular Institutes contribute in a particular way to the Church’s evangelising mission by helping to ensure that the Church has an effective presence in society.

Members of secular institutes express their special consecration

MIS

vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, in others only the vow of chastity is taken, while in some there are no vows to the society at all. For example, the Mill Hill Missionaries commit themselves to the Society by taking a Missionary oath through which members dedicate themselves for life to be available for the mission of the Society. Others, like the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul each make annual private vows on a set date. Still others, like the Congregation of the Oratory, are groups of priests living in community without vows.

in apostolic activity, living either alone, in their families or in fraternal groups. Unlike many religious, they do not have a distinctive habit.

The different Secular institutes have distinctive spiritualities, such as the Dominican Secular Institute and Notre-Dame De Vie (Carmelite). Nourished by the spiritual riches of their Institute, members find strength to live and work in the ordinary conditions of the world and so contribute to the coming of God’s kingdom.

New For ms of Consecrated Life In recent decades new forms

We invite applications for funding from anyone who wishes to launch an evangelistic initiative or who needs support for an existing Christian missionary activity.

Please write to: The Chairman, Christian Mission Trust, 4 South Pavilion Road, Gibraltar.

St. Paul’s Parish pilgrimage to Avila

‘The footsteps of St Teresa’ 16th - 22nd September 2015 (6 nights) €535 pp sharing twin/double room €150 Single supplement Deposits of €135 pp by 28th February Visiting all the places in Avila associated with her life and other Saints important in her life, such as St. John of the Cross, St. John of Avila, St. Peter of Alcantara and St. John of God. Also visiting Alba de Tormes & Segovia There is a waiting list for this pilgrimage... to register your interest contact parish office.

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News The Charismatic Renwal presents Padre Gislaine Roy Gifted by God as a powerful preacher.

Find healing and liberation.

3th - 16th April GIBRALTAR

ST. PAUL’S PARISH CHURCH DIVINE MERCY NOVENA Sat 4th April before Easter Vigil 9.00pm (Chaplet/Vigil)

‘Pass it Foreward’ Rosaries

Sun 5th April before Easter Community Mass 11.30am

Mon 6th April – Sat 11th April every day at 6.30pm followed

by Mass

An Emmus Youth Ministry outreach for WYD 2016 “The idea is to pray 3000 rosaries and take them with us to World Youth Day,” explained Henry Earle Snr., “once there, we will give them out to whoever God inspires us, telling them that we have prayed this rosary for ‘Pass it Forward’. Each pack has a rosary and a card with Our Lady of Europe and instruction on how to say the rosary. We hope to pray, encourage others to pray, evangelise as we pass it forward and promote the devotion to our Lady of Europe”.

3rd - 11th April

Fri 3rd April (Good Friday) after the Holy Hour 12 midnight (Chaplet)

DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY Sun 12th April 11.30am Chaplet 12 noon Solemn Mass followed by benediction and veneration of the relic of St Faustina

Ecumenical - Interfaith

First Iberian Christian Orthodox Congress Madrid 2 May 2015

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Image Courtesy: bocsupport network “Jesus teaching”

Editorial Suggested by Monique Risso: paragraphs 29–30 & 42-45, from Saint Pope Paul II’s EVANGELIUM VITAE

I CAME THAT THEY MAY HAVE LIFE

“The life was made manifest, and we saw it” with our gaze fixed on Christ, “the Word of life”

Faced with the countless grave threats to life present in the modern world, one could feel overwhelmed by sheer powerlessness: good can never be powerful enough to triumph over evil!

At such times the People of God, and this includes every believer, is called to profess with humility and courage its faith in Jesus Christ, “the Word of life” (1 Jn 1:1). The Gospel

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of life is not simply a reflection, however new and profound, on human life. Nor is it merely a commandment aimed at raising awareness and bringing about significant changes in society.

Still less is it an illusory promise of a better future. The Gospel of life is something concrete and personal, for it consists in the proclamation of the very person of Jesus. Jesus made himself known to the Apostle Thomas, and in him to every person, with the words: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (Jn 14:6).

This is also how he spoke of himself to Martha, the sister of Lazarus: “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die” (Jn 11:25-26). Jesus is the Son who from all eternity receives life from the Father (cf. Jn 5:26), and who has come among men to make them sharers in this gift: “I came that they may have

life, and have it abundantly” (Jn 10:10).

