Denver Catholic

CATHOLIC LIFE I 3 DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER I AUGUST 14, 2013 Norman Rockwell of Harley-Davidson paints for pope BY JULIE FILBY There was an unusual meeting at the Vatican this summer when thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts rumbled into Rome for Harley-Davidson's 110th anniversary celebrations in Europe. Four days of reveling in and around the Eternal City kicked off June 12 when brass from the Milwaukee-based motorcycle manufacturer had a chance to meet with Pope Francis at the Vatican. Among members of the select group was Golden, Colo., artist David Uhl. Uhl, well-known for his talent in capturing motorcycle culture with a timeless Norman-Rockwell-style of painting, was asked to make an exclusive piece to present to Pope Francis. The image was then used for a Vatican postcard. "I was humbled by the opportunity," he told the Denver Catholic Register during a conversation at his Golden studio July 30. PHOTO COURTESY OF HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTOR COMPANY GOLDEN artist David Uhl presents his painting "Chance Encounter" to Pope Francis June 12 during an audience at the Vatican with representatives from Harley-Davidson. Uhl, 51, part of the Harley-Da- so come up with something," vidson organization since be- he said, relaying the gist of the coming their first licensed oil phone call. painter in 1998, received the Putting other projects on the request just a month before the back burner, he began work on event. it immediately. "The Vatican wants to com"I wanted to use a motorcycle mission a piece of art with us … that's historic so you can't really place the piece," said Uhl, who has access to the Motor Company's entire photo archive for inspiration. "It could be '50s, late '40s, '70s; who knows, it's timeless." He settled on a 1948 Harley-Davidson FL panhead, and then came up with the concept of a group of clergy coming upon the bike while walking through a wide open St. Peter's Square. "(One of them) broke off from the gang to look at the bike," he said. The story was simple; the canvas was complicated. "You've got a cobblestone road, a (bike) with a really complex grouping of chrome, and then you've got St. Peter's Basilica with a thousand sculptures," he said. "How do I get all this in the same piece and keep it so your focal point doesn't get lost?" Not only did he successfully manage the busyness, he did it in about a week, following more Men to waken from spiritual coma, be impacted at Colorado Springs conference BY VERONICA AMBUUL COLORADO SPRINGS—In 1986, Jesse Romero was a police officer with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department who used boxing, martial arts and other sports to escape from the pressures of police life. But after a fellow police officer challenged him to begin reading the Bible as an alternative way to deal with stress, Romero rediscovered his Catholic faith. He earned a master's degree in Catholic theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville and started a nationwide preaching ministry in 1997. Since then, he has been on numerous radio and television shows, speaking in both English and Spanish. "(Romero) discovered how most Catholics really don't understand the basics of their faith, choosing to live out their lives in a kind of spiritual coma," his website states. "For them—and us—Jesse is a fivealarm wakeup call." Romero will be a keynote speaker at the Rocky Mountain Catholic Men's Conference on Sept. 14 at Pikes Peak Center in downtown Colorado Springs, along with Paul McCusker, Tom Peterson, Seth DeMoor and Rob McIntire. Greg Willits, Glenn Stanton and Capuchin Father John Lager will also lead a panel discussion. Father Jim Baron, parochial vicar at Pax Christi Parish in Littleton, will be the master of ceremonies, with music provided by Shaun Garrison and the FOCUS band. Bishop Michael Sheridan will celebrate the opening Mass at 8 a.m. The conference is an opportunity for men to learn that they are not alone in their struggles, which can include everything from economic uncertainty to marriage and family problems, said Christian Meert, director of the Diocese of Colorado Springs' Office of Marriage and Family Life. "The speakers will share their own stories, how they had to struggle and why they are where they are right now, full of fire for the Lord," Meert said. "The Rocky Mountain Catholic Men's Conference offers men a chance to be a part of something larger, a gathering place, where they can be affirmed and accepted," added Dennis Kater, an organizer of the event. "At the conference, men will be assured that they have many brothers, and together they can fight the good fight and be protectors of their families." The theme of the conference is "Impact!" because the goal is to have men