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1JOY TO ALL MEN AND PEACE TO MANKIND friend us on

So much happened in Rio, there is so much to tell you, we could fill a whole magazine with the material!

Sean Ballester and Louis Lombard were speaking after Mass at St. Theresa’s, their faces told much of the story without words, for they were radiant, filled with enthusiasm for what they had seen, what they had done and what they had heard. In particular they wanted to focus on Pope Francis’ message to the youth. Aware that they had spent two years on a journey of formation and study in preparation for this pilgrimage, the Holy Father encouraged them to share what they had learnt in their communities beyond the prayer meetings.He broke down the message to them saying:

Go. During these days here in Rio, you have been able to enjoy the wonderful experience of meeting Jesus,

meeting him together with others, and you have sensed the joy of faith. But the experience of this encounter must not remain locked up in your life or in the small group of your parish, your movement, or your community. That would be like withholding oxygen from a flame that was burning strongly. Faith is a flame that grows stronger the more it is shared and passed on, so

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Dear Young Friends

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Upon this Rock magazine is published monthly by EuropeAxess Media, Gibraltar. Editor: Fr. Stuart Chipolina: [email protected] Production Editor: A. Sargent [email protected]: Gibraltar’s World Youth Day pilgrims at the foot of the Christ the Redeemer Statue. Upon this Rock magazine is entirely supported by advertising and donations. It is run in liaison with the Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar by EuropeAxess Media Ltd. as a not-for-profit project. For Advertisers: This magazine 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: +350 200 79335 email: [email protected]

Editorial is selected by EuropeAxess Media 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. EuropeAxess Media Ltd. 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 to discuss restoration.

that everyone may know, love and confess Jesus Christ, the Lord of life and history (cf. Rom10:9).

Careful, though! Jesus did not say: “if you would like to, if you have the time” but “Go and make disciples of all nations.” Sharing the experience of faith, bearing witness to the faith, proclaiming the Gospel: this is a command that the Lord entrusts to the whole Church, and that includes you, but it is a command that is born not from a desire for domination or power but from the force of love, from the fact that Jesus first came into our midst and gave us, not a part of himself, but the whole of himself, he gave his life in order to save us and to show us the love and mercy of God. Jesus does not treat us as slaves, but as free men, as friends, as brothers and sisters and he not only sends us, he accompanies us, he is always beside us in our mission of love.

Do not be afraid. Some people might think “I have no particular

preparation, how can I go and proclaim the Gospel?” My dear friend, your fear is not so very different from that of Jeremiah, a young man like you, when he was called by God to be a prophet. We have just heard his words “Ah! Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth”. God says the same thing to you as he said to Jeremiah “Be not afraid… for I am with you to deliver you” (Jer 1:7,8). He is with us! “Do not be afraid!” When we go to proclaim Christ, it is he himself who goes before us and guides us. When he sent his disciples on a mission, he promised “I am with you always” (Mt 28:20). And this is also true for us! Jesus does not leave us alone, he never leaves you alone! He always accompanies you.

The final word: serve. The opening words of the psalm that we

proclaimed are: “Sing to the Lord a new song” (Psalm95:1). What is this new song? It does not consist of words, it is not a melody, it is the song of your life, it is allowing our life to be identified with that of Jesus, it is sharing his sentiments, his thoughts, his actions. And the life of Jesus is a life for others. It is a life of service. In our Second Reading today, Saint Paul says: “I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more” (1 Cor 9:19). In order to proclaim Jesus, Paul made himself “a slave to all”. To Evangelise means bearing personal witness to the love of God, it is overcoming our selfishness, it is serving by bending down to wash the feet of our brethren, as Jesus did.These are short excerpts of the Holy Father’s homily the full text can be found by Googling ‘WYD Pope Francis Homily’.

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Dear Young Friends

GO do not be afraid,and serve.

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A report from World Youth Day 2013 by Sean Ballester and Louis Lombard and a special message to the sponsors...

