The Cornerstone Issue: 233 Apr 2023

Inside An Easter Sunday Re ection Fr Augustine, Easter Message and Update Holy Week Re ections Centre Pull-Out Page

The Magazine of the Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar

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He is Risen

Editor’s Message Dear readers We are fast approaching Holy Week and Easter, so in this edition we once again provide you with a useful centre-page pull-out with scripture-based reflections for each day of Holy Week itself. Feel free to pull this out and place it somewhere obvious, like on your fridge, where you will be reminded to read it! By doing so it will guide your thoughts towards the real meaning of Easter. Also helpful in this regard is this edition’s reflective Easter message from Bishop Carmel. Moving on to the Sunday after Easter Sunday, have you ever wondered why it is called ‘Divine Mercy Sunday’? Well, in this edition you can find out why! Read about where this devotion to the Divine Mercy originated from, how it was adopted by the Church and how you can join in this important prayer activity. Those of you who enjoy wholesome English cooking, particularly from the Lancashire area as I do, will find the recipe for a simple but delicious traditional dish popular in this county that has a very strong Catholic tradition. It is eaten there on Fridays, especially Good Friday, on days when Catholics refrain from eating meat. Try it and see! You will also be able to read the joyful yet challenging story of a family with two autistic sons. All this and more in this edition! Finally, on behalf of the editorial team of The Cornerstone, I would like to wish you all a happy and holy Eastertide, full of the joy of the Resurrection, and what this means to all of us. God bless. Dcn Bernard

The Cornerstone magazine is published by The Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar. Editorial team: Deacon Bernard Farrell-Roberts; Francesco. A. Scalici; & Pamela Cantos. The Cornerstone is entirely supported by advertising and donations. It is a not-for-profit magazine and is hand-delivered to homes, churches, hospitals and many businesses around Gibraltar every month. To discuss your advertising requirements, or promote your church group or charity, call Tel: 56222000 or email: [email protected] is selected by Deacon Bernard Farrell-Roberts in liaison with the Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar. Neither of these parties is responsible for the accuracy of the information contained herein, nor do the views and opinions expressed herein necessarily reflect the views and opinions of either party. Advertisers are not endorsed by virtue of advertising in this magazine. The Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar reserves the right to refuse space to any submissions or advertisements. Efforts have been made to establish copyright owners of images, but if we have used your material, and have not credited you, please contact us. The magazine is available online at: www.thecornerstone.gi. Cover Design: ©freepik.com

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Bishop’s Easter Message My dear brothers and sisters Peace and Easter blessings be with you. The Lord appeared to His disciples after His resurrection and greeted them, saying:

“Peace be with you.” Many times in sacred scripture our Lord offers his peace. So it is in our lives, the Lord Jesus stands in our midst and says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. …. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.” (John 14:27) As we prepare to celebrate Easter, one might ask if this is the appropriate time, in experiencing and facing the present global upheaval, with the war in Ukraine (apart from other wars) and all the consequences this has brought with it, with the uncertainty that Gibraltar faces due to an as yet lack of agreement after Brexit, with the millions of refugees running away from war and poverty, to proclaim the Good News that Jesus Christ is risen. Those who first witnessed the resurrection offer a response to this challenge. The women in Matthew’s Gospel who go to the tomb are burdened with disappointment and grief having witnessed his crucifixion. They are overcome with fear and in that precise moment, they encounter Jesus who says to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” (Mat 28:10) Jesus’ response to the woman applies for us today. As we face the challenges facing us and the world at large, we are assured not to be afraid and we are called to proclaim Jesus as the Risen Lord in whom our faith is placed.

This Easter, in these unusual and challenge times, let us find within our faith the strength and resolve to proclaim, “He is risen.” And we rejoice saying, “Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.” May God bless you with abundant faith, serenity and joy this Easter. +Carmel

At the beginning of the celebration of the Easter Vigil Mass, there is a fire burning outside the church, from which the Paschal Candle is lit in a darkened church. The church is then quickly bathed in light as the candles people hold are lit from that one flame. The Paschal Candle represents the light of Christ which dispels the darkness and the resurrection of Christ which overcomes sin and death. Our belief in the resurrection is the light of faith which can bring joy and hope in the midst of uncertainty and despair. I encourage you to pray for the grace to see the Risen Christ in the current reality of your lives and to recognise His deep love for each one of us. This Easter, I invite all to rediscover the symbol and power of our faith as a light which can dispel the darkness that we may presently experience. This is what we are called as Christians to proclaim and live. As an Easter people, let us proclaim the Resurrected Christ knowing that He has brought forth life from death, light from darkness, and hope from despair.

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Easter Scripture Reflection By Pope Francis Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die.” John 11:25-26 What does the Resurrection mean for our life? And why is our faith in vain without it? Our faith is founded on Christ’s death and Resurrection, just as a house stands on its foundations: if they give way, the whole house collapses. Jesus gave Himself on the cross, taking the burden of our sins upon Himself and descending into the abyss of death, then in the Resurrection, He triumphed over them, took them away and opened before us the path to rebirth and to a new life. St Peter summed this up at the beginning of his First Letter, as we heard: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and to an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading” (1 P 1:3-4). The Apostle tells us that with the Resurrection of Jesus something absolutely new happens: we are set free from the slavery of sin and become children of God; that is, we are born to new life. When is this accomplished for us? In the sacrament of Baptism. In ancient times, it was customarily received through immersion. The person who was to be baptised walked down into the great basin of the Baptistery, stepping out of his clothes, and the Bishop or Priest poured water on his head three times, baptising him in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Then the baptised person emerged from the basin and put on a new robe, the white one; in other words, by immersing himself in the death and Resurrection of Christ he was born to new life. He had become a son of God. In his Letter to the Romans, St Paul wrote: “you have received the spirit of sonship. When we cry ‘Abba! Father!’ it is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Rm 8:15-16).