impact their families, workplaces, communities, parishes and society, he said. McCusker, vice president of content development and a longtime writer for Focus on the Family in Colorado Springs, is a convert to Catholicism. He has written more than 300 episodes for the popular "Adventures in Odyssey" series and also produced acclaimed audio recordings of C.S. Lewis' "Chronicles of Narnia" and "The Screwtape Letters." An encounter with noted Catholic apologist Peter Kreeft was a turning point for McCusker. He began researching the early Church fathers and eventually entered the Rite of Christian Initiation Program at St. Patrick Parish in Colorado Springs. With the help of then-pastor Father Brad Noonan, he entered the Catholic Church in 2007. Peterson is the founder of nonprofit apostolates VirtueMedia.org and CatholicsComeHome.org. In 2008, VirtueMedia became the first pro-life media organization to air national television ads for women in crisis pregnancies that referred them to a telephone hotline. The ads helped to fuel double-digit declines in abortion rates where they aired consistently, according to the organization's website. CatholicsComeHome.org partners with local dioceses, including the dioceses of Colorado Springs and Denver, to air television commercials each year around the Christmas and Easter holidays inviting lapsed Catholics to return to the Church. DeMoor is the founder of OneBillionStories.com, a website featuring videos where Catholics tell the story of their personal faith journeys. DeMoor, who traveled to World Youth Day in Rio de Janiero to chronicle the event for the website, cycled across the U.S. shortly after graduating from college, videotaping roughly 200 interviews along the way. (See a full profile on DeMoor in the July 19 issue of The Colorado Catholic Herald.) McIntire is the founder of Freedom to Live Counseling in Colorado Springs, where he primarily works with men who suffer from addictions. He said that his talk will call men out of "masculine apathy." "Our culture promotes masculinity that is counter to the divine design of masculinity," McIntire said. Willits, a Catholic blogger and radio and television personality, is director of evangelization and family life ministries for the Archdiocese of Denver. He recently published "The New Evangelization and You: Be Not Afraid" (Servant Books). Before relocating to Denver in April, Willits and his wife Jennifer were the hosts of "The Catholics Next Door," a Catholic reality TV show. Stanton is director for family formation studies at Focus on the Family and a member of the Diocese of Colorado Springs. He debates and lectures extensively and worldwide on the issues of gender, sexuality, marriage and parenting and previously served as a consultant on increasing than two weeks of back and forth with Vatican officials. Three weeks later, Uhl, with his wife and their two children, headed to Italy. Following his regular weekly Wednesday audience June 12, Pope Francis took a short trip in the popemobile from St. Peter's Square to a neighboring courtyard where Uhl and the rest of the Harley contingency waited. Others presented the pontiff with a leather Freedom jacket and two classic motorcycles, then Uhl was up. What does one say when giving the pope a piece of art? "'I'm humbled by this opportunity,' 'I can't believe I'm actually here,' 'thank you so much,'" Uhl vaguely recalled his own words and mentioned that the pope, while smiling, was quiet. "We were told he wouldn't speak, that he understands English, but doesn't speak it very well." See Harley, Page 8 ROCKY MOUNTAIN CATHOLIC MEN'S CONFERENCE WHEN: Sept. 14 WHERE: Pikes Peak Center, 190 S. Cascade Ave., Colorado Springs. WHAT: Theme: "Impact!" Five men, five stories, five ways they are impacting their communities and the community of faith. WHO: Speakers include popular evangelist Jesse Romero, Catholics Come Home founder Tom Peterson, Focus on the Family radio theater director Paul McCusker, OneBillionStories. com founder Seth DeMoor and former undercover policeman Rob McIntyre. TICKETS: Go to www.rmcmc. org or call 719-866-6496. See more at: www.coloradocatholicherald.com fatherhood involvement in the Head Start program. His latest book, "The Ring Makes All the Difference: The Hidden Consequences of Cohabitation and the Strong Benefits of Marriage" (Moody Publishers), explains why cohabitation is harmful to couples and their children. Father Lager is the founder of "Marked Men for Christ" and gives retreats for both men and women. He was previously the executive director of Catholic Charities' Samaritan House in the Archdiocese of Denver. There will also be presentations from charitable organizations such as Christ in the City and Habitat for Humanity, Kater said. For more information and to register, visit www.rmcmc.org.

• Cover