Christmas at the Vatican: Left, Pope Francis Dec. 8. Angelus Photo, CNS/Paul Haring. Centre, Pope Francis greets Patti Smith in
2
Tweet with us!
@uponthisrockmag
St. Peter’s Square REUTERS/OSSERVATORE ROMANO/LANDOV. Right Pope with youth choir CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano
PROMOTING
Peace AND
“Christmas joy expressed through music brings a message of peace and brotherhood for those most in need” said. Pope Francis.
M
eeting with o r g a n i z e r s and musicians participating in a benefit Christmas concert at the Vatican, the pope said the talents of musicians and artists during the festive season “is a formidable way to open the doors of the mind and heart to the true meaning of Christmas.”
“Christmas is a heartfelt feast, participatory, capable of warming the coldest hearts, of removing the walls of indifference toward one’s neighbour, of encouraging openness toward the other and giving freely,” he said. The proceeds of the December 16th concert, which was sponsored by the Pontifical Congregation for Catholic Education, will be donated to two organizations — Scholas Occurrentes and the “Don Bosco in the World” Foundation — to benefit children’s programs in Argentina and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The pope thanked the artists and the event organizers for donating their time and talents to “the needs of the needy and disadvantaged who beg for help and solidarity” and for promoting peace and compassion through music.
Francis said he hoped the concert would be “an occasion to sow tenderness — this word that is often forgotten today. Violence, war, no! Tenderness! That it may sow tenderness, peace and hospitality which flows from the grotto in Bethlehem”.
Among the international cast of musicians meeting the pope and performing at the concert were Annie Lennox and Patti Smith.
Rectory & Letter Public Domain, commons.wikimedia.org
Compassion THROUGH M usic
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: St. Martins Reception School, Sensory Crib Panel 4. Photo: M. Aguilera Ocv
Join us on Facebook
328 Page Likes
3
4
Upon This Rock has an online shop
St. Paul’s ParishWomen of Grace
Study Course
Graduation
Testimonies from two Graduates
W
hen I first heard of Women of Grace, I instinctively became curiously interested and wanted to know more about it. Time would have it that due to a 5-week holiday I was unable to start the course with a group of friends. However, my time to embark on this journey came later on, with another group of ladies, from a different parish, of different age groups and not within my circle of friends. I was apprehensive at first, but as the weeks went on we all worked well together and soon discovered that God’s love and graces can create strong bonds and a wonderful relationships. I now have eight more friends for life and sisters in Christ. The journey on a weekly basis filled me with a personal fulfilment and deepened my understanding of our Catholic Faith, the Holy Mass and the Sacraments. Each week was a beautiful lesson and opened emotions that left me with a
desire and hunger to learn more and read about other Saints and get closer to my Lord. Some lessons were soul searching and hard to accept and comprehend. But in discussion and sharing each other’s experiences and thoughts we were able to embrace the message and understanding of our Faith. I began to question myself in my every day life and my actions towards my family, friends and anyone who met me. I now recognise and believe in the power of prayer and Obedience and the importance of reading Holy Scriptures. Women of Grace has brought me closer to the Blessed Virgin Mary and to see her as an example of love, humility and grace. For the more we love Mary, the more we love Christ, Her Son and our Saviour. Women of Grace has been a wonderful experience that has brought me closer to God and the Blessed Virgin Mary. Tonia Brooks
A
n incredible course which not only changed the way I look at my religious beliefs but the way I value myself and other women around me. In a time where gender equality is reaching equilibrium, praising women for the gift of femininity is quite rare and often unheard of. The course took me on a journey I never expected, not only was I learning about the gifts god blessed me with, by making me a woman, it ascertained how truly special and vital that blessing was, is and always
will be throughout the dawns of time. Building bonds with the other ladies was an added bonus, sharing our insecurities and aiding each other to be a better woman was the cherry on top! By no means was this journey easy, facing ones flaws head on and learning to overcome them was empowering and one of the most rewarding, self discovery experiences I have had the pleasure of undertaking.
