Author: ANTONINO

FROM MY HEART TO YOUR HEART – The 8th Sacrament

– Brought to you by Fr. Bernardino Andrade

Ivory was the only Black person in my parish. I met him for the first time, on a Sunday Mass.
I used to start Mass from the back door. During the entrance procession, all walked and behaved properly, except their Pastor, who happened to be me. I would scoop a baby from his mother’s or father’s arms and take him with me to the altar, I would tell somebody to sing louder, I would ask a lady how her sick husband was doing, I would gently slap somebody on one of their shoulders…
Arriving at the altar, yes, I would start being serious, after giving the baby back to his proud father or mother. Yes, I remember gently slapping this black man on his shoulder. I remember how neatly he was dressed with his neat suit and his neat tie which was not usual in a rural church like mine. He looked like an executive of some wealthy company. Yes! I remember touching him and processing as usual.
During the week, Ivory called to make an appointment. He wanted to talk with me. I welcomed him with my usual hug and invited him to sit down. Wonderful conversation. All of a sudden I was surprised when he told me the reason for his appointment: he wanted to be baptized. I called the lady who was in charge of the Catechumenate (RCIA) and put them in contact with each other. It took two years of preparation.
Like the other Catechumens he came to Mass every Sunday and after the homily all the Catechumens would leave the church and go to another room to share the Word of God and their life experiences related with the readings.
What kept intriguing me was that he kept sharing in his group that the reason why he asked to be baptized was because « Fr. Bernardino touched me ».
One day, casually, I met Ivory and told him: « Ivory, some people from your RCIA group, keep telling me that the reason why you asked to be baptized was because I touched you. Was it any story or any special homily that touched you in a special way? ».
I was speechless with his answer: « When I say that you touched me I mean the first day I went to church, I was new in town, I was feeling lonely, and when you were walking to start Mass you touched me on my shoulder when you didn’t even know me. That made me feel very special. That’s when I decided to ask for my Baptism and belong to a church that touches strangers and makes people feel special. ». On that day I discovered that that HOSPITALITY was the eighth Sacrament of the Church.
One day I told this story to a Brazilian priest visiting my Parish and told him about my discovery of Hospitality being the 8th Sacrament of the Church. His answer was that Hospitality was not the eighth Sacrament. Hospitality was the ONLY Sacrament of the Church. Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Priesthood and Marriage without Hospitality are good for nothing.
Let us welcome each other with the greeting of peace and being aware of the person who worships at our side. Maybe he or she needs to be touched. Then, when we leave the Church, for sure we will find lots of people who will need our touch.

God loves you and so do I,
Fr. Bernardino Andrade

Scripture Readings 30th October 2016, 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

Wisdom 11:22-12:2 Ps 44(45) 2 Thess 1:11-2:2 Luke 19:1-10 Click to see the readings from the U.S Catholic Bishops website

The Book of Wisdom has been describing ways in which Wisdom guided the patriarchs and took special care of Israel during their Exodus wanderings in the desert. God’s mercy extends to all creation, even men’s sins. The logic is impeccable: “you love all that exists”, “for had you hated anything, you would not have formed it.” Offenders are reminded little by little of their sins so that they may “abstain from evil and trust in you, Lord”.

For the next three weeks we have readings from Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians. After his opening greeting, Paul thanks God for the strength of the Thessalonians’ faith, which he boasts about to other churches, and assures them that those persecuting them will be punished. Assuring them of his prayers, Paul tells them not to be misled by false information about the second coming. Much has to happen before the end time.

In the Gospel Luke graphically describes the rich tax collector, Zacchaeus. Curious to see Jesus, Zacchaeus immediately follows Jesus and promises to give half his wealth to the poor. A contrast to the rich official who could not detach himself from his material possessions to follow Jesus. Though excluded from the Jewish community by his occupation, Zacchaeus receives salvation as a true son of Abraham.