Sean and Louis explained how their hearts had been touched while taking part in the activities during the ‘Days

in the Catechesis’ that form the first part of the WYD events, they had already been going out, into unknown territory, and serving. The Youth from Gibraltar had taken part in four activities:1. Maria was a disadvantaged woman who worked as a cleaner, due to the changes that had taken place when the local authorities had cracked down on the crime in the favelas prior to the summer events, (Football World Cup and so on), the neighbourhood where she lived on the outskirts of Rio, originally quite a peaceful place, had been taken over by the displaced criminal element and gangs. Maria was very afraid to continue living on her own there, with the terrible things that were happening on her doorstep. She wanted to move to another neighbourhood where she could be close to her family. The group helped her to move and sponsored the building of a new home for her.2. Franz runs a ‘Centro Solidario’ where schoolchildren can drop in after school, study in peace and quiet and get help with their homework. Franz hopes that by providing this facility he will give the children a refuge from the gang culture. The Gibraltar WYD pilgrims spent time with these children, the lads kicked a ball around with

the teenage boys and the girls played with the younger children. They also painted the façade of the building, but most importantly they just hung out with the kids and showed an interest in them. The kids were incredibly grateful for the attention and appreciative of every kindness, and on the last evening they made the WYD pilgrims a meal to show their gratitude, which Louis stresses, was all local dishes, and the best meal they had in Brazil!3. Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta has been the patron saint of World Youth Days since their inception and the Gibraltar youth spent some time learning more about her inspiring life and spirituality. Sean explained how this opened their eyes to what was going on around them, and they took in the message that while they were not materially poor as many of the children in the favelas, there is a lot of spiritual poverty and loneliness in our own community. There is so much that can be done in small ways to improve things in our own city, in our own parishes and in our own homes. 4. The Sisters of Charity run a soup kitchen at one of their Houses in Rio, and the Gibraltar group went there to help out. They were briefed in advance, that they may find it difficult to see the people who came there as many of them would be in a bad state. And sure enough that was the case, for a start the soup kitchen had been closed for three days, and many of the clients had not eaten

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“Thank YOu!To all the people who supported us.”

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in that time, and had nowhere to wash, and no clean clothes. But what they learned from this was that while they had thought they were going to help, to give their time and resources by serving food, in fact it was they who were on the receiving end of so much love from these needy people, because they were so thankful for the food they were given, they were genuinely grateful for the help. They found that they could see beyond their ‘distressing disguise’ and that they were people just the same as them. The Gibraltar group learned first hand that it is in giving that we receive. The Sisters had explained that they are not superhuman, they get tired and they loose their patience sometimes, but every day they take part in the Eucharist, and it is from this close relationship with Jesus that they draw their strength. The Group made sure they too found a church somewhere or made a space, or found an empty room where they could have Mass every day while they were in Rio.

TESTIMONIESJoelle Tellez This experience has helped me to open my eyes to how fortunate we are compared with others, and how important it is to be happy, regardless, of material possesions.....it has also helped me to always try to see Christ in others, although its not always easy!Brian Devine For me, I find that the most important part of this pilgrimage was painting in the Favelas, this opened my eyes to see that even though we all have our modern phones, ipods, etc., they are still better off than us in terms of community, they care for each other and help each other in ways that no one in a “first-world” country would do. My other favourite part of this was the Saturday evening vigil, it was a beautiful sight to see around 3.7 million youths just sit in complete silence when the Pope asked for it and then the time of adoration. It was one of the most amazing times that I have ever experienced and I am forever thankful that I got to be a part of it and grateful to those who helped us get there, without them, we would not have been able to go. Thank you.Henry Earle Jr. Apart from the millions of people and the brilliant words spoken by the Pope and other bishops during the Days of Catechises, the most impressive aspect of the World Youth Day was the exhibition of Mother Teresa. It showed how her life with Christ unfolded, how she began by falling completely in love with Christ first and foremost and then she not only wanted to serve God willingly, but she wanted to serve God lovingly, and I believe this is something we as Christians should strive to do. First fall in love with God and then that love will lead us and strengthen us to do the will of God.Tim Azopardi This being my first world youth day, I’ll admit I had been quite sceptical about the whole experience, believing it was more about the gathering and meeting new people than witnessing Christ with fellow Catholics from around the world. However, while participating in all the events, the Masses, Catachisis and Vigil it became clear to me that I was wrong. 3.7 million young people were there to praise and worship Christ first and foremost. The Bishop of Darwin shared a story where his friend, a Protestant, said that if he believed in the Eucharist he’d crawl over broken glass every day to receive it. These youths have spent years working tirelessly so that they could not only receive Christ but so that they could share in that experience with 3.7 million youths. What better way to go and make disciples of all nations than to share that most beautiful of experiences?Henry Earle Each WYD is unique and this one did not disappoint us. It’s been, for me at least, a time of soul searching and a time of setting aside more time for Jesus, on a daily basis. Jesus has proved Himself the greatest, throughout the entire event Jesus has been guiding and showing us His ways. As we travelled to Rio, through different airports, the airports where getting fuller and fuller of

