Our Lady of Europe News...
Anne Mesilio writes...
Join us at St. Bernard’s Church
for our
Diocesan Procession to the Shrine.
24th May 6:30pm 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 & p2: Procession to the Shrine of Our Lady of Europe, 25/05/15 Photo © A. Sargent
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Has there ever been a “For generations Catholics have turned to Mary for assistance and inspiration and we need to do that again because of our troubled world and our nation and our community and our Church”. Cardinal Bergolio speaking in 2010
The annual Diocesan procession of Our Lady of Europe will take place on Wednesday 24th May. Departs St. Bernard’s Church at 6:30pm. The Eucharistic Celebration will be held upon arrival at the Shrine.
Marian Year ? T
here have only been two of them, Marian Years that is. The first in Church history was declared by Pope Pius XII in 1954, calling it Little Holy Year. The world had been engulfed in two world wars as well as the Korean war which had recently ended. He perceived the need to bring comfort and healing amidst so much death and destruction. He wanted to remind us that Mary represents “love, hope and charity”. Marian devotion seems to increase in times of persecution and crisis. The events at Fatima, one hundred years ago, remind us of that. A rather poignante reminder as the world is as unsafe today, embroiled in wars, genocide, heinous chemical attacks, abuse and the terrible sight of fleeing humanity from areas where these atrocities are prevalent. In 1987, Pope John Paul II (canonized April 2014), initiated a Marian year in preparation for the millennium. It was to be the 2,000th birthday of the Church and “we will want to use it to bear witness of Christ. We’ll be imploring Mary because of her closeness to God”. Historically, the flourishing of Marian devotion began during the Crusades, a series of religious wars sanctioned by the Latin Church in the medieval period, especially the campaigns in the Eastern Mediterranean with the aim of recovering the Holy Land from Islamic rule. The threat to Christianity was very real. Muslim armies had conquered Spain and reached France. Regions in Africa too had succumbed and when Constantinople fell, the Europe of 1453 felt threatened. It was during this period of great uncertainty that St. Dominic (a Spanish priest and friar, 11701221, canonized in 1234), is
credited with creating the Rosary as we know it today. According to tradition the Rosary was given to St. Dominic by Mary herself in a vision. When Our Lady appeared to the three children at Fatima she identified herself as Our Lady of the Holy Rosary. One of the most significant Marian events in Irish history occurred in August 1879 at Knock, Co. Mayo when 15 people witnessed the apparition of the Virgin Mary and other figures. Once again, the 15 witnesses were ordinary poor people, and Mayo was in deep crisis as the famine of 1879 hit Connacht hard, bringing fresh
terror to a region where the memories of the horrors of 1847 were still raw. Another example of how Marian devotion flourishes in times of great tribulation. We meet Mary in prayer when we say the Rosary and benefit from its many graces. She made many promises to St. Dominic for those who faithfully pray the Rosary, one of them being; “Whosoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary shall receive signal graces”. It was tradition when I was growing up to gather and say the Rosary every night under the premise that “the family who prays together, stays together”, this was attributed to Fr. Peyton, who coined the phrase. My mother would brook no excuse to miss this nightly ritual. Mary’s intercession is guaranteed, remember her words at the wedding at Cana when she told her son “they have no wine”
and she told the servants “do whatever he tells you”. May is the month of Mary and from my earliest childhood recollections, this delightful month was alive with new growth, warm sunshine, flowers blooming, bees buzzing, it really was and still is, a time to celebrate. May altars popped up everywhere, at homes, schools, hospitals and even by the roadsides. I remember Bluebells. They grew profusely in woods, groves and derelict graveyards. I knew all the haunts and was never at a loss to gather bunches of these gorgeous blooms for our May altar, at home and at school. Really, the bluebell epitomizes May for me and I miss this yearly beauty, often very sorely. “How do I weep, how do I pine, for the time of flowers to come, and turn me from that fading shine, to mourn the fields of home” (Emily Bronte). As young as I was in 1954 during the first ever Marian year it left a lasting impact on Ireland who embraced this year with special fervour and devotion. It was memorable and made history when, on May 16th that year, over 30,000 people marched through the streets of Dublin celebrating the Queenship of Mary. Ireland at that time had a population of just under three million, devastated as it was by the curse of high emigration which had scarred the soul of a fledgling nation and tore families apart. Comfort and hope were in high demand. When speaking of Mary in 2010, the then Cardinal Bergolio said “Catholics for generations have turned to Mary for assistance and inspiration and we need to do that again because of our troubled world and our nation and our community and our church”. Need I say more?
