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June 2011 Edition #2

Sunday 12th

June 2011

Edition #2

Sunday 12th

June 2011

Edition #15 Sunday, 9

th October 2011

Sunday Priest Father Bernardino Andrade Contact: bernardinodandrade@gmail.com Newsletter Receive the Joyful Gift every week in your inbox!

Subscribe or feel free to contribute with articles by emailing Laura at laurikaaa@gmail.com

Find us online www.joyfulgiftatpenha.blogspot.com

JOYFUL GIFT Your weekly newsletter from the Catholic English Mass in Funchal

Welcome to the Chapel of Penha de França, founded by

António Dantas in 1622 and built on a “penha” or peak, by the sea. This soon became so famous a shrine that people came to it on pilgrimage from all parts of the Island, and in 1721 the chapel was restored and enlarged. When the Diocese of Funchal took possession of the chapel it was used for the bishops as a Country House or Summer Residence for many years. In the meantime, the Franciscans had been coming to Madeira to carry out apostolic duties however it was only in 1935, on Easter Sunday, that they founded the Franciscan Residence of Our Lady of Penha de França, at the request of Bishop D. António Ribeiro.

The English Mass is a tradition that dates back to 1966, when Fr Rafael Andrade, having just returned from his first visit to England, complied with the Bishop´s request to start an English celebration. Fr Rafael presided this mass for over 30 years, when he had to stop in 1999 due to overlapping duties. For eight years there was no Mass in English in Madeira, until it began again on the first Sunday of Lent in 2007.

Have a lovely time in Madeira Island and we hope to receive your visit again soon!

Thoughts on the Scripture Readings Brought to you by Chris Oliver, UK

9th October – 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

After the desolation of the earth

and the final judgement, Isaiah describes in mouth-watering detail

the great banquet the Lord will provide. It will be on Mount Zion and all peoples are invited. Not only will all sorrows be wiped away, but also the ultimate worry - death - will be destroyed. The familiar Psalm 22 repeats these assurances.

Our readings from Paul’s letter to the Philippians conclude with Paul again thanking them for their continued support and the money they had sent him. God’s help enables him to be content whatever his problems, but their thoughtfulness is especially welcome now that he is in prison. He

then bids them a fond farewell: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit”.

The first reading helps us to understand Matthew’s parable of the wedding feast. The kingdom of heaven is to be compared to a feast - the heavenly banquet to which all are invited. But if you accept the invitation you must prepare adequately and be willing to participate fully. Otherwise you may still be thrown out. Our membership must be visible to others. We must do more than just belong. Like the Philippians we must share what we have with the community we have joined, and with those in need.

Isa 25:6-10 Ps 22 r.6 Phil 4:12-14, 19-20 Matt 22:1-14

Further Information, www.bible-groups.info

CATHOLIC MASS SUNDAYS 10AM

PENHA DE FRANÇA

Capela da Penha de França Funchal, Madeira

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From My Heart to Your Heart Brought to you by Father Bernardino, Madeira

A Taxi Driver at 2:30 AM

In his book Make Me an

Instrument of Your Peace, Kent Nerburn writes about his experience driving a cab for living. He remembers one night

in particular when he received a call at 2:30 AM to go to a small brick fourplex. Thinking he was going to pick up some late night partiers or someone who had just a fight with his or her spouse, he was surprised when a small woman in her eighties answered the door.

She wore a print dress and an old fashioned pillbox hat. By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment was empty, except for a few pieces of furniture covered with sheets and a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware. The driver picked

up her bag and helped her to the cab. She gave him the address and then asked, “Could you drive through downtown?”. “It’s not the shortest way”, he answered. “Oh, I don’t mind”, she said. “I’m in no hurry. I’m on my way to a hospice. I don’t have any family left. The doctor says I don’t have very long.”

The driver reached over and shut off the meter. “What route would you like me to go”?

For the next two hours, they drove through the city. She pointed out the building where she worked as an elevator operator, the house where she and her late husband lived as newlyweds, the furniture store that was once a ball room where she had gone dancing as a girl. Sometimes she’d ask to slow down in front of a particular building or corner; there she just sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing. As the dawn broke over the horizon, she said, “I’m tired. Let’s go now.” They drove to the

small house that served as the hospice. Two attendants came and helped her out of the cab and took her bag.

She asked the driver how much she owed for the fare. “Nothing“, he said. “But you have to make a living,” she insisted. “There are more passengers, ” he replied.

Almost without thinking, he bent over and gave her a hug. She held him tightly. “You gave an old woman a little moment of joy,” she said. “Thank you”. Then, in the dim morning light, he watched as she walked into the hospice.