young people, all with the eagerness of youth to Glorify God with the Holy father, we could feel the power of God building itself through the youth, as they all walked along from different directions to our one destiny RIO. Jesus was showing us, how together with Him, the Holy Farther and us lay-youth, the power of God can move mountains and change the world.Like all other WYDs it is about giving a great Testimony to the whole world. Demonstrating that the Church is alive and the youth are interested in God and in His message, and most importantly that the youth need Jesus, now as much as any other generation. Apart from the fun and excitement of seeing all other nations sharing the same faith and seeing the Pope, there was as always, prayer, confession, songs, Christian festivals, sharing of resources, love and friendship. This time we also had time to give back and share with the needy.This youth day we were also able to participate in some charity work. We visited a few orphanages, played with kids, painted a wall, had a meal with the helpers and the kids and worked for a day in one of Mother Teresa’s Houses for the poor. This is what has left a permanent mark in our lives. This is something we are not used to in Gibraltar: the children’s spiritual hunger, they wanted to meet and hug anybody who could give them some love, peace and joy in their lives. It was amazing how quickly we became friends and it seemed we’d known each other for ever. Mother Teresa’s House was a humbling experience, to meet those coming for the only hot meal they would have that day. Unwashed, quiet, hungry and extremely grateful. The love and the dignity with which they where treated was out of this world. Who in this world could love and care for them, but God Himself. We felt that they where served by the angels, we all felt so happy to be there and share with them, take pictures with them and share a few laughs, that have changed us for life. We also learned that we do not need that much and how grateful we have to be for what we do have.

Call Free, 5pm to 9pm daily on 8008Childline is a registered charity

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“Thank YOu!To all the people who supported us.”

Pope Francis’ general prayer intention for August 2013 is that “parents and teachers may help the new generation to grow in upright conscience and life.”

The real work of rearing children happens every day in our homes, places of worship and schools. We must lead, not simply by instruction, but by example. The child who sees his mother and father taking their faith seriously is more likely to grow strong in his. The Pope is aware of the dehumanizing trends in the world where there is a deterioration of human values due to wars, terrorism and, very much on the increase, lack of respect for human life. September brings the change in the year when the long summer holidays are coming to an end, thoughts turn to going back to, or indeed starting, school. As long as man has existed he taught his children how to hunt, make fire, fight and generally survive, keeping things unchanged for generations. Times and things change of course, and our schools today offer a wide and varied curriculum, prepared to meet the needs of all age groups to provide the skills and tools needed to prepare the young for life. Investing in education, a form of learning, in which knowledge and skills are transferred from one generation to another through learning, training and research usually takes place under the guidance of others, through which children grow to become mature adults. Gibraltar’s Department of Education “Our vision for a highly educated society in which opportunity is more equal for children and young people no matter what their background or family circumstances”.