Psalm Response: I will bless your name for ever, O God my King

(Wisdom 11:22-12:2 Ps 44(45) 2 Thess 1:11-2:2 Luke 19:1-10)

FROM MY HEART TO YOUR HEART – Freckles Make Me Ugly

Brought to you by Fr. Bernardino Andrade

Little Joan grew up with a big dream. Her big dream was to be able to visit Disneyland in California. One day her grandmother decided to give her a special birthday gift – a trip to Disneyland. Joan was on cloud nine. “Finally I am going to go to Disneyland and have a street artist paint Mickey Mouse on my face!”
The day came and there they went. Grandmother and granddaughter (who was flying for the first time) both in love with each other, enjoying every minute together. Hotel accommodations had been reserved in advance and Joan would not believe she was going to sleep in a real hotel with a swimming pool.
That day Joan woke up earlier than usual and, after some prayers, she left the Hotel to spend the day in Disneyland with her grandmother. Everything was going well according to her dream. Until this moment.
Joan saw a street artist approaching her, so she went and asked to please get Mickey Mouse painted on her face, while her grandmother was in the same area doing some shopping. A few moments later, Joan came to her grandmother very sad and crying with abundant tears. 
« What happened, sweetheart? You were so happy and all of a sudden you are so sad. Please tell your grandmother what happened. I never took my eyes off you and I didn’t see anything wrong. Please tell me. » – Grandmother knelt before Joan, hugged her and insisted: « Please tell me what happened. »
« I am ugly. I am very ugly. And I don’t like to be ugly. »
« Why do you say that? »
« When I asked the lady to paint Mickey Mouse on my face she told me that she couldn’t because I have freckles. I am very ugly. But it is not my fault. »
« Honey! That lady is very wrong. Forgive her. You are very, very beautiful. Freckles are very beautiful. Freckles are kisses from angels. I always wanted to have freckles to make me more beautiful but I have not been that lucky, that’s why I am so proud to travel with you because I know that I am travelling with the most beautiful girl in the world. The most beautiful girls in the world have freckles. »
At this point Joan already had her eyes almost dry. But her grandmother kneeling before her to be closer to her face kept insisting with her:  
« Joan, tell me, have you seen anything more beautiful than freckles? » – Now grandmother was emotional and said: « Tell me. What in this world is more beautiful than freckles? »
At this point, Joan looked in the eyes of her grandmother, smiled, raised her hand, gently touched her face and said:
« More beautiful than my freckles are the wrinkles on the face of my grandmother. »
God loves you and so do I,
Fr. Bernardino Andrade

MARY JANE WILSON – The English nurse and Sister – honoured in Funchal Source: http://en.calameo.com/read/00108238394a118236bf

Sister Mary Jane Wilson, also known as Maria of Saint Francis, was an English woman who was born in India on 3rd of October 1840, and who died in Madeira, aged 76, on the 18th October 1916. She was declared Venerable on 9th October 2013 by Pope Francis. When she was 40 years old, she moved to Madeira to nurse an English woman. She settled in Funchal and lived the rest of her life in Madeira. In 1884 she co-founded, together with Amélia Amaro de Sá, the religious order of the Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Victory (Irmãs Franciscanas de Nossa Senhora das Vitórias). In 1907 she nursed patients throughout a smallpox epidemic on the island, and was awarded the honour of “Tower and Sword” (Torre e Espada). She dedicated her life to caring for children, founding an orphanage (Orfandade de Santa Isabel), and caring for the sick. The revolution of October 1910 forced her to leave Madeira, but she returned a year later. There is a small museum in Funchal dedicated to her life and work; two sculptures of her: one by Largo Severiano Ferraz (by the roundabout in front of the Red Cross), and another in the municipal gardens in Santa Cruz; and a book on her life («The invincible Victorian, the life of Mary Jane Wilson» by Terry Dunphy) published by the Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Victories.

