MIRROR

DOING GOD’S WORK TEACHING OUR CHILDREN WELL MIRROR GIVE JOY, GIVE HOPE

CONTENTS PAGE

Teaching Our Children Well ...... Dr. Michael Kinsella...... 1 Teaching the Truth about God and Man...... Fr. Martin Bartha...... 2 Learning to Live as Christians...... The Holy Land...... 4 Ignorance of Scripture is Ignorance of Christ...... Fr. Dwight Longenecker...... 6 Giving Children What They Need...... 8

Learning the Truth that Saves...... Egypt ...... 9 The ‘Plot’ of Sacred Scripture is Essential ...... Msgr. Charles Pope...... 10 The Wisdom I Learned From My Father...... Michael Cretaro...... 14 The Gambler’s Wisdom...... Kenny Rodgers...... 18 The Wisdom I Received from My Grandmother...... Louis Tan...... 20

The Saving Truth about Marriage and the Family...... 22 Teach Your Children Well...... Graham Nash...... 24 Life is Changed, Not Ended...... Fr. Joseph Gill...... 25 Investing in the Future, Investing in the Faith...... 26 Always a Joy to Share Our Faith ...... Thomas Heine-Geldern...... 29

‘God, grant me… Serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, And Wisdom to know the difference.’ REINHOLD NIEBUHR (1892-1971)

Editor: Jürgen Liminski. Publisher: ACN International, Postfach 1209, 61452 Königstein, Germany. De licentia competentis auctoritatis ecclesiasticae. Printed in Ireland - ISSN 0252-2535. www.acn-intl.org TEACHING OUR CHILDREN WELL TEACHING OUR CHILDREN WELL

Dear Friends, Such indeed is the extent of ‘widespread folly’ and the generalised shortage of ‘wise heads’ in round the time when man first landed on positions of authority that it is not unreason- Athe Moon, the Vietnam war was still ongo- able to doubt whether Children over the past ing and the first rock ‘supergroup’ Crosby, two or so decades have been ‘taught well’: Stills, Nash and Young called upon parents to ‘teach your children well’. The world has radi- Today not only is generalised oppression and cally changed since then. hatred as rampant and as widespread as ever but the ridiculing of, the oppression of and the Indeed, many would suggest that we have hatred demonstrated towards Christians entered a ‘New Age’ of Man and that we now throughout the World has intensified and live in a ‘Brave New World’: a very volatile, continues to intensify with no credible end very threatening and very unpredictable time. in sight. The world has not been liberated from Fear, Oppression and Hate. More than it realises, and certainly more than ever before, the World needs Christian Mankind is at war with itself. It is largely a ‘Cul- witnesses to teach current and future genera- tural War’, a war of values, ideals and ideas tions what it means to be human: to teach but there are and there have been casualties: the Art of Living. lives, livelihoods and reputations have been destroyed. Indeed, catholicism is under a So let us teach our Children well and let cultural persecution in Ireland, as it is across them know that not only do we love them but the world. that God especially loves them and loved them so much that He sent His only Son to Surveying the World of today some sen- live and die to redeem all of us, all of His Chil- sible people fear that Tomorrow’s World will dren from Sin, our sinfulness and to free us become something of a ‘Butcher’s Block’ for fully and finally from all Fear, Oppression Humanity. In all seriousness they believe that and Hatred. the World has gone mad. Are they correct? Has the World really gone mad? Is the World In Christ, going mad?

There is abundant evidence of widespread folly, ‘wise heads’ appear to be in increas- ingly short supply. This state of affairs is, and Dr. Michael Kinsella should remain, an invitation to prayer and sac- DIRECTOR, ACN IRELAND rifice – as Our Lady of Fatima warned us.

1 DOING GOD’S WORK TEACHING THE TRUTH ABOUT GOD AND MAN Dear Friends, to the transmis- sion of the Faith. hat great saint Don Bosco once said: First place, needless T to say, belongs to ‘So many souls have been saved by the Book of Books, good books; so many shielded from the Holy Scriptures, error and encouraged to do good! which springs from Whoever gives someone a good book, the very source of even if it does no more than awaken divine revelation and the thought of God in them, has through which God Himself speaks to us. performed an incomparable service in the sight of God. And in reality how That is why ACN, as a pastoral charity, also much more it usually achieves!’ places particular emphasis on the world- wide dissemination of Sacred Scripture Yes, along with the proclamation of the Gospel and catechetical and religious books. And and the living witness of the Church, good spir- even if no book can replace the personal proc- itual books represent a major contribution lamation of Jesus, the living Word of God, nonetheless a good book can greatly help us to find our way to God and grow in knowl- edge and understanding of the Faith.

How many people have had their lives changed, or even begun a completely new life, as a result of reading a religious book or the biography of a saint. We need only think of Saint Ignatius of Loyola who, lying wounded in hospital as a soldier, read the lives of the saints and said to himself: ‘If they can do it, then so can I!’

The Bible and the Catechism, the writings of the saints, spiritual literature generally and indeed every good book, can be a sign- International volunteers of the post through life for us. They can inspire us YOUCAT Foundation with the DOCAT. in our prayers and actions and teach us the

2 TEACHING OUR CHILDREN WELL

Truth about God and Man. A good spiritual with its own publishing house. The founda- book can strengthen the soul and make you tion produces, publishes and disseminates ready to give an answer to every man who asks catechetical publications that are attractive you the reason for the Hope that is in you (cf. 1 and accessible to young people and that help Pt 3:15). them to discover the Catholic Christian Faith as the foundation of their lives. Since its foundation, ACN has disseminated over 51 million copies of its Child’s Bible Through publications such as these, we are throughout the world. And we continue to helping millions of people to come to know support numerous projects for the translation Jesus Christ and discover True Life in Him. and printing of Bibles and other theological, So help us, dear friends, to save more souls catechetical and spiritual writings. All these through good books! publications serve the pastoral mission of the Church, and many of them are also essential to My grateful blessing on you all the formation of priests and religious.