Who can forget the harrowing images of a fifteen year old girl, shot in the head and left for dead, when her school bus was ambushed by the Taliban in the Swat valley in Pakistan last October? This unspeakably awful deed was perpetrated in what I can only imagine to be from ignorant fear, trying to send out a message to stop the education of girls in Pakistan, a far cry from the vision statement above where education is not only guaranteed, indeed it is compulsory.Malala Yousafzai’s attempted assassination highlighted the importance of freedom of education for children all over the world. Globally, 77.6 million children do not go to school; a fact which did not escape Malala as she gave a powerful speech at the United Nations after her remarkable recovery, about her experiences and a child’s right to education. “They thought the bullets would silence us, but they failed” she said, “and out of the silence came thousands of voices. The terrorists thought they would change my aims and stop my ambitions but nothing changed my life except this: weakness, fear and hopelessness died, strength, power and courage was born.” As our children go happily back to school in a safe and protected environment, eager for learning, the contrast of the violent campaign against girl’s education, particularly in Pakistan, could not be more marked as bombing schools and terrifying pupils, parents and teachers has become a way of life. I found the Pope’s statement above very pertinent as I write this piece and reflect that education is more than reading, writing and arithmetic. These were once known as the three R’s, an ironic term really as two of the words do not begin with an R, but of course they have a

The making of a new humanity

Schoolchildren lead the Procession of Our Lady of Europe from St. Bernard’s Church to the Shrine at Europa Point earlier this year.

Anne Mesilio writes


strong R phoneme (sound) at the beginning. Education is one of the most important investments a country can make in its people and future. It can and does help reduce poverty and inequality. It creates awareness of disease, e.g. helping to fight the spread of HIV/Aids and other diseases. Reducing mother/child mortality and helping to improve health standards through the practice of hygiene, (which is a Greek word for health) brings new hope. Without education, incomes will not be raised, health will not improve, gender inequality will not be tackled, climate change cannot be mitigated and most importantly today, education is helping to reduce poverty and help make the world a better place for all. Something that bothers me is this: children go to school to learn how to read and write but learning manners surely starts at home? It is easy to teach from the earliest age but this does not always happen. Example: having completed a purchase recently in a local shop my change consisted of one 50p coin and a 10p coin, well what I supposed was a 10p

coin as it was so black as to make identification unsure. So, I politely asked the salesgirl to change it for me. Muttering that a 10p coin is 10p coin she took it from me and then threw the replacement at me, yes, threw it at me. Stunned, I immediately asked for her supervisor to whom I explained what had happened. Bad manners are the biggest problem facing society and again recently in a large store trying to do my shopping I was constantly annoyed by the number of children using the store as a playground, chasing each other up and down the aisles as the adult with them shopped

on oblivious. This is where education starts and lack of it leads to anti-social behaviour which leads to a lack of respect and break down in law and order. As a parent and grandmother this concerns me, coming from being raised in a household where rudeness, especially from a child, was unacceptable.For Malala “peace is necessary for education … so today we call upon the worlds leaders that all peace deals must protect women’s and children’s rights … we call upon all governments to ensure free compulsory education for every child all over the world.” Her poignant call

for “one child, one teacher, one pen and one book” must not go unheeded. The Pope prays for “parents and educators to form a collaborative community to make of the younger generation a new humanity, restored and renewed … with faith and Christian piety, social sense, political commitment and responsibility, professional and academic excellence.”

We can do no less than to join our prayers to his to build ways of relating on a human scale with respect, love and affection for all humanity.


On 11th July, the six of us who were making our way to the ‘Youth Gather in Cold Ash’, were chatting before take off from the Gibraltar Airport. There was an air of

expectancy among us. I wondered whether this weekend would help our two youngsters, Joelle and Juliana, make good choices in life and encourage them to look to St. Francis and the way he responded to Jesus? Would it help Gianna and Dianne, who have just finished the Orientation and started on the Enquiry (Formation), to discern whether they have an authentic Franciscan vocation and so help them make their final choice? Would it help and encourage Karenza, (Professed OFS and Joelle’s Mum) and me to take the first steps to start YouFra in Gibraltar? I think that above everything else we knew and trusted that the Lord was in charge!From the moment we arrived, the team made us feel very welcome! They truly are a witness to Franciscan joy, simplicity, peace and generous service to others. The beautiful scenery, the proximity to nature and the animals really brought us close to the “way of St. Francis”. I will always cherish the graces we received from being together as a family, for sharing, laughing, having fun and working together: for

