Author: ANTONINO

Life as a Deacon

– Brought to you by: Rev. Deacon Craig Aburn and Rev. Deacon Tito Pereira

Aas we have 2 Deacons from England who are joining us at Mass this morning, Fr. Bernardino has asked them both to write something about their vocation and the Deacon’s ministry, as not many people know about Deacons and their role in the Catholic Church.

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The Rev. Deacon Craig Aburn was recently ordained as a Deacon. He has been here many times during his formation time and today will be his first homily in Madeira as a Deacon.

I am Deacon Craig Aburn from the Diocese of Portsmouth in England. I am one of about 40 deacons in our Diocese and some dioceses in England have many more than us. Although some dioceses and even some countries still don’t have Permanent Deacons, the Ministry was restored at the Second Vatican Council over 50 years ago.
The Deacon’s Ministry is to assist the Bishop and Priest. It is a threefold ministry of Word (proclaiming the Gospel and preaching at Mass), Altar (assisting with specific duties at the altar – preparing the altar, giving the invitation to exchange the sign of peace, administering Holy Communion, cleansing the vessels and giving the Dismissal at the end of Mass) and Charity (pastoral and administrative work, visiting the sick, Catechesis, etc.) The Deacon can also bless articles of devotion and people and give Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. All Priests are also Deacons as they are ordained Deacon some months before being ordained Priest and carry out all the duties of the Deacon at Mass if there is no Deacon present. Permanent Deacons can be married, although not all are. I am here with my wife, Nicki, my two children and also my mother.

God bless,
Deacon Craig
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photo_deacon2The Rev. Deacon Tito Pereira was ordained 9 years ago and is now visiting Madeira, and has also been in our Chapel many times before.

I was born in Funchal, Madeira, into a normal Madeiran family. Catholic traditions were part of our day to day life. I recall all the festivals especially Christmas and Easter and how important they were to us. In the 70s my parents emigrated to England and I ended up living over there. When I started attending catholic school I became aware of the importance of the faith in my family. I married an English woman and had three sons. As a family we attended Mass each week and got involved in parish life, teaching and preparing young people for the sacraments.
One day, my priest invited me to have a talk with the vocations director where I was introduced to the diaconate. After a period of discernment, I started the diaconate program. I was ordained as a permanent deacon in 2007.
One of the most important aspects of the diaconate is the work of charity, being involved with poor and marginalized people. I have been able to work with some of the poorest people in society through both my work and through my parish. I continue to prepare young people and adults for the sacraments and in the parish I assist the priest with baptisms and weddings and occasionally with funerals. I have assisted Masses in both Portuguese and English, including conducting my own grandmother’s funeral in both languages.
Most of my ministry takes place not in the sanctuary but on the street or in people’s homes. Often, I have access to people who never attend church or are not catholic. I have found that most of the time I am not even aware that I am ministering to people, but later they tell me that they want to join the church or come back to church.
The diaconate is not the priesthood; it is different, just like a monk or a nun is different. It can be hard to define the diaconate because for every deacon the ministry is different. Permanent deacons work in the world, as teachers, prison officers, business, in fact the whole array of jobs and each one offers an opportunity for reaching out to those in need in whatever circumstances they find themselves.
I hope that more deacons are introduced in Portugal. At first people may be anxious about this ministry but it is a ministry that is as old as the church.
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Interestingly, Madeira honours two deacon saints: São Vicente (Saint Vincent of Saragossa) and São Lourenço (Saint Lawrence), who both have towns named after them on the island

Scripture Readings 28th August 2016, 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

Sir 3:17-20, 28-29 Ps 67:4-11 Heb 12:18-19, 22-24 Lk 14:1, 7-14

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Part of Wisdom literature, the Book of Sirach, or Ecclesiasticus, was written by Ben Sira about 200 BC. Full of traditional Jewish and worldly wisdom and morals, it is based on deep experience. After describing our duties towards God, the book turns to our duties towards our parents. This extract emphasises the need for humility in face of God’s greatness – echoed by the Psalm – and the wisdom that comes from listening carefully. The omitted verses advise us not to seek what is beyond our power nor tasks beyond what has been assigned to us.
Having described our disciplining by God last Sunday, our final reading from Hebrews describes the exciting delights of the heavenly city we have now entered, after our baptism. Instead of fearsome Sinai, Zion – the new “Temple Mount” where God resides – is full of angels in tumultuous joyful festival, with believers and saints made perfect being welcomed by Jesus and our God. What a welcome! But God is still judge: as we have been given the privilege of Jesus as covenant-mediator, we have the responsibility of offering thanksgiving to God
In Luke’s gospel we hear about Jesus having dinner with a Pharisee. Two parables illustrate the themes from the first reading of humility and not giving ourselves airs.