FROM MY HEART TO YOUR HEART – A Drunkard Attending Mass

– Brought to you by Fr. Bernardino Andrade
1.
It was the feast of the patroness of the parish dedicated to Our Lady of Piety (that means mercy, compassion). It was one of those big festivals that congregate the entire parish and attract many pilgrims from other locations of Madeira Island.
I had been invited to preach the sermon of the solemn vigil. The Church was packed with people, the Pastor of the Parish was seated at the presiding chair and I was in the pulpit giving my sermon about Our Lady of Piety (Mercy). There were speakers outside broadcasting my sermon to the entire Parish.
It was the moment when I was sharing about the meaning of piety, mercy and compassion. I was saying that mothers have their favourite children. The favourite son or daughter of a mother is the one who is suffering the most. Also the most disturbing thing is that sometimes he or she is the one who most embarrasses the family; sometimes he is a drug addict, a drunkard and even a criminal. Sometimes he is the one for whom the mother most cries, prays and loses her sleep over. He or she is the one nobody likes. Sometimes he is, or she has, been in jail and the newspapers and TV have condemned the entire family because, when their names are written or broadcast in the news, everybody recognizes his or her family name. He or she is the «black sheep» of the family. He or she is the lost sheep (Luke 15). Nobody likes him or her. But he or she is the mother’s favourite. This was the message I was trying to convey.
In this moment I saw a man walking towards the altar. He was very inebriated, stopped right in front of the Pastor and started yelling at him about his rights to be in that church because he had been baptized and made his First Communion there. His voice was very loud and he could hardly keep standing. He was really full of alcohol. Because it was impossible to compete with him, I had to stop my sermon.
And now? What to do? Call the police? But would arresting this man match my sermon about mercy and compassion? Actually my decision was easy: I just left the pulpit and in front of the entire congregation I hugged him and spent a few moments with him in my arms. Then I helped him to walk and helped him to sit in a comfortable chair. A few moments later he was sleeping.
Then I returned to the pulpit and said: « If this was rehearsed it would not have worked better ». Then I also felt like saying «This was what I wanted to say. Amen». Unfortunately, I kept going with my words, but I think they ruined my action.
2.
Last Sunday when I was coming to say the English Mass I stopped by a bar-coffee shop for a cup of coffee. It was 9:00 AM. Leaned against the counter there was a man holding a beer and visibly inebriated. I started talking with him. I could see that he was in pain. I told him: «You look sad. Are you OK? ». He was very polite and confirmed that he WAS really sad. I didn’t make any reference to the beer he was holding in his hand. In words I expressed my compassion for his pain, but I was in a hurry to say Mass. I left him with his beer, his loneliness and his pain. I felt like the priest of the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10: 25-37). I was a «good» priest on my way to worship God and do «good» things. I had no time for people who are already drunk at 9 o’clock in the morning. I really felt bad about my action.
I felt a big temptation, but I think I was too much of a coward to «fall» in it. My temptation was to invite him to enter my car, invite him to take the first pew of this chapel, and be ready for any unpredictable event. But then I thought « How will my worshipping community made up of tourists and residents react? » Yes! How would you react? Worship that is not transformed into service, with a special preference for the last, the least and the lost, is good for nothing.
God loves you and so do I,

Scripture Readings 23rd October 2016, 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C


Sir/Eccle’us 35:12-14,16-19 Ps 32(33) 2 Tim 4:6-8,16-18 Lk 18:9-14

Sirach was a Jerusalem sage writing about 180 BC. His wise maxims are much used by the Church. God does not approve “the gifts of the godless, nor for their many sacrifices does he forgive their sins”. God is just, “he hears the cry of the oppressed”. God’s justice will be seen, he will wreak “vengeance upon the proud”.
Paul tells Timothy to expect a time to come “when people will not tolerate sound doctrine” “and will stop listening to the truth”. In every age Christians have experienced this happening, and church structures set up by Paul to “preserve the truth” have naturally tended to be conservative. Paul is facing death alone. But God has not deserted him, and even enabled him to speak out at his trial, sending the gospel message to yet more Gentiles, even at this late hour.
In Luke’s gospel Jesus continues his teachings on prayer. After last week’s parable about the persistent widow comes this strong condemnation of insincere prayer. We should not imagine that the Pharisee was bad: he is a good man, conscientiously observing his religion. Yet Jesus says the tax collector went home justified “rather than” the Pharisee. Not “more than”! Why? Because the tax collector was humble enough to admit his need of God and of his mercy.

Psalm Response: This poor man called; the Lord heard him.

