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us (Psalm 139:1-4). A humble person makes a realistic assess-ment of himself or herself with-out illusion or pretense to be something he or she is not. The humble regard themselves nei-ther smaller nor larger than they truly are. True humility frees us to be our true selves and to avoid despair and pride. A humble per-son does not have to wear a mask or put on a facade in order to look good to others, especially to those who are not really familiar with that person. The humble are not swayed by accidentals, such as fame, reputation, success, or failure. Humility is the queen or founda-tion of all the other virtues be-cause it enables us to view and judge ourselves correctly, the way God sees us. Humility leads to true self-knowledge, honesty, realism, strength, and dedication to give ourselves to something greater than ourselves. Humility frees us to love and serve others selflessly, for their sake, rather than our own. Paul, one of the Apostles, gives us the greatest example and model of humility in the person of Jesus Christ, who emptied

himself, taking the form of a servant, ...who humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross (Philippi-ans 2:7-8). The Lord Jesus gives grace to those who seek him humbly. Do you want to be a servant as Jesus served? “Lord Jesus, you became a serv-ant for my sake to set me free from the tyranny of sin, selfish-ness, and conceit. Help me to be humble as you are humble and to love freely and graciously all whom you call me to serve.” God bless youFr Stuart

Upon this Rock magazine is published by EuropeAxess

Media, Gibraltar.Editor Fr. Stuart Chipolina:

editor@uponthisrock.eu Production Editor:

A. Sargentangela@europeaxess.com

Cover: The Red Arrows SaluteEuropa Point 20.09.09.

Photo: A. Sargent

To advertise: This magazine is hand delivered to homes, churches, hospitals and many businesses around Gibraltar every month. To discuss your advertising requirements call

Tel: 200 79335. Church Groups or Charities: If you would like to have an article considered for publication, please send it by e-mail to the production editor at the address above. Enquire for details of sending high resolution digital images to illustrate your article.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 reserves the right to refuse space to any submissions or advertisements.

Jesus’ parable of the guests invited to the marriage feast probes our motives

for seeking honour and posi-tion. Self-promotion is most often achieved at the expense of oth-ers! Jesus’ parable reinforces the teaching of Proverbs: Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence or stand in the place

of the great; for it is better to be told, “Come up here,” than to be put lower in the presence of the prince (Proverbs 25:6-7). What is true humility and why should we make it a characteris-tic mark of our life and action? True humility is not feeling bad about yourself, or having a low opinion of yourself, or thinking of yourself as inferior to oth-ers. True humility frees us from preoccupation with ourselves, whereas a low self-opinion tends to focus our attention on our-selves. Humility is truth in self-under-standing and truth in action. Viewing ourselves truthfully, with sober judgment, means see-ing ourselves the way God sees

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Who Wants to be last?Isn’t it very natural to desire respect and esteem from others?

Climbers look like ants on the cliff-face, the leader is near the top, but each member of the team must accurately know and accept his skill level, and be there for the others with humility and respect for the whole party to succeed without anyone getting hurt.

3

700 years of the devotion to our Lady of europe 1309 - 2009

Bishop Caruana on ex-amining the completed coin, recalled that the

first time a commemorative during the time of Bishop Scandella, when a large me-dallion was struck, and the proceeds of the sale were sent to Rome as part of the St. Peter’s Pence collection. In addressing the Members of the St Peter Circle, 25 February 2006 Pope Benedict XVI said, “‘Peter’s Pence’ is the most characteristic expression of the participation of all the faithful in the Bishop of Rome’s chari-table initiatives in favour of the universal Church. The gesture has not only a practical value, but also a strong symbolic one, as a sign of communion with the Pope and attention to the needs of one’s brothers; and therefore your service possesses a refined ecclesial character.”On turning this newest com-memorative coin over in his hand Bishop Caruana was asked what the Latin words were be-low his coat of arms which are featured on the reverse face. He replied that he had asked for “Sapientia et Amor” on his coat of arms, to represent Knowl-edge and the Love of God, but that he had been in two minds about the Knowledge, and had considered Discernment, for without Compassion and Dis-cernment, Knowledge is not necessarily useful, but for prac-tical reasons the Latin word for Sapientia had fitted better than Discernment’s Latin counter-part. There is no doubt that the Holy Spirit has not been influ-enced by the practicalities of he-raldic design and has bestowed all the above gifts on Bishop Caruana in generous measures.