*** Kent Nerburn remembers: “We are so conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments. But great moments often catch us unaware. When that woman hugged me and said that I brought her a moment of joy, it was possible to believe that I had been placed on earth for the sole purpose of providing her with that last ride. I do not think that I have done anything in my life more important”. When asked whose “sin” is responsible for the young man’s blindness, Jesus replies that the man’s blindness might become a manifestation of “the works of God”. The most ordinary and mundane aspects of our lives - our day to day struggles - can become moments when the “works of God” are made visible through us. From “Connections“, March 6, 2005

Love and Peace Fr. Bernardino [bernardinodandrade@gmail.com]

Food for Thoughts Brought to you by some great minds with even bigger hearts

♡ “Favourite people, favourite places. Favourite memories of the past. These are the joys of a lifetime… These are the things that last.” – Anonymous

♡ “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” – Albert Einstein

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The World Seen from Rome Brought to you by ZENIT, the Catholic Church news agency

Pope Urges Professors: Teach Love of Learning

At the beginning of this university year, Benedict

XVI is inviting professors to form young people in the truth and to transmit to them the knowledge that will enable them to make free choices.

After praying the Angelus with pilgrims gathered at midday Sunday in St. Peter's Square, the Holy Father addressed the French-speaking faithful,

inviting professors "to transmit love of learning and of the truth through teaching."

"Knowledge is important, but even more so is the formation of the person, so that he is able to discern where truth is and thus make free decisions," he said.

Addressing university professors, the Holy Father exhorted, "Educate young people also in authentic moral and spiritual values, which will help them to find meaning in their lives."

Finally, Benedict XVI expressed his hope that in this month of October, the Virgin Mary, Our Lady of the Rosary, "will accompany all persons involved in formation and education."

Further Information, www.zenit.org

From the Pastor’s Desk Brought to you by Father Gameiro, Portugal

Plain Words on Christian Faith

In the readings of the 27th

Sunday of Year A (Isa 5:1-7; Matt 21:33-43) plain words are used: God is the Creator and owner of the Vineyard and is the owner of

Israel. He loves heartily his People, the Humanity, the Church, Europe, everyone of us.

He suffers because he is not loved. Worse: He is rejected by his People, Humanity, Europe, by many baptized.

His ownership of the vineyard is not recognized. They, the administrators, become murders of his servants and of his Son. Jesus is telling what happened, is happening, right at that moment, and what will happen in future, but they are blind and they are their judges against themselves, they condemn themselves, not Jesus; with rigor but with justice and no mercy.

Benedict XVI went to Germany to say to Europe, to all of us, to the world, that without God, no future. A judgment. Many people in Europe and even many, too many baptized still go on as if it was possible. They, Europeans, many so self-called

Catholics, out of blindness, do the same. Two human sad stories.

God does not give up his plan: takes the vineyard from the unfaithful; and places the rejected and crucified Conner stone immediately on the construction of His reformed plan. All the unfaithful are invited to accept mercy, be branches of Christ-vine and be united with him

to yield fruit, with “hearts and minds in Christ Jesus”, says Saint Paul (Phil 4:6-9).

Without Him we can do nothing. With Him, we do great things, “miracles”. He does in us.

Fr. Aires Gameiro, OH, Brother of Saint John of God [aires.gameiro@isjd.pt]

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A very fertile hill... he dug the soil... cleared it of stones... he planted the finest vines... he built a tower... dug a pit… he

waited for the grapes to ripen... but every grape was sour.

(Isa 5:1-2)

Editor: Laura Machado © Funchal, 2011 [laurikaaa@gmail.com]

Music for Everyone Brought to you by Larysa Makarova violin

Larysa was born in Ukraine but

has been in Madeira island for 8 years now. She has been playing the violin since she was six years old. Having dedicated her life to her beloved violin, she now

teaches children & grownups!

From the yellow book Catholic Hymns Old&New,

Entry Hymn = No. 104 Come, Lord Jesus, come Offertory Hymn = No. 134 Father, I place into… Communion Hymn = No. 57 Be still and know… Final Hymn = No. 175 Go, the Mass is ended

People Helping People A small project founded in the Chapel of Penha de França to help those in need

PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE INFORMATION CHART

Timeline BEGINING – August 2010 1 Year Later – September 2011

Number of Active

Volunteers 2 10

Number of Families

Helped

Funds

Local support, Anonymous contributors,

English Mass collection, Foreign donations,

Fairs and sales

Type of Help Given

Support and friendship,

counseling and through

other organizations and

now we are also able to

help with…

If you wish to know more, please contact Fr. Bernardino and always remember that help has many forms (a kind word, a lift to the hospital, a birthday cake) and can be anywhere. Start your own People Helping People and lets create an international community that looks after one another.

We would like to express our gratitude to restaurant FIGOS in Garajau for always providing a fabulous meeting point, Fr Rafael for all the information on the English Mass, Fr Nélio for

kindly giving the booklet on the story of Penha de França, Sir Ronnie for all his dedication and friendship, Fr Bonifácio, Pablo & Ligia for all the help printing this newsletter, and all of you

that, with your endless generosity, support this cause.

If you wish to donate, please find bellow the details for PHP Bank Account NIB: 0038 0000 39527051771 85 IBAN: PT50 0038 0000 39527051771 85

BIC: BNIFPTPL

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Address Book

(Europe) Pe Bernardino Andrade Rua das Murteiras, 28 – 1E 9060-199 Funchal, Madeira

(USA) Janice Contreras 60 Meeks Ln. Oakley, CA 94561