Denver Catholic

DCR- Jul. 16, 2014

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BY JULIE FILBY From the launch of the Rus- sian Revolution in 1917 until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the communist regime did everything they could to remove God from society: they murdered Christians by the thousands; destroyed churches, monasteries and seminaries; and intentionally unraveled the fabric of the family. "From the very beginning, communism was atheistic and wanted to destroy the Church completely," explained Father Daniel Maurer, 63, a native of Michigan and priest of the Canons Regular of Jesus the Lord (C.J.D.) serving in Russia. Father Maurer visited the Archdiocese of Denver earlier this month. Since religion could not be practiced freely, or passed on in families for nearly 70 years, the militant atheists of the commu- nist party succeeded and Chris- tianity was virtually snuffed out. The effects persist in Russia today. "When you take away the Gospel, maybe that first genera- tion will be OK, and the second generation a little bit worse," Father Maurer said. "But look at four generations when it's been repressed and you find out what human nature is really like." Child abandonment and abuse, alcoholism, drug abuse and elder abuse are common- placeā€”as well as divorce. The majority of marriages in Russia end in divorce according to Unit- ed Nations' statistics: in 2011 there were 669,421 divorces and 1.3 million marriages, resulting in a 51 percent divorce rate. Father Maurer reported see- ing a much higher rate in the far eastern region, estimating a 94 percent divorce rate, with 80 percent occurring in the first four years. Additionally, abortion has be- come commonplace since Rus- sia became the first nation in the world to legalize it in 1920. According to 2010 U.N. data, INDEX Archbishop's Column ......................2 The Catholic Difference ..................4 Call to Charity ...................................4 Summer Reading .............................6 Generous Hearts ............................ 12 Nun of the Above quiz ...................13 Bulletin Board ................................. 14 Service Directory ...................... 14-15 PHOTO PROVIDED PARISHIONERS of Most Holy Mother of God Church in Vladivostok, Russia, are pictured in front of the church September 2012 with the priests that re-established the parish in 1991: Father Myron Effing, front row, and Father Daniel Maurer, second row. Their growing community began with 15 descendants of the parish before it was closed by the communist government after the revolution of 1917. JULY 16, 2014 114 Years of Service to the Gospel Volume XC - No. 25 www.DenverCatholicRegister.org I Follow us on INSIDE CONSECRATED LIFE NEW EVANGELIZATION PAGE 9 PAGE 2 Layman's supersite named No. 1 Christian ministry blog PHOTO BY DANIEL PETTY/DCR Nuns to move to the country LOCAL NEWS YOUNG ADULTS PAGE 3 PAGE 11 Christ in the City turns a page in homeless ministry Redefining marriage will 'erode the family,' say bishops See Russia, Page 8 A new generation of CATHOLICS for RUSSIA Four generations of atheism couldn't kill God VIDEO Watch a video about the church in Vladivo - stok here: https://www. youtube. com/watch?v=GKtN4N5aRg4 or scan the QR code.

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