Diocesan News
...Bishop’s new
right hand man On Sunday the 1st October Bishop Carmel presided over the installation of Mgr. John Pardo as Vicar General of the Diocese of Gibraltar.
S
peaking to the congregation during the service, His Lordship Bishop Carmel spoke warmly of Mgr. Pardo’s spiritual and intellectual qualities, and of his prudence and wisdom which, he said more than qualified him for the position. And so His Lordship said he was appointing him to be his deputy, his right hand man, and investing him with the power to do everything that he himself could do and to assist him in administrative, spiritual
and material matters as is recommended by the church. Furthermore, Bishop Carmel called upon the people of the Diocese to welcome Mgr. Pardo as his Vicar General and to show him their obedience and respect. It was already clear the respect in which Mgr. Pardo is held by the way word had circulated round the Diocese and the faithful had come filling every pew at a normal 10.30am Sunday Mass in Ordinary Time. For his part Mgr. Pardo spoke humbly at the end of the Mass,
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 Photo: Mgr. George Grima with a child in Ethiopia 2012
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The people of the Diocese may be very pleased to have such a highly qualified Vicar General, formerly the Rector of the prestigious Royal and Pontifical English College of St. Alban in Valladolid where he spent 14 years in total.
An old team reunited
It will not have escaped the notice of those who remember that far back, that the two priests have worked together for several years already, at
Sacred Heart Church when Fr. Pardo was Curate, and was appointed as Defender of the Bond to the Diocesan Tribunal which was headed up by Mgr. Zammit in those days.
Familiar Faces
Many well wishers stopped to congratulate Mgr. Pardo as they left the Cathedral. Too many to show on these pages but local and international readers alike may find their friends on the magazine’s Facebook page.
thanking all those who had come especially for the event, and to say how happy he was to be back home after a long time away, and that he hoped he would be able to fill the role that had been entrusted to him and deal with the challenges ahead, and somewhat self-depreciatingly added that it ‘wasn’t Cannon Law’.
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In memory of Mgr. George Grima
M a ss
for th e
R epose
of th e
On Tuesday 4th September Mgr. Paul Bear offered Mass for the repose of the soul of Mgr. George Grima who had passed away in Malta, where he was taken ill just before setting out to Gibraltar.
T
he mass was held in St. Joseph’s parish church, which had been the home of Fr. George’s brother, Fr. Coronato Grima for many years.
Fr. Paul said that Fr. George was a typical down to earth man whose heart was bigger than his chest!! His work was obviously one of intense missionary zeal and always filled with an amazing enthusiasm to reach out to the poor and suffering.
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His love for this stemmed from a close relationship with Jesus whom he served faithfully to the end. Of course, Fr. Paul continued, one cannot separate his life and work from the bond that existed with his brother, our dear Fr. Coronato. If you knew one you knew the other. Typical Maltese, they were simple, straight to the point and always jovial in character. The smile on his face, I think, says it all. The church was packed to capacity by people who came to pay tribute to a priest who worked tirelessly for the good of others. Mario Hook gave a beautiful eulogy where he truly gave us all a heartfelt appreciation of Fr. George’s life, his work and most especially his love for Jesus in the poor. Bishop Zammit also gave a lovely talk about Fr. George and invited us to pray for the eternal repose of his soul. At Mass, this prayer was a genuine expression of our gratitude to God for Fr. George’s life and ministry.
Help keep Fr. George Grima’s projects running:
S ou l
of
M gr . G eor ge G r ima
“The smile on his face says it all.”
His Lordship Bishop Carmel spook warmly of Fr. George’s inspirational work...
... Jesus
in Thy Neighbour
F
r. Grima’s sudden death took us all by surprise.