Devotion to Our Lady of Europe originated in 1309 in Gibraltar following the capture of Gibral-tar by Ferdinand IV of Spain. Ferdinand succeeded in liber-ating Gibraltar from Moslem rule and gave thanks to the Almighty for this victory by dedicating the continent of Eu-rope to the Mother of Christ, giving her the title of Our Lady of Europe. A mosque at the southernmost point of Gibraltar was converted into a Christian Shrine where a statue of Our Lady was worshiped.Rather more recently, only just over 300 years ago the Pobjoy family began a tradition of met-alworking, which has flourished down the Pobjoy generations, now Europe’s largest private Mint, sits in the heart of the county of Surrey, England. In 1965, Derek Pobjoy, founder of the Mint, bought his original press to strike his first com-memorative medal in honour of Sir Winston Churchill. Upon its immediate success, the fam-ily began manufacturing and circulating a commemorative coinage to celebrate notable an-niversaries and national events worldwide. So they were the natural choice when it was decided a Com-memorative Coin should be struck to mark the 700th Anni-versary of the devotion to Our Lady of Europe.The story began with the con-cept for the artwork; given an initial brief by Bishop Caruana, Pobjoy’s in-house artists cre-ated a composition which most closely reflects and portrays the essential theme of Our Lady of Europe. These designs were translated by skilled craftsmen into enlarged, finely sculpted

As part of the 700th anniversary of the devotion to Our Lady of Europe celebrations His Lordship Bishop Caruana commissioned two new coins commemorating the event.

our lady of europe Coin

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plaster models, which allow them to capture the intricate detail of the original artwork. Creating such decoration in low relief is a very specialised art and the sculptors spent much time refining the 3D model to the Bishop’s exact require-ments. It’s a process which de-mands much patience and con-centration; for it is this, which is the crucial step along the road from the initial drawings on pa-per and screen, into the three-dimensional world of the solid coin.The plaster sculpture was care-fully checked for any defects before a rubber mould was made from its impression, next a spe-cial resin was poured into the rubber mould and allowed to cure. The detail of the design was once again checked for any blemishes which may have oc-curred as the resin hardened. The resin imprint was mounted onto a die-casting machine, which re-duces the size of the design down to the size of the intended coin. This is done by a stylus which follows the intricate contours of the resins pattern, a fine carbine cutting tool cuts a negative image on the die hob at whatever size is needed. Once the die hob is cut, it’s hardened and tempered in a high temperature furnace. High-grade soft steel is used to make a positive master die from the metal die hob, it’s at this stage that further adjustments can be made by an operator before this

steel die too, is hardened and made ready for use.

The master die is used to create a number

of negative work-ing dies, these working dies are fine tuned to the required size and they too are then h a r d e n e d , ready for pro-

duction. After sanding and pol-

ishing they are then chrome plated

to protect their sur-faces before being issued

to the coining department. A gravograph is used for inscrib-ing commemorate medals. The metal strip for coinage, is fed through the blanking machine, here the blanks are punched out and ringed to give them the characteristic raised edge. The finished coins are continually checked for size, tolerance, diameter and surface quality before being passed onto the packing department. The silver Our Lady of Europe Com-memorative Coins are packed in special, durable, see through protective cases which are then placed in attractive red jewel boxes. A cupro-nickel coin is also available.

The Red Arrows in flight above the Shrine of Our Lady of Europe, September 2009. Photocollage: A. Sargent.

