Cursillo Team Leaders write...
For more than one billion Catholics across the world, the start of Lent signals the beginning of 40 days of prayer, self-denial and confession that culminates with Easter.
D
uring the Lenten period, lasting from Ash Wednesday to Easter, Christians abstain from certain foods or physical pleasures. Some vow to give up bad habits, such as smoking or nail biting, while others abstain from chocolate or a certain kind of ice cream.
Others promise to help “heal the environment” by walking to work for 40 days instead of driving, or use Lent as a time to give to others without being recognised for their good works. Lent is a time for prayer. It is a time for self analysis and to consider our values as a result of which we live our daily lives. We are living in a very materialistic world at present. It is said that technology has developed more over the last 100 years than it did since the beginning of time. Years ago people had never seen a motor car, an airplane, a radio or a TV, and they certainly had never heard of the internet. But today our lives are, to a great extent, governed by this technology. Needless to say, there has been sin in the world since Adam fell – even a casual reading of scripture confirms this. But it is also true to say that in our times we are simply inundated by the world and its values as never
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. Cover: Ecumenical Outdoor Stations of the Cross, Gibraltar 25/03/16 Photo ©A. Sargent
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WHYis L E N T so before, which makes it difficult to dwell on the importance of prayer and penance. During Lent we should consider doing some “fasting,” not only from food but also from TV, smoking, drinking and any other habits, which, though they may not be sinful, attach us more to the world and its values. Lent is also a time for more prayer, not just reading prayers, but talking personally to God, not only in Church but also at home or at work. God is everywhere. For most of us perhaps control of the tongue would be the greatest penance. In a letter St. James the Apostle wrote, regarding the tongue: “Consider how a small fire can set a huge forest ablaze. The tongue is also a fire. Controlling our speech, means not speaking unkindly to or about other people, but, instead being kind and helpful to everybody, beginning, of course with our family and remembering the words of Our Lord, “If you did it to others, you did it to Me.” Both the good and the bad. The real aim of Lent is, above all else, to prepare us for the celebration of the death and Resurrection of Christ… the better the preparation the more effective the celebration will be. One can effectively relive the mystery only with purified mind and heart. The purpose of Lent is to provide that purification by weaning us from sin and selfishness through selfdenial and prayer, by creating in us the desire to do God’s will and to make His kingdom come by making it come first of all in our hearts. Lent really is so much more than simply fasting for a long time. It is a time of increased prayer, worship, and church attendance, and giving. Yet, it is possible to fast rigorously, go to church more frequently, pray daily, and give more
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IMPORTANT?
during Lent and be no better off spiritually than the Pharisee who went to the temple to pray with the Publican (Luke 18:914). This may be a bit harsh and most of us are not as arrogant, self-absorbed, and self-satisfied as the Pharisee. However, we can be like him and do all the “right things” during Lent and still miss the point of it. Why is that? It has to do with how we
frame our thinking. Do we think of Lent and fasting as what we must give up and requirements or rules we must follow; or do we understand it as a means for gaining increased spiritual growth and wellbeing? Seeing fasting as all about giving up rather than gaining is actually distorted thinking. We learn early on in Scripture about how our thinking got
distorted due to sin and that our first impulse is typically to run away from God or do the opposite of what God would have us do. Fasting is about gaining through giving. We voluntarily give up so that we may gain. Instead of being focused on the giving up of certain foods, we should see it as a step in growing toward something wonderful. Like
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an athlete or an artist, we give up our time for leisure and voluntarily choose to work because we want to get better at what we do. We see working hard and giving up leisure activities as necessary means to attain our goal. For us as Christians that goal is to become more Christ-like. Fasting is a first step to gain control over ourselves in this regard, however increased prayer and fasting may feel like a forced effort at first, but that is normal. Many things feel forced at first until they start feeling more natural.