Two weeks before he was due to arrive in Gibraltar I was visiting Gozo and went to see Fr. Coronato Grima and Fr. George was also there. We spoke about his visit to Gibraltar. Not long
after, I heard that he was in hospital. Fr. George Grima first come to Gibraltar when his brother Fr. Coronato Grima was parish priest at St. Jospeh’s. Fr. George would stop over on his way from Brazil to Malta and collect money for his projects in the parish. After some years in Brazil, due to medical problems, he returned to his diocese in Gozo, Malta. Ten years after being ordained, On 3rd December in 1987, the Missionary Movement Jesus in thy Neighbour, was founded on the island of
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To donate online Google ‘Missionary Movement Jesus in Thy Neighbour’ or offline contact Tel: 57561000 GibMissionAfrica
Malta. Thirty years later, the movement is sustained by the very same mantra that formed its cornerstone- Providing: - FOOD for the hungry; - WATER for the thirsty; - MEDICINE for the sick; - EDUCATION for all; - SHELTER for the homeless. What Fr. George Grima was aiming at was to put into practice what Jesus would judge us on when we face him. I was hungry and you gave me to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me to drink, I was sick and you visited me, I was naked and you clothed me. Whatever you do to the least of my brothers you do it to me. To love one’s neighbour and to love Jesus in one’s neighbour. The aim of the movement is to give a better life to so many children living on the streets of Brazil, Ethiopia and Kenya. Currently, the Missionary Movement has 33 homes in Brazil, 133 homes in Ethiopia and 34 homes in Kenya. Apart from the work he did for unfortunate children, he
was an inspiration to those who were not living their Christian faith. He was a good speaker and also a good witness to Christ. I know that there are people in Gibraltar who became catholics and joined the church after hearing him speak. In this
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way he was the salt of the earth and the light of the world. The help that Gibraltar gave to Fr. George has been consistent and generous. Last year there were four who went themselves to contribute to the charitable work being done.
After over forty years working in the vineyard of the Lord, God has called him. His reward will be great because his love for others was great. May he now continue to look after the unfortunate from his place in heaven.
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50th In memory Referendum of Mgr.Anniversary George Grima Community Celebrations
Help keep Fr. George Grima’s charitable projects running:
Mass
for the
Repose
of the
‘He ain’t heavy, Sponsored by
Mario Hook on Mgr. George’s humility and boundless energy for his ever expanding projects.
I
t was just over thirty years ago that Fr. George Grima came to Gibraltar to visit his brother Fr. Coronato Grima, who was serving the people of Gibraltar at the time.
My wife and I had been blessed with the friendship of Fr. Coronato and it was through him that we first met Fr. George. At the time he was on his way to Brazil as he had decided to leave his very dear father and mother, brothers, family, friends, house and country to serve the poorest of the poor in Brazil. He explained the very extreme poverty and destitution that children were subjected to and he felt a deep love and need to offer his life for them. I found it hard to comprehend his devotion to the service of others in this manner and so I
asked him the motivation for choosing this way of life, in his usual (inspired) humility he quoted St. Matthew saying:
“And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life”. (Mt. 19:29).
To this very day I often remember him saying these words. It was at that very moment that my wife and I got involved in his work. Just over thirty years later, Gibraltar still assists Fr. George in his monumental task of assisting the unfortunate people that come his way in Brazil,
FUNDING AVAILABLE
The Christian Mission Trust provides local Christians with donations for evangelistic 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. 6 uponthisrock.gi
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To donate online Google ‘Missionary Movement Jesus in Thy Neighbour’ or offline contact Tel: 57561000 GibMissionAfrica
Soul
of
Mgr. George Grima
he’s my brother.’
Fr. George on the occasion of his brother Fr. Coronato’s 40th Anniversary of his priestly ordination with Mr & Mrs Mario Hook, and friends.
Kenya and Ethiopia. These destitute, unwanted, disabled and poorest of the poor people are his loving ministry. It is in serving these people that Fr. George found the enormous strength and motivation to continue despite the many obstacles that often appear in this ministry given the remote regions, not to mention the plethora of ethnic troubles and wars.
