St Vincents Algarve

http://www.stvincentsalgarve.org/ministrystaff.htm

Praia da Luz (West)
Nossa Senhora da Luz. (The Church by the Beach.)

The church of Nossa Senhora da Luz (Our Lady of the Light) from which the village takes its name. The original church was badly damaged in the 1755 Lisbon earthquake.

Painted in yellow and white, the church is located in the center of town, its renovation and restoration was funded by local contributions.

Location: Praia da Luz Area in Algarve

Nearest Airport : Faro at 90 Kilometres
Nearest Train : Lagos at 6 Kilometres
Nearest Motorway : Lagos at 6 Kilometres
Nearest Beach : beach at 350 Metres
Car: not necessary
Praia da Luz is a charming, quiet resort with a soft sand beach, stunning cliffs and water sports. There’s an ever increasing choice of bars & restaurants and the villas and apartments here blend perfectly with the original white-washed village of Luz. Ideal for families and couples, this elegant resort offers a relaxing holiday ambience with beautiful cliff top walks to nearby Lagos and Burgau. The historic city of Lagos is only 6km away and is becoming an increasingly sophisticated resort with massive investment in the marina and waterfront areas. There’s a great choice of restaurants and bars in Lagos throughout the year. There are frequent bus services from Luz to Lagos and local taxis also offer competitive rates. Typical Algarve holiday activities available locally or within a short distance are golf, Lagos zoo, water sports and parks, dolphin spotting, Health & fitness centres, Boavista Spa and the famous Alvor sand sculptures. Lisbon and Seville are possible day trips by car

The Last Rites are the very last prayers and ministrations given to many Christians before death. The last rites go by various names and include different practices in different Christian traditions. They may be administered to those awaiting execution, mortally wounded or terminally ill. It is not only Roman Catholics who have last rites but any Christian, no matter what denomination that is. Anglicans (Church of England) do as well.

Local newspapers have pointed out that if the couple had disclosed anything privately to Pacheco there would be potential conflict between the Catholic Church and the law.

The confidentiality of religious confession is sacrosanct in Catholicism and would take precedence even over criminal law.

Pacheco indicated that he already expected the church to be involved in the police investigations.

"I find it perfectly normal that police would carry out searches in Praia da Luz, and not excepting the church," the Catholic priest said.

Anglican priest Hubbard, meanwhile, has said he believed it to be "ridiculous" to imagine that the church could be used to conceal anything in the Madeleine case.

'Maddie' is the English priest's daughter Correio da Manhã

Praia da Luz: Portuguese priest, José Pacheco, didn't want Gerry at his mass

Rui Pando Gomes
06 April 2009 - 00h30
Thanks to Astro for translation

The little actress who plays the role of Maddie in the reconstruction that has been recorded in Praia da Luz over the last two days, is the daughter of the English priest that became a friend of Gerry and Kate after the mysterious disappearance of the couple's daughter on the night of the 3rd of May 2007.

As CM was able to establish, Anglican priest Haynes Hubbard has been in regular contact with the couple and showed himself available to 'lend' his daughter for the documentary that is being produced for British channel Channel 4. The priest's wife is also an extra in the reconstruction which, according to its producer, "is focused on witness statements of suspicious sightings".

The filming was followed by Gerry and by his friends Jane Turner and Matthew Oldfield.

Contrary to Hubbard, the Portuguese priest, José Pacheco, informed Gerry that he didn't want him to attend the mass that he celebrated at the local church yesterday, thus forcing Maddie's father to visit the temple before 9 a.m.

The employees that were dismissed from the Ocean Club weren't pleased by Gerry's presence in Praia da Luz, either. "If the dismissals are to be blamed on the Maddie case, then how does the company offer Mister Gerry free entrance into the resort to film whatever he wants?", an employee asks.

Priest didn't want "circus" in his church 24horas

Father Pacheco, who once gave the church keys to the McCanns, affixed posters at the door with the words "no cameras allowed"
Father Pacheco, who is responsible for the little church of Praia da Luz, refused for the filming of the new McCann documentary to be carried out inside the church, and even journalists were invited not to enter the place. Posters in Portuguese and in English were even placed at the entrance, forbidding the access of cameras.

According to a source that is close to the priest, Father Pacheco, who was vastly criticised in 2007 for giving the church key to the McCanns, this time didn't want the "circus" that was created by the presence of Maddie's father to affect the religious ceremonies of Palm Sunday, and even feared the reaction of the people.

Warned about the priest's refusal, Gerry McCann ended up going to the church alone, yesterday morning. Madeleine's father entered the church at 8 a.m., an hour earlier than scheduled.

Clarence Mitchell had informed the journalists that Maddie's father would go to church at around 9 a.m., and asked journalists not to be on location: neither Gerry respected his spokesman's schedule nor journalists failed to be on location.

