Denver Catholic

2 I CATHOLIC LIFE DECEMBER 3, 2014 I DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER ARCHBISHOP'S COLUMN MOST REV. SAMUEL J. AQUILA When most of us think of starting a new year, we think of Jan. 1st. In the life of the Church, we begin a new year with Advent, which began on Sunday, Nov. 30th this year. But this Advent is different than years past because Pope Francis has decided to launch a Year of Consecrated Life at the same time. This Year of Consecrated Life is dedicated to celebrating the consecrated vocation and to promoting renewal among those who have already answered Christ's call. On Nov. 21, Pope Francis wrote an apostolic letter to all consecrated people, which can be found at the Vatican website. I encourage you to read the letter. Pope Francis notes, "Consecrated life is a gift to the Church, it is born of the Church, it grows in the Church, and it is entirely directed to the Church." As we enter into this year, I ask you to join me in giving thanks for the tens of thousands of consecrated men and women who have given their lives to Christ and his Church. At the same time, I also encourage anyone who is discerning God's call for their life to ask whether he might be calling you to the consecrated life. Every Christian is called to radically follow the Lord, to leave everything. Pope Francis posed a question to conse- crated persons that is valid for every authentic disciple in his apostolic letter, "… we have to ask ourselves: Is Jesus really our fi rst and only love, as we promised he would be when we professed our vows? Only if he is, will we be empowered to love, in truth and mercy, every person who crosses our path." I encourage everyone to meditate on this question through- out this year. Currently, we are blessed to have 28 men's religious com- munities and over 30 women's religious congregations serving in the Archdiocese of Denver. Through their generous love for Christ, the Church in northern Colorado is able to care for the sick, the poor and elderly, to provide education, and to serve in our parishes. The Church and the world at large are also supported by the hidden prayers of those men and women who answer the call to contemplative life. At a November 2013 meeting with religious superiors, Pope Francis also addressed the question of how to promote renewal within religious life and attract more people to it. Quoting Pope Benedict XVI, he said, "… religious life ought to promote growth in the Church by way of attraction." "The witness which can really attract," Pope Francis said, "is that associated with attitudes that are uncommon: generosity, detachment, sacrifi ce, self-forgetfulness in order to care for others." This way of living "sounds an alarm" for people and shows them that it "is possible to live differently in this world." "The Church must be attractive. Wake up the world! Be wit- nesses of a different way of doing things, of acting, of living!" Pope Francis challenged the superiors. Doing this requires a renewal of consecrated life, a willing- ness to seek God and return to the "joy of the moment when Jesus looked at me." This is something that every believer, no matter their vocation, should do. In a particular way, those called to the consecrated life should let Jesus' loving gaze nourish and inspire their soul, their prayer, their ministries and their religious communities. The Gospel in its fullness and truth must be at the heart of every community. When love for Christ and his Church is the foundation of a consecrated person's life, then it will inevitably lead to the attractive witness of joy. At a July 2013 meeting with seminarians and novices, Pope Francis described the joy that comes from this encounter with Christ. "In calling you God says to you: 'You are important to me, I love you, I am counting on you.' Jesus says this to each one of us! Joy is born from that! The joy of the moment in which Jesus looked at me. Understanding and hearing this is the secret of our joy." Consecrated religious should 'wake up the world!' 