the many blessings and the joy we experienced from getting to know the Lord and each other better. I appreciate the simple yet profound presentation of St. Francis and the Christian call, which I am surewill help the young to discover their vocation in life. The not so young benefitted from many grace-filled moments and also received

wonderful insights on how to deepen their Franciscan vocation. I would also like to stress that, the feeling of being very much part of this joyful Franciscan family and the presence of God in all of creation, was to me very tangible and touching. All the shared prayer times and activities were great but I would like to give a very special mention to the final Mass, outside, on a beautiful sunny day and surrounded by the farm animals. Truly Franciscan!! I will now hand over to some of the others from the Gibraltar Group and two

other youngsters from the UK who have shared something about their experience at “Youth Gather”:

“I found the retreat to have been a very eye-opening experience as I learnt far more about Franciscan spirituality. I enjoyed the retreat and made many friends there, I hope that one day we could invite some of these people and others to our neck of the woods.” (Joelle from Gibraltar)

“Cold Ash is a truly blessed place, set in an idyllic environment. From the minute you walk through its doors you feel peace and serenity... this is reflected in the members of the team, who not only introduced us to the Franciscan Spirituality, but most importantly, showed us how it is lived. Through them we have been able to experience first hand what it is to love and serve others with simplicity and great humility.The weekend has been packed with fun activities

both indoors and out and enjoyed equally by the whole group. We have lived a truly spiritually enriching experience as a Franciscan family... learning and sharing with each other irrespective of age. Our guided journey with St. Francis has led us to appreciate more fully the wonder of nature and how it reflects the magnificence and generosity of our creator. We have learnt about the immense love God has for each and every one of us and how he has a specific mission for each of us, just as he had for St. Francis.There have been many special moments, but for me, celebrating mass together with the farm animals has to be one of the highlights! God has bestowed on me many blessings this weekend... in particular, having given me the opportunity to share this experience with my daughter.

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,Christine Frendo ofs

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A Warm Welcome as Youth Gather @Cold Ash

His Lordship, Bishop of GibraltarRt. Rev. Mgr. Ralph Heskett CSsR.

is pleased to issue an

Open Invitationto all the faithful to attend a joyous moment

in the Diocese of Gibraltar.

ThE COnSECRaTIOn TO ThE‘ORDO VIRGInuM’

of MARIA LOUISA AGUILERA

on Saturday 7th September 2013 at 12.25pmat the Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned

215 Main Street - Gibraltar

“I will give you what I have and all I need I will find in you“ (Mary Ward)


I feel that this is the beginning of some beautiful mission God is calling us to, and I pray that with His grace, we will be able to respond with the generosity and love which He deserves… May we also do it in the same spirit of joy as St. Francis! (Karenza from Gibraltar)

I had a great time at the retreat, there were lots of activities and I had the opportunity to meet wonderful people. I would definitely go again. (Julianna from Gibraltar – Gianna’s niece)

The youth re-treat was an absolutely wonderful experience. It was well organised, thought provoking and fun. We met a variety of people from dif-ferent backgrounds and all formed a great bond in friendship and the team at St. Ga-briel’s Convent were extremely enthusiastic and made us feel very much a part of the Franciscan family. The retreat’s location

was serene and beautiful and the interactions with the farm animals was a genuinely heart warming experience and gave me a new found appreciation for the wonder of God’s creation.The whole experience truly captured the essence of Franciscan spirituality and I would recommend it to anyone. (Gianna from Gibraltar)

What a great retreat with a real family atmosphere, probably due to the mixture of ages... and the fact that the monks and nuns joined in! The highlight for me was the open air mass with the farm animals! I’ve enclosed a photo of the geese that wandered in for the

gospel and returned for communion! LOL(Diane from Gibraltar)