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f you are struggling to decide what to do for Lent, or if you have already given up on what you committed to do, why not commit to do something different and get closer to God by attending a Cursillo Weekend. We have just held A Cursillo Weekend for ladies at the end of March but there will be another one for ladies held towards the end of this year meanwhile...
The Cursillo Movement is holding a weekend event for men from the 18th till the 21st May 2017. If you are interested in attending please contact us on Mob:58008885 or send us an email on cursillogibraltar@ gmail.com and we’ll send you an enrolment form, we look forward to seeing you there. God Bless Cursillo Team Leaders
D i o ce s e of G i b r a l t a r Le n te n AC N A p p e a l
“Crisis continues
Photo: ©Aid to the Church in Need
Cursillo Team Leaders write...
Sister Annie, who has been helping Christian families in war-torn Syria, has revealed the severity of the on-going crisis across the country – despite the holding ceasefire.
S
peaking at Aid to the Church in Need’s Area Secretary Conference 2017 in London earlier this year, Sister Annie Demerjian of the Sisters of Jesus and Mary said: “No house in Syria has been unaffected by war”. She added: “In Aleppo there is a major shortage of electricity,
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Bishop Carmel Zammit has called on the people of Gibraltar to practice self denial this Lent, and to send the money saved to ACN.
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his year, for the forty days of Lent which prepare us for the celebration of Easter, I would like to encourage the people of Gibraltar, to lend their support and show their solidarity with those who in various countries are being persecuted,
sometimes we only have it on for one or two hours per day, sometimes not even that and we have to use candles for light. “There is a problem with fuel, the government are not able to distribute fuel.” She went on to say: “In Aleppo there is also a water crisis, it is the city without water, sometimes there can be one and a half months without water.” Aid to the Church has been giving vital help to people in need, through local Church partners, since the beginning of the conflict. This month the charity announced it will be providing more than £12,500 in medical aid for 2,200 Christian families in Aleppo. As well as providing the basic essentials to poor families in Aleppo, Sr. Annie and her team of volunteers are helping Christian families in Damascus by supplying food vouchers. She described the help for internally displaced people (IDPs) in the Syrian capital who fled northern Syria because of the violence there. Sr. Annie said: “In Damascus… we are working with two supermarkets so the families can go and choose what is right for their needs.” The UK office of the charity is providing more than £140,000 towards emergency aid, by feeding 1,500 families with food parcels for three months in Damascus and the surrounding rural area.
Sr. Annie made a request for peace in the Middle East: “During Mass on Shrove Tuesday I was thinking that in Syria we have been in Lent for five years now and I wish one day for the resurrection of Syria, Iraq and the Middle East. “God’s hand is in everything, even in the most difficult of times.” She continued: “We want people to make a bridge of peace, we want peacemakers, all our political parties must come together.” Sr. Annie said: “For me it is an honour to talk to you and say, ‘Thank you’ to ACN’s benefactors for all the support, for all the aid we are receiving.”
She confirmed the support is helping Christian families: “You cannot believe how much you are helping the families and how much you are relieving their suffering... You stand with our families to help them stay in their own lands and help them retain their dignity and their lives.”
Sr. Annie added: “Thank God for everything you are doing for us, helping families… We pray for ACN benefactors with open hearts… I have prayed that ACN would say, ‘Yes’ to our appeals for aid, sometimes I have had tears in my eyes when they have been accepted.” Murcadha O Flaherty www.acnuk.org
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Photo : joe@theolivepress.es
Syria...” the churches there need help
who suffer injustices and who are even martyred for the simple reason that they are Christians. Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) is a Pontifical foundation that has helped, through material and human support, thousands of persecuted Christians.”
ays W 5 to donate
To respond to Bishop Carmel Zammit’s appeal for Aid to the Church in Need’s work in Aleppo, especially supporting persecuted Christian families helped by Sister Annie Demerjian please choose a method of payment:
Photo: John Pontifex ©Aid to the Church in Need
in
Sister Annie repor ting on the situation after the ceasefire to a recent ACN Conference
1 Online – www.acnuk.org
2 Telephone – +44 20 8642 8668 3 Post – Cheques payable to ‘Aid to the
Church in Need’ sent to ‘Gibraltar ACN Aleppo Appeal’, Aid to the Church in Need (UK), 12-14 Benhill Avenue, Sutton, Surrey SM1 4DA, UK. In church – Place your donation in collection boxes marked ‘Aid to the Church in Need’ in Catholic churches. Envelopes will be available in church too.
