Denver Catholic

in my conversion," Patti said. "I feel like he will really be a catalyst in unifying the great- er Church as well as bringing more people to God." Tyler, who graduated from Simpson University in Califor- nia, had the same sometimes non-denominational and oth- er times, Baptist, upbringing. He always felt an unspoken discrimination against Cath- olics. He could be anything as long as he wasn't Catholic. When he heard of Pope Fran- cis' election as pontiff, he said fl ippantly: "If there's anybody who would make me consider being Catholic, I think it's this guy." Through their association with Father Brian Larkin and Queen of Peace Parish's Fa- ther John Nepil, whose sister Katie married Patti's son Jor- dan, they learned more about the truths and beauty of the Church as well as the pontiff 's predecessors. "Pope Francis initially cap- tured my imagination and opened me up to the truth of the Church through his sim- ple humility and just his way of conducting himself," Tyler said. "Throughout my life I had caricatured the Church as an army of robots, that (Cath- olics) didn't need to interpret or reason—just do as they're told. "Pope Francis just showed up and broke that caricature. He showed me how radical obedience is necessary and important to the faith life. It wasn't me turning into a ro- bot but me offering my gifts to God." A striking honesty Marissa Evans, 27, a music teacher who attends Holy Pro- tection of the Mother of God Byzantine Church, follows Pope Francis' homilies on the Vatican website. "He will always hit some- thing that's a good reminder for me or a new way to look at something," she said, adding that she loved the "newness" of the pope. His answer to the question "Who is Jorge Mario Bergo- glio?" in an America Magazine interview August 2013 struck Evans. "I am a sinner. This is the most accurate defi nition," the pope told the reporter. "Just his answer was good for me to hear," Evans said. "I feel like the world is always asking us to put ourselves out there as something we're not. We're all just a bunch of sinners. It was the truth and it's striking." The pope's decision to travel in a Ford Focus—the same car Evans drives—reassured her that simplicity is OK, he said. "I thought that was really neat," she said. "I could drive the pope around." Evans began volunteering at the Gabriel House near St. James Church to help disad- vantaged mothers and chil- dren in September. Jonathan Ghaly of Nativity of Our Lord Parish in Broom- fi eld, who's a member of the Catholic movement Commu- nion and Liberation, said that he's been moved by Pope Fran- cis' witness. He gave his breakfast away, which he said he never does, at a stoplight to a homeless man "not because Pope Francis said so, but because of Pope Francis' witness. I looked at this homeless man differently than I had before, as my broth- er—two broken brothers fi nal- ly talking to each other. And he was so happy." The Denver real estate agent said the pope has challenged him to real conversion and to not reduce others to their re- ligion, lack of religion or even lifestyle. "He is truly the face of Christ who is changing my life now," he wrote. "Just watch- ing him—so real and unas- suming in front of everyone, even and especially in front of non-Christians—gives me a certainty that Christ is among us joyfully, unbiased and pres- ent through his friends, here and now, concretely." Ambassador of faith "What I have loved most MARCH 12, 2014 I DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER 8 I POPE FRANCIS' 1ST ANNIVERSARY 2013 ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ A LOOK BACK ON POPE'S FIRST YEAR MARCH 13 Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina, 76, elected 266th pope, and fi rst pope of the Americas MARCH 19 On solemnity of St. Joseph, re- ceived pallium and fi sherman's ring at inauguration to begin petrine ministry MARCH 28 On Holy Thursday, washed and kissed the feet of 10 male and two female ju- venile offenders at Casal del Marmo detention facility for minors APRIL 13 Named group of eight cardinals to advise him includ- ing U.S. Cardinal Sean O'Malley, archbishop of Boston MAY 12 Carried out fi rst canonizations as pope (for candi- dates approved by Benedict XVI): Laura of St. Cath- erine of Siena, Maria Guadalupe Garcia Zavala and Antonio Primaldo and Companions JULY 5 Published fi rst encyclical "Lumen Fidei" ("Light of Faith"), which he said was "written with four hands," as Benedict XVI began it before he retired JULY 5 Approved cause for canonization of Blessed John XXIII and Blessed Pope John Paul II JULY 8 First offi cial visit outside Rome, traveling to Med- iterranean island of Lampedusa, drawing attention to asylum seekers and migrants JULY 22-29 Attended 28th World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with an estimated 3 mil- lion international pilgrims SEPT. 7 Called for day of fasting and peace for peace in Syria, the entire Mid- east region, and throughout the world PHOTO BY L'OSSEVATORE ROMANO PHOTO BY JEFFREY BRUNO Pope From Page 1 PHOTO BY ROBERT LINN/DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER ARCHBISHOP Samuel Aquila greets candidate Tyler Lynch during the Rite of Election held at the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in downtown Denver March 8. European publisher launches new Pope Francis magazine BY ELISE HARRIS ROME (CNA)—One of the largest publishing companies in Europe is releasing a fi rst-ever weekly mag- azine dedicated entirely to Pope Francis due to the impact his pontifi cate has had in the world over the last year. On March 3 Mondadori, Italy's largest book and magazine publisher and the third largest in the con- sumer magazine segment in France, announced their new magazine Il Mio Papa, which is to be the world's fi rst magazine dedicated entirely to the bishop of Rome. The fi rst issue of the Italian language magazine was set to hit newsstands on March 5; an initial print run of 3 million copies is to be released during the fi rst month. "The idea for a magazine designed to report on and share the words and actions of Pope Francis came from observing how his election has stimulated a renewed interest on ethical, religious and moral is- sues," the magazine's editor, Aldo Vitali, said in a March 3 press release announcing the publication. "In fact, the current pope is a fi gure who, thanks to his empathy, as well as the power, the courage and the simplicity of his message, has won over everyone, both the faithful and non-believers," he observed. According to the press release, the new magazine will have a positive and popular approach with a layout that is colorful, easy to read, and will engage readers with moving photographic images, and will cover the weekly events of the Roman pontiff, including his meetings, pronouncements, engagements and audiences, such as his weekly Angelus and general audience addresses. Included in the magazine as a gift will be a double poster of Pope Fancis along with the most impactful phrase of the week, and every is- sue will include a piece of illustrated history on the life of the pontiff, done by artist Tiziana Lupi and which are designed as pull-out inserts to be collected. For the fi rst edition, Mondadori will include a special feature on the one-year anniversary of the pope's election, which will also be cov- ered in a DVD as a supplement to the magazine the following week. Il Mio Papa will launch with a price of 50 euro cents, and shortly after will be available on Facebook, Twitter, and the magazine's website, www.miopapa.it. PHOTO PROVIDED MARISSA EVANS holds a baby while volunteering at the Gabriel House near St. James Church. PHOTO BY MICHELLE BAUMAN/CNA

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