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June 2011 Edition #2

Sunday 12th

June 2011

Edition #2

Sunday 12th

June 2011

Edition #24 Sunday, 11

th December 2011

Sunday Priest Father Aires Gameiro Contact: aires.gameiro@isjd.pt 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

11th December – 3rd Sunday in Advent

Third Isaiah is here exuberantly

confident that Zion will be restored after the return from exile. It will be the focal point for all peoples,

where God will dwell in his new creation at the end of time. Everyone will behave with justice, will “bring good news to the poor and bind up hearts that are broken” - ideals on which to base our values. Paul ends his letter to the Thessalonians with detailed advice for their behaviour: show respect for those in authority, admonish the idle, cheer the fainthearted, support the weak, be patient with all. Test the words of others, retain what is good, and rejoice and give thanks always.

After Mark’s brief description last week of John’s announcement of Christ’s coming, Luke gives us more detail. John’s answers to his Jewish questioners become shorter and shorter, until they ask an open question, to which he replies more fully - if ambiguously. We could speculate on what he knew at this time, before Jesus came to him for baptism. But baptism appears to be well-known, even though Jesus’ disciples did not baptise anyone until after he had risen.

Isa 61:1-2a, 10-11 Luke 1:46-48, 49-50, 53-54

1 Thess 5:16-24 John 1:6-8, 19-28

Psalm Response: My soul rejoices in my God.

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 Father Aires’ Desk Brought to you by Fr. A Gameiro, Portugal

Christmas, a Taboo?

The words crib and Christmas

can tell a world of meaning during Advent time, which is the arrival of an important person. Many families enjoy making a Christmas crib at home, and

then they try to visit as many as they can in churches and other places. More important than a manger is the statue representing the Baby Jesus lying on the crib. A statue is not the Child Jesus, it is a symbol. Christmas is a richer word for Christian believers.

Maybe you already know that in the first crib Saint Francis built in Greccio, near Assis in 1223, there was no statue. In Bethlehem, on the 25th of December there was the living Son of the heavenly Father lying on the crib. St. Francis also wanted to see a real and living Jesus in the crib and so he disposed a crib with a donkey on one side and a cow on the other according to the apocryphal gospels. Jesus would have been born not only in an animal’s grotto but in a grotto with animals. St. Francis put a small altar above his crib where the Mass or Eucharist was celebrated that Christmas.

The etymology of the word Christmas, formed by Christ and Mass (Feast of the Holy Mass), means the Eucharist, the real presence of Jesus. Xres

mæsse (Christ’s mass) was used already in the 11th century. The statue of Child Jesus reminds us of the living Jesus. He is our alive sustainable hope. There is no Christmas today without Holy Mass.

It is unbelievable that today many secularists strive to conceal and make the word Christmas a taboo and ban it from everyday vocabulary and calendar. If Christian believers accept this taboo, our world would be poorer and there

would be less sustainable hope for humankind. And our freedom to express our faith is reduced.

Merry Christ+Mass to you all!

(PS: Do not make a taboo either of Christmas cactus, C. card, C. fern, C. rose, C. tide, C.-time, C. tree, C. lights, C. songs…, all lead our thoughts to Jesus and his birthday, as do nowel, nael natalis, natus, Jesus’ natalis day).

Fr. Aires Gameiro [aires.gameiro@isjd.pt]

Enjoying Funchal the Most Brought to you by Laurinda Machado, Windsor Travel

Christmas celebrations are on their way in full

power, and because music walks hand-in-hand with peace we leave you here three concert suggestions happening this week. The first on December 13, at 9pm at Funchal City Hall then on December 15, at 9pm at the Electricity Museum and finally on December 17, at 9pm again at Funchal City Hall. Now during the day, 7 days a week (from 10am up

to 8pm) downtown Funchal will be lively and joyful with performances by philharmonic bands and folklore groups. There will also be other concerts and performances taking place from Monday to Friday at 7pm in the North Garden of São Lourenço Palace and at 8pm in the Main Square in front of the Cathedral. Finally, a tradition we call “Missas do Parto” (9 daily masses from the 16th up to 24th representing the 9 months before Jesus is born) taking place in every parish, which is an event in itself, with traditional Christmas singers and food. At Sé it takes place at 7.30am.

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

Pope Reflects on ‘Jewel’ of Jesus’ Prayer

Benedict XVI is urging the faithful to remember

their dependence on God, so that they can "find rest amidst the hardships."

