Edition #1

Sunday 5th

June 2011 Edition #2

Sunday 12th

June 2011

Edition #2

Sunday 12th

June 2011

Edition #16 Sunday, 16

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

16th October – 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Second Isaiah insists that every

event, good or bad, is caused by God. The conquest and exile of

Israel by Babylon contributed towards God’s purpose. And so does the freedom given them about 530 BC by Cyrus, King of Persia, whom God calls his ‘anointed’ or ‘messiah’, because he did God’s work. This work includes letting all men - including Gentiles - know that God is all: “apart from me there is nothing”. For the last 5 Sundays of Ordinary Time we read from Paul’s first letter to the church in Thessalonica, which he founded about AD 50. Thessalonica is about 60 miles west of Philippi, and is also on the road from Byzantium to Rome. Paul later sent Silvanus and Timothy back to support the new

community. This letter was written from Corinth after Timothy returned to tell Paul about the church’s progress. It is the earliest Christian writing we have. Centuries before the idea of the Trinity developed, Paul distinguishes clearly between “God our Father”, “our Lord Jesus Christ”, and “the Holy Spirit”. Over the next three weeks we hear the final three discussions in Matthew’s Gospel between Jesus and the Jewish leaders. They ironically address Jesus as “Teacher”, but he silences them - he alone has the authority to interpret the Jewish Scriptures.

Isa 45:1, 4-6 Ps 95:1. 3-5. 7-10 r.7

1 Thess 1:1-5 Matt 22:15-21

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

Happy Birthday, Agnes

“A few years ago that

wonderfully creative Christian sociologist, Rev. Tony Campolo, traveled to Honolulu, Hawaii, for a speaking engagement.

He flew all the way from Pennsylvania to Hawaii and had an awful case of jet lag. Therefore, at 3:00 AM, he was wide awake. Tony found a donut shop near his hotel. As he sat there sipping coffee and glancing at a newspaper, the door to the diner swung open and in marched eight or nine provocative and boisterous prostitutes. Their talk was loud and crude. Tony was just about to make his getaway when he overheard one of the women say, "Tomorrow's my birthday. I'm gonna be thirty-nine."

One of her friends responded in a sarcastic tone, "So, what do you want from me, a birthday party?"

"No," she said. "I've never had a birthday party in my life. Too late to start now."

Suddenly, Tony Campolo had an idea. As soon as the women had left, he said to Harry, the owner of the diner, "Do those women come in here every night?" "Yep," he said, "about this same time. Hope they weren't bothering you." "No," Tony said, "but I have an idea. The one sitting next to me is going to have a birthday tomorrow. I'll pay the bill if we can have a little birthday party for her."

A smile spread across Harry's face. "That's a good idea. Her name is Agnes." He called his wife out of the kitchen area and told her about it. They agreed to bake the cake.

The next morning by 3:00 AM Campolo had decorated the diner with crepe paper and had

made a big sign reading, "Happy Birthday, Agnes." Word had gotten around somehow because by 3:00 AM every prostitute in Honolulu was in the place.

Wall to wall prostitutes and Tony Campolo. At 3:30 AM on the dot, Agnes walked in and confronted the cake with burning candles and the crowd singing loudly, "Happy Birthday." She was flabbergasted, stunned, shaken. Her eyes moistened. Then after she blew out the candles she completely lost it and openly cried. After the party was over, Tony asked the group if he could say a prayer. He prayed for Agnes and everyone else in the group. Then after everyone was gone, he thanked Harry for going along with the party. Harry said, "Hey, you didn't tell me you were a preacher. What church do you belong to?" In one of those moments when just the right words came, Tony answered, "I belong to a church that throws birthday parties for prostitutes at 3:00 AM."

And Jesus ends the parable like this: «The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, bad and good alike, and the hall was filed with guests» (Mat. 22:10). Story told by Fr. Tony Kadavil

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

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

♡ “Whatever with the past has gone, the best is always yet to come.” – Lucy Larcom, poet

♡ “Spread love everywhere you go: first of all in your own house… let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God’s kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness.” – Mother Teresa of Calcutta

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

Russia Denies Permit to Build Catholic Church

Archbishop

Paolo Pezzi of the Diocese of the Mother of God in Moscow, Russia, is protesting against the rejection of a

permit to build a Catholic church in the northeastern Russian town of Pskov.

In a statement published on Tuesday, Archbishop Pezzi lamented this "deliberate discrimination against the Catholic population of Pskov," reported Vatican Radio. The prelate criticized the local administration's refusal to renew the permit to build a Catholic church, dedicated to the Most Holy Trinity, with the pretext that construction had not begun before the previous permit ran out.

In fact, construction began 10 years ago, and the parish complex is already completed, noted Archbishop Pezzi.

Construction began in the year 2000 because the authorities refused to restore to the Catholic Church its cathedral. It is the only Catholic church in this city of close to 200,000 inhabitants.

In 2005, the then president of the Russian Episcopal Conference, Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, consecrated the lower part of the church under construction. The work was financed by the faithful and donations. Every day the faithful prepare food for the poor and handicapped children. They also have an educational project for street children and help families with handicapped children. This help is given to everyone, regardless of their religious affiliation.

Further Information, www.zenit.org

Keeping Children Safe Brought to you by Thelma Teixeira, originally from South Africa

After watching a Dr Phil TV show, I decided to write the following about Keeping Children Safe. Teach your child how to protect himself. An expert in Child

Protection said that if a strange adult tries to grab them or lure them away from where they are supposed to be they should immediately get down onto the floor, kick their legs up in the air and scream as loudly as they can "Stranger, stranger" and keep on kicking and screaming until their mother or person in charge of them arrives.

Children should remember that a strange adult NEVER needs to ask them anything. Sometimes they could start off by asking the child what the time is and telling him what a smart watch he has. These are all tactics to delay the child while his parents walk on ahead of him. Also impress upon your children that they may NEVER go off anywhere, with anyone, without your permission.

Be alert... LOOK and LISTEN. For example, when collecting your child from school or from any other

activity, take note if you see anyone lurking around. Abductors get to know all your moves and all the moves of your child. Very often abductors are people known to you and to your child. According to the experts in Child Abduction, the abductors could lurk around for weeks or months before striking.

Never leave your child alone for a minute. In case your child simply gets lost in a crowd, teach him your telephone number, his name and surname, your name and surname, your home address. Encourage your child to tell you everything and make time to listen to him and take him seriously. Yes, I know nothing like this ever happens in Madeira, but as Dr Phil says, we are not trying to scare children we are trying to prepare children.

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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. 561 Walk in the light Offertory Hymn = No. 134 Father, I place into… Communion Hymn = No. 231 Ave, ave, ave, Maria Final Hymn = No. 600 Walk with me, O my Lord

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