Psalm Response: In your goodness, O God, you prepared a home for the poor

Scripture Readings 21st August 2016, 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

Is 66:18-21 Ps 116 Heb 12:5-7, 11-13 Lk 13:22-30

After lamenting the disasters God has sent on the Israelites because of their sins, third Isaiah sees hope in God’s renewal of his covenant promise and in the “new heavens and the new earth” which God is creating. Jerusalem will prosper and all nations will be invited to God’s holy mountain Jerusalem. God’s glory will be seen by all, and all nations will worship him.
Our readings from Hebrews quotes from the Book of Proverbs that a son should expect to be disciplined by his Father. So we should not be discouraged when God disciplines us: rather we should rejoice that God shows in this way that we are his beloved sons. We must endure our sufferings, turning away from sin and accepting the works God calls us to do. As God’s sons, we must persevere, not giving up too easily or treating God’s forgiveness as easily obtained “next time”.
Chapter 13 of Luke’s gospel emphasises the need to repent, to change our mind-set about God. After Jesus healed a crippled woman on the Sabbath, the synagogue ruler was outraged to be told his understanding of the Sabbath was hypocrisy. But we also have great difficulty in accepting God’s ways. Today’s reading insists that the entrance to the kingdom is narrow, and many will not enter.

Psalm Response: Go out to the whole world and proclaim the Good News.

(Is 66:18-21 Ps 116 Heb 12:5-7, 11-13 Lk 13:22-30)

FROM MY HEART TO YOUR HEART: Tragedies Teach Us How to Live (FIRES IN MADEIRA ISLAND AND PORTUGAL)

Brought to you by Fr. Bernardino Andrade

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Living in Madeira, and being displaced from my home for two days and one night I went through a unique experience of confusion and fear. But during these days I learned a lot.  I could see with my eyes and I could read in the media that life is not just about «me». Life is mainly about people helping people.
I was planning to write something about this theme when this morning I opened one of the local newspapers and found a short article that I decided to translate and share with you:

« Members of the INEM [that means National Institute of Medical Emergency] carried on their shoulders a gas cylinder; a woman officer of the Republican National Guard took care of a little lost dog; a Police officer helped people to leave their homes; a young volunteer girl of the Red Cross, at dawn, took a baby for his first medical check up; Firemen who saved houses that belonged to people they didn’t know and at the same time lost the houses of their own relatives; and even a group of anonymous people who showed up and gave whatever they had. Hugs and words of encouragement. Have courage… they told each other.
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This is how these days of hell in Funchal have been. The spirit of helping each other has arrived everywhere. Even the prison guards and the forest guards. Even the newsmen and newswomen. When facing the fire, everyone helped each other. We don’t know their names, we don’t know who they are, but we know that they are in danger. And that is all that is needed to offer help.
Even knowing that not everybody has technical skills and that many took serious risks facing the danger… Even some situations of intolerance and nervous irritability… ended in sincere apologies. Solidarity still exists. And it is alive. » –
From the article that appeared in Diário de Notícias, Funchal, 11 th August 2016.

Life is about People Helping People. Tragedies teach us how to live!

Love and Peace,
Fr. Bernardino Andrade
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Scripture Readings 14th August 2016, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Rev 11:19; 12:1-6,10; Ps 44:10-16; 1 Cor 15:20-26; Lk 1:39-56

These tumultuous chapters of Revelation, certain of Christ’s ultimate victory, imagine how the mystery of God’s plan of salvation will be fulfilled in the “end days”. After the seventh angel blows his trumpet the world will become the kingdom of God and his Christ. Those who are destroying the earth will be destroyed. But first the Christ (Messiah) is to be born from Israel, before the dragon is hurled from heaven, making war on the Church. Early Christians came to see in these words a fitting description of Mary’s role in salvation. Those who share Jesus’ death on earth will also share his glory in heaven – and are already sharing in the resurrection triumph.
The Psalm from a Royal Wedding Song also assures us of Christ’s final victory. And Paul reminds the Corinthians how this victory has been won: by Christ’s death. His raising from the dead is a “first fruit” of what is to come: the bodily resurrection of all the dead, when Christ does away with all his enemies, including the last enemy, which is death.
Mary’s joyful Magnificat, which is said or sung every evening in the Church throughout the world, summarises salvation history and anticipates her Son’s fulfilment of the Law and the Prophets in his proclamation of the Beatitudes.

Psalm Response: On your right stands the queen, in garments of gold.

