Opening the
There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who converts...
The Gospel reading was taken from St. Luke... What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbours, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. Luke 15:1-7
The opening of the Holy Door is a traditional rite, which began as a logistical solution. Originally, an extra door was opened in St. Peter’s, and the other major basilicas in Rome, during a jubilee year in order to accommodate the increased traffic caused by pilgrims visiting the Eternal City.
For the first time in history the Holy Doors are not reserved for the basilicas in Rome but every diocesan Cathedral or shrine
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. The magazine is online at uponthisrock.gi. You’ll find exclusive Christian gifts in the WebShop. COVER: Mgr. Paul Bear opened the Holy Door. (Digitally enhanced image) A. Sargent.
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Holy Door O
n the 8th December last year, Monsignor Paul Bear led the ceremonial opening of a Holy Door at the Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned in Gibraltar. Mgr. Bear gave the following official exhortation to the faithful.
“Dearly beloved brothers and sisters, with eyes fixed on Jesus and his merciful face, the Holy Father, on this Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, has inaugurated an Extraordinary Jubilee, thus opening to us and to all men and women, the door of God’s mercy. In communion with the universal Church, this celebration marks the solemn beginning of the Holy Year in our diocesan Church; a prelude to the profound experience of grace and reconciliation that awaits us this year.”
of significant importance has a Holy Door, in Gibraltar we are especially blessed as we have both a Cathedral and a Shrine of great importance, the Shrine of Our Lady of Europe. Pope Francis wants all those who cannot travel to Rome, to have the opportunity to experience the Jubilee at their local level. Mgr. Paul Bear
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led the congregation out into Main Street, holding up the Book of Gospels, round to the Lourdes Chapel, where Mgr. Bear, assisted by two acolytes, opened the Holy Door, when lights streamed through from the main nave of the Cathedral, and then everyone passed through it. When you look back through the door, you see the Crib.
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by The Cursillo Team Leaders
THE CURSILLO MOVEMENT
P
Couples celebrating their 25th, 40th, 50th or 60th wedding anniversary, or who had been married for more than 60 years in 2015, are invited to join in this celebration and renew their vows. Cut out (or photocopy if you prefer) this form and hand it in to the Catholic Bookshop next to the Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned, not later than the 16th January, forms will also be available at the Catholic Bookshop. Mr & Mrs:___________________________________________ Forenames: Husband__________________________________ Forenames: Wife______________________________________ Née:________________________________________________ Address:_____________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ E-mail:______________________________________________ Home Tel:___________________________________________
ope Francis has declared 2016 ‘The Year of Mercy’. Within the Diocese of Gibraltar, the Cursillo Movement will be embracing this through a series of events held throughout the year. This will include a monthly mass, a weekend retreat early on in the year, plus four Cursillo weekends. During his homily for a Lenten penitential service on the 13th March 2015, Pope Francis announced the extraordinary Jubilee which started last month, and is dedicated to a theme close to the pontiff’s heart: Mercy. The Pope told attendees in St. Peter’s Basilica “Dear brothers and sisters, I have thought about how the Church can make clear its mission of being a witness of mercy, it’s a journey that starts with a spiritual conversion. For this reason I have decided to declare an Extraordinary Jubilee that has the mercy of God at its centre. It will be a Holy Year of Mercy. I am convinced that the whole Church will be able to find in this Jubilee the joy of rediscovering and making fruitful the mercy of God, with which we are all called to give consolation to every man and every woman of our time.” He also entrusted the Holy Year to Mary, Mother of Mercy. The biblical passage for the Holy Year’s theme is from Luke Chapter 6 verse 36, in which Jesus tells his disciples “Be merciful as your Father is
merciful.” In a separate communication, Pope Francis acknowledges the work of the Cursillo Movement and states “Even as I write to you, I am very well aware of the difficulties that present themselves while trying to insert the Gospel into our society and also very well aware of your boldness and apostolic fervour, born of that personal encounter, between yourselves and Christ, which leads you forward to make history, for the good of many, and that the many, whether they are on the fringes of society or not, feel the loving embrace of Jesus. Being a pilgrim in our society means to be open to life and pay very close attention to what happens within our hearts just like a good Samaritan before the difficult reality of so many brothers and sisters. It is necessary that the Cursillo Movement, through the participation of everyone, continues its journey of pastoral conversion.” The Cursillo Movement aims to deliver the Pope’s wish of spiritual conversion. By helping people of faith deepen their personal experience of God’s eternal love through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. The Cursillo assists those attending to grow closer to Jesus through Piety, Study and Action. Its intent is to develop strong Christians who feel the love of Christ and wish to ultimately bring His Good News to others. The Cursillo’s long term purpose is to increase the
Work Tel: ___________________________________________ 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 or the details or scanned form emailed to: duos@gibtelecom.net as soon as possible and not later than Friday 15th January. For further information or queries contact Denise Duo on Tel: 200 43386 Mob: 57021000 E-mail: duos@gibtelecom.net