Cannot recommend Women of Grace Study Course enough! Zuleika Marie Buttigieg
uponthisrock.gi - Purchase Christian Gifts with Free Local Delivery
5
Sarah Cumming wrote
Christian Unity Why Bother? n This seminar
n The Catechism
of the Catholic Church says:
“Christ always gives his Church the gift of unity, but the Church must always pray and work to maintain, reinforce and perfect the unity that Christ wills for her. This is why Jesus himself prayed at the hour of his Passion and does not cease praying to his Father, for the unity of his disciples: ‘That they may all be one. As you, Father,
are in me and I am in you, may they also be one in us... so that the world may know that you have sent me.’ John 17:21. The desire to recover the unity of all Christians is a gift of Christ and a call of the Holy Spirit.” 1 So if it’s a call of the Holy Spirit and an ongoing gift from Christ for the Church, why do we show and allow apathy, or just simple disinterest, towards ecumenical endeavours or anything mentioning Christian Unity? Why do we not have the same yearning and heartbreak that Christ has?
I have at times felt, that interdenominational relationships in Gibraltar are often at a stalemate, not only because of past hurts but, because we may not know how to communicate with each other. “If we are really to seek for Christian Unity, we must be prepared to pay the cost. For it must be based upon love, and love is always costly. It will never be attained until there is ‘far more humility, far more thought, far more self-sacrifice and far more prayer than there is at present.’ (B.H. Streeter)
is a unique opportunity to say how you feel...
The Hand in Hand seminar being held in Gibraltar in October, gives us a unique opportunity to open up and to communicate with one another, where otherwise we might just dismiss conversation or topics in order to keep the fragile peace. It gives us a safe environment to engage with one another, pray together and communicate with each other. The seminar will address many issues, which I know will benefit the Christian community of Gibraltar as a whole. There will be, without a doubt, contentious issues that will be brought up throughout the weekend, the aim is not to antagonize, but to facilitate an open dialogue in a secure setting as we are called to do so from a Christian perspective.
n Jesus says: Do not complain, brothers and sisters, about one another. (Jm 5:9) Together, we’ll see details
6
Tweet with us!
@uponthisrockmag
that we may have missed before. We’ll see strengths as well as weaknesses. We’ll see acts of love, as well as actions that disturb us. It’s also the place where we can begin to detect how God is at work in us - always in love, encouragement, and joy. It’s the place where, rather than trying to change other people’s hearts and actions, we will find our hearts beginning to change. And so James tells us not to complain about each other. He knows that it’s not our role to judge - that belongs to God. Rather than being judges, we are called to become traveling companions who live to encourage one another. James urges us to be patient with each other, just as God has been so patient with us.
n Collaboration
for Victory!
“May they all be one, just as, Father, you are in me and I am in you, so that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe it was you who sent me. I have given them the glory you gave to me, that they may be one as we are one. With me in them and you in me, may they be so perfected in unity that the world will recognise that it was you who sent me and that you have loved them as you have loved me.” (Jn 17:21-23 NJB) First published in Upon This Rock September 2016. Sarah Cumming is the Kerygma Representative for Gibraltar 1 CCC.§820
n An invitation I really want to encourage you to attend this seminar, your horizons will be broadened, your thoughts challenged and your heart will engage with Christ’s prayer.
