Denver Catholic

2 I CATHOLIC LIFE SEPTEMBER 25, 2013 I DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER ARCHBISHOP'S COLUMN MOST REV. SAMUEL J. AQUILA After the floods, stand firm on faith As towns along the Front Range were being hit with flash floods on Sept. 12 and 13, a huge mudslide careened down Mount Meeker, just above St. Malo Retreat Center. The deluge of mud, rocks, water and trees carved a 7-mile-long, 100-yard-wide path through the property and surrounded St. Catherine of Siena Chapel, which was protected because it is built on a rock. The mudslide traveled down the John Paul II Trail, completely changing the landscape and erasing any sign of the trail ever having been there. We are fortunate because the chapel only suffered minor cosmetic damage to its exterior, while its interior was left untouched. St. Catherine of Siena was protected because it rests on a rock about 8 feet above the basin it sits in. At one point, the amount of water surrounding the chapel was so great that it sent whole trees floating across Highway 7, which runs in front of the property. I tell this story because it reminds us that faith is the only firm foundation for our lives, whether we are living through times of blessing or times of suffering and desolation. I cannot help but think of the parable Jesus told about the wise and the foolish builder. "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock; and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. "And every one who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand; and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell; and great was the fall of it" (Matt 7: 24-27). Our faith is built on the teachings of Jesus, and like the chapel at St. Malo, it is a solid foundation that can sustain us in times of trial. In the wake of the floods, we all have a chance to see how God was and is with us in our trials. It can be hard to see how God is with us when we are in distress, but we know that he did not hesitate to participate in our suffering. When he was faced with the cross, Jesus embraced it; he loved us to the end. In his first encyclical Lumen Fidei (The Light of Faith), Pope Francis reflected on this mystery of suffering. "To those who suffer, God does not provide arguments which explain everything; rather, his response is that of an accompanying presence, a history of goodness which touches every story of suffering and opens up a ray of light," he noted. "In Christ, God himself wishes to share this path with us and to offer us his gaze so that we might see the light within it. Christ is the one who, having endured suffering, is 'the pioneer and perfecter of our faith' (Heb 12:2)." In the weeks and months ahead, as thousands of Coloradans work to rebuild their lives, we should turn to our faith, which is a sure foundation and helps us to see light in these times of adversity. If you are reading this and are not a person of faith, I invite you to reach out to God or turn to a friend who knows him well. As Pope Francis said in his recent "Letter to a Non-Believer" in the Rome newspaper La Repubblica: "Did not Jesus himself say, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life?' In other words, truth, See Aquila, Page 15 PHOTO BY TODD WOLLAM FOR DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER ON SEPT. 21 a team of nearly 100 volunteers, some pictured here, gathered at Our Lady of the Valley Church at 1250 Seventh St. in Windsor to unload and sort several semi-trucks full of provisions. The church is the main intake center for the three disaster relief centers established by Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Denver to aid flood victims. Flooding BY THE NUMBERS Front Range Flooding From Page 1 Catholic Charities is a Volunteer Organization Active in Disaster (VOAR) supporting local relief efforts with the Red Cross. Communities depend on the Catholic Church, and other organizations outside the government, to do the "hard work on the ground," according to Sullivan. "It takes local faith-based communities, schools and businesses to start providing the goods and services, the jobs and the tax revenue needed to help the community as a whole recover," he said. "Recovery is a long, slow process that could last years. The focus is getting back to whatever the new normal is." The recovery period may last from 18 months to five years, according to Smith, as roads, houses and businesses are rebuilt—some by families and organizations not covered by flood insurance. Many volunteers and donors are needed. "The best thing people can do is make a donation," Smith said. "Then, number two is prayerfully consider volunteering over the next two, three, or four weeks," as communities reopen. Deaths: 20,000 square miles Structures damaged: 8 2 Area impacted: 17,648 confirmed, Residents rescued: 1,750 Homes damaged: 16,063 more presumed dead Structures destroyed: Residents evacuated: 18,147 Homes destroyed: 4,047 1,882 —DATA AS OF SEPT. 20, 2013 CATHOLIC CHARITIES' DISASTER RELIEF CENTERS St. Mary Church 2222 23rd Ave., Greeley St. John the Evangelist Church 1730 W. 12th St., Loveland Our Lady of the Valley Church 1250 7th St., Windsor Information related to donating and volunteering is on the website, www.ccdenver.org, or by calling Catholic Charities at 303-742-0828. They need items such as grocery store gift cards, kitchen supplies, non-perishable food, Hours: Sundays noon to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. To donate or volunteer: Visit www.ccdenver.org, call 303-742-0828, or mail 4045 Pecos St., Denver, CO 80211 shovels and new blankets and pillows. "No donation is too small," Smith added. Julie Filby: 303-715-3123; julie. filby@archden.org; www.twitter. com/DCRegisterJulie PRO-LIFE RESOURCES October is Respect Life month. Do you have a business, ministry or service that respects life from conception through natural death? Let our readers know in our Pro-Life Resources ad listing that will be published with each issue in October. Contact Linda at 303-715-3212 or linda.engel@archden.org. There is a small fee associated with the listing.

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