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Local Focal Point for Fund-raising
A few years ago GibMissionAfrica came into existence; a local charitable trust. GibMissionAfrica is the focal point in Gibraltar for organizing fund-raising events which allowed Fr. George to bring to fruition the many projects which we carry out for the benefit of our less fortunate
brothers. All those involved in this ever-expanding project feel humbled at being able to work and offer support for such unfortunate people, especially unwanted children, the disabled and lepers. At times the demands appear to be overwhelming, but then we have always felt inspired by Fr. George’s energy and his unfailing trust in Divine Providence and submission to God’s will. The now famous words – “he ain’t heavy, he’s my brother” is undoubtedly the best description for Fr. George. God willing GibMissionAfrica will continue to support these projects for many years to come. If you would like to help support Fr. George Grima’s
work please see contact details at the top of the page, funds can be paid as a ‘one of’ or a monthly payment:
Gibraltar International Bank Sort Code: 608314 Account No: 11021001 or use the green collection boxes around town.
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Gibraltar Cursillo Team
Can you be a
Generous Giver? I came that you might have Life and that you might have it more abundantly John 10:10.
G
od is a generous giver; he will give us abundant life in overflowing measures.
Life for our souls, so that eternal life flows through our whole being, animating both our mind and our bodies. Our Lord came amongst us so that man might live in him and it
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was of this life he spoke when he said “I am the Vine and ye are the branches”. God is Love and Joy and Peace and Strength and Power and Healing and Humility and Patience and all of these we can also have if we allow the Lord to live in us. We do not have to make ourselves be all of these things,
if we live a life with the Lord he then accomplishes the miracle change in us. When we are asked to give generously, it is normal that we may experience a very human concern in a world of limited resources. Some may think “If I give generously as the Lord asks, there may not be enough left to meet my own needs.” In God’s economy things work differently. When he asks us to give generously, God can and will cause all sorts of blessings to come to us, our generosity does not come at the risk of future poverty, on the contrary, generosity is the route
to prevent future deprivation. God is able to provide us with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, we may share abundantly in every good work, a promise that goes beyond material blessings. Whilst we typically think of material generosity and blessings, we must be careful not to turn an assurance of God’s provision into an expectation of getting rich. The promise of abundance which we often hear about is not about getting rich, following Christ is not a money-making scheme. Evidently if we have money to spare we would do well by using it to assist the needy but God is mainly referring to the giving of ourselves during our everyday lives. We need not fear that by helping others succeed at work we will compromise our own well-being. God has promised to
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Prayer for Generosity
Christians in Aleppo still need our help
Photo © Aid to the Church in Need
Eternal Word, only begotten Son of God, Teach me true generosity. Teach me to serve you as you deserve. To give without counting the cost, To fight heedless of wounds, To labor without seeking rest, To sacrifice myself without thought of any reward Save the knowledge that I have done your will. Amen.
Witness of Faith: Persecuted but never forgotten
St. Ignatius of Loyola
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Last month Joe Garcia attended the Aid to the Church in Need’s annual Westminster event
A
wide range of speakers gave witness to Christ’s love in the midst of incredible suffering in many parts of the world.