Join us on Facebook
328 Page Likes
7
Anne Mesilio
STANDING BETWEEN
THE
8 uponthisrock.gi
Resolutely turning our backs on the year which has run its course, having brought its share of joy and sorrow, both on a personal level and that of the world we live in. The year ahead will do the same, but surely there were lessons to be learned in order to better cope with whatever is to come. Life does not get complicated overnight, although it often feels that way. More often than not we just fall into a habit, a way of doing and coping that actually may be holding us back. At this time of year, New Year resolutions come to the fore, but come on, be honest now, when do these good intentions ever really pay off? If anything they cause us to berate ourselves for lack of will power or other inane excuses which have no grounding in reality. Those twelve seconds of standing between the years can be put to positive use as we look forward and decide to create our own simplicity. Yes, life needs to be simple in order to discover the tools to live that way. For instance, love your bills, yes really, pay on time with thanksgiving, be grateful for the electricity, water, telephone, technology that has made life both exciting and bearable. Create more family time, the rewards are boundless. Dreaming of your dream job, well, go get it, what’s stopping you? Not happy where you live, move! It is that simple, if we let it be. Ok, feeling unwell may slow us down, I have been well acquainted with that feeling, it becomes easy to focus on our limitations and that way opportunities may be missed but by simplifying our lives and attitudes, this need not stand in our way. Setbacks will keep happening, that is a given, but remember, choice changes everything. It is not what happens to us but rather how we cope with it that matters. Be in charge! It only takes twelve seconds! Twelve seconds to change how we live in the next twelve months! Too often we live our lives to conform to the expectations of others. The following Saint is a case in point. We celebrate the feast day of St. Francis De Sales on 24th January. I must admit I knew nothing about him
Big Ben Image Credit: commons.wikimedia.org
From the first stroke of midnight to the last, twelve seconds in all, we stand between the years every New Years Eve as we bid farewell to the old and welcome the new.
YEARS
Upon This Rock has an online shop
time his sword fell from his scabbard, both fell to the ground in the shape of the Christian Cross. Finally, his gentle persistence won through and Francis was ordained and elected provost of the Diocese of Geneva (1593) a stronghold for Calvinists. Aged 35 he became Bishop of Geneva and throughout his life his gentle character was an asset in winning souls. He led a short though busy life and after his death in 1622 he was canonized by Pope Alexander VII in 1665. He is the patron saint of authors, journalists, writers and deafness. I feel an empathy with him! So it seems to me we all need the courage to live and express ourselves fully. Banish thoughts and feelings of failure, anger or resentment and focus on the positives in our lives. It is so easy to lose touch with our deeper inner selves. I loved to dance as a youngster and apparently so did Pope Francis who is widely quoted as having said “I love to tango, I used to dance when I was young”. We all need to reach back to these
St. Francis De Sales Image Credit: visitationspirit.org
and I am glad I researched him. He was born into a noble family near Geneva, Switzerland on 21st August 1567. He was, by all accounts an intelligent and gentle man. His desire from an early age was to serve God but his father had other ideas wanting him to enter politics and pursue a career in law. In 1580 he attended the University of Padua where, during all this time, his passion to serve God never diminished, but he kept it to himself, and after receiving his doctorate he returned home. Then began the years of trying to win his fathers consent to follow his heart and be allowed to live a life of serving God. His father was strongly opposed to this but the gentle Francis practiced his own axiom; “a spoonful of honey attracts more flies than a barrel of vinegar”. To please his father he studied fencing and learned to ride and it was one day whilst out riding that he felt God had made his wish for Francis quite clear. He fell from his horse three times that day and every
carefree memories, a way of touching base with our inner selves. We have twelve seconds as
the bells peal out the new, grab them and give thanks. It takes courage to live.
uponthisrock.gi - Purchase Christian Gifts with Free Local Delivery
Happy New Year.
