Denver Catholic

CATHOLIC LIFE I 3 DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER I SEPTEMBER 4, 2013 ics Prayer and personal touch help jobless find dignity BY NISSA LAPOINT Finding oneself in the job market can happen unexpectedly. It's happened to Bruce Allen of St. Mark Parish in Highlands Ranch six times in the last 17 years. Three companies he worked for in Colorado went bankrupt, two let him go to save overhead costs and one he quit, he said. He sought the help of the Discovery Job Network, a nonprofit, faith-based employment service based at St. Thomas More Parish in C BY-NC-SA 2.0) Centennial. e Parish Director Liz Stelloh helped Nathanpolish his résumé. With an "elevaAnn Se-effective 90-second hare thetor speech," networking skills ve epi-and a polished résumé, he was Catholicready to job hunt. Father "The end result was a betpriestlyter product, a better picture ocese of topic of Centro on the nth andFrom Page 1 Mullen's "We have good rapport with locatedCatholics and non-Catholics he 16thalike because of what we do," he Denver.continued "We are totally Cathopen toolic in our approach. … Denver's Catholic community can be very proud of Centro." Responding to needs While the road to get Cene direc-tro up and running wasn't allic Con-ways easy, it was driven by a arm ofdedicated group, including its told thefirst executive director, Mar 01, willMuñoz-Visoso. ment in Muñoz-Visoso, now director of the Secretariat for Cultural ave sac-Diversity for the U.S. bishops, ve theirserved in the Denver Archdioers," shecese from 1996 to 2007. In 1998, r thosewhen director of Hispanic Minin suchistry, then Archbishop Charles and theJ. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., charged eir loss."her with investigating the needs by Arch-of the parishes in response to an e a wayinflux of Hispanic immigrants e out ofin northern Colorado. emem- "Archbishop Chaput sent me re lost,"to be the ears, eyes and heart to gratefulHispanic ministry," she told the are stillDenver Catholic Register Aug. 27 o manyin a phone interview. It is estimated half of the " a is lo-Catholic population of northn down-ern Colorado is Hispanic. nforma- "A lot of needs emerged, both social and educational," she said. "We needed one place for a pastoral institute and a center for social needs." At the time, the archdiocese operated a Hispanic center, CENTRO L.U.P located in the .E., since-demolished Mount Carmel High School at 3600 Zuni in northwest Denver. In 2000, CENTRO L.U.P moved to the .E. old St. Patrick School at 3401 Pecos St., which they shared with Escuela de Guadalupe, a private, Catholic, dual-language school. of myself," Allen said. "She's very good at taking a look at a résumé and answering a lot of questions people have. She's a great resource for people at all levels, at all positions." He's since decided to start his own financial consulting business. A steady number of Americans have experienced joblessness during the recent economic downturn. Some figures estimate up to 4 million people have been jobless for more than six months. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops addressed the issue in their annual Labor Day Statement. "Every human being enjoys a basic right to be respected, not because of any title, position, prestige, or accomplishment but first of all because we are created in the image and likeness of God," the statement Shortly after it was determined both organizations needed room to grow. The Hispanic center set to move again; hoping for a permanent location. "We really needed a place we could call home," Muñoz-Visoso said, "a place we could grow in." The top two locations considered were the old Cathedral High School, closed since 1982; and Sacred Heart School, closed since 1979. Ultimately, Sacred Heart was selected. Before construction began on the 1889 building, which had fallen into significant disrepair, a gift arrived in the form of Mexican immigrant Father José Gomez, who was appointed auxiliary bishop of Denver Jan. 23, 2001. "It really was providential," Muñoz-Visoso said. "Bishop Gomez 'sold' the project to the advisory board and helped them believe in it. He started getting a lot more people involved." Archbishop Chaput, in his continuing commitment, connected a potential donor with the project—who donated $1 million anonymously. That gift, along with grants and fundraising efforts, provided the "seed money" needed to start the nine-month construction project. On July 12, 2003, Archbishop Chaput dedicated the building and Centro San Juan Diego officially launched. Building one body TOP 5 TIPS ON FINDING A NEW JOB Tailor your résumé to each job that you apply for. Locations: main office at St. Thomas More Parish, 8035 S. Quebec St., Centennial. Other sponsor locations are at St. Jude in Lakewood, St. Frances Cabrini in Littleton, St. Mary in Littleton, and Queen of Peace and St. Michael the Archangel parishes in Aurora. Network, network and network. Main phone: 303-220-3384 Get an accountability partner. Email: djn2@stthomasmore.org Pray Website: www.discoveryjobnet work.org THE CHURCH ON