Denver Catholic

25 WYD 25TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION | DENVER CATHOLIC | AUGUST 11-24, 2018 "We opened in August 2006, inspired by Saint Pope John Paul II's call for a new evangelization . . ." said Tim Gray, President of the Augustine Institute, in a 2016 interview with Denver Catholic. "We wanted to help people eŸ ec- tively engage, evangelize and win the post-modern culture that believes anyone can have their own private story, but there should be no public story," said Gray. Those who participate in the Augus- tine Institute go on to work in a variety of apostolates, said Gray. "We are also amazed by the new ways graduates go into the fi eld," he said. Organizations created by gradu- ates of the Augustine Institute include Camp Wojtyla and Christ in the City. Others have gone on to work as leaders in the Archdiocese of Denver's main o¢ ce and Catholic schools. And by launching formed.org, an online video streaming service that offers Catholic content to people around the world, those who aren't seeking a degree but simply want to go deeper in their faith have the opportu- nity to do so. "This is on the cutting edge of the New Evangelization," said Gray. FOCUS FIGHTS ON THE 'BATTLEGROUND FOR SOULS' Since Pope John Paul II's visit, FOCUS has evangelized tens of thou- sands of college students. The organi- zation expects that by 2022, around 75,000 students who were involved with FOCUS will have transitioned into many of the 17,000 plus parishes in the United States. "I think JPII not only challenged the Church for lay Catholics to evangelize, but in his World Youth Day eŸ orts, he really challenged the young people to say that this is your role, your respon- sibility, so take an active part," said Zimmer. Zimmer admits the pope not only had a deep impact on the culture in Denver, but also on his own life, as he was struggling with his faith at the time "Even for me in this lost, dazed and con- fused world I was in at the time, it was still a very moving experience to see the pope land in the helicopter and watch him come in," said Zimmer. "It planted a seed [in me] that took a decade to come to fruition." Zimmer joined focus in 1999 shortly after it was founded, and he and his wife fi rst served as missionaries. Since then, Zimmer has held a variety of roles in the corporate o¢ ce in Denver. At FOCUS, college campuses are seen as a critical time when students need the Gospel to build upon a strong foundation for a sturdy faith life. "The college campus is really a bat- tleground for souls," said Zimmer. "I think the Church needs to do as good a job as possible at trying to reach souls on college campuses when they're in a time of questioning and they're away from their parents for the fi rst time. "It's a really pivotal moment in their life, and the Church needs to be there for them." One of the biggest ways FOCUS spreads the New Evangelization, said Zimmer, is by showing that the Gospel still matters today. "I think one of the great opportuni- ties we've had is to be a witness that the Gospel is still relevant," said Zimmer, "and it's relevant to young people." Twentyfi ve years down the road, FOCUS has high hopes for its evange- lization eŸ orts. "By then, hopefully millions of people who were involved in FOCUS will be planted in parishes throughout the country," said Zimmer, "and there will be renewal happening all over — not just through FOCUS, but through all the other great apostolates." After 100 years of service to the Archdiocese of Denver, our Cathedral is in need of some vital repairs. Thank you for your generosity! Visit denvercathedral.org call us at 303-831-7010 or email us at CBIC2016@ denvercathedral.org for more information A RESTORATION FOR THE AGES All donations are tax deductible "Our historic and iconic Cathedral Basilica needs your help." Father Ron Cattany Pastor and Rector North, East and West Façade Repair $2 Million Leaking Flat Roof Repairs $50,000 East Door Handi- capped Access $50,000 Colfax Facade $4.5 Million Total: • Cathedral Savings and Restoration Fund $2.92 Million • Pledges & Gifts $952,142.78 EXTERIOR PRESERVATION 2021 Consecration Jubilee Trust Fund $5Million Clean Kimball Organ $100,000 Clean Altars $100,000 Carpet Cathedral $45,000 Paint Interior $750,000 INTERIOR RENOVATION Lower Level Bathrooms and Lift: • $350,000 from savings Sanctuary Handrails and Votive Candles: • Gifts & Pledges $46,639 FOCUS IN THE 2018-2019 ACADEMIC YEAR 700 missionaries are serving full-time on 153 college campuses 42 U.S. states and fi ve international locations where missionaries serve on college campuses A campus in England, Germany and Ireland, and two campuses in Austria, will be served by FOCUS missionaries BY 2022 75,000 students transitioned into many of the over 17,000 Catholic parishes in the United States i The Redemp- toris Mater Seminary in Denver was estab- lished in response to Pope John Paul II's call for a New Evangeli- zation. PHOTO BY ANDREW WRIGHT

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