Denver Catholic

2 I CATHOLIC LIFE OCTOBER 30, 2013 I DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER ARCHBISHOP'S COLUMN MOST REV. SAMUEL J. AQUILA All Saints' Day proves we can be holy The solemnity of All Saints' is quickly approaching and it is a feast that should cause our hearts to fill with hope because we are reminded that holiness is possible. Our culture celebrates many things, from the trivial to the sinful, but it rarely holds up what is good, true and beautiful. This Friday, Nov. 1, is the celebration of All Saints' Day. I want to highlight a few saints who can inspire us to answer the personal call to holiness that each of us received at our baptism. The first important thing to remember is that each one of these saints was a human being like you—who was born into the world, grew up in a family, and received and responded to the love of Jesus Christ. In the Archdiocese of Denver, we are blessed to have saints who have lived here or visited here, which makes becoming holy more present and real for us. First is St. Frances Cabrini, a woman who was rejected by every religious order she applied to because of her frail health but who was eventually able to found the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Mother Cabrini's vocation to evangelize began to appear when she listened to her father read stories of missionaries taking the faith to China, and she dreamed that someday she would be able to do the same. But God called her to minister to Italian immigrants living abroad; as Pope Leo XIII told her, "Not the East, but the West." God's call took her to New York, New Orleans, Chicago, Denver and Seattle, among other places. In each place, she sought out the needs of the poor and helpless, establishing schools, orphanages and hospitals. Mother Cabrini stands as an example of a woman who persevered in following God's call, even though her health and other obstacles sometimes stood in the way. Another saintly person is Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati. Even at the age of 17, Blessed Pier Giorgio was known for sharing his deep prayer life with everyone. Although he was the son of an influential Italian journalist turned politician, Pier Giorgio spent his time caring for the poor, sick and needy as he continued his education. He also loved the mountains, as many people in this archdiocese do. "With every passing day," he wrote to a friend, "I fall madly in love with the mountains; their fascination attracts me." For Pier Giorgio, mountain climbing was a way to grow in virtue by challenging himself physically and mentally, as well as a chance to invite his companions to pray. His approach to climbing is summed up well in a phrase that he wrote on a picture of himself holding onto a rock and looking up at the summit – "Verso l'alto," in English, "Toward the top." Blessed Pier Giorgio stands as an example of a young person who did not hold back anything from God but committed himself to reaching the heights of heaven. When I think of those of you who are mothers, St. Gianna Beretta Molla comes to mind. St. Gianna was a wife, mother and physician known for her joy. After she discerned that God was calling her to marriage, she embraced it with complete enthusiasm and dedicated herself "to forming a truly Christian family." St. Gianna gave birth to four children, but when she was pregnant with her last child, Gianna Emanuela, she developed a tumor in her uterus. Her official biography says: "A few days before All Souls' Mass in Aurora for miscarried children BY CINDY BROVSKY Father John Nepil grew up with a brother and sister but two unborn siblings never stray far from his prayers. His parents, Mary and Darrell Nepil, members of St. Frances Cabrini Parish in Littleton, had two miscarriages before John was born. "It's something I knew about when I was young but we never really spoke about it and most families don't," Father Nepil said. But when he was older his family, including brother, Stephen, and sister, Katie, began to recognize the significant loss and the need to acknowledge the siblings. "When the kids were older they told us, 'You and Dad really need to name the children," Mary Nepil recalled. "The miscarriages were part of our family. Our kids really brought that to light for us." Father Nepil and his mother want to reach out to other families who lost children through miscarriages and stillbirths. Queen of Peace Church in Aurora will recognize the unborn children at its All Souls' Mass at 8 a.m. Nov. 2. The Mass will be followed by a small reception at the parish, 13120 E. Kentucky Ave. "All Souls' Day is the perfect time to recognize these siblings who are more alive than us because they are part of God," said Father Nepil, who serves as parochial victor at Queen of Peace. Father Felix Medina-Algaba, ALL SOULS' MASS FOR STILLBORN AND MISCARRIED When: 8 a.m. Nov. 2 Where: Queen of Peace Church, 13120 E. Kentucky Ave., Aurora What: Mass followed by reception DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER FILE PHOTO BY JAMES BACA "We want to help families and encourage them through prayer," Father Nepil said. "I've had friends go through the grieving process, have named their children and have had funerals for their children. The children are a real part of their family and we want to recognize that in prayer together." Mary Nepil hopes the Mass helps comfort families who struggle after a miscarriage or stillbirth. Some women feel a sense of guilt when the pregnancy ends and they find themselves asking why, she said. "Some women blame themselves," she said. "It is so healthy for them to share those feelings. You go through the whole emotions of pregnancy and then the loss. It is a lot to deal with. "We hope women and families can come together in prayer and deal with those feelings together," she said. "This happens to so many women and they don't have to be alone." AN ANGEL statue graces a grave at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Wheat Ridge. Queen of Peace pastor, said the All Souls' Mass will emphasize that life begins at conception. "This is a Mass for all the dead and these children were souls created in the image of God," Father Medina-Algaba said. "It is a day to celebrate all souls." Priests counsel families yearround who have lost children to miscarriage or stillbirth, he said. "We see how painful it is for them to lose a child," Father Medina-Algaba said. "It is important for them to know their children are part of the body of Christ and they have the support of the Church." Nationally, one in four pregYEAR nancies end in miscarriage and approximately 26,000 babies Cindy Brovsky: 303-715-3215; annually are stillborn after 20 weeks, according to the March lou5213@aol.com; www.twitter. com/DCRegister of Dimes. DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER CIRCULATION CUSTOMER SERVICE: 303-722-4687 OR CIRCULATION@ARCHDEN.ORG Published by the Archdiocese of Denver, 1300 S. Steele St., Denver, CO 80210 General Manager Karna Swanson Denver Catholic Register (USPS 557-020) is published weekly except the last week of December and the first week of January, and in June, July and August when it goes bi-weekly. The Register is printed by The Denver Post LLC in Denver. Periodical postage paid in Denver, CO. Editor Roxanne King Subscriptions: $35 a year in Colorado; $42 per year out of state. Foreign countries: $42 surface, all countries, 6-8 weeks for delivery; $135 air, all other countries (average). Mexico, $48 air; Canada, $55 air. Postmaster: Send address changes to: Denver Catholic Register, Circulation Dept., 1300 S. Steele St., Denver, CO 80210 or e-mail circulation@archden.org. 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