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s n o s a e R 0 10,00
Gibraltar Diocesan Youth Service
f lame
2017:
THIS March, Wembley Arena hosted the third incarnation of Flame, a national Catholic youth gathering arranged by the Catholic Youth Ministries Federation of England and Wales (CYMFED).
M
onsignor Charles Azzopardi once again led members of the Diocesan Youth Service to Wembley to meet 10,000 young Catholics from around the UK and participate in what proved to be a fun -packed day of worship, fellowship and prayer.
While Flame itself was a one day event, we took the opportunity to host a weekend retreat for our university students, an integral part of our university chaplaincy plan. This year we were blessed to welcome a strong group of over 30 retreatants from universities as far apart as Newcastle and Falmouth! As students arrived from different parts of the country the stress and struggles of the term were left behind and the Llanito spirit started to creep in. This year we were incredibly blessed with the hospitality shown to us by the priests and parishioners at the St. Joseph’s Parish of Wembley. Allowing us to use their parish hall and the church, we were able to kick our weekend off by celebrating Holy Mass before tucking in to supper and continuing sharing how our Lenten journeys were going. Saturday morning saw our now complete group gather again at the Parish hall for
breakfast, a time of prayer and to hear a testimony by Simon Dumas on his Lenten journey and the ways in which he had realised that the Lord is speaking to him. Simon reinforced the fact that our talents are gifts from God and that, if we strive to be in tune with Him, He will reveal the next step on our incredible, unique journey through those very gifts He has given us. Speaking beautifully about the way in which the Lord has used music to touch his life and open himself to moments of encounter really struck a chord (no pun intended) with those gathered and bore a great faithful witness to the fact that young people can take so much from really striving to know Christ and walk with Him. We then made our way to Wembley Arena where the festival spirit had spilled out onto the streets. The theme for this year’s gathering was 10,000 reasons. In part due to the fact that popular Christian Worship Leader, Matt Redman, was leading the Praise and he wrote the popular song 10,000 reasons; that the event was a 10,000 strong sell out; but mainly because the day was focused around the Christian response to the Refugee Crisis with an emphasis on the 10,000 migrants who lost their lives trying to cross the Mediterranean.
W
hat was your favourite part of Flame 2017?
One of the most impacting moments, that one can experience, is when a big group of people come together to adore and experience the mercy and grace that pours out from our Lord Jesus Christ present in the Eucharist, and in Flame 2017 exactly this happened in a packed out arena with around 10,000 youth. Aside from the actual big event the, intimate retreat that was created around it was full of blessings. We had young people sharing their Lenten journeys and it is always humbling to listen to the work that the Lord is doing in other peoples lives, they shared the things that He has revealed to them and the ways in which He is very clearly speaking to them. It was truly a wonderful weekend, the Lord surely does keep all his promises. – Louis Lombard
W
hat did you learn from Flame 2017?
It was amazing. An eye opener, I don’t think I fully realised the immigration crisis we have. It made me extremely appreciative of the life I have and of how blessed we are in Gibraltar. I now make a conscious effort to pray for the refugees and the charities that support them. - Simon Dumas
The event had a variety of speakers including Cardinal Nicholas, Cardinal Bo from Mayanmar and David Wells, Director of Formation for the Diocese of Plymouth. In between talks, the Rise Theatre group produced some thought provoking performances which brought home the message that we are all brothers in Christ and must care of one another. The music, led by Matt Redman, created a powerful spirit of praiseful prayer raising to such crescendos that it almost felt as though the foundations of the arena were shaking. Once the event was over, we returned to St. Joseph’s where we joined the local congregation to celebrate Holy Mass. Our day culminated with an intimate time of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in a beautiful chapel, after a short sharing from one of our youth leaders Clare Bensadon had encouraged the retreatants to be faithful to the will of God in our lives, to trust in Him and the vocational path He has prepared for us. Sunday saw the retreat come to a close with a couple more sharings from some of our youth leadership team. In particular Philip Dumas gave an inspiring testimony of how the Lord is working in him and how we must be open to the power of the Holy Spirit within us. He also shared some of the practical ways that he is engaging with his faith and how to really benefit from the fullness of joy available to us in Holy Mass.