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5 Gibraltar International Bank
Account –‘Trustees RCC/ACN’; Account No. 00812022; Sort Code: 60-83-14 uponthisrock.gi 5
C h r i s t i a n O u t r e a c h
What to expect at Steve Ray Conference later this month:
“...‘Dynamic’, ‘Compelling,’ ‘Inspiring’ ‘Insightful’ ...”
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teve Ray is a former Protestant Evangelist and now a Catholic Apologist and so has a very unique perspective on matters of faith. He will speak on some of the key doctrines of the Catholic Faith which are sometimes misunderstood by non Catholics and where some Catholics need reassurance and can discover the clear logic of their faith. The basic topics are: Scripture and Tradition, incorporating his personal testimony, Peter, Mary and the Holy Eucharist.
CONTROVERSIAL QUESTIONS ANSWERED In his presentations Steve will also answer controversial questions like: • Scripture and Tradition or Bible Alone? • Is the Roman Catholic Church really founded by Jesus Christ?
• Do Catholic priests have the authority and power to forgive sins? • Is the Pope infallible? • Do you think the Church’s teaching on the primacy of Peter is Biblical ? • Do Catholics worship Mary? • Why pray to dead saints? • 1 Timothy 2:5 or another mediator ? • The Immaculate Conception and Queen of Heaven - Where is that in the Bible? • Passover meal to Eucharistic Sacrifice! • Catholic Mass instead of the once and for all sacrifice? • Real Presence or John 6 : 63 The flesh is of no avail? It promises to be an exciting time, as Steve is not only an inspired speaker but explains difficult issues in a clear and easy to understand way, with inimitable humour as well. We daresay you will not
EMMAUS PRAYER GROUP
Tom Monagham, Founder of Domino’s Pizza
regret attending the Conference. Please do come. “Steve is an inspired speaker. His love for the Lord, The Church and the Catholic Faith shines through his words and actions.” -Most Reverend Edmond Carmody, Bishop Emeritus of Corpus Christi “Words like ‘Dynamic’, ‘Compelling’, ‘Inspiring’ and ‘Insightful’ all come to mind when I think of describing Steve’s presentations. They also call you to a deeper and more profound understanding of Christ and His Church.” - Tom Monagham, Founder of Domino’s Pizza
The Conference “Upon this Rock” will take place in Ince’s Hall, Main Street, Gibraltar. Starting at 10am on both 22nd and 23rd April 2017.
EASTER Seminar
CONFERENCE CATERING ARRANGEMENTS The John Macintosh Hall Cafeteria caterers will provide a Buffet Lunch on Saturday, this will be served at the GADA Studio, on the ground floor of Ince’s Hall which opens on to the patio. In order to help with catering, those wishing to eat at the venue are invited to purchase lunch vouchers in advance of the event, either from their Prayer Group or the Catholic Bookshop next to the Cathedral on Main Street. The the Lunch Vouchers are £10 including Soft Drinks.
AFTERNOON WALK TO EUROPA POINT SHRINE OF OUR LADY OF EUROPE At 4.30pm on Saturday there will be a Pilgrimage/Walk to the Shrine of Our Lady of Europe. There will be Mass on arrival. (More or less 6pm) For those who prefer not to walk, there is a bus service to get to and from the Shrine. The organisers suggest walkers could maybe organise car pools for their return to town after the Holy Mass at the Shrine.