Another special priority of ACN is the religious formation and catechesis of chil- dren and young people. To this end, ACN Father Martin M. Barta has established the YOUCAT Foundation, ACN ECCLESIASTICAL ASSISTANT

SYRIA: God Speaks to His Children.

3 DOING GOD’S WORK LEARNING TO LIVE AS CHRISTIANS THE HOLY LAND nd he took a little child, and set him in the The 2-4 week courses in Israel, Jordan and Amidst of them: and taking him in his arms, The Autonomous Palestinian Territories are he said unto them ‘Whoever receives one such run by Priests, youth leaders and catechists. child in my name receives me, and whoever The programme includes sport, theatre, receives me, receives not me but him who sent painting and art, community service, religion me’ (Mk 9:36-7). Children are central to our lessons and of course, time to pray together Christian Faith, for they are the future of the and celebrate Holy Mass. And there are also Church. excursions to the places where Jesus taught and prayed in the Holy Land. Likewise, central to the work of the Latin Patri- archate of Jerusalem and its 180,000 Catholic Many of the families however, above all in the faithful are the summer camps it organises each Palestinian territories, simply cannot afford to year for their children. This year around 6,000 pay for the two or more weeks stay for their children and young people will be taking part children, and so there are subsidies available from 36 of the 55 parishes in the patriarchate. to help them. The truth is, the experience these

THE HOLY LAND: Together we make progress: another lesson learnt on the holiday camp.

4 TEACHING OUR CHILDREN WELL young people enjoy in the summer camps is that patience and perseverance are needed in beyond price. order to succeed, and that while playing basket- ball and football, we need to apologise after a The 150 children aged between 4 and 14 from foul or a push and generally be ready to bear the Gaza Strip will learn, for example, that with one another, to pardon and forgive. there are other children like them throughout the region and that in Israel there are also This way, the children learn, through play, to Christian families striving to live in peace and see one another through the eyes of Christ, friendship with everyone around them. who embraces every child in love. Learning this is the BASIS for PEACE. They will learn that happiness and security are not just something to yearn for in the future, The patriarchate is investing a great deal in but that peace of heart is something that is these crucially important summer camps – truly possible, here and now. and we are supporting them with €30,000.

The same is true for the 60 children from Naza- ‘Children need love. reth and for the 80 five to twelve-year olds from Especially when they Smakiyeh in Jordan. Whether in the handicraft do not deserve it’ sessions or the theatre rehearsals, they will learn Harold S. Hulbert (1897 – 1949)

THE HOLY LAND: Holy Mass: front and centre THE HOLY LAND: Last-minute instructions: for every age, even during holiday time. Sister Cecilia talks about the excursion.

5 DOING GOD’S WORK IGNORANCE OF SCRIPTURE IS IGNORANCE OF CHRIST FR. DWIGHT LONGENECKER1 he independent fundamentalist church The truth is simply that Catholics and Evangel- TI went to as a boy gave me a fantastic icals use the Bible in different ways. Therefore amount of Bible knowledge. There were they have different kinds of Bible knowledge. Bible drills in Sunday School, Bible memory contests, and Bible quizzes, not to mention a Evangelicals use the Bible as a source book for complete grounding in all the characters and doctrine and right moral teaching, and that’s exciting stories from the Bible. good. 2 Timothy 3:16 says the Scriptures are ‘useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and As I got older, I listened to long Bible sermons training in righteousness.’ and went to home Bible studies, youth Bible camps, and a Bible holiday club. I Evangelicals also use the Bible for personal ended up going to an Evangelical University devotions and inspiration. This, too, is Biblical. where Bible study was part of our everyday Psalm 119:27 says, ‘Let me understand the schedule. As a result, I learned that the Bible teaching of your precepts; then will I meditate was God’s inspired word to heal and reconcile on your wonders.’ the human race. Ordinary Catholics might not be so adept Our Christian home wasn’t particularly anti- at quoting chapter and verse, but they do Catholic, but some of our preachers were, and know and use Scripture regularly, albeit it in a the general impression I got was that Catho- different method. For a Catholic, Scripture is lics not only didn’t read the Bible, but that not so much a book to be studied as a book they weren’t allowed to. How could Catholics to worship with. believe the Bible if they didn’t read and study it like we did? Some time ago, a friend of mine compared the amount of the Scripture used at Mass to that It’s true that many Evangelicals know their used in an Evangelical Protestant service. The Bible upside down and backwards, and Catholic Mass is almost 30 percent Scrip- compared to them, Catholics sometimes ture. When my friend checked the content seem ignorant of the Bible. But that’s only an of his local Bible-based Evangelical church, appearance. he was surprised to discover that the total amount of Scripture read took just 3 percent

1 Fr. Dwight Longenecker is a Catholic convert, a married Catholic of the service. Priest with a very active media apostolate. This abbreviated article has been adapted and edited from ‘Why don’t Catholics read the Bible?’ by Fr. Dwight Longenecker. Fr. Dwight’s original and complete article can be accessed at: https://cruxnow.com/faith/2015/11/17/ why-dont-catholics-read-the-bible/ and read on our website: www.acnireland.org/Mirror 6, 2019.

