Author: ANTONINO

(bernardinodandrade@gmail.com)

One of the best definitions that I have ever heard about what the Bible is, came from Sandy (not her true name). Sandy is a woman without any academic studies who told me one day: «The Bible is a parable of our lives». Then she explained that when she opens the Bible it is like seeing herself in a mirror. She sees what is happening, or should happen in her life.

Today, the second Sunday of Lent, the Church offers us the reading of the Gospel of Mark (Mk: 9, 2-10) about the Transfiguration. «Jesus took, with him Peter, James and John and led them up a high mountain where they could be alone by themselves. «There in their presence He was transfigured». Mark explains, but even after his explanation, I don’t think that any of us can grasp even a little bit of what that mountain top experience was.

It is not difficult to express ideas but it is very difficult to explain experiences. Very often when couples bring their babies for Baptism, holding them in their arms, and «squeezing» them against their chest or their cheeks I ask them: «What do you feel when you are holding your baby like that?» the answer is: «hum… hum… hum… Father I can’t explain» and… that’s the end, and usually ends with a gentle kiss. What we know is that Peter, James and John were so intimately absorbed in that profound and touching experience that made Peter say: «Rabi, it is wonderful for us to be here; so let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah». And then Mark adds: «he did not know what to say… and there came a voice from the cloud: «This is my Son, the Beloved, listen to Him». But, later, Mark adds the hard part. «They came down from the mountain». The experience had ended.

But one thing we know. We know that Jesus came down with them.

I really wanted to see their faces when they were contemplating the transfiguration of Jesus and also when they were coming down from the mountain to the valley. Were they happy? Were they talking with one another and with Jesus? Were they somber and depressed? I don’t know. What I know is that they wanted that experience to last forever. But there is also a very important thing that I know: Jesus was coming down with them. And I know that the Jesus of the mountain was the same Jesus of the valley.

Yes! I agree with Sandy. The Bible is a parable of our lives. We all have mountain-top experiences, but on the other hand we all have valley experiences. We have all had moments that we didn’t want to end. What we wanted was to build tents and stay there forever. But life doesn’t work like that. Life works with mountains and valleys. However, we must remember that the Jesus of the mountain is the Jesus of the valley.

Especially during this Lenten season, I would like to invite couples, families and groups to sit down and make a list of those moments we have had in our lives that we didn’t want to end. We also can do that at the personal level. Maybe we can write a list of the main ones. And then, when life goes wrong and we are facing troubles and dark moments in our relationships, we can talk about that with one another and thank God for those moments. I don’t have any doubts that if we try to focus on our mountain top experiences, also at a personal level, we are going to improve our mental health, especially depressions, and our relationships will be greatly improved.

Love & Peace
Fr. Bernardino Andrade
28/02/2021

(bernardinodandrade@gmail.com)

A BASKET OF GARBAGE TO GOD

I grew up before the Council Vatican II, in a very clericalist Christian Society. The only non-priest person I met teaching about Jesus was my Catechist when she prepared me for my First Communion and my Confirmation. Otherwise, only priests talked about God.

I was already a Seminarian when I heard, for the first time, this married young lay man talking to the Seminarians about God and about Spirituality. I was fascinated. His words and his intimacy with God had a great impact on me. He didn’t tell us how good he was, but how good God was. He talked about his prayer life and his daily walking with God. I remember him telling us about his moments of joy and also about his «dark nights» in his relationship with Jesus. But what I never forgot was when he said:

«How many times my days have been so bad that my evening prayer was simply: – «Here I am Jesus, at the end of this day, in which everything went wrong and the only thing I have that I can offer to you is a basket of garbage. I have nothing else to offer you».

I wouldn’t be surprised if most of us have felt like that. I have.

A SAINT WHO FORGOT TO GIVE HIS GARBAGE TO GOD

St. Jerome lived for twenty-five years in the cave where the Child Jesus was born. One time he addressed to Jesus this prayer:

«Dear Child, you have suffered much to save me; How can I make emends?»
«What can you give me Jerome?», a voice was heard.
«I will spend my entire life in prayer, and I will offer all my talents into your hands», Jerome replied.
«You do that to glorify me, but what more can you give Me»? The Voice asked again.
«I will give all my money to the poor». Jerome exclaimed.
The Voice said: «Give your money to the poor; that it would be just as if you were giving it to Me. But what else can you give to Me?».

St. Jerome became distraught and said: «I have given You everything! What is there left to give?»

– «Jerome, you have not given me your sins,» the Lord replied. «Give your sins to Me, so I can erase them ». With these words Jerome burst into tears and spoke: «Dear Jesus, take all that is mine and give me all that is Yours.»

LENT, A TIME TO CLEAN THE GARBAGE

Lent is a time to be more aware of our weaknesses and our sins. It is a special time to offer to God our sins. It is a time of renewal. God has many ways to forgive our sins. God never gets tired of forgiving. God, knowing our weaknesses, has even a special Sacrament to reconnect us. To heal us. To embrace us. The Sacrament of Reconciliation with Confession to a priest is not the encounter of a sinner with a judge. The Sacrament of Reconciliation confessing our sins to a priest and receiving the absolution is the meeting of two sinners who get together to celebrate the forgiveness and mercy of God who has no limits.