Jesus is the fulfilment of all things. But what did He fulfil? Recalibrate your SatNav and head for Salvation...
“It’s about understanding the very context of Jesus. Everything He said and did was with meaning and on purpose. Understanding the vast majority of the meaning and purpose, however, comes from knowing the story. Jesus came not to abolish the Law or the prophets, but to fulfil them. Well… what is the law and who are the prophets? What do they say? You can NEVER understand Jesus at all if you do not understand salvation history. He IS Salvation and salvation is His-story.” Jeremy Duo, Guest Speaker.
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This is an Easter Seminar held mainly at the Catholic Community Centre and services in St. Theresa’s (although people are welcome to attend Mass in their Parish). There is no sleeping over so don’t bring your pyjamas :) Maundy Thursday 13 April: 5pm - late Good Friday 14 April: 12pm - late Saturday 15 April: 4pm - late (Easter Eggs included). No fee - just bring some money for meals. Everybody is welcome, all ages.
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F O R T H C O M I N G E V E N T S
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Meet Gibraltar Catholic Youth
your
other M A brief introduction to the Mother of Jesus
A
real Mother of all the truly living since all who now live, live in Christ (see Galatians 2:20). The fact that this “woman” in Genesis is a type of Mary is bolstered by the words of God who says that the “seed” of the woman (being Jesus) will crush the head of the serpent’s “seed.” So, then, we see that “the Fall,” the birth of sin in the world, came through a man, a woman, and a tree. Immediately following, God tells us that redemption will come through a man, and a woman, and those of us who have read ahead in the story know that a tree was involved in redemption too (see 1 Peter 2:24)! This shows us that, while Jesus is definitely He who won our salvation for us, Mary’s role was crucial in cooperating with Jesus and thus “co-redeemed” with Him. This is why Mary is titled and hailed as “Co-redemptrix” in the Church. This explains what Simeon says to her in Luke 2:35 “… a sword will pierce through your own soul also, that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed.” That is to say, Mary will also suffer and sorrow with her Son (and for her Son)
CH
fter Jesus Himself, no human person has ever been celebrated, praised, and honoured more than His very mother, Mary immaculate. She was spoken of in prophecy almost at the beginning of the scriptures, prophesied further throughout the rest of the Old Testament, came to the world to deliver the world its saviour, and has been honoured and invoked for intercession before the throne of her Son ever since. Let’s take a look at why.
Almost immediately after Adam and Eve sinned against God in the Garden of Eden, God’s earthly paradise, God cursed the serpent for tempting them and said, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” The woman that God spoke of, of course, was Eve. But the Church has always seen Eve as a foreshadowing figure (called a “type” in Catholic theology) of Mary. Only a few verses later in Genesis 3:20 we see that Eve was named so by Adam because Eve “was the mother of all living” — Surely Mary is the
R ISTI A
for the redemption of the world. Just as Adam and Eve were created and came in to the world knowing no sin (they were perfect), so too was Jesus perfect (He was God!) and so was Mary perfect. Mary, born to St. Joachim and St. Anne (see the Protoevangelium of James), and honoured as “Full of Grace” by the Angel Gabriel in Luke 1:28, was conceived without original sin — Remember that original sin is merely a lack of grace that one is born with, therefore if Mary is “full of grace,” she has no original sin.1 Because Mary had no sin, she was never subject to corruption or death, which came into the world only because of sin, and so the Church affirmed that she was assumed body and soul into heaven at the end of her earthly life. Catholic tradition sees the woman in Revelation 12 as Mary since the woman there gives birth to the saviour and is mentioned right after the author sees the Ark of the Covenant (which Catholic tradition holds to have been replaced by Mary since she was the spotless vessel that carried He who was the new law, the eternal high priest, and
FUNDING AVAILABLE
US
T
N
MIS
The Christian Mission Trust provides local Christians with donations for evangelistic SI O N TR 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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Image: Michelangelo’s Pieta
Photo ©Stanislav Traykov (Wikimedia Creative Commons)
Words: Jeremy Duo
Because Mary had no sin, she was never subject to corruption or death... the true bread from heaven, and was constantly overshadowed by the presence of God the Holy Spirit) at the end of chapter eleven (keep in mind that the books of the Bible were originally composed without chapters). Mary’s assumption is