every day we must let Christ transform us and conform us to him; it means striving to live as Christians, endeavouring to follow him in spite of seeing our limitations and weaknesses. The temptation to set God aside in order to put ourselves at the centre is always at the door, and the experience of sin injures our Christian life, our being children of God. For this reason we must have the courage of faith not to allow ourselves to be guided by the mentality that tells us: “God is not necessary, he is not important for you”, and so forth. It is exactly the opposite: only by behaving as children of God, without despairing at our shortcomings, at our sins, only by feeling loved by him will our life be new, enlivened by serenity and joy. God is our strength! God is our hope! We must be the first to have this steadfast hope and we must be a visible, clear and radiant sign of it for everyone. The risen Lord is the hope that never fails, that never disappoints (cf. Rm 5:5). Hope does not let us down – the hope of the Lord! How often in our life do hopes vanish, how often do the expectations we have in our heart come to nothing! Our hope as Christians is strong, safe and sound on this earth, where God has called us to walk, and it is open to eternity because it is founded on God who is always faithful. We must not forget: God is always faithful to us. Being raised with Christ through Baptism, with the gift of faith, an inheritance that is incorruptible, prompts us to seek God’s things more often, to think of Him more often and to pray to Him more. Being Christian is not just obeying orders but means being in Christ, thinking like Him, acting like Him, loving like Him; it means letting Him take possession of our life and change it, transform it and free it from the darkness of evil and sin. Let us point out the risen Christ to those who ask us to account for the hope that is in us (cf. 1 P 3:15). Let us point him out with the proclamation of the word, but above all with our lives as people who have been raised. Let us show the joy of being children of God, the freedom that living in Christ gives us which is true freedom, the freedom that saves us from the slavery of evil, of sin and of death! Looking at the heavenly homeland, we shall receive new light and fresh strength, both in our commitment and in our daily efforts. This is a precious service that we must give to this world of ours which all too often no longer succeeds in raising its gaze on high, no longer succeeds in raising its gaze to God. Pope Francis 2021

It is the Spirit himself whom we received in Baptism who teaches us, who spurs us to say to God: “Father” or, rather, “Abba!”, which means “papa” or “dad”. Our God is like this: he is a dad to us. The Holy Spirit creates within us this new condition as children of God. And this is the greatest gift we have received from the Paschal Mystery of Jesus. Moreover, God treats us as children, He understands us, He forgives us, He embraces us, He loves us even when we err. In the Old Testament, the Prophet Isaiah was already affirming that even if a mother could forget her child, God never forgets us at any moment (cf. Is 49:15). And this is beautiful! Yet this filial relationship with God is not like a treasure that we keep in a corner of our life but must be increased. It must be nourished every day with listening to the word of God, with prayer, with participation in the sacraments, especially Reconciliation and the Eucharist, and with love. We can live as children! And this is our dignity – we have the dignity of children. We should behave as true children! This means that 4

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An Easter Sunday Reflection By Deacon Bernard “You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified: He has risen, He is not here. See, here is the place where they laid him.” Just think about it, Jesus rose from the dead! Death is no longer the end. It is simply the door to the beyond, to the next stage of our lives. Now it is up to us to not allow the resurrection of Jesus to fight for room in our lives. In fact, Jesus’ death and resurrection should be at the very centre of our lives. Jesus’ resurrection reminds us that there is life beyond the grave. Jesus’ resurrection reminds us that there is more to each of us than meets the eye – that we all have immortal souls as well. That we all have the opportunity to live forever with God. What would you say is the purpose of your life? What is your goal in life? Life should have only one ultimate goal, that of preparing us for eternal life after death. After all, can you take your house to heaven with you? Can you take your car to heaven with you? Can you take your bank account to heaven with you? Yet, how many hours of your lives have you dedicated to just these three single items, and all the other things and activities? Can you honestly say that you have dedicated anywhere near the same number of hours to your preparation for heaven as you have to these material things? Yet the span of a human life pales into insignificance when compared to eternity, to the eternity that Christ’s Resurrection invites us to enjoy. And yet this is the message of the Resurrection, of Easter. However, the Good News of Christ’s Resurrection is only Good News if we hear it, if we believe it, if we accept it, and if we live by it. St Paul wrote to the Philippians, “For us, our homeland is in heaven, and from heaven comes the Saviour we are waiting for, the Lord Jesus Christ, and he will transfigure these wretched bodies of ours into copies of his glorious body.”(Phil 3:20) If we live as faithful followers of Christ, our bodies will be transformed to become glorious bodies like that of Jesus following his Resurrection. But can you say that you live as someone who believes in such a glorious future? Yet when we do this, placing our lives in God’s hands, everything in this world takes on a new perspective, and we avoid becoming possessed by our possessions. We need to dedicate more of the time that we currently dedicate to such things as homes, cars, or bank balances, to prayer, to our intimate conversations with God. After all, how can we say that we are truly followers of Christ if we don’t do this? God will, of course, give each one of us all the help we need, if only we ask for it. All that I have said so far depends of course upon the Resurrection being true! Christ knew this, and He put certain things in place to reassure us that this is the truth. He understood that it was essential that the news and understanding of the significance of his Resurrection reached as many people as possible, and that they would have no option but to believe it. So what did Christ do?

First of all, He gave us the Church, his mystical body on earth through which he is truly present among us, every bit as truly as when he walked and talked with his disciples. The Church is charged with taking Christ, the Word, to all people, and thus spreading the Good News. Last Thursday we celebrated the Last Supper, when Christ gave us not only the Eucharist, the spiritual nourishment we need for our earthly journeys, but also priests to administer this. And then He provided us with proof of his Resurrection, proof so convincing that we and others would believe it had truly happened. When and how did he do this? It is worth reminding ourselves of how He achieved this. Firstly, He proved he had resurrected by appearing to human beings. Although we don’t know exactly how many people Jesus appeared to, the bible lists 13 different appearances that occurred after his resurrection to a total of some 600 people or so. In this way Christ provided us with irrefutable eyewitness accounts of his resurrection. He also left us with physical proof, categorical scientific proof that is still with us today. The Shroud of Turin is a clear example of this scientific proof. The wounds and blood stains on the Shroud perfectly match the accounts of the crucifixion. The most recent scientific tests tell us that, apart from a small area of repair, the material dates from around the year 33 BC. Pollen grains on it are unique to the Sea of Galilee region 2,000 years ago. The coins placed on the eyes are Roman Leptons, minted by Pontius Pilate in Judea in the year 29, just before Christ’s death. The image only appears on the top surface of the material, so it could not have been made by paint, dye, chemicals, or any other known substance. In fact, the only way scientists say it could be replicated would be by using billions of watts of ultraviolet radiation, focused on the cloth for one 40 billionth of one second. As you might guess, it is impossible for humans to replicate this even today, let alone 2000 years ago! The only way the image could have been produced is if the cloth actually collapsed through the body, from above it to below it, in a fraction of a second, subjected to an intensely bright light. And lastly, He gave us hope, hope that after earthly death we would remain individuals, that we would be recognisable. He did this by maintaining his human nature after His Resurrection. By keeping this and allowing others to see it He gave us glimpses of the glorified state that awaits all his faithful followers. Following his resurrection, he was still recognisable by others. He still bore the wounds of his passion, but these had now become proofs of who he is – a means of recognition, rather than signs of any continued suffering. He ate with his followers. He wasn’t limited any more by the laws of nature that limit us – he could enter locked rooms at will, He could appear and disappear at will. This is what awaits us. A glorified state in which we too will be recognisable by others, when we too will be subject to the new laws of nature that will apply to the new heaven, the new earth, the new Jerusalem, that await true followers of Christ. Let us pray then this Easter Sunday for the grace and strength necessary for us to truly be followers of Christ; to wear the name of Christian at all times with pride and conviction; to respond to Christ’s Passion, death and Resurrection by putting him, his love for us, and his example, foremost in our minds, hearts, and lives. Let us bring others to Christ through our example, so that our deaths become a simple step into his loving arms and presence in heaven, a place of true love, beauty, and peace.