The Pope said this today (Dec 7) at the general audience, during which he continued with his reflections on Jesus' prayer. Today he took up the prayer known as the Cry of Exultation or the Cry of Messianic Exultation, calling it a "'jewel' of Jesus’ prayer," (cf. Matthew 11:25-30 and Luke 10:21-22).

The Holy Father said that we can also share in this prayer: "We too, by the gift of His Spirit, can turn to God in prayer with the confidence of children, calling upon him with the name Father, 'Abba.'" "But," he affirmed, "we must have the heart of the little ones, of the 'poor in spirit' -- in order to recognize that we are not self-sufficient, that we

are unable to build our lives alone, that we need God -- we need to encounter him, to listen to him, to speak to him."

"Prayer," the Pontiff said, "opens us to receive the gift of God -- his wisdom -- which is Jesus himself, in order to accomplish the Father's will in our lives and thus to find rest amidst the hardships of our journey."

Further Information, www.zenit.org

A Portuguese Treat To try at home – make it & enjoy it!

INGREDIENTS 500gr of flour 500gr of sugar 125gr of butter 125gr of lard 1 spoon of cinnamon 1 teaspoon of nutmeg 3 spoons of molasses 2 eggs Zest of 1 lemon Almonds

Broas de Mel – Molasses Cookies

In Portugal there are some very old, rich and sweet traditional treats,

that date back from the XV century, which we call conventual confectionary. They are known for having big amounts of sugar and eggs, and in Madeira some of those delicacies are made with our very own sugar-cane molasses. The sugar cane was very important to the first years of colonization; due to its excellent sugar quality it made Funchal prosperous up until the XVI century. Nowadays there are five sugar cane mills in production, remaining a must-use ingredient in our cuisine (molasses with sweet potatos, molasses with malassadas, super famous Honey cake, etc). However, because the honey cake requires a lot of kneading effort, we first show you how to make these little traditional cookies, called Broas de Mel. We Madeirans treat ourselves to this cookie all year round, but they belong to the Christmas season (best served together with a homemade liquor).

STEP BY STEP

Knead all the ingredients together by hand, except the eggs and the sugar-cane molasses. Then make a hole in the middle and pour the molasses and the eggs (some recipes use up to 4 eggs and more honey too), kneading again until the dough becomes smooth (without sticking to the bottom).

Prepare this dough the night before and then on the next day roll little cookies, which you can also put an almond in the centre as a finishing touch. Take to a hot oven and cook for about 15min. Enjoy!

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Editor: Laura Machado © Funchal, 2011

[laurikaaa@gmail.com]

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

To send CHECKS or any correspondence, here is our Address Book,

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

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

Music for Everyone Brought to you by Larysa Makarova violin & Irene de Sousa piano

Larysa was born in

Ukraine but has been in Madeira for 8 years now. She has been playing the violin since she was six years old and she now teaches children & grownups!

From the yellow book Catholic Hymns Old&New,

Entry Hymn = No. 104 Come, Lord Jesus, Come Offertory Hymn = No. 274 Jesu, Jesu, fill us… Communion Hymn = No. 246 I sing a song to you, 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

After 18 months, and only because of the never-wavering and never-ending support of Portuguese, English

and American supporters, we were able to launch two original programs (never done before in Madeira by any other organization) to help those, particularly those that don’t qualify for other official institutions. Here we give you a sneak peek of what has been achieved…

If you wish to know more, don’t hesitate to contacts us, and if you

too believe that help has many forms (a birthday cake, a lift to the hospital) start your own People Helping People and lets create and international community that looks after one another.

We would also like to express our gratitude to 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, restaurant FIGOS for always providing a fabulous meeting point and all of you that, with your endless

generosity, support this cause. 4

A partnership with a

Portuguese supermarket

chain to print food vouchers,

not only at Christmas

time… Pioneer

vouchers in the island to

help those struggling

with something

we so often take for

granted. Pingo Doce (the

name of the store) means

“Sweet Drop”.

A very special restaurant (FIGOS, in Garajau) offered to cook a meal for a family of eight, twice a

month! With this initiative we hope many more restaurants also feel that the joy of living, is giving.

It works like this…

1 At 6pm

a lovely cook is making a

homemade meal for a needy

family.

2 At 6h30 one of

our volunteers is picking up

the meal and getting ready to

deliver it.

3 At 7pm a family receives a

wonderful special meal, full of warmth and love.

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