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Both Commemerative Coins are available at the Cathedral Multi-media Centre, and St. Theresa’s Church.

our lady of europe Coin

5

Celebrating our saint’s Days

Even today, the celebra-tion of birthdays is not universal in the West

with many people preferring Saints Day celebrations. In France in particular, one’s Saint’s Day was always much more important than one’s birth-day. Every day of the year is at least one Saint’s Day, with many Saints having to share a day on a crowded calendar. One notable such day last month was the feast of St Robert Bellarmine, Bishop and Doctor, SJ

Robert Bellarmine was born on 4 October 1542 at Montepulciano in Tuscany, Italy, to a noble but impoverished family and was a nephew of Pope Marcellus II. As a boy he knew Virgil by heart and became adept at writing Lat-in verse. One of his hymns, on Mary Magdalen, is in the Brevi-ary. He could play the violin and was good at debating. In 1560, at the age of 18, he entered the Jesuits and made his studies in Rome, Padua and Louvain. Dur-ing his time of formation he also taught Latin and Green in Flor-

ence and Piedmont for a number of years. He was ordained priest at Ghent in 1570.He then went to Louvain and be-gan a long career in the teaching of theology. He lectured on the Summa Theologica of St Tho-mas Aquinas, while attacking the opinions of Baius on grace and free will. He also authored a He-brew grammar. After seven years there his health deteriorated un-der the pressure of his studies and his ascetical life. He returned to his native Italy to restore it. He was kept in Rome by Pope Gre-

gory XIII to lecture on polemical theology, dealing with the con-troversial issues of the day, in the newly opened and Jesuit-run Roman College. These lectures would become the basis of his Disputationes de controversiis christianae fidei (Disputation on the Controversies of Christian Faith). This was a comprehen-sive presentation of Catholic teaching. It showed such erudi-tion in Scripture, on the Fathers and Protestant theology that it was believed to be the work of several scholars. It met with im-mediate acclaim.Robert was also involved in a re-vision of the Vulgate (the Latin translation of the Bible), the pro-duction of a famous catechism which would still be in use 300 years later. In the latter part of his life, one appointment followed another. In 1592 he was made Rector of the Jesuits’ Roman College. Two years later he became the Pro-vincial of the Jesuit Province of Naples.

The celebration of Saints Days developed with the movement of Saints relics to churches, when a day was chosen for their veneration

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Christian tradition

Celebrating our saint’s Days

In 1597 Pope Clement VIII made him his theological adviser and two years later named him to the College of Cardinals (as a Cardinal-Priest). These honours did nothing to change his austere lifestyle. He lived on a diet of bread and garlic and was known to have used the curtains of his apartment to clothe the poor.In 1602 he was made Archbishop of Capua and immediately was deeply involved in pastoral and welfare work. But he resigned his

see after only three years when he was called back to Rome in 1605 by Pope Paul V to become Prefect of the Vatican Library as well as being active in several Vatican Congregations.His reservations about the tem-poral power of the Papacy are said to have put him out of favour with Pope Sixtus V and even to have delayed his canonisation.

He was, however, vindicated by later theologians. In the famous controversy on the relationship of the sun to the earth, Bellarm-ine showed himself sympathetic to Galileo’s case but had urged the scientist to proceed more cautiously and to distinguish hy-pothesis from truth.In his old age he was allowed to return to his old home, Mon-tepulciano, as its bishop for four years, after which he retired to the Jesuit college of St. Andrew in Rome. He received some votes in the conclaves which elected Popes Leo XI, Paul V, and Gre-gory XV, but only in the second case had he any prospect of elec-tion. During his retirement, he

wrote several short books in-tended to help ordinary people in their spiritual life: The Mind’s Ascent to God (1614), The Art of Dying Well (1619), and The Seven Words on the Cross.He died in Rome on 17 Septem-ber 1621 at the age of 79. Though physically a small man, he was a giant in intellectual ability and personal warmth. He prayed every day for the Protestant theo-logians with whom he disagreed and never (as was often the case on both sides) made abusive at-tacks on them. He was canonised in 1930 and named a Doctor of the Church in 1931.Considered the outstanding theo-logian of his age, he is remem-bered for his dedication to the truth, charity in disputation, and austerity of life. (As one person commented: “The man wore only one Cardinal’s outfit. De-spite his friends’ best efforts to get him some new clothes, his patches had patches”).

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St. Robert Bellarmine.

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Christian tradition

Relics of St. Therese on tour.veneration of the saints

Last month the remains of St Therese of Lisieux arrived in England for the first time ever.