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Renewing Marriage Vows A reflection by St Faustina Reflection 274 It is a common practice for those who are married to renew their vows from time to time, especially on significant anniversaries. This renewal of vows and promises also takes place annually by priests and religious. This practice is a good and holy one in that we must constantly renew our total dedication to God in our vocation, whatever this might be. But the renewal of vows and promises to God should also go beyond our particular vocations and enter every universal vocation to holiness. Through Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Communion we have all been given over to God for His service. You are His, and He is yours, and this mutual exchange of hearts must be renewed often. In fact, the reception of Holy Communion has this renewal as one of its goals. Not only do you receive our Lord into your soul in this precious gift, you also renew your total self-giving to God through its reception. As you daily renew your total commitment to our Lord, allow Him to consume every part of your life as if a blazing fire were consuming a log. Allow your renewal to consume your sin, weakness, sufferings and even joys. Let everything in your life be for the glory of God and the manifestation of His Divine Mercy.

Prayer: Lord, I renew, today, the vows of my Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, and marriage. I renew the total dedication of my life to You and surrender all for Your service. Receive me, Lord, and do with me as You will. I am Yours, Lord, given without reserve. Jesus, I trust in You.

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The Divine Mercy What it is about, and why it is needed? Christ’s gift to humanity The message of The Divine Mercy is simple. It is that God loves us – all of us, and he wants us to recognise that His mercy is greater than our sins, so that we will call upon Him with trust, receive His mercy, and let it flow through us to others. Thus, all people will come to share His joy. In fact, the Divine Mercy message is one that we can call to mind simply by remembering ABC: A – Ask for His Mercy. God wants us to approach Him in prayer constantly, repenting of our sins and asking Him to pour His mercy out upon us and upon the whole world. B – Be merciful. God wants us to receive His mercy and let it flow through us to others. He wants us to extend love and forgiveness to others just as He does to us. C – Completely trust in Jesus. God wants us to know that the graces of His mercy are dependent upon our trust. The more we trust in Jesus, the more we will receive. This message and devotion to Jesus as The Divine Mercy is based on the writings of Saint Faustina Kowalska, an uneducated Polish nun who, in obedience to her spiritual director, wrote a diary of about 600 pages recording the revelations she received about God’s mercy. Even before her death in 1938, devotion to The Divine Mercy had begun to spread.

In subsequent revelations, the Lord made it clear that the Chaplet was not just for her, but for the whole world. He also attached extraordinary promises to its recitation. He said: “Encourage souls to say the Chaplet which I have given you. Whoever will recite it will receive great mercy at the hour of death. When they say this Chaplet in the presence of the dying, I will stand between My Father and the dying person, not as the just Judge, but as the Merciful Saviour. Priests will recommend it to sinners as their last hope of salvation. Even if there were a sinner most hardened, if he were to recite this Chaplet only once, he would receive grace from My infinite mercy. I desire to grant unimaginable graces to those souls who trust in My mercy. Through the Chaplet you will obtain everything, if what you ask for is compatible with My will. Prayed on ordinary rosary beads, The Chaplet of The Divine Mercy is an intercessory prayer that extends the offering of the Eucharist, so it is especially appropriate to use it after having received Holy Communion at Holy Mass. It may be said at any time, but our Lord specifically told St Faustina to recite it during the nine days before the Feast of Mercy (the first Sunday after Easter). He then added:

“By this Novena [of Chaplets], I will grant every possible grace to souls.” It is also appropriate to pray the Chaplet during the “Hour of Great Mercy”: at three o’clock each afternoon (recalling the time of Christ’s death on the cross). In His revelations to St Faustina, Our Lord asked for a special remembrance of His Passion at that hour.

The message and devotional practices proposed in the Diary of Saint Faustina are in total accordance with the teachings of Church and are firmly rooted in the Gospel message of our Merciful Saviour. Properly understood and implemented, they will help us grow as genuine followers of Christ. Spend time to learn more about the mercy of God, learn to trust in Jesus, and live your life as merciful to others, as Christ is merciful to you.

So, what is the history of the Divine Mercy Chaplet? In 1935, St Faustina received a vision of an angel sent by God to chastise a certain city. She began to pray for mercy, but her prayers were powerless. Suddenly she saw the Holy Trinity and felt the power of Jesus’ grace within her. At the same time she found herself pleading with God for mercy with words she heard interiorly: “Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world; for the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us.” (St Faustina’s Diary, 475) As she continued saying this inspired prayer, the angel became helpless and could not carry out the deserved punishment. The next day, as she was entering the chapel, she again heard this interior voice, instructing her how to recite the prayer that our Lord later called “the Chaplet.” This time, after “have mercy on us” were added the words “and on the whole world”. From then on, she recited this form of prayer almost constantly, offering it especially for the dying. 10

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Saint Pope John Paul II

How to say the Divine Mercy Chaplet Our Lord, Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.

Make the Sign of the Cross In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Prayer: You expired, Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls, and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world. O Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us.

Then repeat three times: O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fountain of Mercy for us, I trust in You!

Say the Our Father: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, Amen.

Say a Hail Mary:

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Then repeat the following prayer ten times using the ten small rosary beads: For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

Then repeat the above sequence for each of the remaining four decades. Finally, repeat the Holy God prayer three times: Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

Closing Prayer: Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself. Amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, Amen.

Say The Apostle’s Creed: I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; He descended into hell; on the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

Then repeat the following sequence of prayers five times, using your rosary: 1.

On the Our Father beads of the rosary: Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your Dearly Beloved Son,

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Scan the QR code and see more ACN News to support our most pressing issues and pray for those who are doing God’s work during these testing times. Universal Church

Aid to the Church in Need Update Margaret told them:

“I thank God for what you are doing. I thank God I am alive. I have so many reasons to be thankful to God.” Her courage and faith as she learns to live with life-changing injuries are an inspiration to all of us. ACN urgently needs your help to provide:

Margaret Attah lost both legs and an eye when extremists struck during Mass, St Francis Xavier’s Catholic Church, Nigeria (© Diocese of Ondo). Nurse and mother-of-four, Margaret Attah, was at Mass one Sunday when her life changed forever. She lost both legs and her sight in one eye when militants stormed St Francis Xavier’s Church, Owo, in southwest Nigeria.