Contrary to what happened during the months that followed Madeleine's disappearance, when the McCanns were warmly welcome in the church by the public, this time Gerry McCann was ignored by the vast majority of residents, with only a few comments of revolt being heard upon exit from the religious service.

The family priest

Father Paul Seddon married the McCanns and baptised Madeleine. He led a service to pray for her safe return at Our Lady of Compassion Church in Formby, near Liverpool, last Thursday night.

The Roman Catholic parish priest and family friend had been in regular phone and text contact with the distraught couple in the aftermath of her disappearance.

He flew out at the weekend and accompanied Kate to Mass on Sunday

The Hubbards – Haynes, an Anglican priest who was about to take up a new post as senior chaplain for the Algarve Anglican Church, and Susan, a midwife – arrived in Praia de Luz three days after Madeleine's disappearance. The town was in chaos as police combed the area looking for the missing British girl, reporters jostled for interviews and helicopters circled in the sky. This was no longer the peaceful tourist town the couple remembered from a previous visit when Haynes temporarily filled the role of Anglican chaplain in the former fishing village. Now he was arriving to take on the job full time.

God brought us here

The Hubbards appear to have had enough of reporters. Yet they agree to open their door to another inquisitive stranger for one reason only: because there's a chance that giving another interview just might help find the little girl they've never met.

The Hubbards now believe Madeleine's disappearance is the reason they were "called" to Portugal. Susan remembers the moment it hit her.

"It wasn't until months later, when I saw really why God had brought us here, that I was awestruck that he confirmed we were to be here before we even set foot in our town of Praia de Luz," she says. "For me, he confirmed it on the plane … the fact that there was a child missing here gave us our first mission before we even set foot in the place."
Father Haynes Hubbard

"It wasn't until months later, when I saw really why God had brought us here, that I was awestruck that he confirmed we were to be here before we even set foot in our town of Praia de Luz," she says. "For me, he confirmed it on the plane … the fact that there was a child missing here gave us our first mission before we even set foot in the place."
Father Haynes Hubbard

another example of the contagious megalomania.

He flew out at the weekend and accompanied Kate to Mass on Sunday (about father Seddon)

IIRC he stayed much longer than a weekend.

Banners and collages stand outside Praia da Luz's Nossa Senhora da Luz church
Madeleine: One year on in Praia da Luz - prayers, collages and a bizarre mannequin of missing girl
Daily Mail

Kate's diary

27 May 2007
Clarence spoke to us about a possible trip to the Vatican. It seems that it really is going to happen—main story on the news!

28 May 2007
I felt somewhat concerned. This is going to be a little too much, I only want Madeleine back and to return to our normal life.

30 May 2007
Pope Benedict XVI arrived in his "pope mobile" waving to everyone. It immediately became clear that he recognised us. He took hold of our hands and he was so gentle, so sincere.

I thanked him for having allowed us to be there with him. He said he would pray for us and that he would continue to pray for Madeleine and for her safe return. I gave him the photo of Madeleine—he blessed it (with the thumb)—something that we would be able to keep for ever. A shy man but very friendly.

Very emotional, very positive, very important—charming.

Please, God, bring back to us little Madeleine. We love her so much and we miss her so much. Please Lord, help us to be united once again shortly as a family.

Later on, Clarence told me that, before that (meeting the Pope), a butterfly had flown above and had landed on the bow on my hair.

Following on, it left, but it came back and landed on my lapel. An omen, we hope.

A hand appears on the railing beside Kate and Gerry Mccann

Hand rises quickly as the Pope approaches

Hand grabs the Popes hand

Hand vigourously shakes with the Pope

Hand immediately lets go of the Popes hand

Hand is quickly pulled away

Hands owner still not identifiable

Owner of hand now revealed as Clarence Mitchell
Extract:
'Mitchell was, as usual, only a few feet away from the couple when they met the Pope in St Peter's Square. He was so overcome he reached out to grasp the papal hand and was rewarded with a blessing and a set of rosary beads from one of the priests in the Pontiff's retinue.'
http://www.mccannfiles.com/id91.html

The entire family have been counselled on how to cope with their worst fears about Madeleine coming true. Glasgow-born Gerry told the Catholic newspaper, The Tablet, her death would "severely test" their faith, but Kate is "adamant" she wants to stay in the Algarve rather than return home to Rothley, Leicestershire.

John McCann added that the idea of Madeleine being dead "horrifies us". He added: The good news is we have no real evidence she is dead. Even if she is harmed, she is retrievable. The most hopeful possibility is somebody has got her, the publicity has kept them underground and somebody will give us the information to get her back."