6 TEACHING OUR CHILDREN WELL

When Catholics go to Mass, need more resources for personal Bible reading. We... they hear a reading from the need to understand the Scriptures better to Old Testament, see how our faith is rooted and grounded they say or sing one of the Psalms, then in the Bible. they listen to a reading from the Epistles, then a Gospel reading. Our own official teachings encourage us to read, study and learn the Scriptures. Dei The whole structure fits together so that the Verbum – a document about God’s Word from Mass is focused on Christ in the Gospels. Second Vatican Council says,

Catholics follow a three-year cycle of Scripture ‘…all clergy should remain in close reading, so a Catholic who goes to Church contact with the Scriptures by means of faithfully will – over those three years – hear reading and accurate study of the text… almost all of the Bible read. similarly the Council earnestly and expressly calls upon all the faithful… Furthermore, the responses and the words of to acquire by frequent reading of Holy the Communion service are almost all from Scripture the excellent knowledge of Scripture. Jesus Christ for as St. Jerome said, ‘Ignorance of the Scriptures is indeed So a Church-going Catholic does know and ignorance of Christ.’’ use Scripture – its just that he uses Scrip- ture primarily for meditation and worship – not primarily for personal information and instruction. You can think of it this way:

Evangelicals use the Bible as a rule book. Catholics use it as a prayer book.

This said our individual Catholic lives and the life of our Church would be infinitely improved if more of us took Bible reading seriously. We Catholics…

need more Bible scholars amongst our pastors. We... need more homilies that are rooted in a ARMENIA: Sunday school program in the profound understanding of Scripture. We... Armenian Apostolic Diocese of Artik.

7 DOING GOD’S WORK GIVING CHILDREN WHAT THEY NEED aint John Paul II was present and was recent natural disas- Sdelighted when, in 1979, the Child’s Bible was ters, it is the only book first presented at the General Conference of the they have. ‘You cannot Latin-American Episcopate in Puebla, Mexico. imagine’, writes Father Ottorino, ‘just what an In Brazil, Pope Benedict XVI was presented by impact such a little book a child with the 10 millionth copy of the Portu- can have in people’s guese edition at the Fazenda da Esperança hearts’. 13-year-old in Guaratinguetá and Pope Francis himself, Dieudonné has written while still Cardinal Archbishop of Buenos Aires, from Togo to thank us, Argentina, requested thousands of copies of saying ‘All the words of Jesus make us reflect the same Child’s Bible. and give us meaning to our lives.’

Now, after 40 years we have reached a stag- Many people are deeply moved. Little Mikel in gering total of 51,188,209 copies published Albania feels ‘so sad about Jesus’. And from a and distributed. And this is not the end. Every Brazilian prison we received these words: day, requests and enquiries continue to come in from all over the world. ‘I’m in prison for killing someone. I have AIDS. God alone knows what is going Many parishes, dioceses and religious orders on inside me. I don’t know what I am are unable to pay the printing costs them- going to do with my life, but one thing is selves. For example, the seven dioceses in certain: this little Bible will help me.’ Pakistan (80,000 copies in Urdu at a cost of €48,000) or the Greek Catholic Church in Nobody knows what fruit these 51 million Ukraine (50,000 copies illustrated with icons ‘grains of wheat’ in the form of the Child’s Bible for €25,000). Similarly, the diocese of Tarahu- will ultimately bear or how many millions of mara in northern Mexico cannot afford the souls will be saved by them in the decades to €9,300 cost for the 10,000 copies it needs. come. There is a blessing on this little book, ever since Father Werenfried first launched it in So we are helping – and thereby also helping 1979 with these words: ‘Children need some- the parents who attend the Bible study lessons thing like a Child’s Bible, so that the image of weekly with their children. At the same time, Jesus may become a living one in their hearts.’ thank-you letters come in daily. The seed has surely taken root in the hearts of For many children in some of the poorest coun- many children and, thanks to your generosity, tries, like Mozambique, so terribly plagued by it will not cease to flourish.

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LEARNING THE TRUTH THAT SAVES EGYPT

o believe what is True, we must learn In the first month it is Saint Matthew, followed Twhat is True. So it is that must first study by Saints Mark, Luke and John. The enthu- and learn the Truth before we can effectively siasm is tremendous. In September, shortly proclaim the fullness of Truth and bear witness before the beginning of the new school to It by our words and our works. year, the finalists will attend a long weekend together during which they will display their The Coptic Catholics in Cairo, Egypt, have knowledge of the life of Jesus and the Gospels. found a way to make this learning enjoyable and at the same time motivate thousands of Obviously the books, the organisation and children. They have organised a Big Bible above all the accommodation for the decisive Quiz. The competition is taking place this year final weekend all cost money – money which for the third time; it lasts six months and the the impoverished Catholic community cannot top 100 contenders qualify for the grand finale. find alone. ACN is contributing €5,000 to this Altogether some 3,500 children and young innovative and enterprising Evangelisation people aged between 12 and 18 are taking initiative for this great and ancient Christian part. They are all given a bible to study, with minority in the Middle East. the emphasis above all on the New Testament.

So what did Jesus say? Practising for the Bible quiz.

9 DOING GOD’S WORK THE ‘PLOT’ OF SACRED SCRIPTURE IS ESSENTIAL MSGR. CHARLES POPE2 ne of the most significant losses in the The Biblical story or narrative mediates reality Omodern era is that the Biblical narrative to us in a memorable way. God, like any good is no longer in the hearts and minds of most father, tells us our story and asks us to pass people. it on to our own children. To know our story is to understand ourselves in relation to God, Scripture is the history of the human family, the world, and others. told in story form by God Himself. He tells us how and why we were made and why, as well And what a story it is! It has more passion, as what happened to make things the way conflict, and drama than any great epic. they are today. Although it has been called ‘The Greatest Story ever told,’ most people no longer know Why do we experience infinite longing the details of the story. As a result, they are though we live in a finite world? detached from the reality the story mediates. Why do we struggle with sin? Many are adrift in a world of little meaning— How can we be rescued from sin and or competing ‘meanings’—with no way to sort death? it all out. They have few answers to the most How can we find true satisfaction? basic questions about the meaning of life, the role and meaning of suffering, our ultimate The Biblical narrative answers all these destiny, and so forth. Without the story, life questions and more. loses its meaning.