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Trauma counselling for persecution survivors;

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Repairs to bomb-damaged churches;

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Emergency help for displaced families.

Anything you can offer this Easter to support these and other projects to bring help and hope to people like Margaret who suffered in the bomb attack at St Francis Xavier’s, Owo, would be much appreciated. Thank you for your prayers and compassion. HELP US SUPPORT THOSE IN NEED

Amid genocidal violence and political crisis, Aid to the Church in Need is doing everything possible to help Margaret and thousands of others as Nigeria teeters on the brink of becoming a failed state. 12

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Hope Blessing

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What’s On Section Who

When

Where

Contact

Christ the King Prayer Group

Every Tuesday 8:30pm – 10pm

St Bernard’s Church

Margaret Lombard – M:54012881

Cursillo Movement

Every Monday at 8:30pm

St Paul’s Church

Derek Sene – M:58009506

The Fellowship Prayer Group

Every Friday at 10am

St Paul’s Church

Eli Hermida – M:54025240

Bible Study

Every Monday 6:30pm – 7:30pm

Bookshop, Ground Floor, Gerard Olivero Catholic Community Centre

Adoration for Life

Every Thursday at 8:30pm

Catholic Community Centre Frances Moreno – T:20073843 – M:54220000 – E:[email protected]

New Life Prayer Group (Spanish)

Every Thursday at 8:30pm

Catholic Community Centre Frances Moreno – T:20073843 – M:54220000 – E:[email protected] Natasha Passano – M:54014088

Secular Franciscan Order 1st, 2nd and 4th Monday each month at 7:30pm 3rd Sunday each month after 10:30am Mass

St Bernard’s Church

Diocesan Association of Widows

Every Monday after 9:15am Mass

St Paul’s Church

Mothers’ Prayer Group

Every Thursday at 6:30pm

St Paul’s Church

Tracy Banda

Catholic Grandparents Association

3rd Thursday each month

St Bernard’s Church

Rosemarie Isola – M:57135000 – E:[email protected]

Novena to Rosa Mystica

1st to 13th of every month after 9:15am Mass

St Paul’s Church

Adriana Bear – M:54029264

Divine Mercy Novena

17th to 25th of every month after 9:15am Mass

St Paul’s Church

Adriana Bear – M:54029264

Gibraltar Mens Rosary

First Saturday every month at 11am

Different Locations - Please contact for details

Louis Lombard – M:56000764

Children of Hope: Catechesis for Young Children

Every Wednesday 3:15pm - 4:30pm

St Paul’s Church

Connected: Catholic Teenagers Hub

Every Thursday at 8:30pm

Fr John – T:20076688 Bookshop, Ground Floor, Catholic Community Centre

Co-Workers of Mother Teresa

2nd Tuesday each month

Bayview, Line Wall Road (next to Casino Calpe)

Rosemarie Isola – M:57135000 – E:[email protected]

Senacle for Pope and Vocations

1st Tuesday every month at 8pm

St Paul’s Church

Adriana Bear – M:54029264

Life in the Spirit Retreat (Spanish)

14th – 16th April 2023

Frances Moreno – Life in the Spirit Seminar Catholic Community Centre T:20073843 – M:54220000 – E:[email protected]

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The Cornerstone Ho Sunday 2nd April

Monday 3rd April

Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion

Monday of Holy Week

Pope Francis. Palm Sunday Mass. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

“The very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and strewed them on the road.” Matthew 21:8 The truth behind the tradition of bearing palms today goes to the story of Palm Sunday, when the people heard that Christ was coming and “they took out palm branches and went out to meet him and cried out ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, [even] the king of Israel’” (John 12:13). It was a tradition to spread palms before a king as he processed into his city. It was a way to welcome him, to show him glory and homage. Thus, Christ, the true King, was welcomed into Jerusalem. But one short week later, they crucified him. We celebrate this feast and carry palm branches home with us to commemorate the great humility of Christ who loved us so much that he chose the cross for our salvation. Prayer: Loving God, I am just beginning to realise how much you love me. Your son, Jesus, was humble and obedient. He fulfilled your will for him by becoming human and suffering with us. I ask you for the desire to become humbler so that my own life might also bear witness to you. I want to use the small sufferings I have in this world to give you glory. Please, Lord, guide my mind with your truth. Strengthen my life by the example of Jesus. Help me to be with Jesus this week as he demonstrates again his total love for me. He died so that I would no longer be separated from you. Help me to feel how close you are and to live in union with you.

“Mary took a litre of costly perfumed oil made from genuine aromatic nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and dried them with her hair; the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.” John 12:3 What a humble and beautiful act of love toward Jesus. This perfume was worth 300 days’ wages. That’s a lot of money! It’s interesting to note that Judas objected to this act by claiming that he thought it should have been sold and the money given to the poor. But Jesus rebukes him stating, “Leave her alone. Let her keep this for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.” This sounds very self-centred. But it was Jesus who said it and He was perfectly selfless in His love. So, why say this? Well, Jesus knew what Mary needed, and by saying what He did, He revealed to us what each one of us needs. We need to worship Him, honour Him and make Him the centre of our lives. We need to humble ourselves before Him and serve Him. Jesus knew this, so He praised Mary for this act of love. Prayer: Lord, may I follow the example of this holy woman, Mary. Help me to humble myself before You and honour You with my whole life. Dear Lord, nothing in life is more important than You and my total adoration of You. Draw me in, dear Lord, humble me before Your glory and help me to love and worship You with my whole being. Jesus, I trust in You.

oly Week Reflections Tuesday 4th April

Wednesday 5th April

Tuesday of Holy Week

Wednesday of Holy Week

“Reclining at table with his disciples, Jesus was deeply troubled and testified, ‘Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.’” John 13:21

Today we can reflect on Jesus as the fulfilment of God’s promise to save humanity from sin and re-establish that perfect relationship of the Father to each of us as son or daughter. Look at the following words of Isaiah in relation to what Jesus is doing for us this week.

Today Jesus was “deeply troubled.” This shows His humanity. Jesus had a human heart and loved Judas with a divine love through His human heart. As a result of this perfect love of Judas, Jesus’ heart was deeply troubled. It was “troubled” in the sense that Jesus could do nothing more than He had already done to change the mind and heart of Judas. It’s not that Jesus was personally offended or angered by Judas’ betrayal. Rather, Jesus’ heart burned with a deep sorrow at the loss of Judas whom He loved with a perfect love. Judas had free will. Without free will, he could not freely love Jesus. But with free will, Judas chose to betray Him. The same is true with us. We have free will and we are given the same ability that Judas had to accept the love of Jesus or to reject it. We can let His loving gift of salvation and grace enter our lives or refuse it. It’s 100% up to us. Holy Week is an ideal time to seriously contemplate the road you are on. Each and every day of your life you are invited by God to choose Him with all your might and love. But, like Judas, we so often betray Him by our refusal to enter Holy Week with Him, embracing His Cross as ours. We so often fail to give completely of our lives in a sacrificial and generous way, as our Lord did that Holy Week. Prayer: My dear suffering and rejected Lord, I do love You but I also know that I cause Your Heart to be troubled by my betrayal. Help me to see my sin honestly this Holy Week. In seeing it, may I let go of that which keeps me from loving You more deeply, so as to walk with You to the Cross to share in Your glorious triumph. Jesus, I trust in You.

