Author: ANTONINO

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

It was in 1984 when I made my first visit to Chicago. I was very lucky to be invited by a Jesuit friend to stay at a Jesuit Residence. Every moment was a learning experience. But I forgot all of them, even if I am sure they all stayed ingrained into my life. However there was one of them that I will never forget. I was very lucky to sit down with Father Freddy for dinner. Father Freddy was confined to a wheelchair after a long battle of recovery from a severe stroke. It was a stroke that left him paralyzed for a long time. Thank God it didn’t affect his mind. He was as brilliant as ever. Even very slowly he was able to tell his story and express his thoughts and his feelings.

Fr. Freddy had been a brilliant professor at the University and a brilliant speaker in special occasions. After hearing his experiences it was the first time, in my life, that I started disliking the word «disabled» or «disability». That word started making sense to me when referring to things like cars, cell phones, and other material instruments. After hearing Father Freddy’s story I decided to call that period of life with a simple word. The word is «change». Father Freddy didn’t become «disabled». Father Freddy just changed his way of ministering and serving the Church and the world. Which period was more meaningful and powerful? Before, or after the stroke? I dare to say that both were equally important. Dr. Robert Schuler used to say that «Any person can count how many seeds are inside of an apple but only God can count how many apples are inside of a seed».

This happened when Fr. Freddy told me: «I have never felt so identified with Jesus, especially with Jesus on the cross, as when I was paralyzed in a bed without being able to move any part of my body. That’s when I realized for the first time that I was going through the same experience of Jesus on the cross. Jesus was paralyzed on the cross like a mosquito smashed against a windshield of my car. He was not able to move any part of his body not even to swat a fly that had landed on his forehead. I was feeling the same. Like a helpless mosquito».

HOLY WEEK

PALM SUNDAY: Today is Palm Sunday. It is the day when the Church celebrates triumph and Glory. Hosanna… I cannot imagine the excitement of the crowds applauding Jesus. However the Church offers the reading of the Passion of Jesus. It sounds like a contradiction. Jesus was smashed against the cross like a mosquito against the windshield of my car and we are singing Hosanna.

HOLY THURSDAY: Next Thursday is Holy Thursday: Jesus becomes a «Feet Washer» and inaugurates his friends and followers as a community of «Feet Washers». If it was not enough He transformed Himself into a «Thing». He transformed Himself into Bread that made Him say: «I am the Bread of Life». It was like saying «I am food» to nourish you and be with you fo-re-ver. Bread is a «thing». But how much power and love in that «thing» that is the Eucharist. Jesus became a «nobody» in order that the “nobodies” can become “somebody”.

GOOD FRIDAY: The church celebrates the moment when Jesus became like a «mosquito smashed against the windshield of a car». Jesus died and was buried. It seemed like the end.

EASTER SUNDAY: Three days later the stone was removed, the tomb was empty and He became alive. Since then the Church started celebrating the Death and Resurrection of Jesus together. He is among us. Jesus is the «certain friend in our uncertain times».

This is going to be the most special, dramatic and confusing Holy Week of our lives. Pope Francis reminded us that the Passion of Jesus continues in our suffering. The world is going right now through an unpredictable suffering and great confusion. A cruel virus is changing the world. A cruel virus is causing lots of confusion, fear and suffering. But at the end I strongly believe that we are going to triumph over any virus as Jesus triumphed over death.

«Courage is not to have strength to continue. Courage is to continue when we don’t have any more strength». «If God is for us who can be against us?». «To live is to believe that tomorrow is going to be better».

Love & Peace,
Fr. Bernardino Andrade April 5th, 2020, Palm Sunday

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

A ROMANTIC PROPOSAL

Nobody knows Her age. Nobody has seen Her birth certificate or Her ID. But all the people who know Her are very sure that She was a very young girl. Nobody knows for sure what She was doing at that precise moment. Praying? Washing the dishes? Sweeping the floor? Cooking? Reading the Bible? Nobody knows, but all of these things are possible because She was a simple, poor girl, maybe doing «insignificant» chores. However, we all know a few things: we all know Her name and know the place where She lived. Her name is Mary and She lived in a town called Nazareth.

One day, without warning, «the Angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth to a Virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph… The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel came to her and said «Rejoice, The Lord is with you»… She was perplexed… by his words… The Angel said to Her: «Do not be afraid, Mary, for You have found favour with God. And now You will conceive in Your womb and bear a son and You will name Him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the most High… Mary said to the Angel: «How can this be since I am a Virgin? The Angel said to her: «The Holy Spirit will come upon You, and the power of the Most High will overshadow You: Therefore the child to be born will be holy. He will be called Son of God… Then Mary said: «Here I am, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word». Lk. 1. 26-38.

On March 25th, the Catholic Church all over the world celebrates this great event of the Solemnity of the Annunciation. Nine months from that day, the Church and the world celebrate Christmas Day. The Baby is born. He is Emmanuel, God with us.

SAY YES, MARY… PLEASE SAY YES

Sometimes when I read this story I still feel as if am watching an intriguing movie. Each line is a surprise and keeps me on the edge of my chair as if I had never read it before, and biting my fingernails as if I didn’t know the ending. And then She says yes. And then I clap my hands and say «Thank you Mary». I don’t remember the name of the saint who said that during this proposal and this confusing dialogue between the Angel and Mary, all of creation, and all of the world, and all of the universe, were all looking at Mary saying: «Say Yes, Mary. Please say yes». And finally, when Mary said yes, all creation breathed a sigh of relief and started clapping and celebrating. And finally Mary said yes. And finally the Messiah was conceived. And finally a new era of hope had begun.