2 Adapted and edited from ‘Rediscovering the ‘Plot’ of Sacred Scripture Is Essential to Evangelisation’ by Msgr. Charles Pope. Accessible at : http://blog.adw.org/2019/07/rediscovering-plot-sacred-scripture-essential-evangelization/

MALAWI: God Speaks to His Children.

10 TEACHING OUR CHILDREN WELL

As an example of the widespread loss of the If in the first scene in the story everything is Biblical narrative, I’d like to relate an experi- fine, and in scene two everything is fine, and ence I had a few years ago. I was talking to a in scene three everything is still fine, people group of Catholic seventh graders and at one start tuning out. It is the conflict, problem, or point referred to Adam and Eve. As our discus- negative development that renders the plot sion progressed it became clear that they did interesting. Plots usually have five stages: not really know who Adam and Eve were or what they had done. One young man piped 1 EXPOSITION – In this stage we are intro- up and asked, ‘Aren’t they in the Bible or some- duced to the main characters and elements thing?’ No one could come up with anything of the story. remotely specific. I resolved that day to scrap 2 RISING ACTION (CONFLICT) – This is the our compartmentalised religious programs portion in which the conflict or problem and change the instruction at every grade level that is focus of the story is introduced and to a ‘back to basics’ approach emphasising the developed. Biblical narrative. 3 CLIMAX – This is the turning point of the How has this loss of the narrative happened? story. Here there is often an epic struggle, Some argue that the Church stopped telling physical or otherwise, frequently involving the story. If you have poor preaching and poor a heroic figure or some striking event, in catechesis, pretty soon no one knows the story which the central conflict is addressed. anymore. I don’t doubt there is some truth to 4 FALLING ACTION – During this stage, this, but it hardly seems likely that ‘the Church’ events occur that will help to fully resolve just decided one day to stop telling the story. the central conflict, and we see the effects Rather, what seems to have happened is that of the climax on the characters and on we stopped telling the story effectively. I proceeding events. believe that we lost touch with the ‘plot’ of Sacred Scripture and because of this were 5 RESOLUTION – This is the final portion no longer able to present the story in a of the story. The main conflict has been compelling way. largely resolved and any ‘loose ends’ are tied up. We learn of the final outcome for What exactly is a plot? The plot in a story is the main characters, which often involves the focal point to which all the events and either a return to normalcy or the attain- characters relate. It is like the hub of a wheel ment of some higher state than existed around which everything else revolves. If it is previously. The reader often experiences to be engaging, a plot involves some sort of emotional catharsis at this point, as the conflict or problem that must be resolved. tension/anxiety has dissipated. This holds our interest as we wonder how the problem will be resolved.

11 DOING GOD’S WORK

Let’s identify these stages in Sacred Scripture: In a sudden plot development, God chooses Abram and his descendants to set the stage 1 – EXPOSITION for a final conflict with His opponent, the God created Man as an act of love and made devil, and to restore Man. Through a series him to live in union with his God. In the begin- of covenants and actions, God prepares a ning, Adam and Eve accepted this love and people to receive the great Saviour, who will experienced a garden paradise. The heart of resolve this terrible problem. First, however, their happiness was to know the Lord and walk God must take this chosen people through a with Him in a loving and trusting relationship. series of powerful purifications so that at least some of them can be made humble enough 2 – RISING ACTION/CONFLICT to receive the cure and be healed. God puri- Man, tempted by the devil, let his trust in his fies them through slavery in Egypt, a terrifying Creator die in his heart. He wilfully rejected but glorious freedom ride through the desert, God, who had given him everything, by listening the giving of the Law, and the settlement in the to an evil tempter who had given him nothing. Promised Land. Adam rebelled against God and refused to be under His loving authority and care. This led to They are still rebellious, however, and more a complete unravelling of everything. Paradise drastic purifications are necessary: invasions vanished and Adam and Eve experienced the by Assyrians and Babylonians, exile, and then disintegration of their innermost being. return to their land. Throughout, God sends prophets to rebuke and console them. The Confused, ashamed, angry, accusatory, and conflicts and waiting are been continuously embarrassed, they withdraw into hiding escalating. and cover up. They can no longer tolerate the presence and glory of God, who still loves them, and must now live apart from Him. God 3 – CLIMAX makes an initial promise to one day bring The curtain rises, and we see a small back- healing but when He will do so is not clear. This water town of perhaps 300 people called is the initial conflict or negative development Nazareth. An angel, dispatched from God, that defines the plot and rivets our attention. greets a humble virgin named Mary. God’s plan to save His people begins unfolding not with a Things go from bad to worse: Adam and king or a military commander but with Mary of Eve’s rebelliousness is passed on to their chil- Nazareth. It’s a great paradox but a fitting one. dren, as we see when Cain kills his brother Whereas Eve had said no, Mary—the new Eve— Abel. Wickedness multiplies so rapidly that says yes. Mary’s ‘fiat’ opens the door to our God must act. First, He humbles mankind by Saviour, our God-hero, wonderful counsellor, confusing the spoken languages at Babel. Father forever, and Prince of Peace (Is 9:6). He Later, He brings the flood, practically starting is named Jesus for He would save His people all over again. from their sins (Matt 1:21).

