Edition #1

Sunday 5th

June 2011 Edition #2

Sunday 12th

June 2011

Edition #2

Sunday 12th

June 2011

Edition #28 Sunday, 8

th January 2012

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…

Happy New Year! Thoughts on the Scripture Readings Brought to you by Chris Oliver, UK

8th January – Epiphany

Third Isaiah, writing just after the

Israelites returned in hope from exile in Babylon, describes a new

Jerusalem, illuminated by God’s presence. All peoples will be just, and will stream to the new Jerusalem, where their offerings will be welcomed. As the Epiphany shows, the Christian message is for the whole world. The psalm asks that the king, as God’s agent, be given the quality of justice so that the oppressed may be protected with peace. Paul’s vision of the Church in Ephesians develops Isaiah’s image of the new Jerusalem. Paul sees the Church, led by the Spirit, as Christ’s body, part of God’s plan for the whole of creation. And Paul joyfully realises that it was always part of God’s plan that the gospel message is to be taken to all:

Gentiles as well as Jews are to share in the inheritance promised by God. In Luke’s Gospel Jesus’ birth was announced to poor Jewish shepherds. Matthew describes Gentile scholars travelling from afar to bring kingly offerings to the new-born child - but they needed Jewish scriptures to help find him. We too need the Old Testament to help us understand God’s plan and what he has done in Jesus for our salvation.

Isaiah 60: 1-6 Ps 71(72) Ephesians 3:2 - 3a, 5-6

Matthew 2: 1 – 12

Psalm Response: All nations shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord.

Further Information, www.bible-groups.info

CATHOLIC MASS SUNDAYS 10AM

PENHA DE FRANÇA C

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From My Heart to Your Heart Brought to you by Fr. Bernardino, Madeira

If We Knew Their Pain…

That morning, in the city of New

York, the train was full. Most of the people were going to work. Some were reading the daily newspapers, some drinking a

warm cup of coffee, others were eating a sandwich for their breakfast, others were just tired and trying to rest and take a nap.

On the corridor of the train there was a small group of children running, pushing each other, yelling, some were even laughing. One thing was in common. They were disturbing all the passengers, who in turn started getting furious. Actually not all. One of the passengers, called Bob, didn’t look disturbed. Bob was the children’s father. He was just quiet and looking over the fields through the train’ window. That “indifference” added more fuel to the common anger that was growing around the cabin train.

Frustrated with Bob’s “indifference”, one of the passengers stood up, approached the father and asked him if he was not aware of what his children were doing. They had paid their ticket and had the right to have a “decent” and quiet trip.

Like if he was awaking up from a deep sleep, looking very sad, his eyes full of tears, he replied, “Oh…! I am so sorry. My children don’t know how to deal with this. They are lost. They are confused. Me too. We are just coming from the hospital. She was so beautiful. She was such a wonderful mother. She was such a great wife. She was so young. We, my children and I, were all around her bed. She

looked at each one of us. She let drop one tear. Just one tear. Then her eyes closed and without saying goodbye, she stopped breathing. All of us knew that she was dead. I am sorry. Please ask the other passengers to forgive us. No one of us know how to deal with such an excruciating and painful experience.

Yes! The one who had been the messenger from the crowd became a messenger from that agonizing father and that agonizing family.

The crowd in the train changed completely in one minute. All wanted to give them cookies, juice, hugs, kisses. All of the passengers were transformed by the pain of that family. Some of them also started crying.

There is a statement that has been part of my daily life and my daily prayer.

If you knew the pain of your worst enemy, you would become his best

friend.

My problem is that I prefer to judge and to condemn than to be aware of the pain of others. I prefer to be “right” than “compassionate”. I prefer to teach people how to “behave properly” than to feed and touch their pain. I prefer to analyze people’s pain and give them my smart advices than to embrace their pain, no matter what the source is. I prefer to blame them for their pain than to look idiot and alleviate the pain of those who don’t “deserve” my help, because I am better than they are.

My prayer today is, Lord… help me to be aware and embrace the pain of all people around me and help me to try to do my best not to straighten them up and change them but to alleviate their pain, their suffering, their agony.

Maybe their mother just died in the hospital today and they don’t know how to deal with such a painful agony…

Fr. Bernardino Andrade [bernardinodandrade@gmail.com]

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

Vatican Reviews 2011

Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi did his "year in

review" during an interview with Vatican Radio. He first turned his attention to the Pope's trips, noting that the visit to Germany in September had reflected the Holy Father's concern to speak to modern secularized society, especially in Europe, about God and His primacy. By contrast, his visit to Spain for World Youth Day was "a great experience of the vitality of the faith, of its future."

In Benin, Benedict XVI signed the postsynodal apostolic exhortation "Africa munus" in which he examines the problems facing Africa and "identifies reasons for realistic hope with which to face the future, recognizing the dignity of the African people."

Another key moment of 2011 was the interreligious meeting at Assisi in October, which

focused on the search for truth. The event was attended not just by representatives of various religious confessions, but also by "people who, though they do not recognize a God, sincerely seek after the truth."

Also during 2011 the Pope was able to speak with astronauts orbiting the earth on the international space station, "thus underlining with great willingness and joy the Church's benevolence toward scientific research and technology, when they serve the good of humanity." The beatification of John Paul II was another key moment of the past year, which "mobilized the entire Church" and was met "with immense delight."

Further Information, www.zenit.org

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

INGREDIENTS 40gr of baking powder 1.5dl of warm milk 125gr of sugar 600gr of flour 1 teaspoon of salt 125gr of butter 4 eggs 0,5dl of Port wine 0,5dl of dark beer 1 spoon of vanilla extract Zest of 1 orange 200gr of shopped crystallized fruit 100gr of shopped dried nuts

Bolo Rei – literally King Cake It is not possible to mention Christmas without talking about the Portuguese tradition of eating Bolo Rei, especially on the 6th of January where we celebrate the Day of the Three Kings. The legend claims this cake (with a crown shape) represents the gifts offered by the Kings from the East when Jesus was born. The crust represents the gold, the crystallized fruits the myrrh and the cake’s aroma represents the frankincense. Bolo Rei never comes without one broad bean hidden in the cake; the person who eats the slice with the bean inside is responsible for buying the Bolo Rei next year!

STEP BY STEP Leave the crystallized fruits in the port wine and beer. In a bowl dissolve the baking powder in warm milk, add the sugar and ¼ of the flour and knead. Cover it and leave it to rest for about 2 hours. Add now the rest of the flour, salt, melted butter, eggs, vanilla, orange zest, the wine and beer without the fruits. Knead again until you get a smooth dough and leave to rest for another 2 hours in a warm place. Add the crystallized fruits and nuts, knead and leave it to rest for one more hour. Divide the dough, depending how big you want the cake, and make a whole in the middle. Beat one egg and brush it on top of the cake, decorate with more crystallized fruits and nuts, cover it and leave it to rest for yet one more hour. Bake them in a hot oven for 30 minutes until golden. After leaving it to cool down you can also make the crust glossy by brushing jelly on top and sprinkling with a bit of icing sugar.

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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

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, but above all she is a musician-extraordinaire.

From the yellow book Catholic Hymns Old&New, Entry Hymn = No. 32 Amazing Grace Offertory Hymn = No. 65 Bind us together Communion Hymn = No. 247 Here I am, Lord 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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