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Mercy
De Colores! - Live your life in colour
AND THE YEAR OF
awareness of the love of Jesus in our environment–at home, work and play. If you are concerned about the current state of the world and our society in general, if you would like to pray for world peace, why not join us at the mass that is to be held at St. Theresa’s church on a monthly basis. You do not have to have attended a Cursillo weekend previously to be able join us at the mass, everyone is most welcome. If you have attended a Cursillo weekend previously, please join us and bring a friend, it is important that we all get together as a community, to pray for these important issues that threaten our society. The dates and times for
the mass during the first three months are as follows:
PRAY FOR THE WORLD
dates in your diaries. We will have a full programme of Cursillo weekends, we are aiming for four, dates for the first two are as follows:
Monday 11 January NEXT CURSILLO Cursillo for Ladies: 14 -17 April Monday 15 February Cursillo for Men: 19 - 22 May Tuesday 29 March If you are interested in ALL AT at 9pm, in St. Theresa’s Church
We will be holding a weekend retreat, focusing on the Year of Mercy on the 18th and 19th of March, more information will follow on the retreat, but in the meantime please pencil these
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attending one of our Cursillo weekends, please contact us on 58008885 or send us an email on cursillogibraltar@gmail.com and we shall send you the enrolment forms, we look forward to seeing you there. God Bless. Cursillo Team Leaders
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Why NOW is the time of Mercy from thedivinemercy.org
The Second Greatest T
he Marian Press recently announced the publication of a new book by Fr. Michael Gaitley, MIC. ‘The Second Greatest Story Ever Told’ reveals the heart of St. John Paul II’s witness for our time, building on the prophetic voices of Saints Margaret Mary Alacoque, Thérèse of Lisieux, Maximilian Kolbe, and Faustina Kowalska, Father Michael answers some
questions on where he got his inspiration for the book and what makes this particular story so “great.” At what point in your life did you realize “Whoa, the connection of Divine Mercy and John Paul II and its bearing on the world today is the second greatest story, and someone needs to tell it?” It happened the day after the Pope’s death. I was on the phone with my sister, and I was telling her that I was so disappointed that John Paul hadn’t lasted one more day, that he had not gone home to the Father on Divine Mercy Sunday. That’s when my sister told me that she had heard that the vigil Mass for Divine Mercy
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Sunday had been celebrated in John Paul’s room the night he died and that he’d received Holy Communion. Hearing this, I realized that the Pope had died on Divine Mercy Sunday, because of the vigil. I thought to myself “This is an amazing story. The Lord is trying to tell us something. This story has got to be told.” I didn’t understand it at the time, but now I know that the Lord’s message to us through this amazing story is that now is the time of mercy. What is the time of mercy? I think the key to understanding what it, is comes from a passage from St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans: “Where
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sin abounded, grace abounded all the more” (Ro. 5:20). In other words, in a time of great evil, God wants to give us even greater graces. According to St. John Paul II, while the modern times in which we live certainly come with a lot of blessings, they’re also times marked by unprecedented evil. In fact, evil has a reach in our day like never before. But for this very reason, God is giving even greater graces. He’s making it easier than ever for us to become saints! And that is great news, especially for people who have become depressed or discouraged because of so much evil and corruption in the world, including our own personal sin, darkness, and wounds. Doesn’t another aspect of the time of mercy have to do with the Lord’s second coming? The Diary of St. Faustina, for instance, has several passages that refer specifically to this. Yes. Jesus told St. Faustina that she would prepare the world for the Lord’s final coming (see Diary, 429). Also, Pope John Paul II, quoting the Diary, said that the message of Divine Mercy is the spark that will prepare the world for the Lord’s final coming. Now, when some people hear that, they get nervous. Admittedly, “the end of the world” isn’t exactly a light and cheery idea. Two key points are in order here: (1) We don’t know the day or the hour of the Lord’s coming (see Mt. 24:36); (2) if we read the Diary of St. Faustina, we realize that we prepare for the Lord’s final coming, whenever it may be, not with fear and trembling, but with trust in His Divine Mercy. All that is true, but isn’t there a greater sense of urgency today? While we don’t know the day or the Lord’s final coming, didn’t Jesus say to St. Faustina that the last day is “near”? Yes, that is true. I think, though, that the only thing we can take away from this is that the message is urgent. We can’t speculate about how long we have. Rather, we need to
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Editorial selected by Dr. Monique Risso
Story Ever Told just take seriously an urgent message for our time: Now is the time of mercy. With this message in mind, we should make use of the great graces available to us! How do we know the message is true? Doesn’t the idea, that now is the time of great and unprecedented mercy, sound a bit too good to be true? Well, we know it’s true because of the story itself. My main argument in the book is that God is giving the second greatest story in the history of the world — the first greatest story after the Bible, which is to say, the story of Jesus Christ — because we need it. In other words, the message is hard to believe. It does seem “too good to be true” but when you actually read the story, the truth of it becomes clear. The story really is the greatest story after the Bible. Simply put: The Lord confirms the greatness of this message for our time through the greatness of the story.