Through the words, the actions and the very person of Jesus, man is given the possibility of “knowing” the complete truth concerning the value of human life. From this “source” he receives, in particular, the capacity to “accomplish” this truth perfectly (cf. Jn 3:21), that is, to accept and fulfil completely the responsibility of loving and serving, of defending and promoting human life. In Christ, the Gospel of life is definitively proclaimed and fully given. This is the Gospel which, already present in the Revelation of the Old Testament, and indeed written in the heart of every man and woman, has echoed in every conscience “from the beginning”, from the time of creation itself, in such a way that, despite the negative consequences of sin, it can also be known in its essential traits by human reason. As the

Second Vatican Council teaches, Christ “perfected revelation by fulfilling it through his whole work of making himself present and manifesting himself; through his words and deeds, his signs and wonders, but especially through his death and glorious Resurrection from the dead and final sending of the Spirit of truth. Moreover, he confirmed with divine testimony what revelation proclaimed: that God is with us to free us from the darkness of sin and death, and to raise us up to life eternal”.

The Words of God Hence, with our attention fixed on the Lord Jesus, we wish to hear from him once again “the words of God” (Jn 3:34) and meditate anew on the Gospel of life. The deepest and most original meaning of this meditation on what revelation tells us about human life was taken up by the Apostle John in the opening words of his First Letter: “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life–the life was made manifest, and we saw it, and testify to it, and proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was made manifest to us– that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you may have fellowship with us” (1:1-3).

In Jesus, the “Word of life”, God’s eternal life is thus proclaimed and given. Thanks to this proclamation and gift, our physical and spiritual life, also in its earthly phase, acquires its full value and meaning, for God’s eternal life is in fact the end to which our living in this world is directed and called.

In this way the Gospel of life includes everything that human experience and reason tell us about the value of human life, accepting it, purifying it, exalting it and bringing it to fulfilment.

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Be fruitful and multiply... ...and fill the earth and subdue it” (Gen 1:28): man’s responsibility for life To defend and promote life, to show reverence and love for it, is a task which God entrusts to every man, calling him as his living image to share in his own lordship over the world: “God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth’ “ (Gen 1:28).

The biblical text clearly shows the breadth and depth of the lordship which God bestows on man. It is a matter first of all of dominion over the earth and over every living creature, as the Book of Wisdom makes clear: “O God of my fathers and Lord of mercy ... by your wisdom you have formed man, to have dominion over the creatures you have made, and rule the world in holiness and righteousness” (Wis 9:1, 2-3). The Psalmist too extols the dominion given to man as a sign of glory and honour from his Creator: “You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the sea” (Ps 8:6-8).

As one called to till and look after the garden of the world (cf. Gen 2:15), man

has a specific responsibility towards the environment in which he lives, towards the creation which God has put at the service of his personal dignity, of his life, not only for the present but also for future generations. It is the ecological question-ranging from the preservation of the natural habitats of the different species of animals and of other forms of life to “human ecology” properly speaking 28 - which finds in the Bible clear and strong ethical direction, leading to a solution which respects the great good of life, of every life.

In fact, “the do- minion granted to man by the Creator is not an absolute power, nor can one speak of a freedom to ‘use and misuse’, or to dispose of things as one pleases. The limitation imposed from the beginning by the Creator himself and expressed symbolically by the prohibition not to ‘eat of the fruit of the tree’ (cf. Gen 2:1617) shows clearly enough that, when it comes to the natural world, we are subject not only to biological laws but also to moral ones, which cannot be violated with impunity”.29 Sharing in Creation A certain sharing by man in God’s lordship is also evident in the specific responsibility which he is given for human life as such. It is a responsibility which reaches its highest point in the giving of life through procreation by man and woman in marriage. As the Second Vatican Council teaches: “God himself who said, ‘It is not good for man to be alone’ (Gen 2:18) and ‘who made man from the beginning male and female’ (Mt 19:4), wished to

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Contined from previous page share with man a certain special participation in his own creative work. Thus he blessed male and female saying: ‘Increase and multiply’ (Gen 1:28).

By speaking of “a certain special participation” of man and woman in the “creative work” of God, the Council wishes to point out that having a child is an event which is deeply human and full of religious meaning, insofar as it involves both the spouses, who form “one flesh” (Gen 2:24), and God who makes himself present. As I wrote in my Letter to Families: “When a new person is born of the conjugal union of the two, he brings with him into the world a particular image and likeness of God himself: the genealogy of the person is inscribed in the very biology of generation.

In affirming that the spouses, as parents, cooperate with God the Creator in conceiving and giving birth to a new human being, we are not speaking merely with reference to the laws of biology. Instead, we wish to emphasize that God himself is present in human

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fatherhood and motherhood quite differently than he is present in all other instances of begetting ‘on earth’. Indeed, God alone is the source of that ‘image and likeness’ which is proper to the human being, as it was received at Creation.

Begetting is the continuation of Creation”.

This is what the Bible teaches in direct and eloquent language when it reports the joyful cry of the first woman, “the mother of all the living” (Gen 3:20). Aware that God has intervened, Eve exclaims: “I have begotten a man with the help of the Lord” (Gen 4:1). In procreation therefore, through the communication of life from parents to child, God’s own image and likeness is transmitted, thanks to the creation of the immortal soul.

