Denver Catholic

CHRISTMAS I 3 DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER I DECEMBER 24, 2014 2015 DENVER • Manual & Cart customers: Set trees out near your normal trash set- out location by 7 a.m. on your trash collection day during the week of January 5th or the week of January 12th. • Dumpster customers: Set trees out in the alley by 7 a.m. on either Monday, January 5th or Monday, January 12th for collection sometime during that week. Please, do not place trees in dumpsters or carts. Trees should be placed at least 2 feet away from dumpsters and other obstacles for collection. Set-out day and location depends on your trash service type. Treecycle is for Denver residents only. January 5 – 16 RECYCLING YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE IS AS EASY AS 1, 2, 3! Remove all decorations and the tree stand. NO artificial or flocked trees. Real trees only! 1 Set your tree out for collection during the first two weeks of January. Your tree will get picked up by a special tree collection truck for recycling. Set your tree out for collection during the first two weeks of January. by a 2 Reclaim free mulch made from your tree at the Annual Mulch Giveaway in the spring! Reclaim free mulch made from your tree at the Annual Mulch Giveaway in the spring! 3 Questions? Call 311 (720-913-1311) or visit DenverGov.org/DenverRecycles b h IMMACULATE Heart of Mary Parish in Northglenn held their annual Christmas giveaway Dec. 18 with the City of North- glenn. The parish hosted more than 500 families, some who began arriving at 4 a.m. in an- ticipation of the 9 a.m. event. The parish provided clothes, toys, coats and other items to stay warm—as pictured here—and the City of North- glenn donated more than 200 bikes. The parish lobby was fi lled with live piano Christmas music, as well as the smell of popcorn and cotton candy for guests. Santa Claus made an appearance for the children. The event was coordinated by Melani Rohr, director of outreach, along with a team of volunteers "showing the Lord working through the parish at Immaculate Heart of Mary." PHOTO BY RJ SANGOSTI/DENVER POST THE FATHER Woody Christ- mas Party, spearheaded by Regis University, hosted at least 2,200 guests at the Sheraton Denver Hotel down- town Dec. 14. The annual event was launched in 1981 by Msgr. Charles B. Woodrich, better known as "Father Woody," who spent much of his priestly ministry assisting the less for- tunate in Denver. He was also editor of the Denver Catholic Register from 1972-1986. The annual party that continues his legacy provides a holiday meal, complete with turkey and the trimmings, served by hundreds of volunteers, as well as gifts of clothing, coats and toys for all families attending. It is sponsored by Regis University, Holy Ghost Church (where the party was born), the Archdiocese of Denver, The Daniels Fund and the Sheraton Denver Hotel. Extra gifts donated for the party were delivered that day to families in need at area parishes including Holy Rosary, Nativity of Our Lord and Annunciation; as well as Catholic Charities' ministries including Father Woody's Haven of Hope day shelter. PHOTO BY TODD WOLLAM/DCR How to talk about the thing you're not sup- posed to talk about BY JULIE FILBY Christians are called to share their faith, but knowing how to do it—and doing it well—isn't al- ways easy, particularly with fam- ily members who have drifted away from the Church. "Company is coming for the holidays and we're all called to share our faith, but don't want to fi ght over Christmas dinner," said Aimee Cooper, founder of the Catholic Gospel Project, an organization that provides courses in understanding, living and sharing the faith. Cooper recently taught a course titled "Sharing, Not Scar- ing," at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Northglenn, in which she gave tips to Catholics who want to share their faith with family and friends over the holidays. "Family gatherings can be re- ally tense," she told the Denver Catholic Register. "One of the biggest problems is fallen away Catholics you're trying to 'get back.'" At times like that, Cooper re- minds Catholics who are eager to share their faith, it's not always what one says, but how one says it. She noted that Catholics don't tend to focus on the personal elements of faith, but rather "fo- cus on defending what's under attack," adding that most people don't hear messages from Cath- olics about "personally receiving God." "You have to share the mes- sage fi rst," she said, "then you have to do the catechesis." Her message refl ects what Pope Francis said on the topic of evangelizing last year when he told America magazine that "proclamation of the saving love of God comes before moral and religious imperatives." Cooper, a convert to Catholi- cism, has been on both sides of the conversation. She entered the Church in 1999 after a long jour- ney through new age spirituality, mainstream feminism and Evan- gelical Protestantism. "You have to respect oth- ers' tempo and pace," Cooper continued. Patience plays an important role since conversions general- ly do not happen overnight, or over the course of one holiday gathering. "For anyone who wants to evangelize, you really have to be patient," she said. "You have to journey with them over a long period of time. It takes a lot of practice." Rules of (faith) engagement TIPS FOR SHARING, NOT SCARING • Don't make it all about religion. • Do make it all about the per- son. Ask about their life, family, work. Show genuine interest. • Talk about your faith in a per- sonal way. Share how you have a relationship with Jesus. • Don't argue. Do engage in dia- logue. Show respect for where others are in their journey. • Ask others why they think what they think, then listen to the answer. • If someone needs to vent, let them, for a long time if necessary. • Do be honest about faults in the Church. • Don't make dogmatic asser- tions about "what the Church says." • Keep body language and tone of voice relaxed, keep shoulders down, be gentle and low-key. • Pay attention to the body language of others, back off if they begin to tense up. • Apologize if you accidently offend anyone. • Find commonality: We all de- sire to help people, we all want happiness for our loved ones. • Let others know they are safe with you, build a relationship of safety and trust. • Pray for help to be a good witness in a personal way. PHOTO BY ANTONIOGUILLEM/DPC SHARING faith involves personal relationship built through genuine interest and active listening. Generous hearts at Christmas

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