Denver Catholic

CATHOLIC LIFE I 3 DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER I MAY 7, 2014 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 BY JULIE FILBY Brother Anthony Monahan, 42, of San Antonio Friary in Den- ver, made his solemn lifetime profession as a Capuchin-Fran- ciscan brother in the recently elevated Basil- ica of St. Fidelis in Vic- toria, Kans., April 23. Despite limitations from multiple sclero- sis, Brother Monah- an is known to all he serves as a hard worker and a humble joyful fri- ar, who always speaks good of other people, according to Capuchin Provin- cial Minister Father Christopher Popravak, who received the pro- fession on behalf of the Church. "What I saw in the brothers when I came from Minnesota to visit them, was exactly what I was looking for in my life," Brother Monahan said, adding specifi- cally that he was attracted to the Capuchins' example of prayer, apostolic work and fraternity. During formation, he has served as church sacristan, min- ister to the sick and homebound, worked in the food bank at An- nunciation Church, assisted in the province's development pro- gram and ministered to residents of Mullen Home of the Little Sis- ters of the Poor. He joined the Capu- chins as a postulant at San Antonio Friary in 2008, and continued training as a novice at St. Conrad's Friary in Allison Park, Pa. Re- turning to Denver, he took temporary vows as a Capuchin in 2010 and since that time has continued Capuchin formation at San Damiano Friary, St. Anthony of Padua Friary and San Antonio Friary, all in Denver. Brother Monahan, son of Wil- liam and Lucy Monahan of Altu- ra, Minn., graduated from Lewis- ton-Altura High School in Lewis- ton, Minn., holds an associate's degree in applied science from the University of Minnesota at Waseca, and a bachelor's degree in philosophy from Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary and St. Mary's University in Winona, Minn. Capuchin brother makes lifetime profession, serves happily despite MS BROTHER An- thony Monahan, O.F.M. Cap. BY JULIE FILBY Deacon Patrick Reidy, a Colorado native who grew up attending St. Thomas More Parish in Centennial, was or- dained to the priesthood April 26 at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on the campus of the University of Notre Dame by Fort Wayne-South Bend Bish- op Kevin C. Rhoades. Father Reidy, son of Jean and Michael Reidy of Greenwood Village, will celebrate Mass at his home parish of St. Thomas More 10:30 a.m. May 25. In his priestly ministry, he will continue to serve as rector of Keough Hall and with the Office of Campus Ministry at Notre Dame. "I want to assist students not only in recognizing and developing their own gifts, but also in discovering their lives' deepest longing: to become the men and women that God created them to be," he said. During formation, Father Reidy coordinated student leadership development pro- grams and retreats, conduct- ed marriage preparation pro- grams, directed student mento- ring groups, served as a hospital chaplain, and helped with the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. He holds a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Notre Dame and a master's in divinity. He entered formation with Holy Cross as a postulant in 2008; made his first profession of vows in 2010, and professed perpetual vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, and committed himself to the com- mon life and apostolic work of the Congregation of Holy Cross Sept. 7, 2013. Denver native ordained Holy Cross priest PHOTO BY MATT CASHORE/UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME DENVER NATIVE Father Patrick Reidy, C.S.C., will celebrate his ordination with a Mass at St. Thomas More Church in Cen- tennial May 25. He is pictured here at his April 26 ordination. Pilgrims' faith, desire for holiness renewed BY ROXANNE KING ROME—Challenges were overcome. Friendships were born. Faith was renewed. Those were the blessings some 45 faithful experienced on the April 25-May 3 archdiocesan pil- grimage to Rome to witness the canonization of Popes John Paul II and John XXIII. On their journey the pilgrims dealt with vast crowds"—800,000 at the canonization Mass"—who overwhelmed St. Peter's Square and also filled the other sites the group traveled to the week after the historic sainthood-making liturgy. Along the way, they learned about the history of the Church in Rome, seat of the Catholic Church since the first centu- ry A.D., and were awed by the beauty of the Sistine Chapel, where popes are elected, and of St. Peter's and the other major basilicas in Rome that were ei- ther designed or include works by great artists such as Michel- angelo, Raphael and Bernini. And they were inspired by the lives of the saints and mar- tyrs they encountered at Assi- si, birthplace of Saints Francis and Clare; in the St. Callistus catacombs, where St. Cecilia was originally buried; and the Colosseum, where gladiator fighting took place and Chris- tians, including St. Ignatius of Antioch, were fed to wild beasts. They also got an exciting up- close look at Pope Francis as he drove by them in his popemo- bile prior to his April 30 general audience at St. Peter's Square. "The highpoints were going to the canonization and see- ing the pope during his general audience," said Patrick Lana of Christ on the Mountain Church in Lakewood. "What I didn't ex- pect was seeing the beautiful churches and experiencing the power they had, the feeling you got when you entered them. "The pilgrimage was won- derful," he said, adding he was moved by the spirit of love he experienced and was stirred to avail himself in the future of opportunities to share his faith with others. Lana's wife, Annette, who is a convert to Catholicism, said: "I understand better what a pil- grimage is. I'm taking away a re- newed spirit—a renewed sense of God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit." She also gained a deeper ap- preciation for Mary as the moth- er of all Christians after feeling her presence at the Basilica of St. Mary Major, the largest Church dedicated to the Blessed Mother in the Eternal City. "I'd never really understood praying to the saints and pray- ing the rosary before." It was also enlightening for the youngest member of the group, eighth-grader Lowell Dillon of St. Vincent de Paul Church and school. "I learned a lot about Church history," he said, "and the saints and martyrs and how they died for their faith." Pilgrims said they went to see Pope Francis and his predeces- sor, and to be part of history as John XXIII, who convened the Second Vatican Council, and John Paul II, who implemented it, are the first popes to share a canonization date, and who Pope Francis described respec- tively as "the pope of openness to the Holy Spirit" and "the pope of the family," in his homily. "In these two men … there dwelt a living hope and an inde- scribable and glorious joy. The hope and joy which the risen Christ bestows on his disciples, the hope and joy which nothing and no one can take from them." Hope and joy were "palpable" in the first Christians, which was "a community that lived the heart of the Gospel, love and mercy, in simplicity and frater- nity," Pope Francis said. And it was present among the pilgrims who went to honor the new saints and who carried the intentions of others with them. "I took away a powerful sense of community, not only with the people on the pilgrimage but also with the wider Church," said Patty Garner of Immacu- late Conception Church in La- fayette, echoing the sentiments of others. "We took care of each other—everyone just jumped in and became part of a new com- munity together." Noël Stewart, of the Neocate- chumenaI Way at Sacred Heart of Jesus in Boulder, said she was struck by how are all called to live and to work with God's grace, which is always present. "I see that if we're open to one another as John Paul II said, 'to be not afraid,' how quickly we can bond and become brothers and sisters of one another. I'm filled to the top with overflow- ing joy and grace. I feel a call to pass that on to people." The canonization reminds us that we are all called to be saints, said Father Bob Schwartz of Our Lady of Grace Church in Edina, Minn., who joined the archdi- ocesan group with a dozen of his parishioners. "What the world needs," he said, "is more saints!" What the world needs now: more saints PHOTO BY MARY KERSHNER POPE Francis waves to the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square in Vatican City for his April 30 general audience. PHOTO GALLERY See photos of the archdioce- san pilgrimage with this story online at www.DenverCatholic Register.org.

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