Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/159708
16 I PARISH NEWS AUGUST 28, 2013 I DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER Boulder church proudly a 'community of life' as it marks 100th year BY MARY CATHERINE MEYER Boulder's Sacred Heart of Mary Parish lives the virtue of courage. Pioneer priest, Father Jean Baptiste Raverdy, was not afraid to celebrate Boulder's inaugural Catholic Mass during Colorado's Wild West days and the parish has not been afraid to set out into the desert of secularism and proclaim God's love for human life. Sacred Heart marked the 100th anniversary of its church building on Aug. 23 with an evening Mass of Thanksgiving celebrated by Archbishop Samuel Aquila. "It is not only the first Catholic parish in Boulder County," said the pastor, Father Marcus Mallick, "it began the permanent presence of Catholicism for over 150 years in this area." One of few Catholic churches in Colorado with an adjoining cemetery, Sacred Heart provides burial services and counseling to parents who have lost children through miscarriage or abortion. The construction of the Memorial Wall in Sacred Heart of Mary's cemetery started in 1998 but the ministry of offering burials for the ashes of aborted babies began three years earlier. In 1996, a Boulder mortuary SACRED HEART OF MARY CHURCH Address: 6739 S. Boulder Road, Boulder Phone: 303-494-7572 Web: www.sacredheartofmary. org PHOTO BY TODD WOLLAM FOR THE DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER SACRED HEART of Mary Church in Boulder marked the 100th anniversary of the church building with a Mass celebrated by Archbishop Samuel Aquila on Aug. 23. notified pastor at the time, Fa- Stafford to give them the respect ther Andrew Kemberling, about and dignity that all humans dea disturbing shipment it had re- serve, and give them a proper ceived from the Boulder Abor- burial." tion Clinic. The mortuary disBetween 1996 and 1998, the covered that the shipment sent parish would periodically reto be cremated contained the ceive the ashes of aborted baremains of aborted children, bies from the mortuary, offer many nearly full-term. burial services, interceding for "The mortician said he didn't the souls of the children and know what to do with this, that their parents. this traumatized the staff," said It was not until 1999, howevSusie LaValle, director of the er, that the construction of the Respect Life Committee and Memorial Wall and abortion parishioner of 39 years. "Father ministry became fully known to Kemberling got permission the wider Colorado community. from Archbishop (J. Francis) Surrounding a large cross with Celebrating the Sacraments Personalized Messages Next issue October 16, 2013 Deadline October 9, 2013 Recognize sacramental occasions with a personal message in our quarterly Celebrating the Sacraments page. Baptisms First Holy Communions Confirmations Engagements Weddings Anniversaries Share these special occasions with your Catholic Community! Rates: $25 for 3 lines $7 each additional line $25 color photo To place your message: Phone: 303-715-3212 Email: linda.engel@archden.org graves of their little ones, beginning the process of forgiveness and healing. Offered freely to anyone, no matter what faith, the Memorial Wall is one of the parish's most vibrant ministries and has received a great amount of financial and spiritual support from its parishioners. "God built this wall," LaValle said confidently. "I have no doubt." Last month, the parish took on another pro-life ministry, this one dedicated to offering material and spiritual support to pregnant mothers in need, when the Denver Archdiocese's Gabriel House ministry relocated its Boulder site to the parish. "This is yet one more way we're trying to further the culture of life," Father Mallick said. And just as Sacred Heart's pro-life ministry is much more than a wall, the parish encompasses much more than its historic church building. "Our mission is to make faith and charity a lived reality in daily life," explained Father Mallick. "It's not about changing structures and political empires; it's about the person next to us." a sculpture of the resurrected Christ, the wall bears the names of aborted babies and babies lost to miscarriage. Challenging the world that would not give these children a name, Sacred Heart of Mary's community has embraced the Gospel of life. "We put a lot of emphasis on family life through catechesis, festivities and socials," said Father Mallick. "It's all about life, and you can't have life without the family." In 2005, the media discovered the ministry of the Memorial Wall and after learning that the parish had been burying the ashes of the aborted children, the Boulder clinic's abortion doctor furiously ended ties between itself and the mortuary. But media coverage drew the attention of many women Mary Catherine Meyer: 303whose children had been aborted at the Boulder Abortion Clin- 715-3215; editor@archden.org; ic. Many sought and found the www.twitter.com/DCRegister Support Your Advertisers! For over 113 years your advertisers have helped support the Denver Catholic Register! That's right, they're your advertisers, too. Without their support, we couldn't have brought you the Denver Catholic Register for over 113 years. Help your advertisers by supporting them. Whenever you need goods or services for your home or family, check the Denver Catholic Register first. With the help of our advertisers and your support, we'll be around for at least another 100 years! www.DenverCatholicRegister.org Support Your Advertisers!