St. Therese was described by Pope Pius X as “the greatest saint of modern

times”.A casket containing bones from her thigh and foot will visit 28

sites in England and Wales, in-cluding Anglican York Minster and a London jail.St Therese, a French Carmelite nun who died of tuberculosis in 1897 aged 24, came to wider at-

tention after her autobiography was published.The Roman Catholic Church says the relics - which have been credited with promoting healing and reconciliation - are likely to draw huge crowds during their month-long tour.St Therese said she intended to use her time in heaven to do good on Earth, and she was con-sidered to be an effective bridge to God.Her remains were taken to Bagh-dad seven years ago in the hope of averting the Iraq conflict, and part of the relics have been sent into orbit around the Earth.

Over the next few weeks, the casket containing her bones will visit various sites, including the chapel of Wormwood Scrubs jail in London. Readers of Upon This Rock may like to know that between 11th and 15th October the rel-ics of St Therese will be taken to Our Lady of Mount Carmel and St Simon Stock Church in Ken-sington and then to Westminster Cathedral, just in case people who are travelling to London or students who may be studying there would like to take the op-portunity of visiting the Church during this special time.

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An act of Thanksgiving WHATS ON

Dr Cecil Isola is to present Monsignor Charles Azzop-

ardi with an image of Our Lady of Europe carved to fit inside a bomb casing which dropped into the gar-den of 3 Secretary’s Lane. This will be displayed in the small museum at the shrine of Our Lady of Europe.Albert Isola wrote his di-ary : “On the 20th and 21st August 1940 two night raids took place in Gibraltar and on the 24th and 25th September daylight air raids were made by French aircraft. On the latter date a bomb fell into the garden of No 3 Secretary Lane which did not explode and was removed about a week later”.Cecil’s father, as an act of thanksgiving commissioned an unknown artist to carve a copy of the statue of Our Lady of Europe to be placed in the

casing of the small bomb. This was placed in a niche in the garden wall where it has remained ever since.On the 25th September a number of members of the Gibraltar Defence Force, in-cluding John Porral, were billeted in Don Place . Had the bomb exploded then all of them plus Albert Isola and all who were residing in his house would have been blown up and in all probabil-ity killed.

Our Lady of Europe

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An Apreciation by Mike Brufal

It was ironic that this tragedy should happen just weeks after the highly

successful Tripartite Talks held in Gibraltar between the Chief Minister and the Foreign Ministers of the United Kingdom and Spain. The resulting favourable press coverage world wide was the apogee of his tireless work since 1996 as the Gibraltar Government’s Director of Media.Francis was always destined to be a journalist. His apprentice-ship was served in the Gibraltar Evening Post and Vox before joining the Gibraltar Chronicle in 1972. This was where I first met him – in those days he was hirsute modelled after a young

John Peel – and we worked to-gether in one form or another for 37 years. Time was spent in the Mother Country perfecting his journalistic skills and he was assisted by the Commonwealth Press Union and the Thomson Foundation. An exchange was arranged to spend time with the Yorkshire Evening Post.Twelve years were spent as a senior journalist in the Gibraltar Chronicle which was the period when the then editor was able slowly but surely to change the paper from being a four page Gibraltar garrison fact sheet with scarcely any local news into a publication which actu-ally covered all aspects of local news including those words disliked by Colonial mandarins

– local politics.In 1984 he was appointed editor and so was able to realise all his journalist dreams. The baton to implement huge editorial chang-es was accepted from his pre-dessesor, Jon Searle. One of the first was to send his journalists to cover all major stories most of which were political. It was not easy; the colonial administration resisted every change and could still exercise limited control via the Garrison Library Trust. One of his great coups was when The Gibraltar Chronicle secured the final break from the Trust in 1992. From time to time an editorial would be published; a practice fraught with difficulties and pitfalls in a small highly po-liticized City. This evolved into his personal ‘Good Morning’ col-umn. Since his departure in 1996 to be the Gibraltar Government’s Director of Media, The Gibraltar Chronicle has not changed much and this is a lasting tribute to his journalistic skills.Francis was always a key player in local journalism and was a founder member of the now de-funct Gibraltar Press Club where he would wear with great pleas-ure his PNG tie. He was proud to be one of the first Gibraltar-ian journalists to be placed on the Persona Non Grata list for publishing articles defending the