The weekend @ColdAsh, West Berkshire has inspired me to co-found a Young Franciscans Group back in our Parish of St. Francis of Assisi in Stratford. Being surrounded by such stunning creation has allowed me to further my vocation of being involved with the youth as well as support them on a spiritual journey through

faith, developing and widening their understanding.(Jason Balaquidan from Stratford, Parish of St. Francis of Assisi)

The trip to Cold Ash was very interesting, I found it a great experience for a person my age (13/14) it was nice to meet people from different places and make new friends. The atmosphere was just outstanding, you could not imagine it, everyone was talking, taking part, getting involved and that’s what the Catholic religion is all about. GATHERING TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY AND HAVING FUN IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD. We were asked some difficult questions about our religion and tested about how much we know, this was great because we got the chance to express ourselves deeply and informatively. I am very thankful to everyone that was there with me for making me feel at home and to everyone that lives there, hope you have the best summer (I will most certainly pray for you all). This experience made me feel different about myself; from now on I will do what God wants me to do... continued p 14

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What is the Gibraltar House of Prayer?It is not a church, neither is it a building. Perhaps the best way to describe it is as part of a world-wide prayer movement to which God is calling his people in these critical times. And His people are responding from all parts of the church.House of Prayer is simply a name given to regular gatherings of Christians from different backgrounds with the sole intention of joining together for prayer and intercession. But if you come expecting a nice, quiet and well-behaved prayer meeting, you might well be in for a surprise!Sometimes we are quiet, but often the praise and worship is lively and exuberant as we give ourselves with wholehearted abandon to worship Him who gave himself wholeheartedly to us.The Gibraltar House of Prayer (GHoP) is not inter-denominational,

Gibraltar House of PrayerDouglas Cumming reports


Gibraltar House of Prayerit is non-denominational. That means that when we gather, we gather as brothers and sisters in Christ, without regard to church background, but with a shared conviction that Father God is seeking ‘those who will worship him in Spirit and Truth.’On Saturday 6 April we held our first open prayer session and we continue to meet in borrowed premises every Saturday morning at 9 am.At our first meeting we were

expecting a little gathering of maybe up to half a dozen people, but instead around 20 showed up, a group came from nearby Malaga and Algeciras in Spain. Visitors from America including Norman Pryzbylski also took part. Norm has been visiting this area for many

years encouraging the birthing of Houses of Prayer and just ‘happened’ to be in the area and was thus able to take part in the beginning of something that has been on his heart for so long. Only God can arrange things like this!Although numbers are not what it is all about, we have been blessed by regular Saturday morning meetings of around 12 to 20 people, all in love with Jesus, all willing to give up a cosy Saturday morning lie-in to storm the throne of Grace in worship and intercession.

Each gathering is different, sometimes two hours are filled with worship and praise, at other times we have been led to pray for one another. One Saturday we spent almost the whole session in intercession for Syria, as we joined with brothers and sisters across the world in ‘prayer for Syria’ day. People are calling it the highlight of their week.A surprise visitor to our first meeting was Bishop Heskett. He had been invited by one of the Catholic participants in the House of Prayer and although he could only stay for a short while, is reportedly fully supportive of the GHoP.There is still a long way to go: we are believing for a 24/7 International House of Prayer. In other words, prayer and worship and intercession, going on 24 hours a day, with international visitors participating and contributing. That is the summit of the mountain, and as a weekly prayer meeting we are still very much at base camp, but there is a deep sense that God is in the camp and He will guide our steps to the top.GHoP will be holding their first ever retreat later this month at the Europa Retreat Centre (see insert) to pass on the values and teaching learned at the Mediterranean Regional Prayer Gathering held there in January this year, when people form around the world came to Gibraltar to meet and pray. It will be mostly a time of prayer with just a few talks to pass on those values.Right now our first material need is premises. The House of Prayer is the people not the building, but we want to progress from being just a weekly prayer meeting and so at some point we will need a place of our own. It is important that the GHoP remains denominationally neutral. Catholics, Pentecostals, Methodists and others come together to worship and praise

God, and then take that blessing back to their own churches.Let others discuss the differences, our sole desire

is to lift Jesus higher.

For more information call Andrew Mifsud on 58594000.