none other than a reaping of the first fruits that all who fall asleep in Christ will receive at the resurrection of the dead. Mary is the only human directly responsible for bringing us the Saviour of the world, Jesus Christ. It was her “yes,” her “fiat,” that allowed the Holy Spirit to come down upon her and conceive Christ in her spotless womb. Thus, once again, she is Co-redemptrix for mediating the world’s Saviour. Those who have died and have been born again in Christ Jesus through Baptism (see Romans
6:4) live the life of Christ Himself. Therefore, we too have Mary for our Mother now. Our confidence of this is bolstered or renewed when we read John 19:26-27 (keeping in mind that in the Gospel of John, the person of John normally represents all who live in Christ), “When Jesus saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing near, He said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son!’ Then He said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother!’ And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.” We see Mary’s motherhood also affirmed in Revelation 12:17. One of the earliest and greatest praises of Mary in the Church’s history was given in the late first century by St. Ignatius of Antioch who wrote to the Apostle John (St. John the Evangelist). He said to St. John (it is worth quoting at length): There are also many of our women here, who are desirous to see Mary [the mother] of Jesus, and wish
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day by day to run off from us to you, that they may meet with her, and touch those breasts of hers which nourished the Lord Jesus, and may inquire of her respecting some rather secret matters. But Salome also, [the daughter of Anna,] whom thou lovest, who stayed with her five months at Jerusalem, and some other well-known persons, relate that she [Mary the mother of Jesus] is full of all graces and all virtues, after the manner of a virgin, fruitful in virtue and grace. And, as they report, she is cheerful in persecutions and afflictions, free from murmuring in the midst of penury and want, grateful to those that injure her, and rejoices when exposed to troubles: she sympathises with the wretched and the afflicted as sharing in their afflictions, and is not slow to come to their assistance. Moreover, she shines forth gloriously as contending in the fight of faith against the pernicious conflicts of
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Gibraltar Catholic Youth vicious principles of conduct. She is the lady of our new religion and repentance, and the handmaid among the faithful of all works of piety. She is indeed devoted to the humble, and she humbles herself more devotedly than the devoted, and is wonderfully magnified by all, while at the same time she suffers detraction from the Scribes and Pharisees. Besides these points, many relate to us numerous other things regarding her. We do not, however, go so far as to believe all in every particular; nor do we mention such to thee. But, as we are informed by those who are worthy of credit, there is in Mary the mother of Jesus an angelic purity of nature allied with the nature of humanity. And such reports as these have greatly excited our emotions, and urge us eagerly to desire a sight of this… heavenly prodigy and most sacred marvel. St. Ignatius later even wrote to Mary herself. He said:
Thou oughtest to have comforted and consoled me who am a neophyte, and a disciple of thy [beloved] John. For I have heard things wonderful to tell respecting thy [son] Jesus, and I am astonished by such a report. But I desire with my whole heart to obtain information concerning the things which I have heard from thee, who wast always intimate and allied with Him, and who wast acquainted with [all] His secrets. I have also written to thee at another time, and have asked thee concerning the same things. Fare thou well; and let the neophytes who are with me be comforted of thee, and by thee, and in thee. Amen. And guess what… She responded! She allegedly said to him in response: The lowly handmaid of Christ Jesus to Ignatius, her beloved fellow-disciple. The things which thou hast heard and learned from John concerning Jesus are true. Believe them, cling to them,
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and hold fast the profession of that Christianity which thou hast embraced, and conform thy habits and life to thy profession. Now I will come in company with John to visit thee, and those that are with thee. Stand fast in the faith, and show thyself a man; nor let the fierceness of persecution move thee, but let thy spirit be strong and rejoice in God thy Saviour. Amen. We too must take Mary most holy into our home as St. Ignatius sought to do at least for a while. There she will live to make intercession for us, fighting off the serpent and crushing his head with her seed. She is the exemplar of perfect virtue that we must learn from. On this side of heaven she brought her Son to us. Now, in heaven, she lives to bring us to her Son and this she will do till the end of time repeating those sweet words from the Gospel of John: “Do whatever He tells you” (John 2:5). May Immaculate Mary most holy reign as Queen of our hearts as much as she is Queen of Heaven!