CONFESSIONS AT MOYNIHANS

Every Sunday of Lent, after Mass, I will be available in the privacy of the UPPER ROOM of the Moynihans Restaurant (up the road from the Chapel) to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation with Confessions. Those who are not planning to go to Confession (including non-Catholics and children) are welcomed to approach the priest for a special blessing in the UPPER ROOM.

Fr. Bernardino Andrade
21/02/2021

MAKE YOUR OWN “LITTLE CORNER OF LENT” – A daily reminder

Lent began this week on Ash Wednesday (February 17th). Under normal circumstances, Catholics would walk out of Ash Wednesday services with a cross-shaped smudge on their foreheads.

This year, with the coronavirus pandemic, things are a little different. There was no Ash Wednesday Mass at the Chapel, but today you will be receiving a small packet of blessed Ashes to take home.

Father Bernardino has an idea which he would like to suggest this year. His idea is for people to prepare in their homes a “Little Corner of Lent” to keep the ashes, that would be like replacing the “Christmas Tree” for Christmas. It would remind them to pray together, even if it is a very short prayer. That would be a daily reminder of this special season of Lent.

 

(bernardinodandrade@gmail.com)

JESUS TOUCHES THE UNTOUCHABLE

The lepers in the time of Jesus were untouchable. They had to live apart from their communities, and even from their families. Being sick with leprosy was considered a punishment from God because of their sins. Lepers were considered unclean. Those who were touched by them, or who touched them, would become unclean.
If I had to make a list of my most favourite passages of the Gospels, there is no doubt that Mark 1: 40-45 would be almost at the beginning of the list.

A leper came to Jesus and pleaded on his knees: «If you want to, you can cure me». First of all, he should not have approached anyone. He broke the law. And for the Jewish people the law was everything. But, feeling sorry for him, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him. Jesus knew that by touching an unclean person he would become unclean. What shakes me inside is that Jesus could have cured him at a distance. But he voluntarily broke the law and touched the leper. And the leper was cured with a touch. With a simple touch, and lots of compassion and unconditional love.

Today there are around us many untouchable people. A few days ago I heard a Muslim engineer saying that 80% of what is said on TV about Muslims is negative. The Gypsies are another community seen with suspicion. Blacks and other colours are supposed to live apart. They don’t belong. And other minority groups like gays, the homeless, the poor. This creates a profound sense of loneliness. Nobody can function well in loneliness. Life is about relationships.

Fr. Tony Kadavil tells the following story.

Michael Kirwan, a longtime member of the Catholic Community Worker Movement in Washington DC, who was highly respected for his work of feeding and caring for the homeless in that city, once told the story of how he began his work:

«One night I brought down a large gallon plastic jug of split pea soup and set it down on the cement block near the heating vent where the poor and the homeless people gathered. A rather rough looking fellow picked up the jar of soup by surprise and in one motion broke the jar over my head».

Instead of running away, I asked the man why he had done that. These were probably the first words I had ever spoken to any of them.

He told me that I was doing nothing more than bringing food to the dogs. I was bringing food, setting it down like out of a pet dish and then just walking away.

He said: «Talk to us. Visit us. We don’t bite».

From what happened that night, Michael said, I realized that these men and women on the street only wanted to be loved and respected and listened to. They cared that someone cared about them, but just giving food and a blanket was not enough.

Fr. Bernardino Andrade
14/02/2021

DID YOU KNOW? – Lent begins this week!

Lent begins this coming week on Ash Wednesday (February 17th)! Lent is the period of 40 days which comes before Easter in the Christian calendar. Beginning on Ash Wednesday, Lent is a season of reflection and preparation before the celebrations of Easter.

Good Friday falls on April 2nd, and Easter Sunday falls on April 4th this year.

Did you know that Lent is not only observed by Catholics? It is also observed by other religions such as: Anglicans, Easter Orthodox, Lutherans, Methodists, Moravians, and Presbyterians.

Welcome Father Andrew

The last time I visited Father Michael who is the Chaplain of the Anglican Holy Trinity Church, in Funchal, I had the privilege of meeting Fr. Andrew who had arrived from Canada to visit the Anglican Community. I am not sure but I think that before I said “Hello! How are you” I immediately invited him to visit our Catholic Community at Penha de França and give the homily. He kindly said yes but it would have to take place on his next visit to Madeira. Well it happened that last Sunday I saw this man at Mass and he looked like Fr. Andrew. It was when I finished Mass and went to the sacristy that this man greeted me and said: “Yes! Next Sunday I will be here and ready to preach”.

Besides, two weeks ago, the Christian world celebrated the “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity”. And here we are with Fr. Andrew celebrating our Search for Unity and in this process rejoicing that in spite of our differences we all can live and pray together and also try to find other instruments to unite us in Body of Christ. I also asked him to write something about himself and send pictures.

And here is Fr. Andrew…. Welcome to your house.