Gibraltar House of PrayerRETREAT27-28-29 SEPTEMBEREuropa Retreat CentreStarts Friday 8.00pm non-residentialEnds Sunday morning in time for Mass/Church Services Sunday lunch optional

Contact Andrew: 58594000Douglas: 54007879


Archbishop Emeritus Alfred Hughes, spoke to medical, nursing and healthcare students at the 32nd annual conference of the AAFCP in New Orleans last month.

Speakers were selected with the aim of enhancing the knowledge of FertilityCare Practitioners, nurses, physicians, other health care professionals and clergy by addressing a variety of topics relevant to the Creighton Model of NFP, NaPro Technology, natural methods of fertility regulation and allied fields.The high profile line-up included Chris Baglow, PhD, who explored the harmony between the Christian faith and modern science. Dr. Philip Boyle of the Galway Clinic in Ireland addressed the use of Naltrexone in working with patients of infertility and many other diseases. Dr. Thomas Hilgers, founder of NaPro Technology and the

Creighton Model of fertility awareness, provided updates regarding how NaPro Technology is being used to benefit patients in clinical settings. Dr. George Delgado of Culture of Life Family Services in California addressed a new protocol that has been shown to stop an abortion even after a woman had taken “the abortion pill.”Archbishop Hughes said he applauded and encouraged the participants in the extraordinarily significant efforts in which they were engaged. Realizing that, although a number of them were Catholic, many others were not. “The issues you are addressing” he continued, “go far beyond specific Catholic teaching to touch universal realities, respecting the dignity and integrity of human nature, and the best in human health care.”He suggested to the participants that their endeavors parallel in some sense the efforts of Pope John Paul II to propose an alternate vision to what was accepted by society of his time.Karol Wojtyla perceived the weaknesses in the Marxism that was mandated education in Poland, the archbishop said, and then developed an alternative vision in a competent, attractive manner. “He proposed Christian solidarity in the face of atheistic socialism. He proposed a Church committed to human rights as an alternative to a totalitarian state. He proposed an understanding of the human body, rooted in God’s creation while remaining realistic about the original fall from grace, but renewed and elevated by redemption in the face of materialistic and hedonistic treatment of the body,” Archbishop Hughes noted. “Eventually, this alternative vision, founded in truth, contributed to the collapse of communism in Poland and Eastern Europe.”The prelate suggested that efforts to “professionalize natural methodologies and technologies for fertility care offer a similar competent, attractive, and persuasive alternative in fertility medicine to the prevailing approaches to fertility services which neither respect the dignity of human life nor the nobility of human sexuality.”“What you are developing, exploring, refining, and promoting is radical in the best sense of this term,” Archbishop Hughes said. “The word ‘radical’ comes from the Latin word ‘radix,’ root. You are respecting the very root of good health care by respecting nature, healing wounded nature, and enhancing imperfect nature.Science and technology serve us best when they respect nature... and then assist nature to realize its potential. This is true with regard to the wider world of nature. Environmentalists, for instance, serve us best

The latest news from the American Academy of Fertility Care Professionals (AAFCP) Editorial Selected by Dr. Monique Risso

Students attending a Fertility Care Professionals’ Meeting were praised for their ‘alternative vision’.

NEW HOPENEW LIFENEW Orleans


when they encourage us to be responsible stewards of God’s gifts in nature rather than espousing theories, policies, or practices of dubious scientific origin. So also, in the area of fertility, stewardship of the gifts of nature and enhancing their potential is the soundest basis of good healthcare and therapeutic intervention. NaPro Technology is a superb expression of this effort.”The Archbishop went on to thank Doctors John and Evelyn Billings for their pioneering work in developing a reliable approach to natural family planning through the scientific monitoring of female ovulation. He commended Doctor Thomas Hilgers, who with his nurse wife Susan, developed NaPro Technology in service to human fertility, and went on to mention local practitioners who have embraced the ground breaking work of NaPro Technology in the New Orleans area, which he said, “presents an alternative vision of fertility services that respect the dignity of human life and the nobility of human sexuality. May God bless you, this conference and ultimately those whom you seek to serve.” (August 13, 2013) © Innovative Media Inc.