After Bishop Carmel’s Lenten appeal on behalf of Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) earlier this year, readers are aware of the valuable work by Sr. Annie and her volunteer helpers in Syria and how grateful they were for the assistance sent and all the prayers, as she sent a personal video message that was viewed online by thousands in Gibraltar. Above she is shown with Elias’ family. When ISIS fighters invaded their home, breaking things up, Elias had struck one of them and was taken away, imprisoned and tied to a cross. He escaped the prison in Raqqa when a bomb fell on the complex where he was being held and the family fled to Aleppo. Thanks to Sr. Annie’s team of helpers the couple are receiving © Aid to the Church in Need
Photo © Aid to the Church in Need
give us all that we need. We can help others look good at work without fearing it will make us look weak by comparison. We can compete fairly in the marketplace without worrying that it takes a few dirty tricks to make a living in a competitive business. We can pray for our rivals, encourage and support them and even assist them because we know that God, not our competitive advantage, is the source of our provision. We must be careful not to distort this promise into the false gospel of health and wealth, as many have done. God does not promise true believers a big house and an expensive car. But he does assure us that if we look to the needs of others, he will make sure that our needs will be met in the process. It is said that generosity is good for our physical well being. Have you ever seen someone do something nice for someone else, next time that happens pay attention to the person who is doing the giving, they light up, that reaction is nicknamed “giver’s glow.” When we are
generous our brains release several chemicals that give us a sense of joy and peace, so it really is better to give than to receive. Generosity makes us and those around us happier. Generous people are not just generous with their money they are also generous with their time, their talents, and their words. They encourage others and inspire them to be better than before. They make those around them feel braver, stronger and smarter. And more than that, their generosity is contagious. Generosity makes us feel good and when we feel good we are better at making those around us feel good too. If you would like to live a life with the Lord, by attending one of our Cursillo weekend retreats the Cursillo Movement offers you an excellent opportunity to take that first step to change your lives. The next weekend event to be held this year will be a Cursillo for men at the Europa Retreat Centre from the 9th till the 12th November. If you would like to attend please contact us on 58008885 or send us an email on cursillogibraltar@ gmail.com and we shall send you an enrolment form, we look forward to seeing you there. Further Cursillo weekends for both men and women will be held early next year. God Bless Cursillo Team Leaders
everything they need, a home, food, clothes, medicine, heating, electricity and water. Elias said, “God delivered us from evil and brought us to safety. We came here with nothing but now our hearts are full of gratitude for what you are doing to support our every need.” These needs are ongoing both for Elias and his family, and other families affected by war and religious extremism that Sr. Annie, of the Sisters of Jesus and Mary, help by overseeing the provision of aid. Preparations are in hand to open a branch of ACN in Gibraltar to facilitate fundraising locally but meanwhile, donations can be sent through the following methods:
Online: www.acnuk.org Telephone: +44 20 8642 8668 Post: Cheques payable to ‘Aid to the Church in Need’ 12-14 Benhill Avenue, Sutton, Surrey, UK, SM1 4DA. Gibraltar International Bank Account: ‘Trustees RCC/ACN’; Account No. 00812022; Sort Code: 60-83-14
uponthisrock.gi 9
Discovering Christian Unity: The second in a series of articles leading up to the Hand in Hand weekend seminar next January
Biblical Theology I have always found that the narrative in the opening pages of the Bible, written by possibly one of the most dramatic and colourful authors of the Old Testament, the anonymous 10th century BC narrator that biblical scholars have come to refer to as the ‘J’1, presents for us a reflective insight into the nature of human existence.
T
he ‘J’ is considered the earliest theologian of the Old Testament and in the first eleven chapters of the Book of Genesis, intermingled with sections from other writers of the early Israelite tradition, we are presented
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with a series of popular allegorical stories (because the ‘J’ is not a chronicler of the literal!) aiming to depict the cosmic and social origins of human history.
The ‘J’ focuses its attention on the social and anthropological origins of human existence, and
portrays for us a profound and realistic account of the ruinous state of the human condition. The narrative begins in Genesis 2:4b with the story of ‘The Man (Adam) 2 and the Woman (Eve) and ends in Genesis 11:9 with the story of ‘The Tower of Babel’.