Jesus comes to us as we are – weary and overwhelmed by this world and all that is happening. So much disappointment in ourselves and others, so much conflict and failure. We all can feel tired at times and ready to give up. But, when we listen to Jesus, truly listen to his message, we get out of our downward spiral and find that courage to try again. Isaiah told us these words: “I gave my back to those who beat me…” and Jesus literally did give his back, at the scourging at the pillar on Good Friday. But it’s also an image of the conflict between the ways of this world and what faith calls us to. It’s not easy being a child of God, to turn our back on all the allurements of this life, but Jesus shows us how to remain firm in faith and to choose our relationship with God, even if it means being beaten by those who do not understand. Prayer: Lord Christ, if we could undo the deed of Judas, we would gladly do so. The pain of his betrayal becomes heart wrenching when he enters the garden and kisses you. It is almost too much to bear. But so are those times when we let some idle thought in our heads and hearts wipe out all the good we intended to do in your name and now we bear the shame. Above all the heartache and guilt, however, is your overwhelming, unmerited and ridiculously generous grace. Thank you, Lord, for loving us better than we love you. Amen.

Thursday 6th April

Friday 7th April

Holy Thursday

Good Friday – The Death of Our Saviour

“You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master’, and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet.” John 13:13-15

“When Jesus had taken the wine, he said, ‘It is finished.’ And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit.” John 19:30

Notice the tender way Jesus washes those dusty feet. The region was a dusty and dirty one. They wore sandals, so foot washing was necessary after travelling and before eating, especially for the Passover Meal. It was the duty of the most menial servant to wash the feet of guests. When the disciples gathered with Jesus, it was soon after they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest. No doubt they would have wanted to wash Jesus’ feet but not each other’s, but then Jesus moved to wash their feet. They would have been shocked and possibly speechless until Jesus reached Peter. When he had finished washing their feet, he asked “Do you understand what I have done for you? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have given you an example so that you can do the same”. Jesus asked them to internalise what they had seen and heard, to be motivated by love, to look to him for inspiration and guidance, to walk in his path, and to do to others as they would wish others to do to them. He wanted them to serve his Father’s people in a humble, sincere and loving manner, to notice when people need help, and to be available to give comfort and support as servants. Prayer: Dear Jesus, help me to do as you did. Permit me to be your humble servant and messenger, so that I may be blessed just as you promised.

Let us look more closely at that man crucified between earth and heaven. Let us contemplate him more intently and we will realise that the cross is not the banner of the victory of death, sin and evil, but rather the luminous sign of love, of God’s immense love, of something that we could never have asked, imagined or expected: God bent down over us, he lowered himself, even to the darkest corner of our lives, in order to stretch out his hand and draw us to himself, to bring us all the way to himself. The cross speaks to us of the supreme love of God and invites us, today, to renew our faith in the power of that love, and to believe that in every situation of our lives, our history and our world, God is able to vanquish death, sin and evil, and to give us new, risen life. In the Son of God’s death on the cross, we find the seed of new hope for life, like the seed which dies within the earth. This is the great mystery, Jesus. You love us by dying, by suffering abandonment, by bestowing your spirit, by doing the Father’s will, by withdrawing. You remain on the cross, and that is all. You do not try to explain the mystery of death, the destruction of all things. You do more: you cross over it completely in body and spirit. A great mystery. One that continues to question us and to unsettle us. It challenges us and it invites us to open our eyes and to see your love even in death, indeed even starting from death itself. It is there that you loved us as we really are, truly and inevitably. It is there that we grasp, however imperfectly, your living and authentic presence. We will always thirst for this: for your closeness, for your being God-with-us.” Prayer: Enlighten our hearts, Lord, that we may follow you along the way of the cross. Put to death in us the “old man” bound by selfishness, evil and sin. Make us “new men”, men and women of holiness, transformed and enlivened by your love.

Saturday 8th April

Sunday 9th April

Easter Vigil in the Holy Night of Easter

Easter Sunday

“I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said.” Matthew 28:5-6 The language of our Easter Vigil in our readings and in our prayers is that of rebirth, new birth, a birth which comes from above. Jesus has risen from the dead, and with Him we who have died with Him in Baptism rise too. Tonight we recognise that, because of our sins, we have been imprisoned spiritually, but also tonight those prison doors are opened and we are set free. The stone in front of the tomb has been rolled away. Our lives have hope because of Him. Jesus is risen, Alleluia! And we have the possibility of opening our hearts and receiving His gift of hope. Let us look upon the Easter Candle and open our hearts to hope this Easter. May the memory of His works and His words be the light which directs our steps in the ways of faith, towards that Easter that will have no end. As Pope Francis has told us, “Easter is the feast of tombstones taken away, rocks rolled aside. God takes away even the hardest stones against which our hopes and expectations crash: death, sin, fear, worldliness. Human history does not end before a tombstone, because today it encounters the ‘living stone’ (cf. 1 Peter 2:4), the risen Jesus. We, as Church, are built on him, and, even when we grow disheartened and tempted to judge everything in the light of our failures, he comes to make all things new, to overturn our every disappointment. Each of us is called tonight to rediscover in the Risen Christ the one who rolls back from our heart the heaviest of stones.” (Pope Francis - 2019 Easter Vigil homily). Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, by Your radiant and magnificent resurrection, You broke the bonds of death and rose from the grave as a conqueror. You reconciled Heaven and earth. Our life had no hope of eternal happiness before You redeemed us. Your resurrection has washed away our sins, restored our innocence, and brought us joy. How inestimable is the tenderness of Your love! Saint Gregory the Great

