Denver Catholic

CATHOLIC LIFE I 15 DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER I AUGUST 28, 2013 Document 'MULIERIS DIGNITATEM': TIMING IS EVERYTHING From Page 2 • From the beginning of his pontificate, Pope John Paul II looked to the year 2000, the Great Jubilee Year commemorating the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ. Impact of "Mulieris Dignitatem" • He wrote "Mulieris Dignitatem" 12 years beforehand; some believe Mary would have been about 12 years old when Christ was born. In its 25 years, "Mulieris Dignitatem" has informed and influenced both women and men, clergy and laity. "It has had a fairly profound effect on those who have received it," according to William Beckman, director of the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis in the Archdiocese of Omaha. Beckman, who studied at the Pontifical Mesko From Page 8 manager of SAC Capital Advisors in San Francisco. She also served as the director of admissions at Loyola University New Orleans for eight years. Mesko holds a bachelor's degree in public relations from Loyola University New Orleans and a master of education degree from the University of New Orleans. She has one daughter, Vivienne, who is 4. Mesko's husband died in November. Coming from a Jesuit university, she said she knows what it means to be "men and women for others." She aims to give more people the opportunity to live for others by serving needy schools. Stefanick From Page 3 young people. I think it's more proper to call Woodstock "the secular World Youth Day!") I'll never forget the pope's words, standing in Cherry Creek State Park as a teenager, as he made it clear that World Youth Day, like all the graces God gives, wasn't just about us. It was about God sending us to light up the world. "Young pilgrims, Christ needs you to enlighten the world and to show it the 'path to life.'"… At this stage of history, the liberating message of the Gospel of life has been put into your hands. And the mission of proclaiming it to the ends of the earth is now passing to your generation. … Do not be afraid to go out on the streets and into public places, like the first apostles who preached Christ and the good news of salvation in the squares of cities, towns and villages. This is no time to be ashamed of the Gospel (see Rom 1:16). … Do not be afraid to break • He released his encyclical "Redemptoris Mater" ("Mother of the Redeemer") one year earlier on March 25, 1987, the solemnity of the Assumption, just before the start of a Marian Year beginning June 7, 1987. • "Mulieris Dignitatem" was released Aug. 15, 1988, the solemnity of the Assumption, and conclusion of the Marian Year. It was a direct response to the 1987 Synod of Bishops that recommended further study of the "anthropological and theological bases" needed to understand the dignity and vocation of women. "In my mind, the ultimate success for Seeds of Hope would be providing a Catholic education to any student in the Archdiocese of Denver who seeks one, regardless of their ability to pay," Mesko said. "Until we can reach that eventual goal, we want to ensure we make the biggest impact along the way." Since its founding 17 years ago, Seeds of Hope has served nearly 14,000 students and given more than $23 million in tuition assistance. Denver Archbishop Samuel Aquila wrote in a letter July 15 that he looks forward to her leadership. "Natalie brings with her a wealth of knowledge, expertise and success in fundraising, as well as great energy and deep passion for our children," he wrote. out of comfortable and routine modes of living, in order to take up the challenge of making Christ known in the modern 'metropolis.' It is you who must 'go out' …" In a world that tends to set the bar for young people so low, the confidence the Holy Father had in us to carry on the new evangelization was life-changing. It reminds me of the confidence our Lord placed in the apostles, putting the Church in their very "under-qualified" hands! God always sees more in us than we see in ourselves, doesn't he? Twenty years later, it's time to give thanks for the grace of World Youth Day '93, and to re-commit to the great commission Blessed John Paul II handed on to our generation. When it comes to the new evangelization, nothing less than the future of civilization and the eternal destiny of countless lives hinges on our success. Blessed John Paul II, pray for us. Visit speaker and author Christopher Stefanick at www.RealLifeCatholic.com. Stefanick's column is distributed by the Denver Catholic Register, the official newspaper of the Denver Archdiocese. Obituaries, Funeral Notices, In Memoriam Let your friends in the Catholic Community know... The paper publishes each Wednesday, the deadline is Tuesday at noon for the next week's issue. To place an Obituary, Funeral Notice or In Memoriam in the Denver Catholic Register, contact Linda at: 303-715-3212 Email: linda.engel@archden.org E E John Paul II in Washington, D.C., wrote the original study guide on "Mulieris" for Endow. "It stirred deeper action in women: single, consecrated, wives, mothers," he said, which has included the start of many new apostolates, such as Endow; an increase in women theologians, and more women seeking consecrated life in religious orders that embrace the spirit of the letter. To read Mulieris Dignitatem, visit www.vatican.va. For information on related Endow studies, visit www.endow groups.org.

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