Interspersed with sections from other earlier Israelite traditions, the ‘J’ continues his narrative developing his theological plan through two more allegorical stories: ‘The Brothers Cain and Abel’ in Genesis 4 and ‘Noah and his Ark’ in Genesis 7. The narrative opens with a vision of the destiny that God intends for humanity; a harmonious and cordial union within a society of persons: “‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner.’”3 [Gen 2:18] All manner of beasts are presented to the Man, which will assist him in his work and as sources of food and clothing, even companionship. Alas, “… but for the man there was not found a helper as his partner.” [Gen 2:20] Only when a fellow human person is presented to the Man is he fulfilled as a person: “And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, ‘This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called Woman, for out of Man this one was taken.’” [Gen 2:22-3] It is in the ‘thou’4 of another person that we attain the contentment of human existence, when there is a real encounter and genuine mutuality; it requires empathy, openness and participation. This is our vocation as human
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Artwork: Jan Brueghel the Elder THE GARDEN OF EDEN WITH THE FALL OF MAN
Text: Alan J Gordon BEd MA
and Ecumenism
beings and it is what God has in mind when we are created.5 The ‘J’, nonetheless, is realistic enough to acknowledge that this primordial vision of humanity is far from the reality of human existence as we presently experience it. Throughout
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Chapter 3 our narrator continues this argument, to highlight the calamitous state of human existence as a consequence of man/woman’s rebelliousness. This section of the narrative highlights many of the inadequacies and failures of
the human story: distortion of truth, sensuality, self-autonomy without God, inability to face moral responsibility, strife between fellow human beings, an inability to face God as the Creator…6 That openness between peoples which characterizes the human vocation, is lost by this treachery; social barriers arise and the Man and the Woman are no longer able to face each other or face God: “Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves. They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.” [Gen 3:7-8] A similar picture of a hapless and ill-fated humanity is also depicted by the prophet Ezekiel: “You were the signet of
perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty … You were blameless in your ways from the day that you were created, until iniquity was found in you. In the abundance of your trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned … Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendour. I cast you to the ground; I exposed you before kings, to feast their eyes on you. By the multitude of your iniquities, in the unrighteousness of your trade, you profaned your sanctuaries. So I brought out fire from within you; it consumed you, and I turned you to ashes on the earth in the sight of all who saw you.” [Ezek 28:12, 15-8] The ‘J’ continues his narration with three further episodes, which exemplify his insights further. Chapter 4 contains a story of strife between people, jealousy and violence, leading to murder and
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Discovering Christian Unity – Text: Alan J Gordon BEd MA
Biblical Theology and Ecumenism in Chapter 7 we encounter the destruction of human life on a massive scale. The narration culminates in Chapter 11 with the complete breakdown of human relationships. The people try to reach God on their own terms and their ‘language’ is confused. They are unable to communicate and converse with each other. Humankind so concerned with fame, alliance and political development sets itself against God and against each other. Humankind stands scattered and broken; it lives in a disorder in which persons can no longer understand one another. The reality of human existence stands in opposition to the vocation made known in Chapter 2.
Man in Need of Salvation
Humanity is wounded and in need of being set free from its own failures and weaknesses. This is the ‘J’ endeavouring to show that we are in need of