inalienable right of the Gibraltar-ians to self determination against the attempts by General Franco and his regime to subjugate the inhabitants of Gibraltar. He was always cheerful, never com-plained about the huge workload and liked nothing better than to talk to fellow journalists.The three pillars of his life were his family, his Catholic faith and Gibraltar. As well as help-ing the Cathedral of St Mary the Crowned in any possible way, he was a supporter of the Cursil-lo movement and an avid reader of Upon This Rock.As Director of Media Francis enjoyed a close relationship with the Chief Minister and saw him almost every day and accom-panied Peter Caruana on many of his overseas trips. He never made the mistake of becoming the story himself; for example he never gave an interview about himself during his thirteen years in this job.Francis had the skill never to forget a face and a name. This was invaluable when dealing with the international media who are, in the main, prima don-nas and need careful nurturing. His world wide press contacts book is huge and when engaged in telling journalists the latest message from either the Chief Minister or Government of Gi-

Francis Cantos Francis Cantos died unexpectedly in August whilst on holiday in Sotogrande aged a mere 56.

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An Apreciation by Mike Brufal

braltar no stone would be left unturned. The result over the years has been a favourable press for Gibraltar. He worked tire-lessly during the months when the Chief Minister was engaged in political battle with the Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom and Spain to prevent joint sover-eignty being imposed on the Gi-braltarians. Somewhere within Convent Place there are many files containing all the press cut-tings about Gibraltar generated by him: a testimonial to his hard work and constant vigilance. Francis went out of his way to get to know journalists, writ-ers and commentators. He was a wonderful listener and would never hector but instead use rea-son and laughter to get across the Gibraltar story. This was par-ticularly so with Spanish journal-ists who held him in the highest respect. No question was too much trouble to answer and if he did not know the answer then he would ensure that the relevant expert provided it immediately. He knew all too well the impor-tance of deadlines.Francis was overjoyed when General Sir William Jackson invited him to co-author the bi-ography of Sir Joshua Hassan. As a journalist he needed to be at the centre of local politics and so became friendly with all poli-ticians. As a result he was close to Sir Joshua who affectionately called him ‘Fanfi’. So it was with great pleasure he accepted this invitation from his favourite governor to co-write this impor-tant biography.He was incredibly popular and to walk with him down Main Street took a very long time as he would be stopped by his friends every few yards. This friendship with Gibraltarians from all walks

of life was shown by the huge crowds attending his funeral where the Chief Minister deliv-ered a marvellous eulogy. Above all else he was devoted to his wife, Pamela, his two daugh-ters and one grand daughter and his mother.The Chief Minister paid this personal tribute: “Francis was a consummate media profes-sional. He has been at my side in all Gibraltar’s international political and media campaigns. The huge respect and affec-tion with which he is held by fellow journalists around the world enabled Gibraltar to gain worldwide coverage. His death represents a great loss to Gibraltar, to the Government and to me personally.”

photo: Ever the ambassador -The occasion was a talk by Paloma Gomez Borrero, the Vatican journal-ist, when she visited the Marbella Cultural Club. Francis and Pamela Cantos ac-companied His Lordship the Bishop to Marbella creating a high ranking Gibraltar presence at that event. The group photo of the event was first featured on the front cover of ‘Upon this Rock’, Issue 48.

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Anne Mesilio

There is always a beginning, but its source is often tenuous. Perhaps a chance encounter, meeting or experience sows the seed that will evolve, influence and impact society for better or for worse. In Eunice Kennedy Shriver we celebrate one who has influenced and advanced the world of those born with intellectual disabilities. She was born in Brookline, Massachusetts on July 10th 1921, the fifth child of nine born to Joseph P. and Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy. That was her beginning, but it goes even further back to the dark days of the Irish potato famine (1845-1852) when her ancestors were driven from

their homeland in Wexford and emigrated to America. Had this not happened I would not now be writing this tribute on behalf of Special Olympics Gibraltar. This is the smallest country in Special Olympics, yet one of the Pillars of Hercules, spanning an area of 2.25 sq. miles, reaching a highest peak of 426 meters. Here, the lives of our people with learning disabilities have been touched and transformed by the vision of this woman of whom her mother has said, “I have known few people in the world to match her initiative, her energy and her drive.” This was quite an accolade considering the Kennedy’s were a bright and