EXPECTING A MIRACLE

The whole world is now facing a period of confusion and expectation. The only word we hear is scary: it’s all around Corona virus. People are asked to stay home. We are all shaken by fear of the unknown. On Wednesday, March 25th, the Cardinal of Fatima consecrated Portugal, and many other countries asked to be included in this consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary. All people are asking for a miracle. Miracles still happen, and this miracle will happen even if no one knows when, or how. And all creation is looking at Mary expecting Her to do what She did at the Wedding of Cana: «Please Mary. Talk to Your Son. Say yes, Mary. Please say yes. Talk with Your Son». And like at the Wedding of Cana of Galilee the «precious wine» will be served again. God says in the Bible 365 times the words: «Do not be afraid. I am with you».

Say Yes Mary… Please say yes!… We trust in you!
FROM MY HEART TO YOUR HEART by Fr. Bernardino Andrade
(bernardinodandrade@gmail.com)

CRIES OF THE POOR

A few days ago I read in a publication that this tragedy of the coronavirus will be a genocide for the poor. Most of the poor don’t get the necessary information and when they get it they don’t understand how serious it is.

«Why do I have to stay home when I am not feeling sick»?

Besides, the information constantly broadcasted, is given to people who are not able to understand and follow all the recommendations. A few days ago, before the emergency situation, I saw this young man, late at night, looking for food in a garbage can. I helped him but I had no courage to give him a «lecture» about the inconvenience or danger of looking for food in those places. My heart was broken. I told him that God loves him and so do I. I said good bye and came home in silence.

Our Association «People Helping People» has a good number of families that for years have depended on our help for food, medication, house rent, transportation and other basic needs. The only regular source of income has been a collection taken at the end of the English Mass that I celebrate every Sunday, at the Chapel of Penha de França, and also a monthly donation from a generous couple who are the parents of three children.

Now, since all the Masses have been suspended, for an undetermined period of time, we have lost this income. The families who depended on us are desperate and we are more desperate than them. I have been thinking that these people probably will not die of the Coronavirus but will die of hunger, lack of medication or suicide. Recently a 15-year-old girl stole all the medicine her mother had in store for her mental problems and took all of them to end her life. Now we had this unexpected expense. Besides the pain and the agony of seeing a beautiful young girl about to die we had to find money to replace the medication she had stolen from her mother. And we had no money.

They are constantly leaving voice mail and SMS messages. We are planning to compile their SMS messages and probably publish a book with the title of «Cries of the Poor». They are the real «Cries of the Poor» expressed by them, in their words.

The lack of the Sunday collection has been the main reason why I am writing this dramatic appeal. The tourists attending the English Mass have always demonstrated a rare sense of generosity. Some have told me: «I want to leave Madeira a little better than when I arrived».

I would like to suggest that you, please, talk with your friends and build a little «People Helping People» group in your neighborhood to help «People Helping People» in Madeira Island. We follow Mother Teresa´s vision when she said: «What I do for others is just a little drop of water in the ocean, but without that drop of water the ocean is smaller». Together we will prevent a genocide among the poor. Together the poor and the rich will all be winners. Together, it will be like it says in the Book of Revelation: «God will wipe away all tears from their eyes. There will be no more death, no more grief or crying or pain. The old things disappeared… And now I will make all things new». (Rev. 21: 4-5)

Love and Peace,
Fr. Bernardino Andrade, March 29, 2020

Here are the banking details of “People Helping People” should you wish to donate. Any donation, no matter how small, can make a huge difference to someone who has nothing! Thank you for caring.
BANK: Banco Santander Totta
Account Name: Associação Gente Ajudando Gente / PHP
Account Number: 0003 4938 1759020
NIB: 0018 0003 49381759020 94
IBAN: PT50 0018 0003 49381759020 94
SWIFT: TOTAPTPL
Bank Address: Caminho de Santa Quitéria 46A, 9020-119, Funchal, Madeira, Portugal

by Fr. Bernardino Andrade
(bernardinodandrade@gmail.com)
20-02-10 / 20-02-20

The 20th of February of two thousand ten (20-02-10) is a date that opened, in this beautiful Madeira Island, wounds that are still bleeding.

It was a Saturday morning. Heavy rains, and large floods that swallowed and killed lots of people, destroyed buildings, inundated streets with rocks mixed with cars turned upside down, cars mixed with uprooted trees being dragged to the ocean to never been seen again. This is a little image of that day… February 20th, 2010 in Madeira.

A few days ago somebody said in a local newspaper that we were very lucky that this tragedy happened on a Saturday. If it had happened during the week when the schools were full of children, with their parents desperately looking for them, without being able to fight the waters to drive their cars and use their phones, the tragedy would had been much worse.

Everybody suffered, but one of the things that most called the attention and the hearts of the community of the English-speaking people attending the English Mass at Penha de França Chapel at that time was to discover that the poor became poorer, and most of them were left in misery. In the words of Pope Francis, misery is poverty without hope. They have never been able to recover.

This was the moment when, at this chapel, we started the project «People Helping People». The main goal is to alleviate their suffering and our biggest dream is to free them from poverty. Its slogan is «To mobilize many people to help many people». (There is more information about the project on the last page of this newsletter).
My heart rejoices with gratitude for the generosity of so many tourists who leave Madeira Island know that because of them the poor become less poor, and because of them there is less suffering in this piece of land called the Pearl of the Atlantic.

Love and Peace,
Fr. Bernardino Andrade

* Photos of the 2010 tragedy courtesy of “Foto Canhas”