Salvation, which after all is what the whole Biblical story is about; what in biblical scholarship we call the Heilsgeschichte.7 In my estimation the clue to understanding this entire concept lies in the question, when God calls out, “‘Where are you?’” [Gen 3:9] Compromised by their rebelliousness, God comes to meet the Man and the Woman to rescue them from their predicament. In the JudeoChristian religion believers are not in search of God, or the Divine, or Enlightenment, or Understanding… Quite the contrary, God is in search of man/woman. A fundamental tenet is that humanity is in need of Salvation, which only God can bring about. At the end of the ‘J’ narrative we see humanity completely alienated from God and from each other, in the New Testament we have in the writings of an equally dramatic and colourful writer, St. Luke, the reversal of this situation
through the intervention of the Holy Spirit: “Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, ‘Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language?’” [Acts 2:3-8] Already the prophet Ezekiel, in the 6th century BC, in his parable of the Valley of the Dry Bones, had looked forward to the Holy Spirit’s intervention in human history. Speaking on behalf of God, the prophet proclaims, “I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live.” [Ezek 37:14] St. Luke’s teaching in Chapter 2 of his Acts of the Apostles is very clear. Pentecost (i.e. the outpouring of the Holy Spirit) is Babel in reverse. On account of their sinful pride, human persons have lost their ability to speak with one another; their speech is confounded. They are not bound in common obedience to God’s will. St. Luke seeks to show how God wills to re-create humankind in one great family united in love, through Jesus Christ, speaking one universal language of the Holy Spirit.8
Christian Unity
At this juncture, I would like to suggest that these reflections on Biblical Theology do say something to us about Christian Unity. Especially so when we
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see that St. Luke’s account of Pentecost is linked to the creation of the followers of Jesus as Church. Vatican II teaches us that, “… in this mission they were fully confirmed on the day of Pentecost (cf. Acts 2:1-26) in accordance with the Lord’s promise: ‘You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you shall be witnesses for me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and in Samaria, and even to the very ends of the earth’. (Acts 1.8) And the apostles, by preaching the Gospel everywhere, (cf. Mk. 16:20.) and it being accepted by their hearers under the influence of the Holy Spirit, gather together the universal Church, which the Lord established on the apostles and built upon blessed Peter, their chief, Christ Jesus Himself being the supreme cornerstone. (cf. Rev. 21:14; Mt. 16:18; Eph. 2:20.)” [Vatican II – Dogmatic Constitution on the Church ‘Lumen Gentium’ §19] Pentecost, as St. Luke describes it for us, is both the reversal of Babel and the constitution of a new order of human existence, and at the same time this new order subsists in the newly created Church of Jesus Christ. Jesus willed and prayed that his Church be a unity and communion of persons. St. John in his Gospel, recording the prayer of Jesus before He died, writes, “I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you.” [Jn 17:20-21] But the followers of Christ have not always been able to maintain that unity which was the desire of the Master.9 By virtue of the presence of
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Artwork – Pentecost Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis the Holy Spirit in the Church, believers are illuminated by the Spirit at their Baptism10 and are thus called to holiness, but the Church is not a society of saints, it is a school of holiness. So the Church is the Church of saints, but at the same time it is the Church of sinners. For this reason, during its history, Christians have betrayed that unity so fervently desired by Jesus Christ, and proclaimed by all followers, Catholic, Orthodox and Reformed, when they profess in the NiceneConstantinopolitan Creed: “I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.”11 It is, therefore, only by becoming increasingly aware of the sense of, what theologians call the koinonia12 within the Church, the Body of Christ, which is solely granted by the Holy Spirit, that we can move forward in the movement towards Christian Unity.13 I hope these reflections will be of assistance as we become increasingly concerned by the scandal of the divisions in the Body of Christ, and that we become ever more conscious that these wounds can only be
healed through the power of the Holy Spirit. I thus conclude by turning to the prayer in the Pentecost kontakion14 of the eastern liturgy:
When the most High came down and confused the tongues, He divided the nations; But when he distributed the tongues of fire He called all to unity. Therefore, with one voice, we glorify the All-holy Spirit! Endnotes