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But haven’t most people heard the story before? I mean, we’ve all probably read about John Paul II, Fatima, and St. Faustina. What makes this book different? This book puts it all together unlike any other book I know of. Yes, most people have heard bits and pieces of the story, but The Second Greatest Story Ever Told draws out unheard of insights and connections that make people say “Wow!” At least it made me say that. I mean, as I was doing the research for it, I myself kept being amazed at what I was finding. Even Fr. Seraphim Michalenko MIC, a great and seasoned expert on the message of Divine Mercy, said after reading the book “Where did you find all those connections? What taught you all that?” It’s true. When you read this book, you get fired up. What do you recommend we do now? Get the book! Read it. And then you’ll realize that the second
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greatest story is also meant to be my story and your story. Just as the time of mercy is now, so also the second greatest story is still unfolding, right now. We’re all being called to participate in it. It’s a big deal and a blessing to make it our own. But we can’t be part of it unless we know the story. So, again, my recommendation is to read the book! What about your other books? This one is number five. Do you recommend reading this book before the others? Well, this book is different from the others. Most of the other books are practical spiritual books, and The One Thing Is Three is a theology book. The
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Second Greatest Story Ever Told is a unique kind of history book, one that aims to unlock the mystery of our present time. That’s the kind of history book that everyone can appreciate. As one person who read it said “Now this is the kind of book I could give to my dad. And he doesn’t usually read spiritual books!” Along with 33 Days to Morning Glory, I think this is my most important book. It gives the background and context for the others. Anyone who is devoted to Divine Mercy and Mary will likely appreciate it. The Greatest Story Ever Told can be ordered from shopmercy.org the product code is SHSBK.
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CH
R ISTI A
FUNDING AVAILABLE
Sponsored by
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US
T
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MIS
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.
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.
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J o h n e t t e B e n k o v i c ’ s Wo m e n o f G r a c e
A Grace filled Moment
O
n November 21 2015 Mgr. Charles Azzopardi presented Certificates to the graduates of the first online Women of Grace Course to be led from Gibraltar. Maria Louisa Aguillera, Leanne Fernandez and Beth Knight all had two things in common, they were unable to attend the Women of Grace Foundational Course, which was introduced in Gibraltar several years ago by Monique Risso, and yet they really wanted to be a part of this new women’s adventure in gaining a richer understanding of their Faith. There the similarity ends, as even the reasons for this were different, Maria Louisa Aguillera and Leanne Fernandez work in Gibraltar but their hours in their respective fields of security and banking, meant they could not
attend the Wednesday sessions. Beth Knight learned about the Online Group through a mutual friend of Monique’s, a fellow Fertility Care Practitioner, she lives in California, USA, out of reach of the Catholic Community Centre on Line Wall Road, and so she joined the others on the ‘Google Hangouts’ platform for weekly sessions and they completed the course in about eight months. It was a huge blessing that after the end of the course facilitated by Monique Risso, Beth, who had been travelling for work in Europe, was able to visit Gibraltar and meet her in person for the first time and attend the Graduation Ceremony! She was accompanied by her sister who was asking questions about the course afterwards and
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Beth laughed, saying “Perhaps I could be your Facilitator!” Since the Women of Grace Foundational Study Course was first introduced in Gibraltar, courses have been Facilitated by graduates from here in Spanish, in La Linea de la Concepción and in English, in Pueblo Nuevo de Guadiaro. Plans are in place for further
groups to commence this year, one in English and one in Spanish, see details below. The next online course is scheduled for 2017. If you would like to register your interest, please come along to one of the Information Evenings or contact Monique Risso Mob: 56001313 or email: mrissofertilityspice@ hotmail.co.uk
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Convent Christmas Fair
PULSING WITH LIFE By Anne Mesilio
As the cheers, bells and fireworks fade away after a rousing welcome to the New Year, lets reflect on these foods which bring stability to human life by providing nourishment and health.