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Behold your Mother!
1. The Papal Encyclical Ineffabilis Deus of Pope Pius IX proclaimed this doctrine a dogma in 1854 saying: “We declare, pronounce, and define that the doctrine which holds that the most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instance of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by Almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin, is a doctrine revealed by God and therefore to be believed firmly and constantly by all the faithful” (emphasis added). Article first published http:// www.gibraltarcatholicyouth.org Jeremy Duo was born and raised in Gibraltar. He has a double major Bachelor’s degree in theology and catechetics with a minor in philosophy from Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio. He currently lives in Gibraltar with his wife, Stephanie, and their son, Álvaro.
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Women of Grace Gibraltar
Photos and comments from https://www.facebook.com/johnnette.benkovic
Johnnette
in Gibraltar Carmen Valarino: Such a blessed weekend! Thanks to all the organisers involved. GB xxx
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ast month His Lordship Bishop Carmel participated in a long awaited retreat with Johnnette Benkovic, the founder of the hugely successful ‘Women of Grace Foundational Study Series’ who had returned for her second visit to our Rock. The course is designed to help women discover their true femininity and has proved very popular in Gibraltar since it was introduced by Monique Risso. Groups have also been launched in English and Spanish in La Linea, Guadiaro, and most recently Marbella. Johnnette was joined on this visit by Fr. Philip Scott, and the theme of the Retreat was ‘Healing the Family’s Wounds’. The event, which was bilingual, was held in the Catholic Community Centre and was also live streamed on facebook so those who could not attend were able to follow at home. We are very grateful to Johnnette for a few of the many photos and comments from her facebook page.
Susan Goldwin: Wonderful weekend, she was fantastic and the priest? No words to describe him, so Blessed both of them. Ian Joanna Payas: Great weekend full of blessings shared with great company and great friends. Yvonne Cruz: Its incredible how the Lord works, and how very smoothly everything went, I feel I am walking on a cloud. Never ever have I experienced such a beautiful and unique adoration. What a blessing. Lizanne Ghio: So beautiful and peaceful Stephanie Louise Howes: La verdad que si! I’m buzzing! Thanks to everyone, especially Monique, for making this happen xxxx Susan Pipo: Blessed in abundance, thank you Monique for your commitment and hard work, thanks to Johnnette, Father Phillip and team... You shall tell by the fruits... and the fruits are most definitely there xxx Stephanie Louise Howes: Loved it! Such a wonderful man.
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O u t r e a c h a n d G r ow t h
Father Mark
@Christ the King Prayer Group
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ast month Father Mark Condon was the guest speaker at the Christ the King Prayer Group’s Life in the Spirit Seminar at the Lathbury Retreat Centre.
After the Seminar I caught up with him and Joanne Lett who co-ordinated the event and they were gracious enough to answer a few questions.
How did your upbringing prepare you for the priesthood?