I really enjoyed the singing and the feeling of belonging to a powerful and vibrant Church full of Love and that is very much alive. It was a really powerful moment of encounter and Praising Jesus, a way of life that we are all called to share with ours. I pray that all our young people in University might make the most of the retreats offered by Fr. Charlie and the youth service. - Sebastian Porral
H
ow did Flame measure up to your expectations?
This year was my first experience of Flame. I had heard good things about it and wanted to see for myself what it was like. Entering Wembley Arena with 10,000 youth was impressiveit was electric! The content of the conference focused on the
refugee crisis and how we are all called to do our part and help those in need- I found this very fitting given the current political climate. Furthermore, I still remember some of the dynamic drama and songs and the messages they tried to convey. In particular, I thought a sketch about how Jesus is present in every moment of your life- the ordinary and exceptional eventsquite powerful. -Clare Bensadon
H
ow was your first Flame experience?
When I first heard about Flame I was very curious. I had no idea what to expect. All I knew was that I needed to go, spend time focusing more on God and my Faith. I really liked the way Flame felt like a mini retreat, allowing me to remove myself from every day life and give some time to God.
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Two Testimonies from a Recent Retreat.
T H A N K YO U
T
wo ‘Women of Grace’ write about how much they enjoyed the recent retreat with guest speakers Johnnette Benkovic and Fr. Phillip Scott.
Leanne The retreat was a wonderful time of reflection on the inner self and on the life that God is calling each of us to, through his abundant grace. One of the main highlights of the weekend was a talk given by Fr. Phillip, there was an opportunity for healing of past wounds during adoration of the blessed sacrament and through the sacrament of reconciliation, a very special and moving experience. Throughout the weekend that we shared together there was a true spirit of family and friendship.
Clare: It was so good to meet Johnnette in person after hearing her talks and reading her book as part of the Women of Grace course. Johnnette’s zeal and complete surrender to God was inspiring and challenging at the same time! I left the retreat enriched both spiritually and intellectually as Johnnette and Fr. Scott shared such passion, sincerity and knowledge.
Come and See! “The Church is a live ands trong ”
A
lready this year there have been a number of events held throughout the Diocese including Cursillos, retreats, courses, and of course the Diocesan conference, which took place after the current issue of Upon This Rock magazine went to print in April. The Conference organiser’s asked the production editor of the magazine to prepare a leaflet giving details of prayer groups, with the intention of giving this out to participants at the end of the Conference so they could ‘Come and See’ different groups. Invitations were sent to all the
prayer groups in Gibraltar to take part in the Conference and then to have their details mentioned in the ‘Come and See’ leaflet. The resulting leaflet has been included as the centre spread in this issue of the magazine and we hope Churches and Prayer Groups will be able to pull it out and pin it up in any meeting places so visitors may be informed of the huge variety of prayer meetings which are on offer on the Rock. We are also well aware that this is not an exhaustive list and hope we may be able to include any missing groups in a similar way in the future.
Come See! Church alive strong and
“The
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Tim Azzopardi
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F i n d i n g F o o d fo r t h e S o u l .
“I see Gibraltar as a
very Dynamic place, there are all these Groups ...” Fr. Mark Condon
Fr.
Christian Family Movement
Mark Condon, a recent speaker at Christ the King Prayer Group, observed in last month’s Upon This Rock how dynamic Gibraltar is, with groups frequently being blessed with visiting celebrity speakers. Fr. Mark exhorted readers to...
“allow
yourselves to be fed,
nourished in Faith, and grow as much
as you can
so you can give as
Jesus gives.” S
ome of the groups who took part in the organisation of the Steve Ray Conference, have sent in short descriptions of their activities. Giving details of where and when they meet so you can come and see if one fits for you. It is not an exhaustive list, but plenty to choose from as you continue feeding that flame that has been ignited in your heart!