“If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.” Colossians 3:1 The Resurrection of Christ is the basis of our Christian Faith, for it proves that Jesus is God. That is why St Paul writes: “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain; and your Faith is in vain… And if Christ has not been raised, then your Faith is a delusion, and you are still lost in your sins… But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep” (I Cor 15:14, 17, 20). In the words of the Catechism of the Catholic Church: “The Resurrection of Jesus is the crowning truth of our Faith in Christ, a Faith believed and lived as the central truth by the first Christian community; handed on as fundamental by Tradition; established by the documents of the New Testament; and preached as an essential part of the Paschal mystery along with the cross...” (CCC # 638). If Jesus Christ did not rise from the dead, then the Church is a fraud and Faith is a sham. But if Jesus really did rise from the dead, his message is true! Without the Resurrection, Jesus would have remained forever a good person who had met a tragic end. People would remember some of his teachings, and a handful of people might try to live according to them. All the basic doctrines of Christianity are founded on the truth of the Resurrection. “Jesus is Lord; He is risen!” (Rom 10:9) was the central theme of the kerygma (or “preaching”) of the apostles. Easter is the guarantee of our own resurrection. Jesus assured Martha at the tomb of Lazarus: “I am the Resurrection and the Life; whoever believes in Me will live even though he dies” (Jn 11:25-26). Christ will raise us up on the last day, but it is also true, in a sense, that we have already risen with Christ. By virtue of the Holy Spirit, our Christian life is already a participation in the death and Resurrection of Christ. Prayer: Creator God, because of your abundant love, you chose to bring light and order into the formless void to create a world of unsurpassed beauty and you saw that it was good. We ask that you continue to recreate the world with that same attentive love, to bring light into today’s ever-increasing chaos and darkness where we have failed to be stewards and carers of your creation. Replenish our hearts so that we too can renew the face of the earth. Amen.

Saint Anselm of Canterbury (1033-1109) – 21st April Saint George, Martyr (275-303) – 24th April Saint Louis Marie Grignion De Montfort (1673-1716) 28th April

Saints Of The Month 22

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Owing to Holy Week and Eastertide there are only three Saints this April that we haven’t covered before in The Cornerstone.

Saint George, Martyr (275-303) – 24th April

Saint Anselm of Canterbury (1033-1109) 21st April At the age of 15, Anselm wanted to enter a monastery but was refused acceptance because of his father’s opposition. Twelve years later, after careless disinterest in religion and years of worldly living, he finally fulfilled his desire to be a monk. He entered the monastery of Bec in Normandy, was elected prior three years later, and fifteen years later was unanimously chosen abbot. Considered an original and independent thinker, Anselm was admired for his patience, gentleness, and teaching skill. Under his leadership, the Abbey of Bec became a monastic school, influential in philosophical and theological studies. During these years, at the community’s request, Anselm began publishing his theological works, comparable to those of Saint Augustine. His best-known work is the book Cur Deus Homo (“Why God Became Man”). Against his will, Anselm was appointed archbishop of Canterbury in 1093, at the age of 60. His appointment was opposed at first by England’s King William Rufus and later accepted. Rufus persistently refused to cooperate with efforts to reform the Church. Anselm finally went into voluntary exile until Rufus died in 1100. He was then recalled to England by Rufus’ brother and successor, Henry I. Disagreeing fearlessly with Henry over the king’s insistence on investing England’s bishops, Anselm spent another three years in exile in Rome. His care and concern extended to the very poorest people. Opposing the slave trade, Anselm obtained from the national council at Westminster the passage of a resolution prohibiting the sale of human beings.

Saint George is the object of a vast amount of imagination. There is every reason to believe that he was a real martyr who suffered at Lydda in Palestine, probably before the time of Constantine. The Church adheres to his memory, but not to the legends surrounding his life. That he was willing to pay the supreme price to follow Christ is what the Church believes. And it is enough. The story of George’s slaying the dragon, rescuing the king’s daughter and converting Libya is a 12th-century Italian fable. George was a favourite patron saint of crusaders, as well as of Eastern soldiers in earlier times. He is a patron saint of England, Portugal, Germany, Aragon, Catalonia, Genoa, Milan and Bologna. George, whose name in Greek means “farmer”, was born to a Christian family in Cappadocia around the year 275. After moving to Palestine, he joined the army of Diocletian. When the emperor issued the edict of persecution against Christians in 303, George gave all his belongings to the poor and, in front of Diocletian himself, tore the document apart and professed his faith in Christ. For this he suffered terrible torture and was eventually beheaded. Shortly after his death, a basilica was erected over the place of his burial in Lydda (modern-day Lod, in Israel). His relics are still visible today. Among the most ancient documents attesting to the existence of St George, a Greek epigraph from 368 found in Heraclea of Bethany speaks of the “house or church of the saints and triumphant martyrs George and companions”. The crusaders contributed a great deal to transforming the figure of St George the martyr into a holy warrior, seeing in the killing of the dragon a symbol for the defeat of Islam; Richard I of England (“the Lionheart”) invoked him as the protector of all soldiers. With the Normans, the cult of St George became firmly rooted in England where, in 1348, King Edward III established the Order of the Knights of St George. Throughout the Middle Ages his figure inspired a great deal of epic literature.

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Saint Louis Marie Grignion De Montfort (1673-1716) 28th April Louis’s life is inseparable from his efforts to promote genuine devotion to Mary, the mother of Jesus and mother of the Church. Totus tuus (“completely yours”) was Louis’s personal motto; Pope John Paul II chose it as his episcopal motto. Born in the Breton village of Montfort, close to Rennes, France, as an adult Louis identified himself by the place of his baptism instead of his family name, Grignion. After being educated by the Jesuits and the Sulpicians, he was ordained a diocesan priest in 1700. Soon he began preaching parish missions throughout western France. His years of ministering to the poor prompted him to travel and live very simply, sometimes getting him into trouble with Church authorities. In his preaching, which attracted thousands of people back to the faith, Father Louis recommended frequent, even daily, Holy Communion – not the custom then! – and imitation of the Virgin Mary’s ongoing acceptance of God’s will for her life. Louis founded the Missionaries of the Company of Mary, for priests and brothers, and the Daughters of Wisdom, who cared especially for the sick. His book, True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin, has become a classic explanation of Marian devotion. Louis died in Saint-Laurent-sur-Sèvre, where a basilica has been erected in his honour. He was canonised in 1947, and his liturgical feast is celebrated on 28th April. Like Mary, Louis experienced challenges in his efforts to follow Jesus. Opposed at times in his preaching and in his other ministries, Louis knew with Saint Paul, “Neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who causes the growth” (1 Corinthians 3:7). Any attempt to succeed by worldly standards runs the risk of betraying the Good News of Jesus. Mary is “the first and most perfect disciple”, as the late Sulpician Father Raymond Brown described her.