This according to the Wellhausen Documentary Hypothesis – cf. A Suelzer SP & JS Kselman SS ‘Modern Old Testament Criticism’ in The New Jerome Biblical Commentary – Eds RE Brown SS, JE Fitzmyer SJ & RE Murphy OCarm – London 1989 – 69§24 2 cf. RJ Clifford SJ & RE Murphy OCarm ‘Genesis’ in The New Jerome Biblical Commentary – Eds RE Brown SS, JE Fitzmyer SJ & RE Murphy OCarm – London 1989 – 2§5(B) 3 All Biblical quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version (Catholic Edition) 4 This is a classic concept in social philosophy formulated by the Austrian Jewish philosopher, Martin Buber (1878-1965). Buber 1
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proposed that human relationships centre on the distinction between the I–Thou [German: ich-du] relationship and the I–It [German: ich-es] relationship. I Thou is a relationship that stresses the mutual, holistic existence of two beings. It is a concrete encounter, because these beings meet one another in their authentic existence, without any qualification or objectification of one another. cf. JC Livingstone Modern Christian Thought from the Enlightenment to Vatican II – New York 1971 p351 5 Catechism of the Catholic Church §374 6 ibid. §§398-400 7 A German term literally meaning ‘holy’ + ‘history’, which since the 19th century AD has been employed by scholars of Biblical Theology to describe the story of the Bible as that of God’s redemptive work in the events of history - cf. A Suelzer SP & JS Kselman SS op.cit. – 69§§20, 30 & 31
Catechism of the Catholic Church §§733-736 9 cf. Vatican II – Decree on Ecumenism ‘Unitatis Redintegratio’ §3 10 cf. Acts 2:38 & Jn 3:5-6 11 cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church §§195 & 817 12 Kononia – [from the Greek κοινωνία, meaning collection or joint participation] a term used by theologians to identify the state of fellowship and unity that should exist within the Christian church, the Body of Christ – cf. Acts 2:42–47 & F Lambiasi ‘Holy Spirit’ in Dictionary of Fundamental Theology – Eds R Latourelle & R Fisichella – New York 1994 - §2c pp460-1 13 cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church §811 14 The kontakion [from the Greek: κοντάκιον, meaning a rod, as the rod around which a scroll is rolled] is a short hymn used in the Byzantine liturgy (Orthodox & Eastern Catholic) 8
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Anne Mesilio writes about the Saint of the Month
Saint of the High Mountains and the Lowly Valleys C
aledonia is the Latin name bestowed by the Romans to the land we know today as Scotland. It is a name of Celtic origin comparable with Hibernia for Ireland or Cambria for Wales. Scotland has a turbulent history of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and several Ice Ages which, when retreating gouged out majestic mountains and deep valleys whose grandeur often defies description and gives this country its poetry. “Caledonia! thou land of the mountain and rock, of the ocean, the mist, and the wind ... sweet land of the bay and wild-winding deeps ... kind are the hearts, undaunted the clans ... thou land of the valley the moor and the hills” [James
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Hogg]. No written history exists prior to the coming of the Romans in 79AD but the standing stones and ancient settlements, especially the burial sites, suggest the land had been inhabited for thousands of years. One of the oldest Christian settlements in Western Europe today is the little island of Iona in the Inner Hebrides, where Irish missionary Columba founded a monastery (in the 7th century) which was to make this tiny island known as the cradle of Christianity in Scotland. It was then and is now a place of tranquillity in which its natural environment makes it a favourite for spiritual retreats. Arthur’s Seat, an old extinct volcano provides an ancient backdrop to the capital Edinburgh, a city ringed with hills and atop one of those, impressively perched, is Edinburgh Castle, which dominates the skyline. Scotland bustles with history and culture and Scots have a reputation for being hard working and proud of their traditions. The Romans arrived in 79AD to be met with the resistance of fierce warrior tribes in what was then Caledonia. They, the Romans had been in Britain for 400 years but only survived Scotland for
80! They could not conquer those warlike tribes and mountains and deep lochs and the ever changing weather which imbued the area with a mystical touch. One minute it is sunny, the next dark clouds and shadows taking over giving an almost sinister aspect which in ancient times was considered ominous.
St. Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland.