Interesting question! My grandmother, my mothers mother, lived with us and I remember sitting on her knee in front of the kitchen range. She taught me prayers and when I started in school the teacher was impressed as I was the only one in school who knew the Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, and the Hail Holy Queen! Also, seeing the priest visit, and give communion to my grandmother influenced me. They also tell me that when I was very young, next to my grandmother at Mass, when the Priest elevated the host, I apparently said “I’m going to do that one day!” So when I was in school I became an Altar Server, and
as part of that group I had a weekly slot at per perpetual adoration for 6 years. To be honest I was always praying for the rugby, that our team would win. But when I was leaving school I thought I’d go for a job and give it a go before going into the priesthood, although I always knew that that was what I wanted to do, but the Parish Priest suggested, why not give God a the first shot at your life, with a year’s discernment at the Seminary and see how that goes? Well my friends were not at all surprised to hear I was intending to start studying at the Seminary, as I was always defending the Church in debates and such.
What brought you to Gibraltar?
It was a chance meeting one wet Saturday, when I was on pilgrimage in Medjugore with a group from my Parish, and I gave a talk in the house where members of the Christ the King ... continued overleaf
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F r. M a r k & J o a n n a t a l k t o U p o n T h i s Ro c k
“...allow yourselves Life in the Spirit Seminar to be fed, nourished in Faith, and grow as much as you can so you can give as Jesus gives.�
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O u t r e a c h a n d G r ow t h
“...it is an introduction to the reality of God...”
group were staying. They invited me to speak at a Life in the Spirit Seminar two years ago, and here I am again. What do you hope to achieve when speaking at a Life in the Spirit Seminar?
Clarity! So they understand, it is an introduction to the reality of God. That he calls you into a real life with him, where our life becomes alive and meaningful because God becomes alive and meaningful,
bringing new life.
How does that work, practically, in daily life?
There are very good and holy people for whom God is in a compartment in their life, for the major sacraments and Sunday Mass, but God is a constant companion with me, No, when I am alone I am with God, and I like to be alone. Phone off. Silence is very important. Silence, Study and Learning.
How do you fit that type of prayer in to your routine?
At the moment I’m an assistant parish priest in Kilkenny, where there are about 70,000 people, and I’m doing a course with a group at home on the Acts of the Apostles. For this I am reading different apologetics and studying different commentaries. That is an important part of my prayer life. In giving that course I am learning. We are working on an academic level studying the context. Or it could be reading the lives of the saints, a spiritual book, like John Vianney or St. Ansalem the Benedictine guru. Or studying the Sacraments, or the History of the Church. I find it amazing to read about the way God always wins no matter what man does when he tries to wreck the Church.
What is your message for Gibraltar? I see Gibraltar as a very dynamic place, there are all these groups and people visiting
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“...God becomes alive and meaningful.” like Johnnette Benkovic and Steve Ray. So I would say to the people of Gibraltar, “Allow yourself to be fed, nourished in Faith, and grow as much as you can so you can give as Jesus gives.” Joanna, was the Life in the Spirit weekend a success?
Oh yes! I would really like to thank Fr. Mark for saying ‘yes’ to coming back to Gibraltar and for the special way he has of delivering his talks, so witty and loving. I would like to than Margaret and Nicola for their touching testimonies. And of course I would like to thank all the people who came from other prayer groups to help in different ministries: the music, bookshop, hospitality including
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A n i n t e r v i e w w i t h F r. M a r k b y A n g e l a S a r g e n t
Christ the King
Life in the Spirit Seminar the catering, order, and of course the intercessors who spend Friday to Sunday praying for the Candidates. Also those that lead the groups in their workshops, and their assistants. Is there a follow-up schedule for the new Candidates?
the Holy Spirit bring into my life?’, ‘Stumbling Blocks’, Meaningful Directions’, and ‘The Gifts of he Holy Spirit’. These talks are well worth while, and if anyone would like to come along, they will find
they are informative and also touch many areas in our lives where we may have problems. For more information contact Joanna on Tel:20078033, M:58008446 or Email: joannalett@hotmail.com
We are very privileged that Fr. Mark will be here to give the last of the scheduled talks in the Prayer Group on the Tuesday, so it brings newcomers right into the prayer meeting environment. Then over the following six weeks we will be introducing new course topics like ‘The Bible’, ‘Prayer’, ‘What does
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