WORK "Rerum Novarum" (On the Condition of Labor) by Pope Leo XIII, 1891 "Laborem Exercens" (On Human Work) by Pope John Paul II, 1981 "Caritas in Veritate" (Charity in Truth) by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, 2009 DISCOVERY JOB NETWORK Stay positive. Negativity will show in your interviews. —Discovery Job Network reads. "From an ethical and moral perspective we embrace the exhortation of St. Paul 'to anticipate one another in showing honor' (Rom 12:10)." The Church has maintained its teaching that work is fundamental to a person's dignity. In Pope Leo XIII's encyclical Rerum Novarum (On CENTRO SAN JUAN DIEGO GALA When: 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Oct. 16 Where: Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel, 1550 Court Place Featured speakers: Archbishop Samuel Aquila and Jonathan Reyes, head of U.S. bishops' Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development Cost: $150 per person Tickets: www.blacktie-colorado. com/rsvp, event code CSJD1016 Questions: Visit www.centro gala.org, call 303-295-9470 ext. 104 or email jennie.marquez@ archden.org Awards The following leaders will be honored at the gala. Archbishop José H. Gomez Pastoral Leadership Award: Antonio and Claudia Chavez Archbishop José H. Gomez Social Justice Award: Friends of St. Andrews, a ministry of Queen of Peace Parish in Aurora Amistad Award: Colorado Rockies Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila Leadership Award: Ralph Nagel really started to believe in the project because they saw the good come out of it." In their first year, Centro served 3,000 to 4,000 people. Today, according to Soto, that number averages more than 31,000 per year. "We always have in mind building the unity of the body of Christ," he said. For more information, visit www.centrosanjuandiego.org or call 303.295.9470. One year later, Bienestar Family Services moved in from their location at St. Joseph Church in Denver. Educational, social and pastoral programs have continued to be added since. Julie Filby: 303-715-3123; "We became a beacon of hope for the community," julie.filby@archden.org; www. Muñoz-Visoso said. "People twitter.com/DCRegisterJulie the Condition of Labor) he reminds faithful that "according to natural reason and Christian philosophy, working for gain is creditable, not shameful, to a man, since it enables him to earn an honorable livelihood." Almost a century later, Pope John Paul II wrote in Laborem Exercens (On Human Work) that man must earn his daily bread and contribute to the elevation of morals and culture in his society through work. God calls man to work, which distinguishes him from other creatures. The Discovery Job Network is See Labor, Page 6 Archbishops offer congratulations to Centro "The 10th anniversary of Centro San Juan Diego is an opportunity to thank the magnificent team that inspires, encourages and serves our Hispanic community. But above all, it is a reason to thank wholeheartedly our Lord and his Holy Mother, Our Lady of Guadalupe. I remember when then-Auxiliary Bishop José Gomez turned his energy toward this project, along with a group of committed and dedicated people, many of whom are still part of this fraternal community. It was, and continues to be, a community driven by the love of Jesus Christ, that surrenders itself generously to respond to the material, psychological and spiritual needs of our Hispanic brothers and sisters. May God bless not only the current efforts of Centro but also the future of Centro, so that it grows in step with the growing needs of our Hispanic community. Let us entrust the work of Centro to Our Lord and his Blessed Mother." —Denver Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila "When I left Denver for Philadelphia two years ago, I took with me a great deal of pride and many wonderful memories regarding the work of Centro San Juan Diego. This year marks Centro's 10th anniversary, and it has already achieved more than anyone could have imagined in its great service to the Church and to Colorado's Hispanic community. May God bless all of you who have helped build, and who now sustain, Centro's tremendous ministry. Please know that you are in my friendship and daily prayers; and please don't forget me in your prayers as well." —Philadelphia Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap. Denver Archbishop 1997-2011 "It is with great joy that I greet all the team at Centro San Juan Diego on this 10th anniversary of service and commitment to the Hispanic community in the Archdiocese of Denver. I remember fondly the efforts, dedication and generosity of so many people when Centro San Juan Diego was only a dream, and I raise my prayers of thanksgiving to the Lord, for his contribution has been essential for the center to become what it is today. I pray to our Lord to continue to bless you abundantly, and I pray to Our Blessed Mother, Our Lady of Guadalupe, who has always kept you under her protective mantle." —Los Angeles Archbishop José H. Gomez Denver Auxiliary Bishop 2001-2004

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