Scripture Readings 16th October 2016, 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

Ex 17:8-13 Ps 120 2 Tim 3:14-4:2 Lk 18:1-8

In the Book of Exodus, soon after escaping from the Egyptians across the Red Sea, the Israelites’ frequently grumbled about God, who responded by giving them sweet water, quail and manna. Then they were challenged by the Amelekites living between Palestine and Sinai. Although they continued to quarrel and test the Lord, he showed yet again that he will always look after them. Moses needs a lot of human help to keep his arms up! But his persistence showed complete faith in God. The Psalm also reminds us that we can rely totally on God.
Paul also emphasises that Timothy must “be persistent” in proclaiming the word “whether it is convenient or inconvenient”. He describes the uses of inspired scripture: “for teaching, for refuting error, for guidance and for teaching people to be holy”. For Paul, writing before the Gospels were written, “scripture” meant what we now call the Old Testament. So we need to persist in trying to understand the Jewish Scriptures.
Just before Jesus enters Jerusalem Luke gives us two parables about prayer. Today we hear how the persistent widow eventually gets justice. Jesus assures us that God will “see justice done to his chosen who cry out to him day and night even when he delays to help them”.

Psalm Response: Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

(Ex 17:8-13 Ps 120 2 Tim 3:14-4:2 Lk 18:1-8)

Scripture Readings 9th October 2016,28th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C

2 Kgs 5:14-17 Ps 97 2 Tim 2:8-13 Lk 17:11-19

Naaman, a leper, commanded an Aramaen army which was victorious over Israel. A little Israeli girl, who became the servant of Naaman’s wife, said the prophet in Samaria could cure Naaman’s leprosy. Elisha told Naaman to bathe seven times in the Jordan. Initially Naaman refuses to do something so humble, but he is persuaded by his servant and he is cured. When Elisha refuses any reward, Naaman takes some soil back home so that he may continue to worship only the God of Israel.
Paul urges Timothy to pass on the gospel he has received, summed up in only 6 Greek words: Jesus, the Christ, anointed by God; descended from David, risen from the dead. Thus pointing to our bodily resurrection. In what sounds like a hymn from a very early baptismal liturgy we are told that “if we persevere we shall reign with him”. Not just be with Christ, but joining him in his work of caring for the renewed creation.
In Luke’s Gospel Jesus is coming closer to Jerusalem, and his death, while revealing more about his kingdom. Last week Jesus told his disciples to serve without expecting thanks. Now ten lepers are healed, like Naaman, through simple actions. Only the non-Jew returns to thank him.

Psalm Response: The Lord has shown his salvation to the nations.

FROM MY HEART TO YOUR HEART – Does Being Rich Mean Being Happy?

– Brought to you by Fr. Bernardino Andrade
Cecil John Rhodes was an enormously wealthy man. He was an English-born business, mining magnate, and politician in South Africa. He was the founder of the diamond company De Beers, which today markets 40% of the world´s rough diamonds and at one time marketed 90%. An ardent believer in colonialism and imperialism, he was the founder of the State of Rhodesia to perpetuate his name.
One day a newspaperman asked him: « You must be very happy. », Rhodes replied, « Happy! No! I spent my life amassing a fortune only to find out that I have spent half of it on doctors to keep me out of the grave, and the other half on lawyers to keep me out of jail. »
Does being rich mean being happy?

Scripture Readings 2nd October 2016, 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

Hab 1:2-3,2:2-4 Ps 94 2 Tim 1:6-8,13-14 Lk 17:5-10

Habbakuk appears to have prophesied while Judah was being threatened by Babylon, who destroyed Jerusalem in 586 BC. Habbakuk expresses the ever-present frustration of mankind that evil people always seem to triumph. Since God is good and just, why doesn’t He intervene to help those who worship Him? Instead of punishing his erring people by a nation even more wicked? God’s answer here is that “the upright man will live by his faithfulness”. So Habbakuk agrees to “quietly wait” for the invaders to be punished. The Psalm’s message is also not to lose faith in God.
In the first of four readings from Paul’s second letter to Timothy, he is urged to “bear the hardships” relying on God’s power, using and developing his skills to testify to the good news. You should “guard the rich truth that has been entrusted to you by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us” ie the truth about Jesus, who “has abolished death”.
In Luke’s Gospel Jesus continues to teach, as he makes his way to Jerusalem. We must have confidence in God’s plan, and carry out fully the tasks God has given us. But we must not expect God to put this world to rights in our lifetime.

Psalm Response: O that today you would listen to his voice! “Harden not your hearts”.

(Hab 1:2-3,2:2-4 Ps 94 2 Tim 1:6-8,13-14 Lk 17:5-10)