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JUNE 18, 2014 114 Years of Service to the Gospel Volume XC - No. 23 www.DenverCatholicRegister.org I Follow us on BY CINDY BROVSKY Denver Archbishop Samuel Aquila will celebrate religious freedom and how it allows Catholics to serve the poor without discrimination at a special Mass on June 27. He will pray for religious freedom during a time that is particularly fragile with the federal mandate requiring all health insurance plans to provide birth control, courts allowing same-sex marriages and laws worldwide impacting immigration and adoptions. The Mass at 6:30 p.m. at St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Denver is part of the national Fortnight for Freedom – taking place June 21-July 4 – and call- ing all Catholics to prayer, edu- cation and action for religious freedom worldwide. This year's theme, "Freedom to Serve," focuses on how re- ligious freedom enables the Church to serve the poor and vulnerable in accord with hu- man dignity and the Church's teaching. "Our country is strength- ened by the selfless service of so many committed Catholics, Christians and other people of good will," said David Ueb- bing, chancellor for the Arch- diocese of Denver. "Freedom of religion is a vital compo- nent of the fabric of our soci- ety because it allows people to express their faith through service, without fear of being discriminated against for their beliefs." Archbishop Aquila will give a special blessing at the Mass to those who serve the poor, including workers and volun- teers with the archdiocese's Catholic Charities that serves Catholics and non-Catho- lics throughout northern Colorado. Since 1927, the organization has helped with such needs as child care, housing and shel- ters for the homeless. Last fall, Catholic Charities was among the first to provide disaster relief to hundreds affected by the floods throughout Boulder, Weld and Larimer counties. "Poverty is more than the absence of wealth," said Wen- dy Oldenbrook, the local direc- tor of development and mar- keting for Catholic Charities. "The poverty we often work with at Catholic Charities is a product of isolation; people who feel entirely alone, afraid, abandoned. What religious freedom means to us is that we are able to share the love of Jesus to people—we have the freedom to meet a need more fundamental than hunger and homelessness." Without religious freedom, Catholic Charities would be just another well-meaning social service agency, Olden- brook said. "Leading with Jesus differ- entiates us. We bring the love and compassion of Jesus into everything we do; this is what Free to share Christ PHOTO BY TODD WOLLAM/DCR ARCHBISHOP Samuel Aquila talks with Sister Joseph Marie Cruz, a Little Sister of the Poor, prior to a Fortnight for Freedom rally at the state Capitol last year. INSIDE TRUTH & BEAUTY PAGES 2-3 GENEROUS HEARTS PAGE 7 Donors give $2 million as a 'gift to the Lord' Take a walk on the sacred side RESPECT LIFE PAGE 16 PAGE 17 New women's clinic embraces what is 'naturally good' Pro-life teen tested by reality of own pregnancy See Freedom, Page 22 Last Chance to receive your free copy of the "Pilgrim of Hope" DVD! See Pages 12-13 for details.