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Universal Church

Fr Augustine Easter Message and Update Happy Easter to all my friends in Gibraltar from the parish of Santiago Apostol in Limpira, Honduras. I love to think about the universality of the Church and to think of the Resurrection joy that is being celebrated throughout the whole world. The Church in every corner of the world proclaims in this Easter season that death has been defeated and, despite all appearances, we are able to celebrate the victory of light over darkness. On Good Friday, we adored Our Lord and Saviour on the Cross, who being Lord of Life conquered death by his death and now we stand outside the empty tomb knowing that truly he has risen and is alive in our midst. This is the time of joy and no one can take it from us because, although it ‘adapts and changes, it always endures, even as a flicker of light born of our personal certainty that, when everything is said and done, we are infinitely loved’ (Evangelii Gaudium 6). Being loved and knowing oneself to be loved infinitely, with a love stronger than death, that is the message of Easter that we all need to hear day after day so that our lives, in every corner of the world, can became a great proclamation of the Good News to a world that is thirsting for love and meaning.

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With Fr Gregorio from Poland

Confirmations with Bishop Walter Soto, Diocese of Gracias

He turned our main church into a Diocesan Shrine to St James, the Apostle. Our parish is now called the Parish of Santiago Apostol in Limpira, Honduras.

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Hanging on for dear life! Photos from the Parish of Santiago Apostol.

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The Feast of the Divine Mercy The first Sunday after Easter The Feast of Mercy was first introduced to the church as a solemn feast day on Low Sunday in Lithuania and Poland in 1996, but was not formally recognised as a Feast Day until the Canonisation of St Faustina in 2000 and Pope John Paul II inauguration of the first Sunday after Easter as the Feast of Mercy. On Low Sunday, the first Sunday after Easter, people all over the world will celebrate the Feast of Mercy. From St Faustina’s Diary, it is clear that this day, a day chosen by Christ as a day of extraordinary graces, will be blessed by a complete outpouring of His mercy upon all who approach Him with great trust and faith. Jesus told St Faustina, “My daughter, tell the whole world about My inconceivable mercy. I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day all the divine floodgates through which grace flow are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet. My mercy is so great that no mind, be it of man or of angel, will be able to fathom it throughout all eternity. Everything that exists has come forth from the very depths of My most tender mercy. Every soul in its relation to Me will contemplate My love and mercy throughout eternity. The Feast of Mercy emerged from My very depths of tenderness. It is My desire that it be solemnly celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. Mankind will not have peace until it turns to the Fount of My Mercy”.

To properly celebrate this great feast, we need to prepare well. In his 1985 Lenten Pastoral Letter, Cardinal Macharski pointed out that all of Lent should be a preparation for the celebration of the Paschal Mystery, the Crucified and Risen Christ, who is Mercy Incarnate. This great mystery of our Redemption, which the Cardinal calls “an act of the Merciful love of God,” is celebrated not only during Holy Week and on Easter Sunday, but throughout the Easter season and especially on the Octave Day of Easter which we call Divine Mercy Sunday or “The Feast of Mercy”. Cardinal Macharski urged us all to use Lent to prepare ourselves for this great feast day, placing more and more trust in the mercy of God and putting mercy into practice through deeds of mercy. In addition to receiving reconciliation and communion on this day, it is evident from the Diary of St Faustina that Jesus requires other preparations as well.

Pope Francis celebrating the feast of Divine Mercy Some of these conditions for the Feast of Mercy are that it should be preceded by a Novena of Chaplets to the Divine Mercy beginning on Good Friday. St Faustina wrote, “Novena to Divine Mercy which Jesus instructed me to write down and make before the Feast of Mercy. It begins on Good Friday”. Making this Novena before the Feast of Mercy is now a custom of the Devotion to Divine Mercy. Jesus told St Faustina, I desire that during these nine days you bring souls to the fountain of My mercy, that they may draw there from strength and refreshment and whatever grace they need in the hardships of life, and especially at the hour of death”.

Image @todayscatholic.org

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Image of Saint Faustina @saint-faustina.org/biography

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“I want this Image to be solemnly blessed on the first Sunday after Easter; that Sunday is to be the Feast of Mercy”. (Diary 49) The sermon given by the priest on the Feast of Mercy should be on Divine Mercy, that is the mercy which God the Father bestows on us through Jesus. During the Feast of Mercy, we must be mindful of the graces being bestowed on us by God. Our veneration of the Image of Mercy and the words of the priest should help to confirm us within this devotion to Divine Mercy. We should take the time to prepare well for the Feast of Mercy and to be grateful to God for such generosity, kindness and mercy to mankind. In this way, we will come to appreciate the immense gift which God offers us on the feast of Mercy and through the devotion to His Divine Mercy. With thanks to Val Conlon of www.divinemercy.org for this helpful explanation. Confession on the Feast of Mercy Confession and Holy Communion on the Feast of Mercy – If confession is not possible on the day, it should be as close to the day as possible. St Faustina made it on the Saturday before the Feast. Communion, as always, should be a worthy one and must be accompanied by complete trust in Divine Mercy. Jesus told St Faustina:

“On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day all the divine floodgates through which grace flow are opened”. But most importantly, that an act of Mercy should take place in our lives, as part of our preparation for the feast. We should be merciful to others in our words, deeds and prayers. In the Diary, St Faustina records that Jesus said, “I am giving you three ways of exercising mercy toward your neighbour: the first – by deed, the second – by word, the third – by prayer. In these three degrees is contained the fullness of mercy, and it is an unquestionable proof of love for Me”. 1. Merciful Word – Forgiving and comforting. 2. Merciful Deed – Any of the corporal works of mercy. 3. Merciful Prayer – Prayers for Mercy for someone in need. During the Celebration of the Feast of Mercy, the Image of the Divine Mercy should be ceremoniously blessed and publicly venerated in the church. The Image should be publicly venerated and exposed to all taking part in the celebration. To achieve this, the Image could be left in a position that all can see and say, “Jesus I Trust in You”. This can be carried out during the celebration like the kissing of the cross on Good Friday, or as people leave the Church if numbers prevent it during the Ceremony. Jesus told St Faustina:

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Lancashire Butter Pie (also known as Friday Pie) You have to hand it to Lancastrians, they know how to make the most of a potato. Lancashire’s butter pie has been a staple of the Preston area for centuries. Preston has always had a large Catholic community, and Catholics don’t eat meat on Fridays – so in Preston they eat butter pie, or, as it is also sometimes known, Catholic pie or Friday pie. Now it is sold throughout pubs and shops, but is most frequently enjoyed as a match day half-time favourite at Preston North End football club. It is, quite simply, a pie filled with potatoes, onion and butter; it has short crust pastry on the base and sides, and flaky pastry on the top, and given the simplicity of its contents, a generous amount of salt and pepper. It is traditionally eaten with braised red cabbage or salad.

Instructions: • • • • • •

So why not make use of this simple recipe for your meal on Good Friday – you won’t be disappointed!

