Edition #1

Sunday 5th

June 2011 Edition #2

Sunday 12th

June 2011

Edition #2

Sunday 12th

June 2011

Edition #8 Sunday, July 24, 2011

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. It was first held in the Church of Santa Clara but a few months later it changed to Penha de França, making it easier for visitors to reach. Fr Rafael presided this mass for over 30 years, until he

became the Parish Priest of Socorro. For eight years there was no Mass in English in Madeira, until it began again on the first Sunday of Lent in 2007. Several priests agreed to say Mass in English and later on Fr Bernardino took over the celebration, and still does so today.

Since 1994, soon after Freddie and Thelma Teixeira arrived in Madeira, they began to serve tea and coffee after Mass, in the little garden cottage called “Cantinho do Frei João”. We still serve tea and coffee there, so do come and join us! There is a Visitor’s Book and if you wish to leave any comments, we look forward to hearing your thoughts! Have a lovely time in Madeira Island and we hope to receive your visit again soon.

Subscribe by email [laurikaaa@gmail.com] or take a look at our Blog www.joyfulgiftatpenha.blogspot.com

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

24th July - 17th Sunday of the Year

What do we treasure? What do we

yearn for most? Solomon asked for a discerning judgement, rightly

earning God's praise. The Psalm values ruling one's life by God's commands above everything.

Matthew's Gospel compares the Kingdom of Heaven to the greatest treasure found either accidentally or after a search, and then compares the Kingdom to a dragnet: the good fish will be kept and those of no use will be thrown in the furnace. But there is a surprise ending: not all old

treasures should be thrown away, some should be kept - like Israel's Scriptures, our Old Testament.

Paul's spells out to the Romans how God prepares those called to do his work. God cooperates with and justifies those who love him. Each individual is called for some task in God's plan for salvation. We are to model ourselves on Christ, and will share in his glory. This includes not only Christians and others of goodwill, but also the Jews, "the ones he chose specially long ago".

1 Kgs 3:5,7-12 Ps 118 Rom 8:28-30 Mt 13:44-52

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

My Cat’s “Spirituality”

I don’t believe that my cat

has learned anything from me even if I have tried. However, I must confess that I have learned a lot from him…

It was one Friday afternoon. A child knocks on my door to tell me that my cat had an ugly wound in his head. When I saw it I was shocked. The wound was big, infected and horrible.

I called the veterinarian. A nice doctor was ready to see my cat right away. The gentle vet cleaned my cat’s head but left an open and even uglier wound. Then, she gave me some medicine to give him orally and told me to clean his wound daily and never let any dry skin cover it.

It seemed that the kind doctor was ready to let me go but I refused to believe that she was going to send me away without any ointment or even a bandage to cover that horrible wound. That’s when I interrupted her, “Doctor… are you not going to give me some medicine to put on that wound or at least a medicated bandage? That looks horrible.” She said, “No. You will not put anything on that wound not even a band-aid. Keep it uncovered, clean and give the cat the medicine I gave you. Healing comes from inside.”

In a few days the wound was completely healed. The doctor was right. Healing came from inside. No ointments. No band-aids.

One of the most beautiful and touching experiences of my life as Pastor in the USA was to baptize and welcome adults into the Catholic Church. The preparation would take two years. Scrutinies during Lent used to be one of the highest moments of their journey. The key words for the Scrutinies ceremony were: “to uncover” and “to heal”. The candidates are invited to uncover what is bad and sinful in them in order to get the healing they needed.

All of us are wounded and hurt. You and I deserve to be healed. The temptation is to cover with band aids but my cat’s vet was right. Healing comes from inside.

Love,

Fr. Bernardino Andrade [bernardinodandrade@gmail.com]

Fr. Bernardino was born in Ponta do Sol, and together with his 10 brothers and sisters, grew up to be a true inspiration to us all. He was ordained in Africa, Mozambique and also lived in California for over 30 years, having finally returned to his homeland later in 2006. He has been presiding the English Mass since then, but wherever he is or wherever he goes he wins the heart of his community. He will always be known for his larger than life compassion and love for others, even if they are smelly, poor or fortunate.