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Catholic Charismatic Renewal
The beginnings of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal can be traced back to 1967, when a group of students from Duquesne University, USA, attended a retreat at The Ark and The Dove Retreat Center near Pittsburgh. It was at that historic retreat that the power of the Holy Spirit stirred and spread throughout the world. The CCR in Gibraltar celebrated its 40th Anniversary in 2015 and as the worldwide Renewal celebrates its 50th Anniversary in 2017, the abundant graces received and manifestations of the Holy Spirit continue to be lived in Gibraltar every week. If you wish to join us for Prayer and Praise you may do so at any of the following CCR Prayer Groups: Little Flower Tuesdays at St. Theresa’s Church or Hall at 6:30pm Christ the King (English Speaking) Tuesdays at St. Bernard’s Church at 8:30pm New Life Thursdays at the Catholic Community Center at 8:30pm Fellowship Fridays at the Catholic Community Center Bookshop (Ground Floor) at 10:00am
The Christian Family Movement get together in Cell Groups periodically with other couples. There they share, meditate and discuss the Gospel of the following week. We also share family experiences where we can all learn, grow and put into action together. For more information please contact Denise Duo 57021000
Co-workers of St. Teresa of Calcutta
Our mission is to provide support to the Missionaries of Charity through prayer and collecting items to take to the Sisters in Tangier, Faro and Russia. We aim to serve ‘the poorest of the poor’ in our society; by visiting the women in prison, the sick or housebound, by serving in the elderly day centres. We have two groups in Gibraltar, one group meets at 5pm on the first Tuesday of the month at St. Bernard’s Church Hall, the other group meets on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 4pm in Bayview (near Amar Bakery) on Line Wall Road. Then we all meet together at 5pm on the last Tuesday of the month for Holy Hour at the Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned.
Cursillo Movement
The Cursillo Movement is a movement of the Catholic Church. To date there have been over 160 Cursillos, and over 3000 men and women have experienced a weekend event. The Cursillo weekend begins on a Thursday evening and ends on Sunday evening. During those three days, those attending live and work together, listening to talks given by priests and people who have been through a Cursillo previously. They also share the Eucharist and pray together daily. There are Cursillos for men and Cursillos for women. The Cursillo is an encounter with Christ, that sounds simple but it’s not. Think about it, a real meeting with Christ. If that is understood, then the power, beauty and joy of the Cursillo Movement will be understood. After those three days the community spirit is continued through:The “Ultreya” (reunions), which are held every week at 9pm at St. Theresa’s Church, as a means of growth and commitment within the Christian Community.
Emmaus Youth Prayer Group
We meet Mondays at 8.00pm at the Catholic Community Centre. We are a group of youth of different ages from Bayside and Westside Schools and University students. We also do retreats in Gibraltar, Spain and the UK.
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Secular Franciscan Order
Faith and Light
Faith and Light was born in 1971 in Lourdes out of a desire to help people with an intellectual disability and their families find their place within the Church and society. Worldwide there are now over 1,500 communities from 81 countries. In Gibraltar our first community started in 1989 and we now have two communities, Covenant of Love and Upon this Rock. Faith and Light believes that each person with an intellectual disability is fully a person with all the rights of a human being: above all the right to be loved, recognized and respected. We believe that every person, able-bodied or disabled, is equally loved by God and that Jesus lives in them. Our two communities meet at least once per month for a gathering of friendship, sharing, prayer and celebration. If interested please contact either Matthew 54006325 or Natasha 54014088.
Hope
Support after Miscarriage and Stillbirth. Helpline Telephone No. 200 41817
Marriage Care
Offers relationship counselling. Prospective clients can leave their name and number and we will get back to them. Tel no: 20071717 We welcome volunteers. The details of the different roles can be found on the website, but we are especially interested in finding marriage preparation providers.
Catholics pray to grow in their love of Jesus and Mary. You may be seeking a way to deepen that love. If you would like to know more about how Secular Franciscans (Worldwide) follow and serve Christ in the footsteps of St. Francis, going from Gospel to life and from life to Gospel, we are very happy to invite you to our Fraternity meeting. We also hold two Retreats a year, Lent and Advent.
Divine Mercy Fraternity Fraternity Meeting on the 3rd Sunday of each month. Starting with Mass at 11am in St. Bernard’s Church, followed by formation, lunch - ending with prayer. Other Prayer times: Adoration every 1st Monday of the month at 8.30pm in St. Bernard’s Church. All other Mondays (except the one following the Fraternity Meeting) we meet in the Bookshop at the Catholic Community Centre at 8.30pm for a Prayer Meeting, one week and the other Contemplation. For more information call Christine 58008529.