“What you are developing, exploring, refining, and

promoting is radical in the best sense of this term”

Archbishop Emeritus Hughes

Right: Archbishop Emeritus Hughes. Below: Dr. Monique Risso chats to delegates from Mexico at a previous AAFCP event Far Left: New Orleans

French Quarter.

The latest news from the American Academy of Fertility Care Professionals (AAFCP) Editorial Selected by Dr. Monique Risso

Archbishop Hughes’ address in full is available at: www.zenit.org/en/articles/archbishop-s-address-to-fertility-care-professionals For more information about the: American Academy of FertilityCare Professionals: http://www.aafcp.org/index.htmGuidance on the use of The Creighton Model System is available in Gibraltar from: Dr Monique Risso MB ChB MRCGP General Practitioner and NaPro Technology Physician at the Specialist Medical Clinic, Unit 7, First Floor, ICC Building, Casemates Square, Gibraltar. Tel: +350 200 49999 www.ladyofeuropefertilitycare.com


SPONSORS OF UPON THIS ROCK

,

continued from p 9BE THE BEST CATHOLIC I CAN BE. Also I am definitely coming back next year and I invite anyone to come along too.Thank you for allowing me to express myself. (Matt Pawlik from UK)To finish I quote the words of Pope Benedict XVI written in the forward for Youcat (Catechism

for Youth) as an encouragement to young people to go forward courageously in what is entrusted to them: “Do not grow slack in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord” (Romans 12:11). When Israel was at the darkest point of its history, God called not a great and renowned individual, but a young man named Jeremiah, to their aid; Jeremiah felt he had been charged with a mission that was too great: “‘Ah, Lord God!’ I said, ‘I know not how to speak; I am too young’.” (Jeremiah 1:6). But God did not let Himself be dissuaded: “Say not, ‘I am too young’. To whomever I send you, you shall go; whatever I command you, you shall speak” (Jeremiah 1:7). (Youcat 2011).To find out more about Franciscan Spirituality contact: Christine Frendo ofs Tel. +35020070398Divine Mercy Fraternity Gibraltar, Email: [email protected]

,,A Warm Welcome as Youth Gather @Cold Ash


Dr Keith Vinnicombe BDS (Wales), LDSRCS(Eng), MFGDP(UK)

In a nutshell, this article will help motivate you to pay

meticulous attention to your oral hygiene to prevent future dental problems.Say your teeth have just been professionally cleaned and there is no plaque or calculus present, the following occurs quite

rapidly, a thin salivary film covers all teeth, called the salivary pellicle, onto which bacteria attach and soon specialised bacteria, namely Streptococcus mutans, and other species attach to the tooth surface, especially in “stagnation areas” in between neighbouring teeth, and as the colonies multiply dental plaque is formed.Efficient toothbrushing and use of interdental sticks or interdental brushes can remove plaque which is soft at this stage. With time and plaque accumulating on tooth surfaces, calcium in saliva causes calcification of plaque, now termed calculus which is hard and not removable by brushing. Bacteria within plaque can cause tooth decay

in the presence of regular sugar in the mouth, other bacterial species within calculus (anaerobic species) can cause gum inflammation and bone loss around teeth.It therefore stands to reason that meticulous oral hygiene can prevent tooth decay, gum inflammation and bone loss around teeth, and help ensure you keep your teeth for life problem free.The following advice will help to keep your teeth healthy:Use of plaque detectors (chewable tablets that contain a food dye) to show up plaque in red or blue, then proceed to remove all plaque with tooth brushing/interdental sticks.Use of mouthwashes (containing

fluoride to combat decay or chlorhexidine that targets bacteria causing gum problems).Reducing sugar intake to a minimum and of course regular dental check ups to ensure teeth are free from problems or if there are any problems, spotted early and rectified before getting worse leading to bigger problems in the future which can happen if the early carious lesion or early bone loss goes undetected for years.

Oral hygiene... why bother?


sep 2013 147

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