The beginning of the “book of the genealogy of Adam” expresses it in this way: “When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and called them man when they were created. When Adam had lived a hundred and thirty years, he

became the father of a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth” (Gen 5:13). It is precisely in their role as co-workers with God who transmits his image to the new creature that we see the greatness of couples who are ready “to cooperate with the love of the Creator and the Saviour, who through them will enlarge and enrich his own family day by day”. This is why the Bishop Amphilochius extolled “holy matrimony, chosen and elevated above all other earthly gifts” as “the begetter of humanity, the creator of images of God”.

Thus, a man and woman joined in matrimony become partners in a divine undertaking: through the act of procreation, God’s gift is accepted and a new life opens to the future.

But over and above the specific mission of parents, the

task of accepting and serving life involves everyone; and this task must be fulfilled above all towards life when it is at its weakest. It is Christ himself who reminds us of this when he asks to be loved and served in his brothers and sisters who are suffering in any way: the hungry, the thirsty, the foreigner, the naked, the sick, the imprisoned ... Whatever is done to each of them is done to Christ himself (cf. Mt 25:31-46).

“For you formed my inmost being” (Ps 139:13) The dignity of the unborn child.

Human life finds itself most vulnerable when it enters the world and when it leaves the realm of time to embark upon eternity. The word of God frequently repeats the call to show care and respect, above all where life is undermined by sickness and old age. Although there are no direct and explicit calls to protect human life at its very beginning, specifically life not yet born, and life nearing its end, this can easily be explained by the fact that the mere possibility of harming, attacking, or actually denying life in these circumstances is completely foreign to the religious and cultural way of thinking of the People of God. In the Old Testament, sterility is dreaded as a curse, while numerous offspring are viewed as a blessing: “Sons are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward” (Ps 127:3; cf. Ps 128:3-4).

This belief is also based on Israel’s awareness of being the people of the Covenant, called to increase in accordance with the promise made to Abraham: “Look towards heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them ... so shall your descendants be” (Gen 15:5).

But more than anything else, at work here is the certainty that the life which parents transmit has its origins in God. We see this attested in the many biblical

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passages which respectfully and lovingly speak of conception, of the forming of life in the mother’s womb, of giving birth and of the intimate connection between the initial moment of life and the action of God the Creator.

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you” (Jer 1:5): the life of every individual, from its very beginning, is part of God’s plan. Job, from the depth of his pain, stops to contemplate the work of God who miraculously formed his body in his mother’s womb. Here he finds reason for trust, and he expresses his belief that there is a divine plan for his life: “You have fashioned and made me; will you then turn and destroy me? Remember that you have made me of clay; and will you turn me to dust again? Did you not pour me out like milk and curdle me like cheese? You clothed me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews.

You have granted me life and steadfast love; and your care has preserved my spirit” (Job 10:8-

12). Expressions of awe and wonder at God’s intervention in the life of a child in its mother’s womb occur again and again in the Psalms.

How can anyone think that even a single moment of this marvellous process of the unfolding of life could be separated from the wise and loving work of the Creator, and left prey to human caprice?

Certainly the mother of the seven brothers did not think so; she professes her faith in God, both the source and guarantee of life from its very conception, and the foundation of the hope of new life beyond death: “I do not know how you came into being in my womb.

It was not I who gave you life and breath, nor I who set in order the elements within each of you. Therefore the Creator of the world, who shaped the beginning of man and devised the origin of all things, will in his mercy give life and breath back to you again, since you now forget yourselves for the sake of his laws” (2 Mac 7:2223).

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The value of life from the very beginning.

The New Testament revelation confirms the indisputable recognition of the value of life from its very beginning.

The exaltation of fruitfulness and the eager expectation of life resound in the words with which Elizabeth rejoices in her pregnancy: “The Lord has looked on me ... to take away my reproach among men” (Lk 1:25). And even more so, the value of the person from the moment of conception is celebrated in the meeting between the Virgin Mary and Elizabeth, and between the two children whom they are carrying in the womb. It is precisely the children who reveal the advent of the Messianic age: in their meeting, the redemptive power of the presence of the Son of God among men first becomes operative. As Saint Ambrose writes: “The arrival of Mary and the blessings of the Lord’s presence are also speedily declared ... Elizabeth was the first to hear the voice; but John was the first to experience grace. She heard according to

the order of nature; he leaped because of the mystery. She recognized the arrival of Mary; he the arrival of the Lord.

The woman recognized the woman’s arrival; the child, that of the child. The women speak of grace; the babies make it effective from within to the advantage of their mothers who, by a double miracle, prophesy under the inspiration of their children. The infant leaped, the mother was filled with the Spirit. The mother was not filled before the son, but after the son was filled with the Holy Spirit, he filled his mother too”.

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