Denver Catholic

2 FEBRUARY 13-26, 2016 | DENVER CATHOLIC Let mercy overcome misery I t is the Year of Mercy, and people are starving for God's mercy, even if they don't recognize it. I was pleas- antly surprised to see concrete evidence of this hunger at Mercy Chose Me, our archdiocesan conference on mercy. Close to 500 people packed the parish hall at Immaculate Heart of Mary in Northglenn to learn about the role of mercy in the New Evangelization, our archdiocesan model of mercy Julia Greeley, how to incorporate mercy into one's spirituality, and to discover oppor- tunities to engage in the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. Lent, which we began on Feb. 10, is a perfect time to practice the works of mercy and make them a regular part of our daily lives. The hectic pace of our society makes it di cult to be merciful. It's easier to pass by the su– ering of others, to let our schedules carry us past encounters with others that would be a chance for heal- ing and forgiveness to enter our lives and theirs. A few months ago, someone approached me and suggested that we should hold a Eucharistic Proces- sion around the Planned Parenthood campus in Stapleton. I told that person I would pray about it, and after I brought it before the Lord, it became clear that we should hold the procession. The need for God's mercy at Planned Parenthood or any abortion facility is enormous. The Colorado Department of Health reported that 10,648 children were killed by abortion in 2014 in our state. That means that over 21,000 parents, not to mention other family members, were wounded by the trauma of abortion. If that many Coloradans lost their lives or were harmed by an infectious disease, I'm sure the state and fed- eral governments would assemble task forces, coordinate relief for the aœ icted and spread awareness through the media. But because the su– ering is quietly borne and the unborn are defenseless, the trauma experienced by parents, extended families and siblings goes untreated. The Church does extraordinary things through our archdiocesan Catholic Charities to help those who fi nd themselves in a crisis pregnancy situation or who have made the tragic decision to abort their child. Lives have been changed forever through these works of mercy. No one is beyond God's mercy. I am inviting you to join me in car- rying out a spiritual work of mercy on March 5 at the Planned Parenthood facility in Stapleton. On that day, begin- ning at 10 a.m., I will lead a Eucharistic Procession seven times around the campus, similar to what Joshua did around Jericho. Truly experiencing the freedom of the Jubilee Year begins with each of us acknowledging that we are sinners in need of God's mercy. Once we receive his mercy, then we are able to bring it to others. With that in mind, we will ask God as we process around Planned Par- enthood to have mercy on all those who enter the abortion clinic, on those who work there, on all those impacted by the evil of abortion, and on our country. We will pray for their deliverance from the evil they participate in. A wonderful way to prepare yourself to participate in this prayerful pro- cession is to experience God's mercy in the sacrament of confession before attending. Then, ask the Lord to prepare your heart to be his agent of mercy in interceding for those involved in the sin of abortion. God's mercy conquered death when he rose from the dead. The mercy of the Father can overcome abortion, and all sin and evil, when we open our hearts to him. Let us pray for the conversion of all involved in abortion and the spread of God's mercy throughout the world! Archbishop's Page Archbishop's Column Most Rev. Samuel J. Aquila Denver Catholic (USPS 557-020) is published bi-weekly. Denver Catholic is printed by Signature Oš set 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, Circulation Dept., 1300 S. Steele St., Denver, CO 80210 or email circulation@archden.org. 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Steele St., Denver, CO 80210 Start in weeks ® ACCREDITED BUSINESS We're a veterans, Pope must A s ended, men they must "Consecrated allows us Consecrated ness to closeness, his address He also pray for and not them for "I thank secrated her own ARCHBISHOP'S SCHEDULE Feb. 14: Mass with Rite of Election (10:30 a.m.); Rite of Election (2 p.m. and 4 p.m.) Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception Feb. 16: Candidacy Mass, Redemptoris Mater Sem- inary chapel, St. John Paul II Center (5:30 p.m.) Feb. 17: Mass, Holy Family High School, Broomfi eld (10:15 a.m.) Feb. 21: Mass, Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception (10:30 a.m.) Feb. 24: Mass with seminarians and faculty, St. John Vianney Theological Seminary, St. JPII Center (12:10 p.m.) PHOTO OF THE WEEK @ArchbishopDen Feb. 6 Physician-assisted suicide has passed the House Judiciary Committee. Contact your representative now! bit. ly/1PYtZPu Archdiocese of Denver Chancellor Dave Uebbing unveiled an icon of Julia Greeley at the Mercy Chose Me Conference at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church on Jan. 23. PHOTO BY DAN PETTY Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila shows his Broncos pride on Super Bowl Sun- day. The Broncos bested the Carolina Panthers 24-10. PHOTO PROVIDED

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