“He leads us by example,” Nancy Marquez, California (2006) “The best Easter Day Sermon I have ever heard. God bless you,” Steve W, England (2011 – from Visitor’s book)

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

♡ “We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” – E M Forester

♡ “Treat people as if they were what they ought to be, and you help them to become what they are capable of being.” – Goethe

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

Hundreds of Thousands Could Die in East Africa

The Pontifical Council Cor Unum is warning that

hundreds of thousands of people in the Horn of Africa are at risk of dying due to a lack of basic necessities.

In a communiqué today, the council, which oversees the Church's charity work, noted Benedict XVI's appeal Sunday for international solidarity in response to the drought that has caused the emergency, complicated in some areas by violent conflict.

Echoing UNICEF, Cor Unum called the situation a "critical humanitarian emergency."

"Around 10 million people are suffering, and hundreds of thousands of refugees risk dying because of a lack of basic necessities. Somalia and northern Kenya are the worst struck areas," the Vatican dicastery reported.

The U.N. was reportedly set to declare Wednesday that parts of the region, particularly south Somalia, are in famine. The drought is the worst the area has seen for 60 years. The last official famine was in 1984-85, when about 1 million people in Ethiopia and Sudan died.

South Somalia is controlled by Islamic fundamentalists who until last week had banned aid agencies from the area.

As a token of his concern, the Holy Father already sent a €50,000 donation through Cor Unum to the apostolic administrator of the Somali capital, Mogadishu. Today's communiqué noted the bishop, Giorgio Bertin, is "directly involved in bringing assistance to the people affected."

Further Information, www.zenit.org

Once Upon a Time Brought to you from the old days

Paintings of Funchal from the XVI century. In those days, ships from all over the Mediterranean included Madeira as a stopover. Pirate ships also came to use our bay as a shelter from storms. Funchal grew rapidly due to its welcoming climate, plenty of fresh water streams and vegetation. In 1451 (less than 30 years after it started being populated) Funchal was a village with around 4,000 inhabitants. The legends even say that in order to cultivate the land, the first farmers started fires all over the island to burn our wood forest, with some of the fires burning for years… (more on Madeira’s History in the next Editions of Joyful Gift)

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Editor: Laura Machado © Funchal, 2011

Music for Everyone Brought to you by Josefina Farinha voice & Larysa Makarova violin

Larysa was born in Ukraine but

has been in Madeira island for 8 years now. She is our violinist for every Sunday celebration, but she is now currently on holidays in Spain, so if you know

anyone who would like to play in the next Summer months… Just let us know!

From the yellow book Catholic Hymns Old&New,

Entry Hymn = No. 274 Jesu, Jesu, fill us Offertory Hymn = No. 65 Bind us together Communion Hymn = No. 246 I sing a song Final Hymn = No. 408 O, how good is the Lord!

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

Mother Theresa used to say that small things, done by small people, in

small places can change the world. We are simply a small group of people in a very small island, trying to reach out for those who have lost all hope and love.

What started one year ago, as an attempt to help feed a numerous family of eight, has now grown into a project where 11 families (in a total of 34 people) find in us a safe place to either cure their toothache or have their Curriculum written for the first time. We aim to offer solutions for those who do not qualify for other institutions, either because of their age, gender or just policy rules and regulations.

Always with a helping hand and friendship, we try to meet the basic needs like food and rent. Afterwards we want to walk beside them until they get a job, recover their dignity and can stand on their own two feet. Our help is based on respect for human dignity and knowing that

ONLY LOVE FREES.

If you identify with People Helping People, 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. If you wish to know more about the project, don’t hesitate to contact Fr. Bernardino (details on box below) and remember, If you can’t feed one hundred people, then feed just one. [Mother Theresa] Finds us online on facebook searching for People Helping People

We would like to express our gratitude to restaurant FIGOS in Garajau for always

providing a fabulous meeting point, Fr Rafael and Mrs Teixeira 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.

I have just washed your feet. You, then, should wash one another’s feet. Jn 13:14

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

BIC: BNIFPTPL

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Contact Book bernardinodandrade@gmail.com

(351) 916192783

Rua das Morteiras, 28 – 1E 9060-199 Funchal, Madeira, PORTUGAL