fiercely competitive family in all things. Her son, Timothy Shriver, (Chairman and CEO Special Olympics) has said, “Her faith in the athletes of Special Olympics was unfailing, even from the start.” Here we have it, the start, but where was it, that beginning? Was it Camp Shriver which she established in 1963 in her own backyard which progressed to the holding of the first Special Olympic Games in Chicago in 1968? This took a special kind of courage and belief when more participants than spectators turned up, but she was not deterred; only encouraged. That day she wore her own badge of courage as it was less than two months since her brother Bobby had been assassinated. She must have been traumatised at this senseless slaying of a second brother in a span of five years. She was certainly “brave in the attempt” as she exhorted her athletes in their new oath. Was the beginning closer to home and her sister Rosemary “and others like her, retarded in mind, but blessed in spirit”? Times to Remember. Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy. Published 1974. Her mother speaks poignantly,

describing it “as not an easy matter, she (Rosemary) was born a retarded child. She was a very pretty baby and it was only slowly, as she grew to be a toddler and beyond that I began to realise she might be handicapped.” This was the early 1920’s when it was discovered she had a low I.Q. Her parents, finding the tests new and imperfect and the experts not very helpful refused to put her in a home deciding to keep her at home with the family where “we steeled ourselves at best we could and did not indicate either within the family or outside that there was anything extraordinary about her.” This was a dark era when retardation was considered a disgrace to the family, the only help having ‘them’ locked up in institutions which did not know how to care for people as human beings. (It is only in recent years that the words retard and handicapped have evolved into ‘people with intellectual disabilities’ a more enlightened term, though it must be said, that Special Olympics is currently running a campaign to eliminate the ‘R’ word, (retard) as unacceptable and still in use in vocabulary today).Rosemary, through her own efforts and the loving support of her family lived a satisfactory life until her death, aged 86 years in

a Message of hopeSpecial Olympics Gibraltar pays tribute to founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver who died on August 11th, 2009

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12

Anne Mesilio

a Message of hope 2005. Her mother recounts that “Eunice, though several years younger……….was particularly good and helpful and attentive with her, encouraging her to do her best……and later on she (Eunice) became a lay expert in the field of mental retardation”.. She became the Director of the Joseph P. Kennedy Jnr. Foundation for the benefit of persons with intellectual disabilities, and so very much more. She was energetic in helping war veterans adjust to civilian life, often these forgotten heroes were treated coldly and uncaringly. From the compassion and empathy she had shown her sister was born the inspiration to act on behalf of those countless others who were struggling, hampered by lack of opportunities in a bigoted world where it was considered a social stigma to have a disability. She had hope and vision and unflagging faith in the courage and untapped potential of this “forgotten population.” Above all it was hope, which can be a passive wish or an active plan or idea which needs personal action to execute it which drove her. In her son’s words, “Hope allowed her to see the invisible, fight for the isolated and achieve the impossible.” Denis Lafferty, Group Managing Director Saccone and Speed Gibraltar;” A very special lady who made dreams come true for millions

of Special Olympic athletes, including our own. She spoke with passion, determination and a heart full of love,” as she became a tireless campaigner and public advocate for people with intellectual disabilities. She had the Kennedy name, considered the Royal Family of America and it opened doors for her as she garnered the famous and rallied them to her cause.

She could not do it alone and built up an army of volunteers, coaches, donors, friends and fans who have become the bedrock of the Movement today. This Movement which is Special Olympics, an international organisation which changes lives by encouraging and empowering people with intellectual disabilities, promoting acceptance for all,

and fostering communities of respect and understanding worldwide. It operates in more than 180 countries, and hosts 30,000 events annually for over 3 million athletes. Nearly 25 years ago the movement began in Gibraltar in what was considered a bold move for those times but took root and grew upon this little Rock of ours. Annie Risso,

