Denver Catholic

4 MAY 26-JUNE 8, 2018 | DENVER CATHOLIC Around the Archdiocese Sunday, June 10 Mass: 11:00am - Reception: 12:00pm Join us in extending our best wishes to Msgr. J. Anthony McDaid as he begins his retirement. 3060 S. Monaco Parkway Denver, CO 80222 Sunday, June 10 Retirement Mass and Reception for Msgr. J. Anthony McDaid Holy Ghost Catholic Church 75th Anniversary Celebration Sunday, July 8, 2018 11am to 8pm Mass at 12 Noon Celebrated by Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila A 1900 California, Denver CO 80202 Sunday, July Please join Holy Ghost Church at 1900 California Street in celebrating 75 years in beautiful downtown Denver. Come and enjoy food trucks, drinks, hamburgers, hot dogs, entertainment, children's activities and tours of the church. An exhibit of historical items will be displayed in the Parish Hall. 'Baptize your son,' her friend insisted. Now he's a priest. A ngela Brown and Maria Delfi n were great friends in school and lived in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. One day, they decided to make a mutual promise: "When I have my fi rst child, you will be the godmother." Years went by, each took their own path and Delfi n spent most of their time apart in the United States. In 1987, Brown was expecting her fi rst child. Delfi n found out and did not forget her promise. "When will you baptize him?" she asked. Yet, Brown hadn't planned on baptizing her child. She had not even received the sacrament herself. "When I thought of having Maria be my son's godmother, I saw it more as a social commitment," Brown told the Denver Catholic. Nonetheless, after her friend insisted, she decided to baptize her son when he was 17 days old. After baptism, Delfin moved to the United States permanently and lost touch with Brown and Angel, her godson. Angel grew up far from the Church, but even then, he refl ected a charitable spirit: "He liked to share his toys with other kids so they could play instead of him," his mother said. At age 14, he attended a class with the Neocatechumenal Way and he and his mother began a journey of faith. Brown was baptized in the faith and married through the Church. Angel discovered his vocation to the priesthood years later. He studied for two years in the seminary at Santo Domingo and then was assigned to Redemptoris Mater in Denver. Meanwhile, Delfi n knew nothing of Angel. "I didn't go to Santo Domingo often. I had no way of getting in touch with him," she told the Denver Catholic. When Angel was in the seminary, his mother decided to look for Delfi n through social media. Months before Angel's priestly ordination, Brown found Delfi n and told her about her son's wish: "He wants you to be there when he receives the sacrament." Delfi n didn't hesitate to fl y to Denver. They met the day prior to ordination, 31 years after Angel's baptism. She rec- ognized him amid other seminarians and said to him, "I'm your godmother," and he hugged her. Father Angel Miguel Perez-Brown was ordained May 19 with four other deacons. His godmother presented the gifts during oš ertory. "I don't remem- ber feeling as happy as I feel today," Delfi n said after Angel's ordination. Father Perez-Brown says her god- mother "helped plant this seed," that is why he wanted her "to witness the fruit she has bore." "If she had not influenced my mother, I don't know where I would be today," the newly-ordained priest said. Before Delfi n's return to Orlando, Father Perez-Brown told her, "You already had 30 years of vocation as godmother. Now, please pray for me, because only with prayer will I be a faithful priest." BY CARMEN ELENA VILLA carmen.villa@archden.org @EPCatolico Father Angel Perez-Brown (center) was reunited with his godmother Maria Delfi n (right) after 31 years at his ordination May 19. His mother, Angela Brown (left) baptized Father Angel under the insistence of Delfi n. PHOTO BY ANDREW WRIGHT

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