Father Paul Seddon reads a prepared statement

Friday 18 May 2007

"I came to Portugal this week, not just because I'm a priest or anything, but simply because I'm a friend. Just to give them some support along with the many other friends they have everywhere.

When I first heard that Madeleine was missing it was in the early hours of Friday morning, just two weeks ago. For everyone involved it was a terrifying experience.

Those first few hours were filled only with darkness and fear. None of us will ever forget how we felt at that moment.

If that feeling of helplessness and devastation had continued it would have generated a sort of paralysis. But Gerry and Kate would not allow it. They knew it would have simply destroyed them as people and reduced the chance of finding Madeleine.

They made a choice to take control of things. This gave them a very positive focus and a conviction that Madeleine could and would be found.

The role played by the local people and the local church cannot be overstated, along with the constant contact with friends and family back home. The frequent visits to the church stirred their energy and a power which has also strengthened them.

Kate has a very deep rooted faith and she turned immediately to God for hope and strength.

Gerry has found that his own faith has been renewed through the incredible love... and he and Kate and the twins have received from everyone. He has told me he has experienced something in the church which set him on his way.

He spoke to me about feeling like he was in a tunnel but not at the far end where the light seems far away, he was at the end where the tunnel opened out - where anything seemed possible.

It is these experiences of love and support that have given them a renewed determination, which has made a huge impression on people everywhere.

Initially we all felt weak and helpless but when we looked at this couple in the most awful situation imaginable we asked ourselves a question: 'If they can be so courageous, why can't we?'

People became inspired by them, especially their friends and family. So there is now a world-wide movement to find her that is being powered by people everywhere.

The emhasis is now on how we can channel negative emotions into positive actions to make things better.


We're not going to look back now we're going to look forward, to look ahead.

Gerry spoke of the tidal wave of destruction that Madeleine's disappearance caused him and Kate. It has now been met by a tidal wave of empathy and love which has now been turned into action and hope.

Kate and Gerry, and all of us supporting them, whether here in Portugal or back home, will continue to leave no stone unturned until we find her.

On their behalf, I want to thank everyone for their part in trying to find this very precious, very special little girl.

Thank you."

Here are some facts:

Robert Murat lived in Hockering, Dereham, Norfolk until 2005, having moved there in 2001 from Lenwade also in Norfolk. His ex wife Dawn still lives in Hockering and Murat moved to PDL in 2005. In the very same local area of Hockering is a place called Wells, from the church there comes Father John Wilson who....guess what....at the time of Maddies disappearance just so happened to be.....the priest at the church at Praia da Luz which was visited daily by the McCann family since little Maddie was snatched....oddly enough Father John Wilson was replaced on..........you got it.....6th May 2007!

Also....prior to May 3rd, Murat spent 10 days at his sister's home in Exeter claiming he did some work on a property his mother owns in nearby Sidmouth, Devon........ funnily enough his sister's home.....just so happens....wait for it....... to be less than a mile from the house where Jane Tanner and Russell O'Brien live! (this puts Murat a 2 min car drive away from Tanner and O'Brien from about 21st April 2007...a week before the Tapas 9 left for their holiday in PDL)

Oh and there's more....Jane Tanner and Russell O'Brien's neighbours, James and Charlotte Gorrod.....also just so happened..... to be at the Ocean Club PDL at the very same time as the Tapas 9

What a small world this is!!

http://www.mccannfiles.com/id90.html

Thankyou for the info jd

ROSA wrote:Thankyou for the info jd

Thanks ROSA. I reposted it in the Mobile Phones topic this morning, GM and RM mobile phone activity is extremely interesting and ties up with what I posted

The evidences were never conclusive and they managed to return into England.
On that day, as they arrived in England without their daughter, there was a traditional religious ceremony at the Praia da Luz church
http://www.gerrymccannsblogs.co.uk/Frederico_D_Carvalho.htm

Approximately 20 people attended a religious ceremony this Wednesday, at the Church of Praia da Luz, to mark the passage of 1000 days since the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, which happened in May 2007, in that Algarve village.

The initiative, which was organised by the FindMadeleine Fund, and celebrated by Anglican priest Haynes Hubbard, gathered mainly members of the English community that resides in Praia da Luz, near Lagos.

At the end of the prayer “to remember Maddie”, which lasted for about half an hour, the participants set off some light lanterns into the sky, in a homage to the little missing girl.

“It’s a symbolic gesture to mark the disappearance, with a request for Madeleine to return to her parents”, Haynes Hubbard told the journalists.

“We want to help maintain the efforts to find Maddie”, he observed.

In the United Kingdom, the FindMadeleine fund prepared similar initiatives, in order to mark 1000 days after Madeleine McCann’s disappearance.
http://joana-morais.blogspot.com

Did the mccanns and the 3 kids go to church in PDL ?

There is no mention of her attending church on Sunday 29th in her book