(Rev 11:19; 12:1-6,10; Ps 44:10-16; 1 Cor 15:20-26; Lk 1:39-56)

Scripture Readings 14th August 2016, 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

Writing during the turbulence just before the exile, Jeremiah was caught between the king, Zedekiah, and jealous nobles, who falsely imprisoned him. In 586 BC Judea again revolted against Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. Jeremiah told the king he should surrender because Judea would be defeated anyway, as God’s punishment for their infidelity, and resistance would lead to Jerusalem’s destruction. But the nobles said Jeremiah’s advice was undermining morale and threw him into a cistern. Jerusalem did not surrender, and was destroyed, and most survivors were deported to Babylon.
Last week we heard part of the discussion in Hebrews about the meaning of faith, “the conviction of things not seen”, giving the example of Abraham. After further examples, Hebrews says yet all these “did not receive what was promised, since God had foreseen something better”. With so many witnesses confident of this unknown reward, we must persevere in our faith. We must endure like Jesus, who suffered so much to bring our faith to perfection.
The themes of turbulence and suffering are continued in today’s reading from Luke’s gospel, which follows the insistence last week that unfaithful servants will be punished. Jesus’ message brings division between believers and non-believers, whose evil deeds are thrown into relief by the gospel.

Psalm Response: Lord, come to my aid.

(Jer 38:4-6, 8-10 Ps 39:2-4,18 Heb 12:1-4 Lk 12:49-53)

FROM MY HEART TO YOUR HEART – The Handkerchief In My Left Pocket

Brought to you by Fr. Bernardino Andrade

1.
I always use two handkerchiefs. One in each pocket. The handkerchief in my right pocket is coloured and I use it for everything I need. It is «my» handkerchief. When I change my daily cloths, the handkerchief in my right pocket goes to the laundry basket. The handkerchief in my left pocket is white and I never use it for anything. It is not mine. It is always ready for emergencies that are very rare. It goes directly from my pocket to the laundry basket without being used. It is always clean and ready.
2.
One day I was with my family in one of the mountains of Brazil. I saw a lady whose son had smashed the door of her car on her finger, and it had started bleeding painfully. I offered her the handkerchief from my left pocket and I assured her that it had never been used. She took it, and I left it with her. The handkerchief from my left pocket helped to stop the bleeding finger of a woman I had never seen before, and I would never see again. I prayed for her and thanked God for the gift of the handkerchief in my left pocket.
3.
For a few years my niece Ana lived with me in California. Before she took her driver’s licence she was always a passenger and I was the driver of my car. One thing that started bothering me was that, very often, she used and abused the use of the handkerchief that I kept in my left pocket. And of course she knew, and I knew, that that handkerchief would never be returned. One day she sneezed and as usual she asked me for the handkerchief from my left pocket. I gave her my handkerchief but impatiently remarked: – «Ana! You know that a handkerchief is something very personal that you always need. Why don’t you start bringing your own handkerchief? ». A little embarrassed, she answered: – «Tio (that means uncle), you will never know how good it is to travel in life with someone who always carries a handkerchief I can use every time I need one, to wipe my tears, my sweat, to blow my nose or anything so personal or dirty like covering a sneeze. Yes! Anything very personal and no questions asked. Thank you «tio» for the handkerchief from your left pocket. Please never stop using it. You may find in your life other people who may need the handkerchief from your left pocket with no questions asked».
Of course I felt tears in my eyes and since then I continue to always carry a white handkerchief in my left pocket. It is always clean and always available for anyone who needs it with no questions asked. «Help carry one another’s burdens» (Gal. 6:2)

Love and Peace,
Fr. Bernardino Andrade
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Scripture Readings 7th August 2016, 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

Wis 18:6-9 Ps 32:1-22 Heb 11:1-2, 8-19 Lk 12:32-48)

The Wisdom of Solomon was the last book of the Old Testament to be written. It was written in Greek, not Hebrew, so not in the Septuagint nor therefore in the Protestant Bible. The final chapters meditate on the Exodus, contrasting the woes visited on the Egyptians with the gifts given by God to the Israelites. This excerpt notes the opposite effects on the Egyptians and Israelites of God’s actions at the first Passover, and the Psalm echoes the joy of a people chosen by God.
The 2nd readings in August from Hebrews describe faith, which gives assurance to our hopes. Abraham is the prime example of a man of faith: he obeyed God’s command to go to a new land; he believed God’s promise that he and Sarah would have a child in their old age; and he passed the supreme test of faith when God asked him to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. God’s last minute reprieve for Isaac is seen as a return from the dead.
In Luke’s Gospel, following the parable we heard last week about the rich man building a bigger barn, Jesus assures us that we will be given all the resources we need to meet the Lord’s demands. He then urges us to have faith and to be prepared.

Psalm Response: Happy the people the Lord has chosen as his own.