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After living in obscurity for thirty years nated by sin, anger, resentment, fear, bitterness, in Nazareth, Jesus steps forth into public greed, lust, and hatred but by love, mercy, joy, ministry. For three years He announces the serenity, confidence, holiness, chastity, and Gospel and summons the human family to self-control. A new world has been opened. Up Faith and trust. ahead lie open the gates of Paradise.

Then, in a crucial and epic battle between God and the devil, Jesus mounts a cross and 5 – RESOLUTION defeats the devil at his own game. By dying He God has resolved the terrible consequences destroys death! The devil seems victorious, but of the rebellion of Adam and Eve, just as He on the third day our Saviour and God-hero, promised. Things do not just return to normal, Jesus, casts off death like a garment. Forty however. They return to ‘super-normal,’ for the days later, He ascends and reopens the gates paradise that God now offers is not an earthly of Paradise. one but a heavenly one. Its happiness is not merely natural; it is supernatural. We, the reader, experience the catharsis of knowing that God is 4 – FALLING ACTION faithful and that He has saved us from this Now that the epic battle has been won, Jesus present evil age. sends out apostles to announce the Good News of His victory over sin and death. His Evangelisation requires that people are Apostles go forth with this message: the long taught the History of Salvation and know reign of sin is over; through grace it is possible the ‘Plot’ of Sacred Scripture. to live a transformed life, one no longer domi-

ANGOLA: God Speaks to His Children.

13 DOING GOD’S WORK THE WISDOM I LEARNED FROM MY FATHER MICHAEL CRETARO2 ack in the early 1990’s, when I was in my help the family survive. So it was that from an Blate 20’s my father was driving me home early age he knew something about the need from work and was talking about how he to and value of putting others before oneself. never really had a good relationship with his own father. Then he said something I’ll never These days, some 25 years later, things are forget. He said, ‘I’ll do what I can for as long very different. As an alcoholic – in recovery – as I can. And someday when I am gone, then I I no longer drink, I no longer work in the Postal won’t be able to do anymore.’ I didn’t realise Service as I did back then and my father is no it at the time, but my father was not just longer with me: he passed away in 2012. In the telling me that he cared for me, but he was interim I have learned not only how to deny teaching me a lesson about sacrificing myself on behalf of another but also have oneself for another. begun to realise why doing so is so important.

I should back up a bit here. The reason my My excessive drinking as a young man led father was driving me home was because me to join Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and as I had gotten my driver’s license suspended I made my way through its 12 steps, I began for driving under the influence: I had a to notice the freedom, especially the Spiritual drinking problem. That six-month period was Freedom, that comes from sobriety and being a humbling experience, and, luckily for me, a in recovery. learning one. For it was during that six-month period as my dad drove me to and from work I began to become more in tune with myself, we talked and my father planted lots of seeds both who I am and who I had the potential to of life-enriching wisdom. be, by becoming more in tune with God’s Will for my life. This involved beginning to My father’s mother and father were Italian care about someone or something other immigrants who did not speak English very than myself, and to not be so self-centered well. My father was born in 1919 and his anymore. mother passed away when he was 3 years old. He grew up during the Great Depression and As I thought about what was really impor- had to drop out of school when he was in the tant in life my own life began to transform. eighth grade to go to work and earn money to At the 12-Step meetings people would come up to me afterwards and tell me how inspiring 3 Adapted and edited from ‘The Lesson on Self-Sacrifice I Learned From a Seed my Father Planted’ By Michael Cretaro 7 October AD 2017. Mi- they found my words. It occurred to me that chael lives in upstate New York and has self-published a book entitled ‘Questions from the Creator’. One can read Michael’s unadapted origi- only God’s Grace could accomplish some- nal at: https://www.catholicstand.com/the-lesson-on-self-sacrifice-i- learned-from-a-seed-my-father-planted/ thing like that. For if somebody was inspired

14 TEACHING OUR CHILDREN WELL in their recovery by something I said or shared, These little things slowly but surely changed then a real change has truly taken place. my outlook on what makes life worthwhile. Ultimately I found that this kind of trans- In the process of growing in recovery, the formative change has to be centered on changes that were taking place in me started Christ and His life within me. to solidify and become a normal and perma- nent part of who I am. I started to realise that During this transformation process I began I really was a different person with a new to really think about all that God had done outlook on life. I was more interested in seeing for me, either directly or through others. what I could give rather than in what I could I also thought about where I might be today get. As they say in AA, I was becoming part of without God’s Grace and Mercy. So it is that the solution, and not part of the problem. now in my daily prayer life…

Like most things in life, it started with little I always thank God for how loving and kind things, like telling somebody I was praying He has been to me, for them. Something I would not have said to for all the trouble I got out of and that someone in the past. From there, it progressed which I never got into. And to things like being concerned with whether I always pray for those who have not been or not someone had sufficient food to eat or if as fortunate, for there by the Grace of God they needed a ride somewhere. go I.

EAST TIMOR: God Speaks to His Children.

15 DOING GOD’S WORK

I started keeping a prayer journal and began about how my walk through life with God has to write down the things I could do for gone. From wondering where I stood with God. Indeed, I began to look for ways in Him, to finally being at peace with Him and to which I could repay Him for all of His love growing in love for Him. and kindness. Everything I do now, whether it’s helping Sponsoring a child in Bolivia with a someone in recovery, giving to support monthly contribution was one way I could the Church and its mission, or praying for repay Him. others and helping them with their needs, is Having Holy Masses said on a regular because I have grown to become a Christ- basis for souls that have passed away was centered person. another way to repay Him. Now as I think back to my father’s words And not a day goes by where I do not thank that day in the car, I am reminded of that old Jesus for all of the pain He suffered for the Kenny Rogers’ song ‘The Gambler’ in which forgiveness of my sins. there is a line that reminds me of my father’s wisdom: ‘In his final words, I found an Ace In prayer, I got the feeling that God loves that I could keep.’ hearing the words, ‘thank you.’ I thought

CUBA: 1,000 copies of the Youcat Bible in delivered to Cienfuegos.

