Denver Catholic

2 I CATHOLIC LIFE OCTOBER 16, 2013 I DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER ARCHBISHOP'S COLUMN MOST REV. SAMUEL J. AQUILA Mary: my mother and yours This past weekend St. Peter's Square was full with those who came to celebrate Mary as a model of faith and their spiritual mother. This gathering, and the fact that October is the month of the rosary, provide us with a chance to reflect on the importance of Mary in Catholic spirituality. At World Youth Day in Rio this past July, one of the young people at a catechetical session I taught, asked the question, "Why do we as Catholics honor Mary?" The reason we believe Mary is the greatest saint is that she perfectly fulfilled Jesus' description of what it means to be a faithful disciple, when he said, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me" (Matt 16:24-25). Mary gave us the perfect example of this when she accepted God's invitation to become the mother of Jesus, without knowing how the Father's plan would unfold. Little did she know or fully understand her unique role in salvation history or all that her Son would encounter. Thirty-three years later, as Jesus hung upon the cross and Mary's heart was pierced with sorrow and grief, Jesus gave his mother to John, the beloved disciple, saying, "Woman, here is your son." Then he said to the disciple, "'Here is your mother.' And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home" (John 19:26-27). This gift of Mary as our mother is a key part of her relationship with us. She is not just our model; she is more, she is our mother. The Church has always seen John, the beloved disciple, as representing all believers, and it is for this reason that Mary is seen as our spiritual mother. As we all hopefully know from our own mothers, they sacrifice for us, patiently guide us, protect us and comfort us. In a word, they love us, and this is what Mary does. In my own faith journey this has become more evident to me in visiting the shrines of Mary, especially Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico and Lourdes in France. As I read the stories of both apparitions, Mary's tender love for Juan Diego and the Aztec people came alive to me. Each time I gaze on her image, I hear her call to me, "my little son." Her deepest desire for me is that I come to know and love her Son and that she leads me to him. This is why, on the day of my installation as archbishop of Denver, I consecrated and entrusted my ministry here to Our Lady of Guadalupe. When Pope Francis celebrated the Marian Day this past weekend, you could see that he knows the Mother of God as his mother. His devotion to Mary has always been strong, and it has been apparent since his election as pope, in his quiet trips to the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome and in his love for Our Lady of Lujan in Argentina. Blessed John Paul II was also known for his devotion to the Blessed Mother, and his love for Mary was present during the Oct. 12-13 celebration in a hidden way. The statue that was in St. Peter's Square this past Saturday and Sunday was the famous image of Our Lady of Fatima. This specific statue is significant because it is tied to the appearances of Mary in Fatima, Portugal, in 1917 and to the attempted assassination of Blessed John Paul II. On May 13, 1981—the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima—Mehmet Ali Agca shot Blessed John Paul II as he made his way through See Aquila, Page 4 Newly named St. Paul auxiliary bishop has Denver roots do the Lord's work." Charismatic Renewal. He studBishop-elect Cozzens, 45, ied in Rome, served as a travelFather Andrew Cozzens, who was deeply influenced by Den- ing missionary in the Twin Cities grew up attending All Souls Par- ver Monsignors Ken Leone and and joined the Companions of Christ, a fraternity of ish in Englewood and is consid- Thomas Barry, his diocesan priests and ered a "big brother" for several mother said. "I tell families it is seminarians who live Archdiocese of Denver priests, together but service has been named by Pope Fran- important to speak individual parishes. cis as an auxiliary bishop of St. well of priests to your family and form The common Paul and Minneapolis. household helps supHis parents, Jack and Judy, friendships," she said. St. Paul Archbishop port the priests' dedwho live part-time in St. Paul ication to the new and Colorado, were present John Nienstedt called when the appointment was an- Bishop-elect Cozzens BISHOP-ELECT evangelization and ANDREW fostering vocations in nounced at Mass on Oct. 11 at "a good man, intelliCOZZENS their parishes. They the Cathedral of St. Paul. Bish- gent, a man of deep share the same lifeop-elect Cozzens, a priest in the faith." He will be orarchdiocese, is an assistant pro- dained on Dec. 9 at the Cathe- style and ideals under the leadfessor of sacramental theology dral of St. Paul and will serve ership of their archbishop. with Bishop Lee Piche. Father Cozzens traveled back at the St. Paul Seminary. Bishop-elect Cozzens told to Denver in 2007 when local "I pray that as bishop he reaches out to more people," his diocesan newspaper, The priests began forming a ComJudy Cozzens told the Denver Catholic Spirit, that he will con- panions of Christ group. He Catholic Register. "Andrew treats tinue his preaching, teaching, worked closely with Father Matt people with compassion, shar- celebrating the sacraments and Book, priest secretary to Arching his love of the Church. He promoting the Church's healing bishop Samuel Aquila, and Father John Nepil, who serves as loves Pope Francis and his mes- mission as bishop. "I'm a firm believer that Je- the moderator for the Compansage to reach out to everyone." His mother recalled when she sus wants to heal," he said. "I've ions of Christ in Denver. Bishop-elect Cozzens serves was five months pregnant with been very impressed with Pope her youngest son she went in- Francis' image that the Church on the group's board of advito premature labor. Her doctor is like a field hospital. We're liv- sors. Six priests currently live urged her to terminate the preg- ing in a world in which there together and service individual nancy but she and her husband are many hurting people. I just parishes in the Archdiocese of refused. The family moved to hope my ministry as a bishop Denver. Father Book said that BishLittleton when Andrew was 4. will be part of the healing that The Cozzens' three children, flows from the heart of Jesus for op-elect Cozzens is like a "big brother" to the Denver priests including an older brother, Ser- people. "If I can in any way be part because of his friendship and gei Thomas, and sister, Helen, graduated from Green Moun- of healing, in all kinds of ways, continued guidance for the that's how I want to serve," he Companions of Christ. tain High School. BY ROX "Andrew is a great big broth"As a child, Andrew had se- said. "Jesus came to heal the vere food allergies until he was world, and I want to help serve er, a great communicator who Autho is a clear thinker and lives aan Den 10," Judy Cozzens said. "We al- in that way." Bishop-elect Cozzens was profound life of prayer," Fathertwo talk ways told him the reason why is that he was going to grow up ordained in 1997 at the St. Book said. next w Father Nepil praised Bish-to the D to be strong. Once, when he Paul Seminary. He graduated was very sick, he told a doctor from Benedictine College in op-elect Cozzens for having aabout t he was going to be OK because Atchison, Kan., and deepened he was going to grow up and his faith through the Catholic See Cozzens, Page 15 Q: G about DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER at you Lecture CIRCULATION CUSTOMER SERVICE: 303-722-4687 OR CIRCULATION@ARCHDEN.ORG Vatican Archite Published by the Archdiocese of Denver, 1300 S. Steele St., Denver, CO 80210 A: M Denver Catholic Register (USPS 557-020) is published weekly except the last week of December and the General Manager first week of January, and in June, July and August when it goes bi-weekly. The Register is printed by The the doc Karna Swanson Denver Post LLC in Denver. 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