Denver Catholic

22 AUGUST 11-24, 2018 | DENVER CATHOLIC | WYD 25TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION Around the Archdiocese www.GoMajorNow.com HVAC Refrigeration Geothermal Controls Design/Build Commercial & Residential Comfort by Design™ Major Heating is Committed to Local & Global Unity (303)424-1622 A Ministry of The Archdiocese of Denver As a ministry of the Archdiocese of Denver, we pray that the Lord will abundantly bless the faithful of the Archdiocese of Denver for the next 25 years and beyond. Cherishing those historic and memorable days in 1993, may we all meet again and give praise to God in the life of the world to come. Amen. 303.502.9179 | cfcscolorado.org With joy and gratitude, we commemorate the 25 Anniversary of World Youth Day in Denver! MOTHER CABRINI SHRINE 20189 Cabrini Blvd. Golden, CO 80401 303.526.0758 www.mothercabrinishrine.org FATHER TOBIAS RODRIGUEZ-LASA Rector of Redempto- ris Mater Seminary in Denver With a good job, money, vacations, a girl- friend and a brand-new (red) sports car at age 29, young Tobias was not interested in the priesthood. He'd been to other WYD's from his native country of Spain and didn't feel like going to the one in Denver. Two things changed his mind: a good number of people from his parish were going and he felt empty. "By WYD '93, I had everything society says you need to have a fulfilled life… but I was in a personal crisis, with a deep feeling that some- thing had to change," Father Tobias recalled. Without knowing it, God was already stirring something in his heart. "To my surprise, God was waiting for me here, and he called loud and clear… I thought it was crazy… getting myself into the discipline of seminary life was not precisely what I was looking for in life… But I could not deny the fact of the call," he said. He believes, however, that God had originally called him to the priesthood in his high school years, but as he confessed, he "pushed it back into the very back burner." His college friends even called him "the priest." After WYD '93, he entered the seminary. "I entered with the wrong disposition, just to prove to myself and to God this was not the way," Father Tobias recounted. Yet, to his surprise, he liked it so much that he lived his first two years of sem- inary life as if in a "vaca- tion camp." "I have been a priest for 16 years now, and I am amazed at the hap- piness, the fulfillment, the inner serenity and peace the paternity of God is giving me in this service," he said. "I would recommend it to anyone, anyone whom God calls — even if you think, like I did, this is not what you want to do with your life." FATHER RANDY DOLLINS Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia As a high schooler at Queen of Peace Parish, Father Dollins would receive more than he thought at WYD '93 — so much that it would later lead him to find his vocation as a priest. The event turned out to be a big eye-opener for him and led him to be more open about his Catholic faith. His first amazement was to encounter the uni- versality of the Church: "I'd never conceived that the Church was as big as it was. I went to Queen of Peace but at WYD these people were from every- where. That blew my mind," he said. His second surprise was key for his vocation, and that was realizing it was "cool" to be a priest. "The atmosphere was so positive for the pope and for priests that you could step out of what Religious vocations, just one fruit among many sowed at WYD '93 Among the many fruits of WYD Denver '93, priestly and religious vocations abounded. Whether it was hearing the words of Saint John Paul II or witnessing the overwhelming catholicity of the Church, many chose to follow Christ in a radical way. Here are just four testimonies of priests or religious that attended the event and were deeply influenced by it. BY VLADIMIR MAURICIO-PEREZ

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