16 » For Ignorance of the Scriptures is indeed ignorance of Christ. « Saint Jerome

Aid to the Church in Need’s Child’s Bible God Speaks to His Children

is an ideal gift for your child, God-child, grandchild. DOING GOD’S WORK The Gambler BY KENNY ROGERS

On a warm summer’s evening So I handed him my bottle On a train bound for nowhere And he drank down my last I met up with a gambler swallow We were both too tired to sleep Then he bummed a cigarette So we took turns a-starin’ And asked me for a light Out the window at the darkness And the night got deathly quiet The boredom overtook us And his face lost all expression And he began to speak Said, ‘If you’re gonna play the game, boy, He said, ‘Son, I’ve made a life You gotta learn to play it right. Out of readin’ people’s faces And knowin’ what the cards were You got to know when to hold ‘em, By the way they held their eyes. Know when to fold ‘em, So if you don’t mind my sayin’ Know when to walk away, I can see you’re out of aces And know when to run. For a taste of your whiskey You never count your money I’ll give you some advice.’ When you’re sittin’ at the table. There’ll be time enough for countin’ When the dealing’s done.

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Every gambler knows And when he finished speakin’ That the secret to survivin’ He turned back toward the Is knowin’ what to throw away window And knowin’ what to keep. Crushed out his cigarette ‘Cause every hand’s a winner, And faded off to sleep And every hand’s a loser, And somewhere in the darkness And the best that you can hope for The gambler he broke even Is to die in your sleep.’* And in his final words I found an ace that I could keep. *Michael Comments Christians of course hope for much more than ‘to die in one’s sleep’. Christians have the Great Hope, Hope in Eternal Salvation. For in the game of Life and Death, Christ is The One and Only Trump Card, the only Ace in the Pack.

19 DOING GOD’S WORK THE WISDOM I RECEIVED FROM MY GRANDMOTHER LOUIS TAN4 oals have to be SMART. Specific. Measur- endlessly. What did I take away from these Gable. Actionable. Realistic. Time-sensitive. services? Nothing, really. But my late grandmother never caught on to this corporate paradigm. She’d never heard of I couldn’t even tell if it was a Mass or a Novena, it. All she had was the foolish wisdom of the in Mandarin or in Cantonese. Even when she Gospel — ‘I am the Vine, you are the branches. brought me to an English service, still I under- Those who abide in Me and I in them bear stood nothing. All I knew was how to behave much fruit, because apart from Me you can do (hint: follow what everyone else is doing), and nothing.’ (Jn 15:5) how not to receive Holy Communion (put my arms across my chest). And it showed in the way she approached the mission of bringing me to Christ. But these basics would go a long way in setting the stage for my later conversion. Born into a nuclear family of free-thinkers, I never received any Sacraments, nor did I So when we arrived home from church, she attend catechism classes as a child. But on my would summon me to her bedside and begin father’s side of the extended family, Grandma’s to talk to me about Jesus… in Cantonese. conversion brought Grandpa and seven of Her words fell on the ears of this Singapo- their eight children trickling to the Baptismal rean millennial who could barely make out fount. The eighth child who didn’t take up the everyday conversations in dialect! faith, of course, was my father himself. Yet, it was an image I would never forget: My I spent my early childhood with my parents frail Grandma lying on her wooden pulpit, and Grandma in a cosy flat in Tiong Bahru, coughing and sighing as she struggled to tell Singapore. I accompanied Grandma to Church a nonchalant five-year-old that Jesus loves regularly, on the pretext of her advanced age. him. These sermons ended only when she had We sometimes visited Novena Church, but exhausted her all and fell asleep — as though for most part I remember going to the pre- to prefigure what was to come. beautiful Church of St. Bernadette. Its dull grey walls were brightened with a pair of striking, My mother and I moved out while I was in unflattering banners that flanked the crucifix. kindergarten, thus ending my days of Church- The oscillating fans on the wall would screech going and bedside catechism. Time flew, and my first day in secondary school at St Joseph’s 4 Adapted and edited from ‘The Grandmother Whose Work Didn’t Bear Any Fruit (yet)’ by Louis Tan. The unadapted original can be read at: Institution (SJI) ended with the most heart- https://stories.catholic.sg/encountering-god/the-grandmother- whose-work-didnt-bear-any-fruit-yet/ breaking text I had ever received. Grandma

20 TEACHING OUR CHILDREN WELL had a fall and was admitted to the Intensive This stirring would lead me first to attend Care Unit. Wednesday morning Masses at the school Chapel, and then at St Bernadette’s for weekly She passed on a few days later, supposedly a Mass. In that parish, I found my way into a failure at bringing the Good News to me. youth community there that played an unpar- alleled role in supporting me on my initiation I was devastated at her passing, and wondered journey. what dread the rest of my years at SJI entailed. Easter Vigil 2014, I walked white-clad down the Little would I know that three years later, I aisle and to the fount of life. Chrism replaced would step into the school chapel on the the ashes, and I fell to my knees and made my Ash Wednesday of 2011, emboldened by my First Holy Communion. churchgoing know-how — all thanks to my Grandma. As I felt the grainy ashes traced upon That was the best thing that ever happened my forehead in the shape of a cross, I felt also a in my life, and the mystery of my coming gentle stirring within my heart. to Faith continues to unfold itself each day. Among other things, I share the Faith I have That was the best thing that ever happened in found through parish programmes, as well as my life, and the mystery of my coming to faith contribute articles to Catholic.sg. continues to unfold itself each day. And the seed of faith was sown by an old , SINGAPORE: Louis and his Grandma. lady who could not even speak my tongue who lived apart from me from a tender age. Grandma never lived to sit in her favourite pew to witness the saving waters rush over me. Nonetheless, she simply did what she felt she needed to, and left the rest in the hands of God.

