Denver Catholic

2 A R C H D I O C E S E O F D E N V E R The Next 25 Years Has Begun WYD '93 25th Anniversary If there is an event that has proven to be a turning point for American Catholicism, it was World Youth Day '93 in Denver. When Pope John Paul II announced he wanted to hold the next WYD in the U.S., many American bishops were skeptical. ey didn't think this type of event could be successful in the U.S. Yet, the Holy Father insisted—and he was right. Around 700,000 young people from around the world attended, making it the biggest event in Colorado history. " ere was almost a spirit of maintenance, of just keeping things going, and WYD brought in the aspect of a deeper formation, a deeper relationship with Christ, and a deeper living out of the faith in the world," said Cardinal Francis J. Sta ord, who was then Archbishop of Denver. Twenty- ve years later, the Church in Denver is a hotspot for the New Evangelization, giving birth to numerous lay and religious initiatives seeking to bring Christ to every home and aspect of society. More Than You Realize In conjunction with the 25th anniversary of World Youth Day, the Archdiocese of Denver launched More an You Realize (MTYR), a discipleship movement inspired by Saint John Paul II's call to the faithful in Denver to be a spark for the New Evangelization. MTYR was introduced to over 5,000 Catholics across the archdiocese during a special conference celebrating the saint's visit to Denver 25 years ago with the intent of looking forward to the next 25 years. e four pillars of MTYR, which ask the important questions of how we can better Receive, Free Up, Form and Go Out, will be the foundation upon which the movement is built—and the wheels are already in motion. MTYR.Church was launched for practicing Catholics and MTYR.org will launch in 2019 for both secular and Christian audiences. rough intriguing videos, stylish merchandise and stimulating content, the movement will o er faithful Catholics modern tools for evangelization and non-Catholics the opportunity to learn the truth of the Catholic faith — something that is much more than most people realize. " World Youth Day brought in the aspect of a deeper formation, a deeper relationship with Christ, and a deeper living out of the faith in the world." C A R D I N A L F R A N C I S . S TA F F O R D OIN THE MOVEMENT mtyr.church Follow us: Facebook Instagam YouTube Twitter Launching Februay 2019

• Cover