(Wis 18:6-9 Ps 32:1-22 Heb 11:1-2, 8-19 Lk 12:32-48)

FROM MY HEART TO YOUR HEART – What You Got From a Stranger Pay to a Stranger

Brought to you by: Fr. Bernardino Andrade
V. P. Menon was a significant political figure in India during its struggle for independence from Britain after World War II. Menon had a splendid reputation for personal charity. His daughter explained the background of this trait after he died.
When Menon arrived in Delhi to seek a job in government, all his possessions, including his money and I.D., were stolen at the railroad station. He would have to return home on foot, defeated. In desperation he turned to an elderly Sikh, explained his troubles, and asked for a temporary loan of fifteen rupees to tide him over until he could get a job. The Sikh gave him the money. When Menon asked for his address so that he could repay the man, the Sikh said that Menon owed the debt not to him but to any stranger who came to him in need, as long as he lived. The help came from a stranger and was to be repaid to a stranger. Menon never forgot that debt.
His daughter said that the day before Menon died, a beggar came to the family home in Bangalore asking for help to buy new sandals, for his feet were covered with sores. Menon asked his daughter to take fifteen rupees out of his wallet to give to the man. It was Menon’s last conscious act.
Menon ministered to strangers because a stranger had ministered to him. [Robert A. Fulgham, All I Really Need to Know I learned in Kindergarten (New York: Villard Books, 1988).]

Why have Christians been historically so charitable, so caring? It is because once we were lying beside the road, broken and bleeding, and nail-scarred hands reached down to us and ministered to us in our need. While we were unworthy, Christ the Divine Good Samaritan died for us.

Fr. Bernardino Andrade

FROM MY HEART TO YOUR HEART – Operation Smile

Brought to you by Fr. Bernardino Andrade
I saw Dr. William Magee Jr. crying on a TV program. It was the program called Hour of Power with the Rev. Dr. Robert Schuler in California. Both could not contain their tears in this TV program.
Dr. William Magee Jr. was a plastic surgeon in Norfolk, Virginia. In 1981 he decided to travel to the Philippines to operate on children with cleft lips and other facial deformities. Unfortunately, there were so many children there with this deformity (a deformity that can render it impossible to speak or eat), that hundreds had to be turned away. This caused Dr. Magee and his wife, Kathy S. Magee, to start an organization called Operation Smile.
Operation Smile sends volunteer doctors to perform reconstructive facial surgery for free on children worldwide.
«It wasn’t a strategic plan», said Magee. «It was just a matter of emotion and passion to make sure children didn’t have to live this way. »
The group, which has already treated 50,000 children worldwide, also trains doctors in other nations to perform the procedures. Magee hopes to use satellite technology in the future, so that he can teach a greater number of medical professionals the necessary
techniques.
Dr. Magee didn’t have to do this. He could have justified himself with: «What’s in it for me? There are so many children in my own city whose parents, or whose insurance company, could pay for this surgery. I’m a busy doctor here. I don’t have to go halfway around the world and minister to indigent children. Not my problem».
I doubt if Dr. Magee even wondered if this act of service would get him into Heaven. He simply saw a need and filled it.
He became a Good Samaritan, encouraging fellow surgeons to become Good Samaritans too.

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

For more information on Dr. Magee and “Operation Smile”, take a look at the organization founded by him, here: www.operationsmile.org

Scripture Readings 31st July 2016, 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

Eccles 1:2, 2:21-23 Ps 89:3-17 Col 3:1-5, 9-11 Lk 12:13-21

The “Preacher” struggles with the contradictions of life and the vanity of created things which give no lasting satisfaction. Good people suffer, sinners enjoy life and prosper. At a time when there was no idea of rewards after death, the “Preacher” has no solution to offer except to trust that God will make it right in the end. The Psalm echoes our need to rely on the Lord.

This final extract from Colossians hints at Paul’s very detailed moral teaching. The Christian’s life is now “hidden with Christ”, but when Christ is revealed “you too will be revealed in all your glory”. Paul then spells out how we should live our lives focussed on Christ. So that we will grow in knowledge and maturity towards the images of our creator that God intended us to be. We must put away sins of both sex and speech, which damage individuals and the Christian community.

Luke’s Gospel answers the Prophet’s problem in the first reading: good actions in this life are rewarded after death, and evil will be punished. The rich man’s approach was sensible in capitalist terms, and not immoral. But Luke’s gospel frequently insists that we must help the poor in this world, while we can!

Psalm Response: O Lord, you have been our refuge from one generation to the next.

(Eccles 1:2, 2:21-23 Ps 89:3-17 Col 3:1-5, 9-11 Lk 12:13-21)