As St. Mother Teresa of Kolkata once said, ‘God has not called me to be successful; He has called me to be faithful.’ As Christians entrusted with varied missions, we are called to simply abide in the Jesus and wait for the fruits to grow by the Father’s Grace.

Faithfulness is our calling. Fruitfulness belongs to God alone.

21 DOING GOD’S WORK THE SAVING TRUTH ABOUT MARRIAGE AND THE FAMILY od Himself is the author of matrimony’ widows or widowers left behind. And so, in ‘Gstates Gaudium et Spes (1965), and the Archdiocese of Kisumu in Kenya, Arch- Pope Benedict XVI has said bishop Philip Anyolo is promoting a family programme, including natural family plan- ‘The sacrament of marriage is not an ning (NFP), ‘so that families in Kisumu can live invention of the Church; it is really ‘con- according to God’s Plan’. This is a revival of an created’ with man as such, as a fruit of earlier programme, abandoned for many years the dynamism of love in which the man for lack of money, with the number of victims and the woman find themselves and now rising as a result. thus also find the Creator who called them to love.’ Today, married couples are trained with the necessary expertise, so that they can teach This truth is valid for all cultures, but each others in the 45 parishes of the diocese. The culture has its own problems. In Africa it is goal is to train 380 couples in one year. We are often AIDS, the result of infidelity and pros- helping Archbishop Philip and his team with titution. AIDS always has more than one €14,500. victim – the one who dies and the orphans,

BANGLADESH: All in it together: marriage programme for couples.

22 TEACHING OUR CHILDREN WELL

In Asia the equality of women is a major issue. In the countries of the former Soviet Union Consequently, the Catholic Bishops’ confer- the Church must still contend with the conse- ence of Bangladesh has focused on married quences of communist ideology. Abortion is life as a priority in its three-year programme for still viewed by many as a routine form of birth the family. Mature married couples are chosen control, while drug addiction and suicide rates to explain to others how the life of Christian are rising, including among young people. love can be lived on a footing of equality and how couples can overcome difficulties and The Marriage and Family Committee of the crises together. Belarus Bishops’ conference has therefore proclaimed 2019 The Year of the Family, as a Such teaching presupposes communication way of supporting mother, father and children. skills, knowledge of the Biblical foundations It offers practical seminars, antenatal courses of Marriage and the practice of the natural and psychotherapeutic approaches. regulation of fertility. After three years, 95 married couples should be equipped to go out The programme includes special retreat days into their towns and villages as ambassadors and a congress of family movements. ACN is of Christian Marriage and Family to promote contributing €7,000 to strengthen them in the the Catholic teachings on the family as ‘God’s fight for the Church’s Saving Truth on Marriage Masterpiece’ (Pope Francis). We are helping and the Family. with a contribution of €6,500 per year.

BELARUS: with the Church, KENYA: Fighting AIDS together on the side of the family. and promoting married happiness.

23 DOING GOD’S WORK

Teach Your Children BY GRAHAM NASH5

You who are on the road And you, of tender years, Must have a code that you can live by Can’t know the fears that your elders grew by, And so become yourself And so please help them with your youth, Because the past is just a good-bye. They seek the truth before they can die. Teach your children well, Teach your parents well, Their father’s hell did slowly go by, Their children’s hell will slowly go by, And feed them on your dreams And feed them on your dreams The one they picks, the one you’ll The one they picks, the one you’ll know by. know by. Don’t you ever ask them why, if they Don’t you ever ask them why, told you, you will cry, if they told you, you will cry, So just look at them and sigh So just look at them and sigh And know they love you. And know they love you.

5 Teach Your Children lyrics © Spirit Music Group

24 TEACHING OUR CHILDREN WELL

LIFE IS CHANGED, NOT ENDED FR. JOSEPH GILL6 or a Christian, life is changed, not ended.’ in this life. Just as we were surrounded by ‘FThis beautiful prayer is recited in every warmth and comfort in the womb, we are Funeral Mass to help us keep our mind on the surrounded by many material blessings in reality of what death is about. this life. But just as the womb was never our final home, so this world is never our final When we were in the womb, we spent nine home either. Someday we will be born into months in safety and security, our bodies devel- eternity — either as an everlasting glory or an oping and growing so that we’d be ready for the everlasting tragedy. But no one can stay on outside world. If unborn children could talk, they this earth forever, and no one should want to! would probably want to stay where they are — close to their mother’s heart, hearing her voice, The difference between pregnancy and this nice and warm. But the entire point of being life, however, is that we participate actively unborn is to prepare for the outside world – in the growth of our souls. It isn’t automatic. the womb was never the point! No one can stay We allow His Grace to help us grow so much there forever, and no one should want to! into His likeness so that we will be ready, with the eyes of Faith, to see His Glory face-to-face. In the same way, the 70 or 80 years we are granted in this world is for the development 6 Adapted and edited from ‘Changed, Not Ended’ by Fr. Joseph Gill. Fr. Joseph was ordained a Catholic priest in May 2013. He is currently and growth of our souls. Just as our bodies serving at the Basilica of Saint John the Evangelist, Stamford, Con- necticut. He shares his homilies at http://thecrossstands.blogspot. developed in the womb, our souls develop com/

SYRIA: God Speaks to His Children.