T
hey were known by the Punjab in ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, and found in a Swiss village dating back to the Stone Age. Primitive man was aware of their value and they have been a vital ingredient in the human diet for millennia. Now their profile is about to be raised, the UN has declared 2016 ‘The Year of the Pulses’.
There is a wild and wonderful world to seeds. The search for nutmeg fuelled the Age of Discovery from the 15th–18th centuries, and continues today with exciting revelations. Charred seeds, dating back 1500 years, have been found in Israel. These were once used in the making of the ‘Wine of the Negev’ considered the finest of the Byzantine era.
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From the Latin ‘puls’ meaning thick soup/pottage, pulses are the edible seeds of plants in the legume family. They come in a wide variety of shapes/colours/ sizes and their seeds have supported diets, economies and civilisation all over the globe.
ECO FRIENDLY CALENTITA!
Globally there is a wide distribution of pulses and we
are familiar with them here in Gibraltar. Calentita, the Rock’s quintessential dish, made from the humble chick pea (garbanzo) ubiquitous here going back to the 16th century. Archaeological evidence indicates this primitive crop can be dated to 6250 BC. In June we hold a very popular Calentita festival where cultures from across Europe gather and share diverse and delicious food. Say lentils and my taste buds tingle and fast forward to anticipate Sopa de Lenteja, lentil soup, another enduring favourite on the Rock. It is probably the worlds first pulse crop and dates back to 7000–6000 BC. They are a type of bean native to west Asia. Versatile, quick and
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Five points the UN want us to consider during this year: 1 Pulses are an indispensable crop for vulnerable communities developing countries.
in
2 Lentils, beans and chickpeas have been an essential part of human diets for centuries. 3 Pulses consumption is declining. 4 Science and technology innovations
can help close the yield gap in pulses production.
5 Pulses production is highly water efficient, especially when compared to other protein sources. Their small water foot print makes pulses production a smart choice in drier areas and those prone to drought. easy to prepare they are high in nutritional value, containing cholesterol lowering fibre. They are mentioned in the Bible as
part of bread made during the Babylonian captivity of the Jewish people. Have you tried lentil tacos? Pulses have been a vital ingredient in the human diet in India for aeons. Age old Indian literature has left information since before 1500 BC. Cooking is cultivated as a skill in India from a young age, to be passed on as an heirloom between the generations. Pulses are high in protein and fibre, low in fat, have high levels of iron, zinc as well as folate and
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other B vitamins. This power house of ingredients can deliver a healthy people and planet. Pulse is the Biblical term for vegetables - in particular, any vegetables or fruits that had been “plucked, or picked,” rather than sown and harvested. Fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, greens that had been picked fresh from the garden. Pulse also included soaked grains. An interesting story, taken from the Book of Daniel, 1:1113 Daniel then said to the guard, whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, “Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.” His faith in pulses was total.
They pulse with life. ‘Pulse’ is also a noun that describes the rhythmic pumping of blood through veins and arteries. The natural flow of life is being maintained. When we attune to the pulse of the heart, this is where we are alerted to the first signs of stress, and can do something to redress the balance. So too, with the environment, and in the present state of humanity’s development, it bodes well for us not to take our finger off the pulse. “We received this world as an inheritance from past generations, but also as a loan from future generations, to whom we will have to return it!” (Pope Francis remarks at meeting with political, business and community leaders, Quito, Ecuador, July 7, 2015)
Climate change has been linked to increased frequency and intensity of destructive weather events such as flooding and hurricanes. But, according
to the World Bank, the effects of a warming planet on crops may pose an even greater danger, especially for the world’s poor. “Agriculture is one of the most important economic sectors in many poor countries,” says a report from the institution. “Unfortunately, it is also one of the most sensitive to climate change given its dependence on weather conditions, both directly and through climate-dependent stressors (pests, epidemics, and sea level rise).” The poor will be those most affected by these destructive changes. Care for creation must stand together with care for the poor according to Pope Francis. Pulses are the foods of the future. Peas, beans, lentils and chick peas have been around forever, and 2016 will shine the spotlight on them like never before. So, I intend to make these old/new foods my new best friends... will you?
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