uponthisrock.gi 9
Where faith and science meet
I
f Catholic evangelisation in the 21st century in the West is to have any impact on our spiritually sterile, antilife, pseudo-sophisticated and self-centred culture, it must surely begin with one of my favourite hobby-horses: the junction in the road of life at which faith and science meet. It’s a given that most secular people in the West regard faith as being a rather old-fashioned precursor to science, as if, once science came along, it put faith to shame as a kind of hocus-pocus best buried with its superstitious proponents of olden times. I put it to you that we the churched, and the Roman Catholic Church in particular (more about that in my next article), need to recognise that if that’s what a lot of people think, then it’s not their fault that historically we didn’t do enough to rebut that point of view. Secondly, when it comes to taking and talking Jesus to secular folks, we really ought to begin at the junction of faith and science because, actually, the idea that science can coexist with faith is surely one that many people will receive sympathetically. All of us have
Pinwheel Galaxy Rainbow Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ESA/STScI/CXC
an insatiable spiritual hunger in our lives only God can fill and without Whom the inner space is as barren a vacuum as the outer one. Would not most people feel at once the enormous spiritual consolation of realising that the universe in which we live, gradually revealed by science more and more every day, is in fact the grand design of a loving and indispensable Creator? Let’s begin this series by taking a look first, however, at one contrary view, that science has effectually outlawed (literally) faith. No less a science grandee than Stephen Hawking has said that “because there is a law like gravity, the universe can and will create itself from nothing … It is not necessary to invoke God to light the blue touch paper and set the universe going” (S. Hawking and L. Mlodinow: The Grand Design P.190). It’s a regrettable fact that Mr Hawking’s pronouncements and writings have taken on an increasingly anti-God perspective, in itself a quite unscientific posture but, more importantly, it’s worth
examining this statement in more detail for the palpable nonsense that it is, despite the reputation
for intellectual prowess that its author has otherwise deservedly earned. Firstly, the notion that you don’t need God to explain the existence of things because “there is” a law like gravity attempts to ignore some rather obvious questions: Where did that law come from? How did it spontaneously arise? What, or who, determines what a law of physics is? If it’s a law, an operating principle, how did it
just invent itself? Secondly, and more glibly, Mr Hawking says “the universe can and will create itself”. I’m foxed by the use of “and will”. So, he’s theorising the possibility that the universe can spontaneously come into existence. Sure, it’s possible, like any theory but the “and will” is a subliminal suggestion that, actually, it’s not so much a theory as likely reality. That’s just wrong methodology and bad science. If it’s just one possible theory, how will it come spontaneously into existence? Indeed, it’s as possible as Mr Hawking’s also favoured theory of the multiverse with which, as with this notion of the spontaneously self-creating universe, there’s one big problem: there isn’t a single shred of evidence to support either idea. Unlike the Big Bang, for which there is now a whole slew of evidence, not least the confirmed existence of gravitational waves and, even more importantly, the cosmic background radiation which is, astonishingly, the still-
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. 10
Tweet with us!
@uponthisrockmag
Chris Pittaluga the Big Bang is: a springing into created existence via the most super-humongous explosion of the universe from literally nothing, out of which all matter that is known to exist in the entire universe today was already present in an infinitesimally and mindblowingly concentrated state and which has been expanding ever since for nearly 14 billion years. The final part of that quote is interesting, too, because it speaks to me of the true state of Stephen Hawking’s heart rather than of his mind. No-one doubts that this is one of, if not the most intelligent men of our times and his accomplishments have even been attested to in film. I am sure that he can do maths which could, maybe, predict that all of this could have happened spontaneously or develop a theory which dispenses with the need for a Grand Designer that we, who believe in both faith and science as simply different views of
the same thing, call God. But we have to ask why any scientist, in making a statement about the origins of the universe and the physical reality that this concerns, would have a simultaneous need to find a way to determine that “it is not necessary to invoke God”. Why should God be involved in the determinations of a scientist at all? Why not just leave Him out altogether? Indeed, why would anyone find it necessary to say that God is unnecessary? Perhaps a universe without God makes
it easier to explain or justify the apparent indifference of existence to the seemingly random unfairness of the nature of human suffering. If God did indeed light the original touch paper, why would He have abandoned us since? But faith speaks to things other than electrons. The Big Bang wasn’t a firework or a gunpowder plot. It was the first action of mercy of a loving God, Whose sole purpose in His creation was nothing more and nothing less than to obtain the companionship and requited love of His most beloved: mankind. You and me and Stephen Hawking. If only we could all, churched and unchurched, faithful and secular, look ever higher and see that, because God’s ways are as high above our ways as the heavens are as high above the earth, part of the excitement of Being is to see by science and understand by faith what wondrous things He intends for His beautiful creation.
