Denver Catholic

2 I CATHOLIC LIFE ARCHBISHOP'S COLUMN MOST REV. SAMUEL J. AQUILA Church's works proclaim Christ's love in the world Donations to the Archbishop's Catholic Appeal support the many ministries of the Denver Archdiocese "Dear brothers and sisters," Pope Francis told Catholics in Rome last week. "The Church loves you! Be an active presence in the community, as living cells, as living stones." The Holy Father's exhortation expresses the mandate of Christianity given by Jesus Christ—that the Church must be actively present and alive in the world, to The programs and proclaim and witness to the Gospel. Our active apostolates of the life—our life of charity Archdiocese of and evangelization— Denver—those which builds the kingdom of God by inviting others proclaim Christ—belong to come to know Jesus to all of us. They are Christ. But the kingdom of the fruit of our faith, God is not like earthly and the manifestation cities. God's kingdom is of our Christian love. not a place or a program or institution. In Archbishop Aquila 1990, Blessed John Paul II explained that "the kingdom of God is … a person, with the face and name of Jesus of Nazareth, the image of the invisible God." At the center of all that we do as a Church is the divine person of Jesus—he who is true God and true man. He is the reason for our schools, the reason for our shelters and food banks, the reason for our seminary. Jesus Christ is the reason I serve as your archbishop. All that we do is to bring Jesus Christ to the world—that they might encounter him and be transformed. Our witness, as St. Paul says, is "faith working through love." As the Father sent Jesus into the world to reveal his love for the world, so too does Jesus send us into the world to reveal his love for the world. We share the responsibility to proclaim Christ, and to witness to his love. We should do this in the witness of our lives and families, but we should also do this through our support to the Church herself. The programs and apostolates of the Archdiocese of Denver—those which proclaim Christ—belong to all of us. They are the fruit of our faith, and the manifestation of our Christian love. Over the past few weeks, you've been invited in your parishes to support the Archbishop's Catholic Appeal. The appeal supports the very good work of our archdiocesan offices. The appeal supports our worship and sacramental life. It supports our schools and many works of charity. The appeal supports our work to build up God's kingdom. There are many ways to commit to support the Archbishop's Catholic Appeal. Your family can pray about a monthly contribution or a one-time gift. And you can support through prayer as well. The Church, and Jesus Christ, loves you. And she wishes to proclaim that love to the world. Please join me in sharing with Colorado the enduring love of Jesus Christ. For more information, see Archbishop's Catholic Appeal box on this page. Follow Archbishop Aquila at www.twitter. com/ArchbishopDen. MAY 15, 2013 I DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER Ministries have life-changing results BY WAYNE LAUGESEN John Nepil was tired of his parents. They demanded good grades and made him go to church. Nepil perceived that Catholicism, his family and school did nothing more than oppress him intellectually and spiritually. So he lashed out. He's alive and well today— some would say against all odds. Nepil gives a lot of credit to a retreat coordinated by Youth, Young Adult and Campus Ministry—an office supported by the Archbishop's Catholic Appeal. Like so many youth who rebel against their family's churches, Nepil pursued a new life of alcohol, drugs, girls, partying and drug-oriented rock concerts that began his freshman year in high school. The Littleton teenager, a member of St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Parish at the time, frequently found himself in legal trouble. He wrecked more than one car. In July of 2001, Nepil owed his parents $500 they had spent dealing with his latest legal troubles. When he couldn't pay them, they ordered him to attend Steubenville of the Rockies. "I was refusing to go, and they basically bribed me using leverage of the $500 I owed them," Nepil told the Register. "That was probably the best investment they ever made." The three-day retreat forever changed Nepil's life, to say the least. The once-wayward teen has become Father John Nepil— parochial vicar of the St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Center at the University of Colorado. "I had a horrible first day, 2013 ARCHBISHOP'S CATHOLIC APPEAL What: Donations to support the archdiocesan Church Online: www.archden.org/ donate Mail: 1300 S. Steele St., Denver, CO 80210 Questions: Call 303-715-3111 or email joann.baca@archden.org me. It disposed me to receive God's grace." Father Nepil's conversion doesn't surprise Greg Willits, the director of Evangelization and Family Ministries, who oversees the offices of Evangelization and Catechesis; Marriage and Family Life; and Youth, Young Adult and Campus Ministry. "Life-changing conversions like ones at Steubenville of the Rockies are prime examples of why the Office of Evangelization and Family Life Ministries is so vitally important to the archdiocese," Willits said. "The fruit of further conversions is also evidenced through couples embracing natural family planning and God's plan for their lives as learned through our marriage prep and strengthening resources. It is seen through stronger catechetical programs and the Living the Catholic Faith Conference each year. "This office exists not only to provide retreats and resources such as these, but to assist pastors and parish leaders to be even more successful in their evangelization efforts and in fortifying families in the Catholic faith," he continued. "As the new evangelization requires, we do this with new methods and new enthusiasm. Together, we are laborers in the plentiful harvest that God has brought to Denver." For more information about the Archbishop's Catholic Appeal, see the accompanying box. For more information about Steubenville of the Rockies, visit http://steubenvilleoftherockies.com. and then I started asking questions," Father Nepil recalls of his parental sentence to the archdiocesan retreat. The teen had a three-hour conversation with a priest and later gave a heartfelt confession. A year later he was in the seminary embarking upon a vocation God hinted at during the retreat. "It's God's grace, but the archdiocese provides resources that can cultivate sound conversion experiences such as mine," Father Nepil said. "There were Wayne Laugesen: www.twitter. 2,000 other kids praying and it just had a tremendous effect on com/WayneLaugesen Look Who's Reading the Former general manager of the Denver Catholic Register, Jeanette DeMelo, keeps up with Denver's Catholic news, in her current role as editor-in-chief of the National Catholic Register during last spring's Living the Catholic Faith Conference in downtown Denver. Have you joined the Denver Catholic Register's voluntary subscription campaign Join the Mission yet? If not, read about how to join on Page B12. PHOTO BY JULIE FILBY/DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER CIRCULATION CUSTOMER SERVICE: 303-722-4687 OR CIRCULATION@ARCHDEN.ORG Published by the Archdiocese of Denver, 1300 S. Steele St., Denver, CO 80210 General Manager Karna Swanson Denver Catholic Register (USPS 557-020) is published weekly except the last week of December and the first week of January, and in June, July and August when it goes bi-weekly. The Register is printed by The Denver Post LLC in Denver. Periodical postage paid in Denver, CO. Editor Roxanne King 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 Register, Circulation Dept., 1300 S. Steele St., Denver, CO 80210 or e-mail circulation@archden.org. Advertising Sales Manager Michael O'Neill Editorial: 303-715-3215 or editor@archden.org Advertising: 303-715-3253 or dcrads@archden.org Circulation: 303-715-3211 or circulation@archden.org Online: www.DenverCatholicRegister.org

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