Women of Grace®
The Women of Grace® Study Program leads women on an exciting journey to discover the gift of authentic femininity™, holiness of life, and woman’s purpose and mission in the world today. Taking the Blessed Virgin Mary as their exemplar and Spiritual Mother, participants grow in the feminine virtues and the secrets of true fulfilment. For details of Study Programmes and starting dates for this year please email Monique Risso moniquerisso@ hotmail.com
YouFra YouFra is a Youth Group (age ranges 16-35). We come under the Secular Franciscan Order and are part of a worldwide family that gets together at International YouFra conferences. We meet every Wednesday at 8:30pm. We always have a time of prayer and also do acts of service. Our aim is to form young people to follow Christ, in the footsteps of St. Francis. We meet in different places depending on the event we have on. Please contact us via the Facebook page or Joanna 54005353
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Sainthood
E d i to r i a l S u g g e s te d by D r. M o n i q u e R i s s o
Jubilee Year of Fatima
Concession of Plenary Indulgence
I
n order to worthily celebrate the hundredth anniversary of the Apparitions of Fatima, by the mandate of Pope Francis, it is granted a Jubilee Year, with the inherent plenary indulgence, from the 27th November 2016 to the 26th November 2017. The plenary indulgence of the jubilee is granted: a) to the faithful who visit the Shrine of Fatima in pilgrimage and devotedly participate in a celebration or prayer in honour of the Virgin Mary, pray the Our Father, recite the symbol of faith (Creed) and invoke Our Lady of Fatima; b) to the pious faithful who visit with devotion an image of Our Lady of Fatima solemnly displayed for public veneration in any temple, oratory or adequate place, during the days of the anniversary of the apparitions (the 13th of each month, from May to October 2017), and devotedly participate
there in any celebration or prayer in honour of the Virgin Mary, pray the Our Father, recite the symbol of faith (Creed) and invoke Our Lady of Fatima; c) to the faithful who, due to their age, disease or other serious reason, are impeded of moving, if, repentant of all their sins and having the firm intention of performing, as soon as possible, the three conditions mentioned below, in front of a small image of Our Lady of Fatima, spiritually unite in the days of the apparitions to the jubilee celebrations, offering with trust to God all-merciful, through Mary, their prayers and pains, or the sacrifices of their own lives. To obtain the plenary indulgence, the faithful, truly penitent and animated with charity, must ritually fulfil the following conditions: sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer for the intentions of the Holy Father.
l Christian Literature l Papal Encyclicals l Lives of the Saints
f i r s t p u b l i s h e d by C N A , A p r i l 2 0 1 7
Fatima Children: One Step Closer to
P
ope Francis was due to hold an ordinary public consistory last month, where it was expected cardinals would pave the way for the canonization of several causes including the Fatima visionaries, Francesco and Jacinto Marto, two of the shepherd children who witnessed the 1917 Marian apparitions at Fatima. The cardinals’ approval at the consistory is the final step in the process leading up to canonization. Pope Francis has already given approval for the causes to move forward. Following the consistory, canonization dates will be set. It has been widely speculated that Pope Francis will canonize the Fatima visionaries during his trip to Fatima for the 100th anniversary of the Marian apparitions there. That trip will take place May 12-13. Francisco, 11, and Jacinta, 10, were the youngest non-martyrs to be beatified in the history of the Church. The brother and sister, who tended to their family’s sheep with their cousin Lucia Santo in the fields of Fatima, Portugal, witnessed the apparitions of Mary, now commonly known as Our Lady of Fatima. During the first apparition, which took place May 13, 1917, Our Lady asked the three children to say the Rosary and to make sacrifices, offering them
for the conversion of sinners. The children did, praying often, giving their lunch to beggars and going without food themselves. They offered up their daily crosses and even refrained from drinking water on hot days. In October 1918, Francisco and Jacinta became seriously ill with the Spanish Flu. Our Lady appeared to them and said she would take them to heaven soon. Francisco died April 4, 1919. Jacinta died the following year, February 20, 1920. Pope John Paul II beatified Francisco and Jacinta May 13, 2000, on the 83rd anniversary of
the first apparition of Our Lady at Fatima. The canonization cause for Sister Lucia Santo – the third Fatima visionary – is currently underway. Sr. Lucia lived to the age of 97, much longer
than the other two visionaries, and the Vatican is currently examining information about her life that has been collected over the past eight years since her cause was officially opened.
l Apologetics l Catholic Catechism l Open 10am - 2pm l Main St., Gibraltar
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Meet
Gibraltar Catholic Youth Editorial
your
Words: Tyson Murphy
ather F
What St. Joseph reveals to us about God the Father
Our relationship with our heavenly Father only occurs through our relationship with Christ. In Baptism, we gain our inheritance which is the life of Christ. In being a member of His body, we gain His Father and His Spirit. We also gain His human virginal mother, Mary, and His human, virginal father, Joseph. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph represent an earthly trinity that enlightens our understanding of the Divine Trinity. St. Joseph serves as an icon and likeness of God the Father to Jesus, and he does the same for us. We can and should look to St. Joseph to better understand God the Father. Through examining the abounding care, affection, and attention with which St. Joseph gave, we can see how our heavenly Father cares for us.