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 Interim Editor Julie Filby Business Manager Michael O'Neill BY ROXANNE KING The trio that heads up Bella Natural Women's Care is "ready to roll up their sleeves," explained co-founder Dede Chism, as the practice prepares for its opening next week. Archbishop Samuel Aquila will dedicate the new nonprof- it health care center, located at 180 E. Hampden Ave. in Engle- wood, during the grand open- ing Dec. 9. Everyone is invited to learn more about Bella at events that continue through- out the day. "Bella Natural Women's Care is a comprehensive obstet- rics, gynecology and infertil- ity women's health practice," explained Chism, a perinatal nurse practitioner and parish- ioner of Holy Name Parish in Englewood. "We hallmark our- selves by embracing the digni- ty of women promoting heal- ing and wellness, doing that with both natural and scientif- ic methods. Always a vital part of our care is a sincere com- passion and respect for life." The 4,000-square-foot clinic, whose services are in keeping with Church teaching, is ac- cepting patients and is open to women of all faiths, incomes and ages. Bella accepts insur- ance, self-pay and Medicaid. Chism, who wrote "The High-Risk Pregnancy Source- book" (Lowell, 1997), and her daughter Abby Sinnett, a wom- en's health nurse practitioner and parishioner at St. Frances Cabrini Parish in Littleton, were inspired to open Bella after serving several years on medical missions to Peru. "We were aware that regard- less of where we come from, all women deserve really good care that embraces their digni- ty and supports who they are and who they are meant to be," Sinnett said. The encouragement the women received from the local Catholic community, starting with Archbishop Aquila and including the Christian Life Movement, Holy Name Par- ish and Catholic Charities' Respect Life Resources, con- vinced them to move forward. "We really feel like the Ho- ly Spirit is saying, 'Now is the time and I will give you every- thing you need, including the best doctor in the country to serve (this work),'" Chism said. Dr. Steve Hickner is the cen- ter's medical director. He is an OB-GYN with 23 years' expe- rience who just completed a one-year fellowship in medical and surgical NaProTechnology from the Pope Paul VI Institute in Omaha. Chism and Sinnett also received training from the respected institute founded by Dr. Thomas Hilgers for the study of human reproduction. "It's defi nitely the work of the Holy Spirit connecting the three of us," Hickner affi rmed. "We share the same vision." Opening day will begin with 9 a.m. morning prayer led by Bishop Kay Martin Schmalhausen, S.C.V., of Pe- ru, a longtime friend of Bella's co-founders, in the center's chapel; followed by an open house until 11:30 a.m. Festiv- ities continue with a tea and tours at 2:30 p.m. and Arch- bishop Aquila will dedicate the center at 5 p.m. The blessing will be followed by a commu- nity soup supper with talks by Chism and Sinnett at 6:15 p.m. at Holy Name Parish at 3290 Milan Ave. in Englewood. RSVP by calling 303-789-4968. The celebration will conclude at the parish with a 7 p.m. concert by musician Steve Angrisano. Roxanne King: 720-771-3394; editor_king@icloud.com; www. twitter.com/RoxanneIKing The time is now for Bella health center BELLA NATURAL WOMEN'S CARE Grand opening events When: Dec. 9 Where: 180 E. Hampden Ave., Englewood Tea and tours: 2:30 p.m. Blessing: 5 p.m. by Archbish- op Aquila More info: www.BellaNWC.org or 303-789-4968 ST. GIANNA MOLLA CHAPEL The chapel at Bella Natural Women's Care is named after St. Gi- anna Beretta Molla (1922-1962), an Italian doctor and mother who developed a fi broid tumor while pregnant with her fourth child. She refused an abortion and hysterectomy to save the life of her unborn child, opting to simply have the tumor removed, knowing continuing the pregnancy could result in her death. She delivered her child by caesarean section and died seven days later of septic peritonitis. She was canonized in 2004. The chapel will house a relic of Bless- ed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, a beloved role model for the center's co-founders. The trio that heads up three of us," Hickner affi rmed. "We share the same vision." with 9 a.m. morning prayer led by Bishop Kay Martin GRAPHIC PROVIDED BELLA Natural Women's Care at 180 E. Hampden Ave. in Englewood will celebrate its grand opening Dec. 9 with a day of events, including bless- ing of the center at 5 p.m. by Archbishop Samuel Aquila. introduce husband wife or "If Jesus love we with everybody, person Aquila Franciscan has shared 61 years ministering ers in Colorado. Joy From Page See Aquila, Page 8

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