Denver Catholic

6 I LOCAL NEWS NOVEMBER 20, 2013 I DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER 13 Day Pilgrimage to Portugal, France, & Spain (Barcelona, Lourdes, Burgos, Loyola, Santiago De Compostella, Fatima & Avila) JUNE 23 – JULY 5, 2014 $3790.00 PER PERSON FROM DENVER Love fuels nun's efforts to promote peace, reconciliation Includes Roundtrip Air Transportation from Denver, First Class Hotels, Double Occupancy, 2 Meals A Day – Breakfast & Dinner, Daily Sightseeing with English Speaking Tour Guides, Daily Mass, Entrance Fees, Airport Taxes, and Fuel Surcharges – subject to Change, and & Tips to Guides and Drivers CONTACT FR. MARC MALLICK Sacred Heart of Mary • 6739 S. Boulder Rd., Boulder, CO 8033 303-494-7572 PHOTO BY ROBERT LINN FOR THE DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER Please join us for our traditional ST. CECILIA MASS celebrated on Christ the King Sunday, November 24th, 2013 10:00 a.m. Latin Choral Mass with orchestra and choir HOLY GHOST CHURCH 1900 California, Denver, Colorado 303-292-1556 MOTHER Agnes Mariam de la Croix prays at St. Rafka Maronite Church in Lakewood Nov. 17. humanitarian services with people on BY CINDY BROVSKY the ground," Father Mahanna said. While a Carmelite monk from ColoraBecause of the death threats, Mother do is barricaded in a Syrian monastery Agnes is not sure when it will be safe for because of ongoing violence, his spiritual her to return to Syria. Among the 50 peoleader is traveling the United States and ple of eight different nationalities in her pleading for reconciliation over war. monastery is Brother David Johnson, a Mother Superior Agnes Mariam de la 1999 Mullen High School graduate who Croix, a Lebanese nun who opened St. paints icons and raises agriculture with James of the Mutilated monastery in Syria other members of the monastery. in 1993, brought her message of peace to "We are blessed for Brother David," gatherings in Denver last weekend. She Mother Agnes said. "He holds all the valwas thrust into the spotlight earlier this ues of America." year when she claimed that radical forcBrother David, 32, refuses to leave es outside of Syria were manipulating the the monastery despite the violence and media to promote an international war. having been arrested twice by the Syrian "I am not against the rebels or for the government for being an alleged AmerSyrian government," Mother Agnes told ican spy, his mother said. He graduated a gathering at St. Rafka Maronite Catholic from Princeton University with a philosChurch in Lakewood on Sunday, Nov. 17. ophy degree and studied Arabic in Da"I am for peace and reconciliation." mascus before joining the monastery. A civil war between Sunni and Shia Mus"We had to send the government coplims in Syria erupted in 2011. Syrian Presiies of his birth certificate and other docdent Bashad Assad, a Shia, faces rebellion uments to prove David is not a spy," said from Sunnis and other Syrians based on Mary Johnson, who attended Mother religious and political conflicts. A reportAgnes' talks with her husband, Greg. ed 100,000 people have been killed and 6 Mary Johnson said her son's spiritumillion displaced by the violence. ality was guided by his grandmother, Mother Agnes, 61, acknowledges that Shirley Spahn, and his uncles who she once felt great anger toward Syria for are priests, Father James Spahn, pasits role in the 30-year Lebanese war. tor of Immaculate Heart of Mary in "I had a conversion by love," she said. Northglenn, and Father Steve Spahn of That love fuels her efforts to help broGeorgetown University. ker peace despite death threats from both The family has been able to commusides, she said. nicate with Brother David only through "In the name of Christ, peace and recemails. onciliation among Syrian people is all I "It has been difficult not to be able to do," she said. talk to David but we know he is doing Denver Archbishop Samuel Aquila led what his heart tells him," she said. a prayer service in September after Pope Mother Agnes' trip was sponsored by Francis called for peace. Earlier this year, the nonprofit Syrian Solidarity MoveMaronite Father Andre Mahanna of St. ment, which includes American, CanaRafka's, an Eastern Catholic parish in full dian and Australian peace advocates. communion with Rome, brought ChrisShe also brought her message to Arizotian, Muslim and Greek Orthodox leaders na, California, Ohio and Nebraska. together for another prayer session. He Father Mahanna, who survived the also helped the U.S. bishops draft a letter Lebanese war by living in a cave for six to Congress urging a full understanding of months, prays that Christians will unite Syria and peaceful solutions. with Muslims and Jews to bring about Father Mahanna invited Mother Agnes peace in the Middle East. to speak to about 30 people as part of his "I truly believe that the Syrian crisis ongoing goal to educate Americans about will lead to a major crisis of violence in the Middle East. Denver Muslim Rima the world," he said. Sinclair helped set up the Denver events. Cindy Brovsky: 303-715-3215; lou5213@ "The value of having sister here is that she is an eyewitness who works for aol.com; www.twitter.com/DCRegister

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