continued on page 15

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SPONSORS OF UPON THIS ROCK

Pausing for Reflection

In the Presence of God, has be-

come far more than the title of a book that I was involved in preparing for print. writes Angela Sargent. The book is sub-headed ‘Mary Ward’s Spirituality’ and as we all know it was Mary Ward who we have to thank for the Loreto movement, and our own Loreto School in Gibraltar. What astounded me as I started to get into the book, that what has taken me over 50 years to slowly understand, Mary Ward who was born in 1585, in York-shire, over 4 centuries ago seems to have assimilated already.As a teenager growing up I had a feeling that there was some se-cret knowledge that was hidden from most people, some truth, some ‘theory of everything’ that only a few initiates in mysterious sects might know. I have always been seeking this truth. Even the guy who wrote Star Wars seemed to be aware of it, when he talked

about ‘The Force’.I’ve written my own book about my search which eventually brought me to Gibraltar, and it-was while living in Gibraltar that I discovered the Truth. All wrapped up in the teachings of the Catholic Church.I had expected to have to travel

much further from my roots, I had read books about East-ern thought, studied Bud-dhism, and in fact, I was on my way to Tahiti when I ar-rived here.But all the time the Truth was to be found in the very religion that I was baptised into as a baby, and you don’t get much more Catholic than Mary Ward, and yet here on page 18 of this book on her spirituality, Ur-sual Dirmieri quotes from Mary Ward’s notes, words that could have been written by Ekhart Tolle, words that I’m sure Oprah Winfrey would approve of.She says, in noting her disposi-tion as she settled in to prayer “God was present; I had freedom to speak.” It is gaining this very intimate and immediate relationship with ‘The Force’ that is the secret that I have searched so long and hard for. What Ekhart Tolle calls ‘The Power of Nowa’ and what the Ignatian Fathers recommended. But its not that we can conjure up God in our lives at will, rather that we must cultivate an ope-ness an attitude of faith, and an awareness of the present mo-ment. Quoting from the book, “Living our own lives in the presence of God means being and remaining conscious of his presence.”To be continued

In the Presence of God

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Programme Chief Executive of Special Olympics Gibraltar who over the years has seen the athletes, “respected by their parents, grow in confidence and self esteem,” went on, “My mentor was Eunice Kennedy Shriver, an exceptional woman of strength and courage; eve-ryone she touched went away with a feeling of having drawn strength from her.” Annie re-corded rather poignantly, “The day she leaves us many people will mourn and Special Olym-pics will be at a great loss.” That day has come, she has gone to her eternal rest but that tenacity of spirit which kept her vision alive lives on. Joe Hern-andez, CEO, Sports and Leisure Authority; ”Her enthusiasm, strength and genuine humanity were clearly evident to all who had the honour of meeting her. The legacy she has left behind will continue to greatly improve the lives of all those who work in Special Olympics. She will not be forgotten as her memory will live on through Special Ol-ympics.” It has not been my

privilege to have met her, but I did glimpse her from afar one June day in 1963 when she ac-companied her brother President Kennedy to Ireland to visit their ancestral home. All the adula-tion was for him, he whose star blazed life would dim forever a few months later.One who did meet with her at the 1999 Summer Games, North Carolina, USA is Gibraltar’s present Minister for the Environment, Travel and Tourism, the Hon Ernest Britto, long time friend of Special Olympics Gibraltar. “It is with regret that I note the passing away of Eunice Kennedy Shriver, founder of the Special Olympics Movement. The impact on so many millions of persons throughout the world, either directly or indirectly the Special Olympic movement has had since its inception is immeasurable. She not only founded the Movement but dedicated so much personal time and energy to ensure its growth and success. It was my privilege to personally meet with her and

her husband, Sargent Shriver and the energy they both had for Special Olympics was contagious in its intensity. It was an unforgettable experience.” Through sports, and Mrs Shriver had “a passion for football and played with my brothers”, she has helped release the potential in her “special friends.” As we mourn her passing, but look forward with the spirit of hope she kept alight, I feel sure that, though the smallest country in the Special Olympics family Gibraltar may be, our athletes are as steadfast as the mighty

Rock which shelters them because in the fitting words of the Hon Ernest Britto, “the Special Olympics Movement will be the best perpetual monument to Eunice Kennedy Shriver.”

Continued from page 13

a Message of hope

Beryl Wooldridge, Programme Chief Executive, Isle of Man, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Annie Risso, Programme Chief Executive, Gibraltar.

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