Denver Catholic

2 I CATHOLIC LIFE APRIL 30, 2014 I DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER ARCHBISHOP'S COLUMN MOST REV. SAMUEL J. AQUILA The Gospel for this past Sunday began, "Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book." Miracles and signs have not ceased since the time of Christ, in fact, on April 27 the Church celebrated the canoniza- tion of Saints John XXIII and John Paul II – two men who have profoundly changed the lives of many and changed the course of history. Two nights before the canonization, I was having dinner, and a priest approached me with a huge smile on his face and a look of pure joy in his eyes. He had noticed I was a bishop and want- ed to tell me how happy he was that he was going to be able to concelebrate Mass with Pope Francis at the canonization. He was actually ordained in 1957 by Pope John XXIII when he was the Archbishop of Venice. He showed me a black and white pho- to of his ordination and could not have been more overjoyed at the wonder of being able to celebrate the canonization. My connection is with Pope John Paul II. I fi rst had the chance to see him during a visit to Rome in 1983. Over the years, I was blessed to be able to meet him several times, fi rst as a priest and later as a bishop. The most memorable time was World Youth Day in Denver when I assisted with three of the Masses he cele- brated and the archdiocesan welcome ceremony. When I arrived in Rome for the canonization, the air buzzed with the electricity of people from all over the world gathered for the celebration. I met a pilgrim group from Bergamo, the home of St. John XXIII, and ran into many Polish pilgrims. On Friday, I was surprised to learn that I was going to be concelebrating the canonization Mass. It was truly a blessing, and I was able to feel the closeness of Saint John Paul II as we celebrated the Eucharist. For me, and for so many priests, sisters and laity, John Paul II was a spiritual father who drew me into the embrace of the Fa- ther, brought me closer to the Son and helped me know the love of the Holy Spirit. On the occasions when I was able to meet him, it was apparent that he was a true disciple of Jesus Christ, fi lled with Christ's love and compassion. And in his declining years, he taught the world how to approach illness and death as a Christian. Sunday's fi rst reading from the Acts of the Apostles echoed a theme of the Gospel reading, speaking about how "Awe came upon everyone, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles." This experience of awe at the signs and wonders being done is something that is not a thing of the past. We know from the investigations done for the causes of John XXIII and John Paul II that miracles have happened through their intercession, and they continue to happen today. In the case of John XXIII, the miracle involved the cure and ongoing health of Sister Caterina Capitani of the Daughters of Charity. In 1954 she discovered that her spleen and pancreas were not functioning well and had caused ulcerous tumors to develop on the lining of her stomach. She ended up having her pancreas, spleen and almost all of her stomach removed, and after several months of suffering and the development of a fi stula in her abdomen, she was expected to die. The sisters of her order insisted that she pray to Pope John XXIII, and in 1966 when she seemed near death, she had a vision of the pontiff. He told Sr. Caterina: "You prayed to me very much. … You have really taken this miracle from my heart. But don't be afraid now, you are healed. … I will hold my hand on your wound, and you will be healed." The postulator of Pope John Paul II's sainthood cause said that thousands of miracles were reported, but the offi cial mira- cles involved the cure of a French sister Simon Pierre Normand from Parkinson's disease and the cure of Floribeth Mora Diaz of Costa Rica from a brain aneurysm. The healing of Mora Diaz, a Costa Rican mother of four chil- dren, is striking because she discovered in April 2011 that she had a brain aneurysm and was told she had one month to live. She could have gone to Cuba or Mexico for surgery if she had the money, but her family did not. All they could do was pray. You live in an age of miracles 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 Denver Catholic Register (USPS 557-020) is published weekly except the last week of December and the fi rst week of January, and in June, July and August when it goes bi-weekly. The Register is printed by Signature Offset in Denver. Periodical postage paid in Denver, CO. 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. Editorial: 303-715-3215 or editor@archden.org Advertising: 303-715-3253 or dcrads@archden.org Circulation: 303-715-3211 or circulation@archden.org Online: www.DenverCatholicRegister.org General Manager Karna Swanson Editor Roxanne King Business Manager Michael O'Neill Giving Precious a hand Guppy Fest to feature Broncos' Jack Del Rio BY JULIE FILBY Organizers of the annual Guppy Fest youth rally have an- nounced the keynote speaker this year will be Jack Del Rio, de- fensive coordinator for the Den- ver Broncos. "It is going to be an exciting day," said David Tschumper, di- rector of youth ministry at St. Thomas More Parish in Centen- nial, host of the event open to all students in sixth through 12th grades, and one of the longest running Catholic summer youth programs in the Denver Archdio- cese in its 21st year. Del Rio, a Catholic, spent 11 years playing linebacker in the National Football League before retiring in 1996 and beginning a coaching career. He joined the Broncos' staff in 2012. Del Rio is involved with Catholic Athletes for Christ, an apostolate that supports athletes and coaches in their faith and helps them use their unique platform to reach others with the Gospel. For more on Del Rio's faith journey, read the Oct. 23, 2013 Denver Catho- lic Register story: "Defending the Goal" at www.DenverCatholic Register.org. Guppy Fest is set for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 6 at St. Thomas More, 8035 S. Quebec St. in Centenni- al. It will include games, music, dancing, Mass and breakout ses- sions; the cost is $10. For more information or to register, visit http://youth.stthomasmore. org/event/guppy-fest-2014, call 303-220-3388 or email youth@ stthomasmore.org. Julie Filby: 303-715-3123; julie.fi lby@archden.org; www. DCRegisterJulie JACK DEL RIO, defen- sive coordi- nator of the Denver Bron- cos, is joined by Archbish- op Samuel Aquila, on the fi eld of MetLife Sta- dium in East Rutherford, N.J. on fam- ily day prior to the Bron- cos playing in the Super Bowl Feb. 2. Del Rio will keynote this summer's Guppy Fest. PHOTO BY LINDA DEL RIO BY JULIE FILBY "Precious," a 9-month-old or- phan from Ghana abandoned by her parents when born with a severely deformed hand and foot, received a prosthetic hand March 27 at Children's Hospital Colorado in Aurora. The infant, featured in the Feb. 26 Denver Catholic Regis- ter ("13-year-old fi nds life-long mission"), is one of 50 unwant- ed children rescued by Sister Stan Terese Mario Mumuni, M.A.S.E.L., "Sister Stan," a mis- sionary in West Africa that start- ed Nazareth's Home for God's Children. Precious has been living with the Buckendorf family, parish- ioners of St. Joseph Church in Fort Collins, since January. "She likes it a lot and is using it well," Whitney Buckendorf said of her foster sister's new hand. "She'll soon learn to crawl with it." Whitney, 13, raised more than $10,000 that allowed Precious to come to the United States and receive the care she needed, as well as secure the hospital and doctors for surgeries. During initial surgery Jan. 22, her arm and a portion of her foot were removed—both malformed due to Amneotic Band Syn- drome. During a second sur- gery March 31, the front of her foot was amputated. In four weeks, Precious will be casted for a prosthetic foot. "She is doing wonderful," Whit- ney said. "And is probably the most happy and talkative baby there is." For more information or to support Sister Stan's Children visit http://sisterstanschildren. org or like them on Facebook. Guppy Fest to feature and a portion of her foot were drome. During a second sur- gery March 31, the front of her foot was amputated. PHOTO PROVIDED PRECIOUS tries out her new prosthetic hand. See Aquila, Page 9

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