25 DOING GOD’S WORK INVESTING IN THE FUTURE, INVESTING IN THE FAITH here are some 7,350 different languages in a Bible – as in Islamist dictatorships such as Tthe world. So far, the complete Bible has Saudi Arabia – but also where people have been translated into 692 of these languages for decades been brought up under atheistic and the New Testament into 1,547. So, until ideologies in Godless and anti-Christian dicta- the Good News of the Gospel has reached all torships – such as China – and so urgently nations, and even to the ends of the earth (cf. need religious literature today. Mt 28:19), we can only say, together with ACN Founder Father Werenfried, ‘There is still a Cuba has been a communist state for almost great deal to be done.’ 60 years. However, following two papal visits, interest in the Faith has re-awakened. The Again and again we receive requests to supply Archbishop of Havana wants Catholics to learn the Catholic faithful, who cannot afford it the practice of lectio divina, or prayerful medi- themselves, with the words of Scripture in a tation on the Scriptures to help overcome the form approved by the Church. And not only in sense of helplessness among many Cubans places where it is dangerous to even possess at their political and economic situation, by countering it with the Good News of the Gospel and inspiring new courage. One Bible costs €3.91,and 15,120 bibles can fit into a container. This would also be enough to supply the other ten dioceses in Cuba with this primary instru- ment of the new evangelisation. ACN has already promised the €63,960 they need.

Very often we need to convey the Catechism and the Scriptures not just in new languages but in the language of today. This is what has been done with the new youth catechism YOUCAT, and with other texts in this series, including the preparation for First Holy Communion and Confirmation.

Bibles for Cuba. The longing for God hasn’t died, not even after decades of atheism.

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9:41 AM 100%

Over 5 million copies of YOUCAT alone have The Faith on already been published. But the other way to your phone: the YOUCAT as reach young people today is via the Internet. a mobile App. So now the plan is to digitalise all YOUCAT publications, so that young people can down- load the Catechism and other texts onto their smartphones.

This is a real investment in the future. In this way the Good News can truly reach the ends of the earth. As we have said, there is still a great deal to be done.

BRAZIL: God Speaks to His Children.

27 DOING GOD’S WORK LOVING TO THE LIMITS I REJOICE TO SHARE EVERYTHING COMES FROM THE CROSS I’ve put aside some of my savings in order to From a very early age my mother made us help our Christian brothers and sisters who aware of the needs of persecuted Chris- have to fear for their lives on account of their tians. She always sent donations to ACN, Faith in Jesus Christ. I feel a sense of profound even when she had virtually nothing left to solidarity with them, as living witnesses who spare. Since her death in 2011 I have felt the are suffering a daily martyrdom and many of desire to take up where she left off. whom have even given their lives. And so I’ve I want to thank you for all the things your aid decided to pass over other appeals and am makes possible. But at the same time I want sending you this cheque from my vacation to thank you for the MIRROR, which is a money. powerful reminder of the very heart of our I rejoice to share with my suffering Faith, the source of all true Christian action. brothers and sisters in this way. Please use Of the various phrases highlighted in your it to support the poorest Churches in their recent Mirror there are two I want to quote: most basic necessities. ‘It is not the elimination of the need that A Benefactress in Portugal ultimately counts, but loving to the limits.’ And THANK YOU FOR YOUR MISSION ‘All light, all spiritual strength, all reason I want to thank and encourage you with for Hope, everything comes from the my donation for the wonderful mission with Cross.’ which you are A Benefactress in Belgium comforting the hearts of our persecuted brothers and sisters, drying their tears and rekindling their hope with a warmth so urgently needed in the darkness of the present time, and also for bringing to others the torch of the Gospel Light, our Lord Jesus Christ, the Light of the World. A Benefactor in France

28 TEACHING OUR CHILDREN WELL ALWAYS A JOY TO SHARE OUR FAITH Dear Friends, Added to this are the rapidly spreading books t is always a joy to us of the YOUCAT series. ‘oldies’ to see pictures I These are available not of joyful and committed only to our brothers and young people when- sisters of the Church in ever we read reports of need, but to each and a World Youth Day for every family that strives to example, or a big meeting of one of the spir- spread the Gospel word. itual movements. It is proof that our mission of guiding the next generation to God and to Thanks to your generous help we can in this a personal relationship with Jesus Christ is way build solid bridges of shared knowledge indeed achievable. of our Faith and so inspire young people with enthusiasm for God and His love. To help attain this goal still more successfully, ACN has been committed for many years My heartfelt thanks to you all. now to supporting the family and youth apostolate. We are helping with a range of formation programmes of this kind with our project partners, and in particular of course with our popular Child’s Bible, still so sought Thomas Heine-Geldern after over 40 years and on every continent. EXECUTIVE PRESIDENT OF ACN INTERNATIONAL

WHERE TO SEND YOUR DONATION TO AID THE CHURCH IN NEED Please use the Freepost envelope. IBAN IE32 BOFI 9005 7890 6993 28 Aid to the Church in Need, BIC BOFI IE2D 151 St. Mobhi Road, Glasnevin, Dublin 9. If you give by Standing Order, or have sent a donation recently, please accept our sincere (01) 837 7516 thanks. This MIRROR is for your interest and [email protected] information. www.acnireland.org Registered Charity Numbers: (RoI) 9492 (NI) XR96620.

29 ‘Good books... inspire our Prayer and... teach us the Truth about God and Man.’

ACN Ecclesiastical Assistant

The Bible endures.

‘Through the Word of God, Light has come into the World... (The Bible) is something Divine – A Book through which God is Speaking to Us.’

THE MIRROR IS AVAILABLE TO READ AT ACNIRELAND.ORG/MIRROR

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