Denver Catholic

CATHOLIC LIFE I 3 DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER I MAY 22, 2013 Pilgrims invited to learn from 'star of new evangelization' Last spots for Year of Faith pilgrimage being filled BY NISSA LAPOINT The show of the new evangelization has a star attraction. Our Lady of Guadalupe is the lead, said Hispanic ministry vicar Msgr. Jorge De los Santos, of the universal call to enact the new evangelization, a challenge to know, live and share the Catholic faith. A group of Denver faithful will go on pilgrimage this summer to meet Mary as a reference point to living the new evangelization. Some 130 people from the Denver Archdiocese signed up for its Year of Faith Pilgrimage to Mexico City Aug. 29-Sept. 3 to enliven their faith and better share it with others. "This pilgrimage is about learning more about our faith, to live that faith, to enjoy that faith," Msgr. De los Santos said. "It's going to be a great experience." Pilgrims are invited to fill up the last remaining spots to join Denver Archbishop Samuel Aquila in visiting the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe and other religious and cultural sites. They will spend six days in Mexico kneeling in prayer before the tilma (cloak) bearing Mary's image, celebrating Mass at the shrine and drinking water from a miraculous well. Pilgrims will also visit the Metropolitan Cathedral, the rosary chapel and the ruins of the Aztecs. Later they will venture into Mexico City where they will dine, visit more shrines and stay for the night. The story of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico began in 1531. Accounts report Juan Diego, an Indian convert, was walking to Mexico City on Dec. 9 when he heard the strains of celestial music and saw a vision HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PILGRIMAGE • Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas • Church on the hill, church of the well, monument of the offerings and church of the Indians • Tulpetlac, the site of the fifth apparition of the Blessed Mother and the healing of St. Juan Diego's uncle • Pyramids of Teotihuacan ("Place of the Sun and Moon") and the Temple of Quetzalcoatl • Metropolitan Cathedral and the tomb of Bishop Zumarraga, who witnessed the vision of Our Lady • National palace and museum and the main temple of the Aztecs' Xochimilco • Capilla del Rosario, called the "Eighth Wonder of the World" PILGRIMAGE TO GUADALUPE BASILICA Denver Broncos football team owner and CEO Pat Bowlen gets his news from the Denver Catholic Register while in his office. Have you joined the Register's voluntary subscription campaign Join the Mission yet? If not, find out how to join on Page 17. PHOTO PROVIDED Couple says God brought them together, keeps them together When: Aug. 29 - Sept. 3 Where: Mexico City and the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe Cost: $1,689 including airfare, hotel, tour guides and meals For details: contact Canterbury Pilgrimages and Tours Inc. at 800-653-0017 or canterbury.tours@live.com Pope John Paul II later proclaimed Our Lady of Guadalupe the patroness of the Americas and of unborn children in 1999. The miraculous cloak is displayed today at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Through a pilgrimage to the shrine, faithful will learn how to revive this salvation story across the continent, Msgr. De los Santos said. In appearing to Diego, Our Lady of Guadalupe's mission was to bring everyone to meet Christ. "First of all we need to meet Jesus," he said. "That was the mission of Our Lady. The way to meet Jesus is his mother." Among those going to meet Mary include Religious Sister of Mercy Sister Prudence Allen, chair of philosophy at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary, and Deacon Steve Stemper, president of The Catholic Foundation of Northern Colorado. Luis Soto, who serves on the Year of Faith Committee that's planning the pilgrimage, said, "It's an event of the entire Archdiocese of Denver coming together to visit Our Lady of Guadalupe, which is tremendously meaningful to me. Having the people of my local church going back to my former church is very meaningful." of a woman amidst a glorious light. She told him that she was Mary, the mother of God, and made known her desire to build a shrine where she stood to demonstrate her love, compassion and protection. Diego told the archbishop of her request and the prelate instructed Diego to ask Mary for a sign. Diego returned to the archbishop after speaking to Mary and opened his tilma, which was filled with blooming roses. The roses fell to the floor and an image of the Virgin was miraculously imprinted on the tilma. The miracle led to great conversion, Msgr. De los Santos said. "Then as soon as she appeared, the conversion was massive. Millions were converted," he said. "Everyone beNissa LaPoint: 303-715-3138; came Catholic and that was the nissa.lapoint@archden.org; www. start of the faith in America." twitter.com/DCRegisterNissa Look Who's Reading the YEAR OF FAITH TESTIMONY PHOTO PROVIDED VIVIANA and Jorge Paredes BY DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER This story is the latest in the Year of Faith series sharing testimonies of Catholics from all walks of life. Scan the QR code or visit OneBillionStories.com to see the related video. Jorge and Viviana Paredes attribute their happy marriage to the fact that God is between them. Both raised in South America, today the couple live in Denver, have five children ranging in age from 2 to 13, and are part of the Christian Life Movement. For the past seven years, they have led a Spanish-language marriage preparation program for the Denver Archdiocese called "Dios Entre Nosotros" ("God Between Us"). Jorge, 44, is the founder of JP Creative Group, an advertising agency dedicated to Catholic communications (jpcreativegroup.com). Viviana, 42, is a Spanish teacher at Bishop Machebeuf High school and editor of vivaenfamilia.com, a Spanish-language website offering resources for families. The couple's love for the Church and their passion for evangelization have been with them since they were young. In Lima, Peru, Jorge, as a member of the Christian Life Movement (clmusa.org), worked as a catechist at The Children's Hospital and participated in missions to several parts of Peru with Catholic university students. "Although doing apostolate while studying design and advertising was challenging," he admitted, "the stories of faith and conversion during mission trips, or the examples of hope and strength from the burned children I served in my hospital ministry were worth every effort." Meanwhile in Santiago, Chile, Viviana served as campus ministry coordinator at the Catholic University of Chile while taking classes for her teaching degree. "Retreats, faith formation and mission trips to remote locations in my country were part of the campus ministry activities," she said. "Looking back, it's interesting to see that around those years we were living our faith in different parts of Latin America but we had similar life-changing experiences." Jorge and Viviana, who will celebrate their 15th wedding anniversary on June 6, are convinced that the Lord was molding their lives and hearts in a special way during those precious years. After moving to the United States, Jorge graduated from the Young Adult Ministry Institute at St. Thomas University in Miami, Fla., and was one of the founders of the Christian Life Movement in Miami. It was during that time that Jorge and Viviana met. After discovering their parallel experiences with apostolates in their own countries and then jointly leading a young adult group in their parish, they realized that they were meant for each other and that the Lord had a special plan for them. "We got married in Miami and kept leading the parish group, however, after a while we felt the need of a community of couples interested in learning more about family life and its challenges in today's world," explained Jorge. "Since one wasn't available, we decided to start one and were confident See Marriage, Page 6

• Cover