Images Credit: commons.wikimedia.org
reverberating faint echo of the incredible explosion that was the Big Bang, plus the observable fact that our universe has been expanding away from a single point for 13.8 billion years or so. Mr Hawking doesn’t really like the Big Bang, which he reluctantly has to accept, because it’s almost impossible to conclude that something the size and unlikelihood of the universe doesn’t just come into existence from nothing, implying the need for a Creator. That’s why he’s in favour of a so-called multiverse, a multiple, perhaps an infinite, number of different universes all reverberating perhaps infinitely.
Next time: WHY GALILEO WASN’T THAT BIG A DEAL
If something is infinite, it rather helpfully doesn’t need a touch paper to be lit to get it going. All of which brings me neatly onto a point that many will not know. The very first person to come up with the theory of the Big Bang was none other than – no, not Einstein – a Belgian Roman Catholic priest called Fr. Georges Lemaitre who, in 1931, determined that not only did there have to be a ‘first cause’ as Aquinas had theologised from a spiritual perspective but, quite literally, a first cause at the very beginning of a onceoff explosion of time and space which he originally called rather quaintly “the Big Egg”. At first dismissive, once Einstein and Lemaitre had a chance to discuss and analyse the latter’s theory together, Einstein reportedly stood up at a conference and said: “This is the most beautiful and satisfactory explanation of creation to which I have ever listened.” Since that is exactly what
Join us on Facebook
328 Page Likes
11
Maria Louisa Aguilera presents the Gibraltar Annual Diocesan Crib Competition Schools Results
Crib Competition A
s in previous years the Diocesan Crib competion judging was very tight, but as the construction and design standards of the Schools Nativity Scenes improve it is even more difficult to separate the winners. Sometimes this was down to one point’s difference between the final marks.
Winner: St. Martin’s School
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 details 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
12
Tweet with us!
Winner: Loreto Middle School ST. MARTIN’S RECEPTION SCHOOL who won the Best Crib 2017 for their age group, presented a ‘sensory crib’ divided into 5 panels. Each panel depicted a scenery from a traditional nativity setting, namely houses depicting what Bethlehem may have looked like and the roof tops had corrugated cardboard being a
@uponthisrockmag
sensory combination. Another of the panels was the actual Nativity scene, another the three Kings, then the scene of the Annunciation where the shepherds and sheep were visited by an Angel and lastly was another farm animal scene with the farmer. All had different sensory things to them and all panels were also accompanied
Families, Clubs, House Patios, and Places of Work will be featured next month
2017 Schools Results
Reception MARY’S FIRST SCHOOL, a newcomer to the annual venture of this competition. St Mary’s presented a very interesting crib which no doubt caught everyone’s eye upon entering the school building as it was quite big in size as the pictures show. Different materials were used to create this crib and Judges were informed of the amount of
children from different classes that were involved under the guidance of their teachers. They joyfully admitted the enthusiasm they had enjoyed whilst creating the crib, as it was the first time they were entering. We both welcome them and once again congratulate them all in their success.
Winner: St. Mary’s First School by photos of different children with their teachers working on each panel. Well done St Martin’s! LORETO MIDDLE SCHOOL created a Crib which can be categorized as ‘child friendly’ - normally adults go into panic mode when we see our children getting near the cribs, and the children are always fascinated
by wanting to ‘grab’ a figure or two from the crib... well this ‘Brick Crib’ is precisely one that can be played with by children, as they come and go rearranging the blocks as they please. Loreto Middle won the Best Crib 2017 for their age group. Finally, the winner for the Best First School was ST
Join us on Facebook
328 Page Likes
13
Maria Louisa Aguilera presents the Gibraltar Annual Diocesan Crib Competition Schools Results
Runners-up Sponsored by
Loreto School Nursery / Reception
Notre Dame School Year 1.
Notre Dame School Year 2.
Notre Dame School Year 3 Crib 2.
Notre Dame School Nursery / Reception 14
Upon This Rock has an online shop
Families, Clubs, House Patios, and Places of Work will be featured next month
& Noteworthy Entries
Runner-up: St Bernadette’s First School
Loreto First School
St Bernard’s Middle School
Governor’s Meadow School
Runner-up: St. Anne’s Middle School
uponthisrock.gi - Purchase Christian Gifts with Free Local Delivery
15