Fr. Bernardino Andrade
07/02/2021

Dear friends,

In the spirit of our recent Week for Christian Unity, I am very glad and honoured to receive an invitation from Fr. Bernardino to preach this week at Sunday Eucharist.

My name is Fr. Andrew Twiddy, and I serve as a diocesan priest of the Anglican Church of Canada, also licensed for the Diocese in Europe, and assisting Fr. Michael at the English Church, Igreja Inglesa, here in Funchal. I have a Franciscan charism as a Companion to the Society of Saint Francis, and my long-term mentor and inspiration in ministry is RC priest and friar, Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, of the Center for Action and Contemplation.

Perhaps you know of Europe’s rarest seabird, the Freira da Madeira, or “Madeiran Nun”. It nests around Pico Ruivo in the winter and spring, and flies to Canada for the summer. Except it is not really a nun, because it has a nest, a family, and brings chicks into the world! Well, I like to think of myself as a “Freire da Madeira”. I have visited Madeira six times since 2014, usually in winter, and then I live and work most of the year in my parish of Parksville, in Central Vancouver Island, Canada. Except that I am not really a friar either, since I am a husband, and have 5 children and 4 grandchildren! I travel here with my wife Sandy, and my canine liturgical assistant Keelie, who helps me with a Franciscan Eucharist I celebrate monthly at home.

One more thing to tell you, and one of the reasons I rejoice in the convergence of our liturgies and practice since Vatican II, that makes it easier for us all to collaborate and for me to be here this Sunday as a guest preacher. I am glad to call as my friend and colleague, Bishop Remi de Roo, now aged 96, and the last active Roman Catholic bishop to have participated in all 4 sessions of the 2nd Vatican Council (1962-66).

He lives a short distance from my home, and we collaborate and teach together on a project called Spirituality Beyond Borders, that helps me live out my Franciscan vocation in spirituality and teaching. Last summer we ran a retreat together with another friend, Pearl Gervais, and I played the role of Francis of Assisi, Pearl assumed the character of Hildegard of Bingen, and Remi was Thomas of Aquinas!

Thank you, Father Bernardino, and the good people of Penha de Franca, for your welcome!

Fr. Andrew Twiddy (atwiddy99@gmail.com)

FIRST INTERNATIONAL DAY OF HUMAN FRATERNITY – Feb. 4th, 2021

In December last year, the United Nations declared February 4th as International Day of Human Fraternity. This Thursday, February 4th, it was the First time it was celebrated. The idea started 2 years ago, with a document signed by Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, the Leader of the Islamic Community.
“Fraternity is the new frontier for humanity. It is the challenge of our century, the challenge of our times. There is no time for indifference. Either we are brothers and sisters or we will destroy each other…. A world without fraternity is a world of enemies.” That was the essence of what Pope Francis said as he joined the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, on Feb. 4, in an inspiring virtual conference to celebrate the first-ever International Day of Human Fraternity.
The head of the Catholic Church and the head of Al-Azhar gave the world yet another powerful witness of their friendship and commitment to work together for peace among the nations. Speaking at the event, from Rome and Cairo respectively, the religious leaders reaffirmed, as they had done in Abu Dhabi two years ago, the fundamental teaching of their respective religious traditions: that all human beings are created by the one God and are called to live together as brothers and sisters. The event was hosted in Abu Dhabi by Judge Mohamed Abdel-Salam and transmitted worldwide by Vatican Media.

Read more at:
www.americamagazine.org/faith/2021/02/04/pope-francis-grand-imam-international-day-human-fraternity-239926
More information can also be found on the website: www.humanfraternityday.org

by Fr. Bernardino Andrade
(bernardinodandrade@gmail.com)

A Franciscan monk was feeling fascinated by the preaching of St. Francis of Assisi, founder of the Franciscan Order. One day this monk took courage and asked St. Francis to please teach him how to preach.
Francis kindly answered positively. As it is obvious, the monk was expecting Francis to sit down with him and teach him the techniques on how to prepare a good sermon. Instead, Francis invited him for a long walk.

As soon as they left the Convent for the walk, they paused beneath a tree and Francis stooped to return a young bird to its nest. They went on, and stopped in a field crowded with reapers, and Francis bent his back to help load the hay onto a cart. From there they went to the town square where Francis lifted a bucket of water from the well for an old woman and carried it home for her. All day long he and St. Francis walked through the streets and by ways, alleys and suburbs, and they rubbed shoulders with hundreds of people. Each time they stopped, the young friar was sure that St. Francis was going to stop and preach. But no words of great truth or wise discourse issued from the Saint’s mouth.

Finally they went into the church, but Francis only knelt silently to pray. At the end of the day, the two headed back home. Not once had St. Francis addressed a crowd, nor had he talked to anyone about the Gospel. The young monk was greatly disappointed, and said to St. Francis:

-«I thought we were going to town to preach»?< St. Francis responded: . -«My son! We just did. we were preaching while we were walking and in everything we did. We were seen by many. And our behavior was closed watched. It’s no use to walk anywhere to preach unless we preach everywhere as we walk»! «Preach the Gospel at all times. Use words only if necessary.» Fr. Bernardino Andrade January 17th, 2021