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Ingredients:

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• • • • • •

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320g (11oz) shortcrust pastry sheet, ready rolled 320g (11oz) puff pastry sheet, ready rolled 5 large potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced 2 large onions, peeled and sliced 100g (3oz) butter 1 egg, whisked

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Remove the pastries from the fridge and let them rest at room temperature. Parboil the potatoes in salted water for 5 minutes and drain. Gently fry the onions in the butter until softened, then add the potato and stir. While the potato mixture is cooling down, preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Lightly oil a 30cm (12in) pie dish. Line the pie dish with the shortcrust pastry and trim the edges. Line with baking parchment then pour in baking beans. Bake blind for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool down a bit. Remove baking beans. Adjust the oven temperature to 220°C/425°F/gas mark 7. Fill the pie shell with the potato filling and evenly distribute the contents. Top off with the puff pastry and crimp the edges. Poke the top with a fork or knife so that air can escape during the baking process. Decorate to your heart’s content. Brush egg on top then bake for 15 minutes or until the puff pastry is golden. Remove from the oven and serve with braised red cabbage, or a salad.

Good Friday Recipe

Delicious!!

Image @booths.co.uk

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Autism

medical disorders. As she read about the boy’s symptoms one condition became obvious to her, a lifelong, irreversible, untreatable, permanent condition – autism. She wept at this conclusion, asking herself where she could even start being a mother. A psychologist’s words ripped at her heart: “Mother, save yourself all the pain, institutionalise them and don’t look back. There is no cure for autism and the future is very, very bleak.” That was 26 years ago. Those heartless words shook her to the core, but they also propelled her to choose to love.

From Alienation to Confirmation

Days afterwards the words she read of Jim Sinclair, an adult living with autism, galvanised her into action. He said:

“Grieve for us if you must, for your own lost dreams, but don’t mourn for us. We are alive. We are real, and we are here waiting for you.” She made a conscious decision to mourn no more. Sarah Pyoos with her sons Michael (left) and Gerard, and husband Gerald For years this family struggled with the autism of their sons. This is their story. From a very young age, the mother, Sarah, knew that there was something very special about the little light that shone continuously near the altar of her parish church, the Sacred Heart. One day her parish priest told her:

“Sarah, you must love Jesus. He is there waiting for you day and night. Never pass by without stopping to say ‘hello’ to him.” Little did she realise that these words, inextricably linked to her childhood simplicity, were to become the bedrock of her walk in faith, a thread of hope in her endeavour to raise her two boys with autism and lead them to the sacraments of Holy Communion and Confirmation. Gerard, named after St Gerard Majella, patron saint of expectant mothers, was a healthy, undemanding toddler. At around 18 months something changed. The loving, bubbly, bouncing little boy became more and more detached. He stopped responding to his name and at times seemed unaware of people around him. From singing nursery rhymes and saying basic words to silence. She thought he might be hearing-impaired, but his hearing turned out to be perfectly normal. She dragged him, sometimes kicking and screaming, from specialist to specialist, but no one could help. Then Michael made a quiet entry into the world. For a while, her nagging fears around Gerard’s unexplained condition dissipated in the joy of her new-born son. Michael seemed far more interested in the world than Gerard was. He would make eye contact, smile and laugh appropriately, and take an interest in some of his toys, but he did not progress at the expected pace. He took too long to walk, and by two, he still had no speech. “Oh please, God,” she thought, “not Mike too.” Despair engulfed her, strangling all faith and hope. She cried over her babies, consumed by fear as to how she, their mother, was to lead them to adulthood in a world which they neither cared about, nor understood. After many exhausting visits to an array of healthcare professionals, she started doing her own research about childhood

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Then Lungile entered their lives and made an immense impact on her boys’ lives. Lungile was patient, kind, considerate, the childless daughter of a mother who died of alcoholism, sister to a mentally handicapped sibling, and adoptive mother to her sister’s son. She brought with her the peace they had yearned for, a calmness and patience. She became the boys’ lifeline to their parents’ world. She entered the mind of Sarah’s sons and spoke with them there, the language of love, the only language they could understand. Through her body language, the tone in her voice, her determination and constancy, she made them feel safe. It took this woman, who had no formal education, who had never given birth to a child of her own, to teach Sarah valuable lessons in love and acceptance. It was several years now since Sarah and Gerald had taken the boys to Mass. Their unpredictable behaviour had made this just too difficult. Yet Sarah yearned for a time when they could worship God as a family. Many people had offered her comfort, but she felt that she should be doing more. Eventually they plucked up the courage and took their boys to church. By now, Gerard was 20 and Michael 17. But Sarah was full of fear, with visions of Gerard screeching out during the consecration at the top of his voice, or Michael running to the altar to try to straighten the priest’s vestments! However, this first visit to church as a family in 15 years was better than they had ever imagined. Feeling unburdened and free from the guilt that had plagued her for years, Sarah mentioned to the priest how anxious she had felt at the thought of bringing the boys to church. “Sarah,” he said, “your boys were angels. I never heard a sound from them.” She is still not sure if he was just trying to be

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kind, but the very next week, the whole family moved to the choir loft to join the folk group. Being part of this group was most rewarding for the boys. As time went on, Sarah knew a next step had to be taken, but didn’t know what it was. Then the Holy Trinity SPRED group was born. SPRED is an acronym for Special Religious Development, and its aim is to aid people with an intellectual disability to participate fully in the liturgical life of the Church. SPRED is made up of companions partnered with special friends, all of whom have an intellectual disability. On their first day, the boys were warmly greeted by their new companions. They were given little activities to do with the help of their companions who were patient and kind as they lovingly guided their friends through the activities. It was strange how speaking in the company of our friends – who could only listen and not respond, who accepted and never judged – was so comforting for the companions themselves! The day finally arrived for the friends to receive Holy Communion and Confirmation. There was excitement in the air. The companions accompanied their friends every step of the way as they moved into the church to familiarise them with the surroundings. They were ready, completely ready, to receive Jesus. Cardinal Wilfrid Napier called the group up one by one to receive Holy Communion and be confirmed. It was beautiful, pure, simple love, united with the love of Jesus. It had finally happened, and the friends beamed with delight as they received these sacraments for the first time. After Mass, they all met in the hall and shared in a great celebration. The parish of Holy Trinity served them with love and kindness. Sarah didn’t have enough words to express her gratitude to Our Lord Jesus. She didn’t think she would experience such joy in her lifetime. That little light which she had witnessed so many years before in the Sacred Heart now shone brighter than ever before! With thanks to the Southern Cross Magazine of 27th January 2023 for the information from which this inspiring true account is taken.

Image @thesoutherncross.com

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Hassans International Law Firm Limited

Hassans International Law Firm Limited trades as 'Hassans'. Registered in Gibraltar. Registration no: 115509