Who was he? We are told he was an active and vigorous fisherman who lived with his brother Simon who is called Peter on the shores of Lake Galilee. Here, in that ancient time, a small flourishing fishing industry had developed. This is where they were spotted by Jesus on his mission and he invited them to become ‘fishers of men’ and at once they left their nets and followed him. Jesus would have been well aware that fishermen were hardy individuals, accustomed to working long arduous hours all year long. Fishing formed a fundamental part of first century Galilean life. They were reportedly prosperous too and in following Jesus they were making an enormous sacrifice and commitment to being ‘fishers of men’. Andrew is credited with being
the disciple who drew Jesus’ attention to the boy with the five barley loaves and two fishes, as a multitude of people grew weary and hungry, having listened all day to Jesus teaching. In Matthew 14, 18;19 we are told he commanded; “Bring them here to me ... and taking the five loaves and two fishes he looked up to heaven, gave thanks and broke the loaves”. I am tempted to say the rest is history and leave it at that but that would be to negate the miracle of love which was wrought here. Andrew was present at the Last Supper, but originally he was a disciple of John the Baptist, so he deserves the title First Called apostle. His mission seems to have been to introduce people to the Messiah as he was truly a man of faith and hope and it would seem he enjoyed moments of profound intimacy with Jesus on his mission. His own mission after the Crucifixion saw him travel widely in Asia minor and around the Black Sea and Greece. He is believed to have suffered great hardships but that did not deter him from travelling on to Hungry, Russia and even as far as Poland. He is actually Patron of Russia and Greece and Romania. Scotland is in
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Artwork: The Crucifixion of St Andrew by Mattia Preti brother Peter, felt unworthy to be crucified upright as Christ on the Cross of Calvary. Scotland celebrates his feast day on 30th November, a day which marks the beginning of Winter
good company adopting as its patron saint an actual apostle of Jesus. He was recognised as its patron saint as far back as 1320 after an appeal to the Pope by noblemen asserting Scotland’s independence from England. (Maybe Nicola Sturgeon is missing a trick or two in her bid for independence!!). St. Andrew has been invoked to help and intercede for the Scots in various battles, notably in 832AD when he is credited with appearing in a vision to a Pictish king the night before the battle. On the day of battle a Saltire, an X shaped cross, appeared above the battlefield and victory belonged to the Picts. The Saltire, in the form of a white X on a blue background, or St. Andrew’s Cross, was adopted as the national emblem and flag of the Scots. According to tradition, it was in Achaia, Greece, in the town of Patra that Andrew died a martyr. When Governor Aepeas’ wife was healed and converted to the Christian faith, and shortly after that the Governor’s brother became a Christian, Aepeas was enraged. He arrested Andrew and condemned him to die on the cross. Andrew, feeling unworthy to be crucified on the same-shaped cross as his Master,
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begged that his be different. So, he was crucified on an X-shaped cross, which is still called St. Andrew’s cross and which is one of his apostolic symbols. A symbol of two crossed fish has also been applied to Andrew, because he was formerly a fisherman. He hung for three days on the cross, fixed not by nails but by rope round his hands and feet. Even in his last agony, he continued to preach and pray; “O blessed Cross, clothed in the majesty and beauty of the Lord’s limbs! ... Take me, carry me far from men, and restore me to my Teacher, so that, through you, the one who redeemed me by you, may receive me. Hail, O Cross; yes, hail indeed!”. He, like his
festivities. It is a day to celebrate the culture with food and dance, this happens around the world, wherever Scots reside. Happy St. Andrew’s Day to all who celebrate!
CHRISTIAN FAMILY MOVEMENT 25th, 40th, 50th & 60th Wedding Anniversary Celebrations at the Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned on Friday 2nd February 2018 at 7:30pm
Mr & Mrs:___________________________________________ Forenames: Husband___________________________________ Forenames: Wife______________________________________ Née:________________________________________________ Address:____________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ E-mail:______________________________________________ Home 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 as soon as possible and not later than Friday 19th January 2018, alternatively, e-mail above detail/form to duos@gibtelecom.net -Please keep the information below for your information-
After the church service celebration, couples are cordially invited to the Catholic Community Centre for refreshments, along with four guests. This is due to the limited space available. Couples should arrive at the Cathedral on 2nd February 2018 no later than 7.15pm For further information or queries contact Denise Duo on Home no: 20043386 Mob no: 57021000 email: duos@gibtelecom.net
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