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Joseph totally and completely fulfills his fatherhood of Jesus throughout his life by means of a self-sacrificial love, which is similar to God the Father’s total and complete self-sacrificial love for us. The dissimilarity being that, however much Joseph loved, our heavenly Father loves infinitely more. Further similarities and dissimilarities abound. I will list many that I have found: Joseph is not the biological father of Jesus and God is not our Father according to our nature, for He is divine and we are human. However, we do participate in
His nature through the grace of adoption, which we receive at Baptism. The grace received is the divine nature, yet we still remain fully human. Joseph is a father only through Mary and God the Father becomes our Father only through entrance into the Body of Christ, which is the Church, through Baptism. Joseph becomes the father of Jesus through receiving Jesus into His family, the conception of the Child by the power of God the Holy Spirit, and naming the Child (see Matthew 1:18-25). God the Father becomes our Father when we receive Jesus,
believe in His name, and by the power of the Holy Spirit become His children (see John 1:12). Joseph was surely filled with joy and awe at the message of the angel and looked forward to the birth of Christ. God the Father is filled with an infinitely greater joy and anticipation at our coming conversion and ever-deepening sharing in the sonship of Jesus. Joseph protects the child from threats of death (see Matthew 2:13-23) and our heavenly Father infinitely more so delivers His children from evil (see Matthew 6:13). St. Joseph surely taught the Lord how to pray, God the Father’s gift of love to the Son and the Son’s returning gift of love through the Cross and resurrection is the perfect model of all prayer. Joseph’s support of the Child with love, adoration, and material care can be compared to the infinite love and ineffable providence of our heavenly Father’s. Joseph cared for every material need of Jesus; our heavenly Father provides the whole material world, so that we might know Him more fully through His creation, for the sake of our eternal happiness. Joseph is the first human to speak the name of Jesus which wrought our salvation (The Hebrew custom of the father naming the child can be seen in St. Luke’s account of the naming of St. John the Baptist, where Zachariah is consulted on the name of the child in Luke 1:5766). God the Father gives His only spoken Word (Jesus) for the life of the world so that those who believe in His name might have eternal life. Without Joseph, there is no family for
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the Christ Child to thrive in His full humanity. Without God the Father, there is no Son through whom humanity is given divine life. When the Holy Family is in danger, Joseph authoritatively takes them into Egypt, to assure the continued life and welfare of the Child (see Matthew 2:13-23), whereas our heavenly Father moves His children away from sin, providing their docility, to assure their eternal life. Joseph’s pain at losing Christ while on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem is similar to our heavenly Father’s sorrow when we are lost in sin during our pilgrimage to the new Jerusalem (heaven). As Jesus would have laid his head on Joseph’s chest and asked questions during their Passover celebrations so too can we lay our heads on the heart of our heavenly Father and ask questions to contemplate the divine mysteries of His love. Joseph surrenders himself entirely to the service, life, and growth of Christ and God the Father gives of Himself entirely so that we may serve, live, and grow in Christ. As Joseph acts immediately when the angel
Image: Georges de La Tour, St. Joseph the Carpenter reveals what must be done for the welfare of the family, so is our heavenly Father’s every act oriented toward love, which assures the welfare of those who share in His life. Essentially everything that Joseph would have done for Jesus, God the Father does for us, but to an infinitely higher degree. This fatherhood of St. Joseph, that reflects the Fatherhood of God, begins through the consent of the virginal marriage between Mary and Joseph. God willed that the Son be born into a family so that He might be fully human in every way. Through the spousal relationship of Mary and Joseph, they share all things, including being parents of the Son of God. Therefore St. Joseph is the father of Jesus through his marriage to the Immaculate Virgin Mary. St. Joseph cares for Jesus in every way as a true father would because he is the true virginal father of Jesus. Given St. Joseph’s immense holiness and chastity, he is the perfect icon of our heavenly Father. Through understanding the relationship between Joseph and Jesus we
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can see the Father’s love for us — we who are in the Son through Baptism (see Romans 6:1-14). St. Joseph’s love is so abundant for the Son, but our heavenly Father’s love for us is infinitely more abundant. How great our Father’s love for us, that we should be called the Body of Christ and share in the sonship of Jesus. Through sharing in the sonship of the Son we gain a whole family. His Immaculate Mother and His Virginal Father become our own. Through understanding the virginal father of Jesus, St. Joseph, we can say of our heavenly Father with greater awe than ever: “How great the Father’s love for us that we should be called the Children of God, and so we are” (1 John 3:1).
