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

Easter Blessings to you..! From all of us here at Penha de França

O meu nome é JESUS, Morto e Ressuscitado…

Estou feliz porque estou contigo e tu estás comigo para aliviarmos o sofrimento do mundo.

Junto somos “Gente Ajudando Gente”!

My name is JESUS, I died but I am Alive… I am happy because I am with you and you are with me

to alleviate the suffering of the world. Together we are “People Helping People”!

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!

CATHOLIC MASS SUNDAYS 10AM

PENHA DE FRANÇA

Edition #41 Sunday, 8

th April 2012

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

8th April – Easter Sunday

The reading from Acts tells how the

gospel is taken to Gentiles for the first time. Peter had a vision telling

him to eat "unclean" food. Immediately he is invited to a Gentile's house, leading him to realise that God's favour is not restricted to the Jews, who live under the Law. After the Holy Spirit comes down on Cornelius and his household, Peter has no choice but to baptise them.

Paul tells the Corinthians they must "clear out old yeast" and bad practices so they can celebrate the Eucharist with "the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth".

Paul has told the Colossians the Jewish food laws do not apply to them. They must attend only to heavenly rules, now they have been raised with Christ to "appear with him in glory".

In John's gospel Mary of Magdala ran to tell the disciples that the tomb was empty. Peter and the "other disciple" run to see this unexpected sight. The "other disciple" gets there first, but lets Peter go in first. Peter saw the burial cloths. Then the "other disciple" went in and "he saw and believed", going a step further than Peter. Who is this "beloved disciple", who was at the foot of the Cross with Mary when all the disciples had run away? Perhaps the ideal disciple who trusts his whole life to Jesus simply out of love?

Acts 10:34,37-43 Ps 117 Col 3:1-4 or 1 Cor 5:6-8 Jn 20:1-9

Further Information, www.bible-groups.info

… It is important that you choose your career with care, so that you may really follow the vocation that

God has destined for you. No day should pass without some prayer to this end. Often repeat with St. Paul: “Lord, what will you have me do?” – St. John Bosco

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

On this Easter Sunday… forgive someone. Tell someone you love them. Let your light shine.

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Photo © António Abreu

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

Benedict XVI Tells Youth That Christ Needs Them

A group of some

5,000 young people from the Archdiocese of Madrid, Spain, are in Rome accompanied by their archbishop Cardinal Antonio Maria Rouco Varela for a pilgrimage to thank the Pope for his trip to Spain during

last August's World Youth Day.

Addressing the youth, Benedict XVI spoke of them as "the protagonists and principal recipients of [World Youth Day,] this pastoral initiative vigorously stimulated by my beloved predecessor, Blessed John Paul II, of whom today we remember his transit to Heaven."

"Whenever I recall the twenty-sixth World Youth Day in Madrid, my heart is filled with gratitude to God for those unforgettable days," he continued.

"That marvellous encounter can only be understood in the light of the presence of the Holy Spirit in the Church, which never ceases to infuse hearts with encouragement, and continually leads us out into the public square of history, as happened at Pentecost, to bear witness to God's wonders. You are called to cooperate in this edifying task. Christ needs you at His side to extend and build His Kingdom of charity".

"No one is superfluous to such an undertaking. Therefore, never cease to ask yourselves what the Lord is calling you to do, and how you can help Him," the Pope invited. "Each of you has a personal vocation which He has given you for your own joy and sanctity. When a person is conquered by the fire of His gaze, no sacrifice seems too great to follow Him and give Him the best of ourselves. This is what the saints have always done, spreading the light of the Lord... and transforming the world into a welcoming home for everyone."

Further Information, www.zenit.org

Portuguese Quick Fix Brought to you by Laura Machado, Funchal

Back in January I wrote the first chapter of a small series introducing the Portuguese language to you. In

Joyful Gift #31 we talked about the subtle differences between obrigado and obrigada (quick recap: Males should say obrigado, while females say obrigada). Now let’s move on to a second chapter on !

Quick fix #2 – Greeting each other

Let’s start with the easiest of all, our own hello. Olá! It is a very relaxed ice-breaker, that we use at all times between friends and family (maybe not in a job interview?!). However, one can still say it between strangers, because it is quite a friendly greeting… Olá!

Now if we want to be a bit more sophisticated, we great each other according with the time of day.. so before noon, we shall say “Bom dia” (good morning – the most used here a Penha de França Mass) and then during the afternoon we change to “Boa tarde” (good afternoon) and finally “Boa noite”. Now, small

curiosity, we don’t have two words such as “good evening” and “good night”, therefore “Boa noite” serves for all occasions, as long as the sky is dark!

See you soon for another Portuguese Quick Fix, until then.. keep using your Olá! Laura

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Editor: Laura Machado © Funchal, 2012

[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 island for 8 years now. She has been playing the violin since she was six years old, but above all she is a musician-estraordinaire!

From the yellow book Catholic Hymns Old&New,

Entry Hymn = No.279 Jesus Christ is risen today Offertory Hymn = No. 419 How great thou art! Communion Hymn = No. 32 Amazing Grace Final Hymn = No. 27 Alleluia, alleluia

People Helping People

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

Our Bishop D. António once said, “One must find new ways of helping the poor”. A very small group of people attending the English Mass decided to do just that – try our best to help those who struggle to survive. It is simply a project, a dream, a way of life.

In a short period of time we have created partnerships with restaurants and supermarket chains, we have paid dozens of medical prescriptions, we have spent gallons and gallons of petrol riding across the island giving lifts, we have prevented families to lose their homes, get their electricity cut, run out of gas. We have tried to keep them warm, keep them hopeful, keep them dreaming.

And to keep our strength going, let’s look back at inspiring words of advice that we sometimes may forget.

“If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one.” – Mother Theresa

“Life's most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” – Martin Luther

King, Jr.

“I have looked into your eyes with my eyes. I have put my heart near your heart.” – Pope John XXIII

“Nobody frees anybody. Nobody frees himself by himself. We free ourselves together.” – Anonymous

Help carry one another’s burdens.” Gal 6:2

“Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside

me and be my friend.” – Albert Camus

“Lovers always look insane for the non-lovers”

If you wish to know more, don’t hesitate to contact 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 an 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 in Garajau for always providing a fabulous meeting point and all of you that, with your endless generosity, support this cause.

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