Pennsylvania and is there praying his way to becoming a Franciscan Friar with the TORs. Having spent nearly a month in Gibraltar during the summer of 2016, he has developed a special love for the people of the Rock.
Tyson Murphy was born and raised in California, USA. He received a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in theology from Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio. He is currently a postulant for the Franciscan TORs in Loretto,
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Cursillo Team Leaders write
A weekend in the
Presence of the
T
Lord success of the event. The event was offered up to the Lord in prayer and the team asked for his guidance to ensure that at all times the team acted according
to his wishes. The team prayed for the participants so that they could each have a beautiful encounter with the Lord as they each experienced several years
earlier when they attended their own Cursillo. Preparations for the weekend involve several different work streams. There’s the organisation
of the kitchen, this involves purchasing all the groceries to ensure the attendees enjoy three meals each day. Careful planning of the meals is necessary taking into account any specific dietary requirements that any of the participants may have. In addition to those cooking the meals, the team have to ensure that there are sufficient volunteers lined up to set up the dining room for each meal and then clear up after the attendees have enjoyed their meal. Other volunteers wash the dishes and tidy up the rooms. There is a lot of work taking place behind the scenes to ensure that everything runs smoothly and that the event is a success. Everything is done by volunteers. When you place yourselves
in the hands of the Lord and you allow him to use you as a channel for his works, you cannot fail and those attending feel the love and proximity of the Lord. One of the participants at this recent event said “ It was a life changing experience for me, I had such a beautiful and unforgettable four days. When I arrived on Thursday evening I felt scared and unsure of what was to come but little did I know that by the time Sunday came I would not want to leave. We all became a family, all the ladies present were filled with the grace of God, in fact God spoke to me through every one of them. God has amazing plans for us all and sometimes we block those plans by holding on to what we have without knowing how much we
are missing out on. If we only let go and trust in the Lord 100% our lives would be so much easier and full of happiness. The Cursillo has opened my eyes and has helped me see life in a different perspective. It has helped me to let go and let God come into my life. I pray that everyone gets the opportunity to experience what I have experienced. Today I walk with God at the centre of my heart and I pray that this will continue for ever”. When you work for the Lord you give him 10% and he will reward you tenfold for your efforts, you receive far more in return than what you give. After the event, one of the team of leaders who participated in the event said,
CH
he Cursillo Movement recently held a weekend course for ladies at the Retreat Centre. Whilst the event was held from the 30th March till the 2nd April, preparations for this event commenced many weeks before. The team of leaders that run the weekend event were nominated approximately six weeks earlier and from that point onwards the team of seven leaders started praying for the
R ISTI A
“I would like to thank the Lord for having given me the opportunity of experiencing this Cursillo. For having called me and having placed his trust in me. For having allowed me to experience, together with this wonderful group of women, the love and happiness that the Lord slowly showered on all of us. This happiness that I have experienced with these women that I now consider my sisters in Christ. Perhaps I have experienced some difficult moments but as the days went by I could feel the love of our Lord growing on me. I could feel how our Lord was filling the hearts of all those present with his grace, slowly, one by one. If in my own Cursillo I came back home full of the Lords love, I have to say that following this event I am not only full of his love but I can feel his presence within my heart. If we place our trust in the Lord, we can transform this world into a better place, full of love, peace and happiness”. If you would like to experience this in your lives, don’t hold back, enrol for one of our Cursillo Weekends. The next weekend event for men will be held at the Retreat Centre from the 18th May till the 21st May. Further events will be held later this year for both men and women. If you are interested in attending please contact us on 58008885 or send us an email on cursillogibraltar@ gmail.com and we will send you an enrolment form, we look forward to seeing you there. God Bless Cursillo Team of Leaders
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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