Denver Catholic

CATHOLIC LIFE I 3 DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER I DECEMBER 4, 2013 en Worldwide missions raise record amount in Denver Missionaries collect funds to bring Gospel, aid to ends of earth BY NISSA LAPOINT This month the Denver Archdiocese is sending a record amount of funds to missions in the poorest and most needy countries in the world. Parishioners across the archdiocese gave $500,000 this year to support some 25 Catholic missionary groups working to spread the Gospel and minister to people worldwide, such as victims of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines and the poor in the politically-divided Thailand. Fara Kearnes, coordinator of the Missionary Cooperation Plan, said the archdiocese receives about 250 applications worldwide from dioceses and missions seeking donations for its missionary work abroad. Vetted missionaries or a representative are then invited to visit churches to share their experiences and seek donations and prayers, typically during homilies or at the end of Mass. "This money is used overseas to build churches, seminaries, schools and hospitals. They're also supporting vocations and catechesis," Kearnes said. "Not only does it spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth, it allows our parishioners to hear the good works being done abroad." Pope Francis talked about PHOTO PROVIDED need aid to start schools and clinics. In one particularly moving story, he shares how two teenaged girls were saved from prostitution by the missionaries. "I always believe their lives turned out better and more fruitful because of the work of the Redemptoris, but especially because of the generosity of the Church," he said. The Mercy Center that was built, he said, aids those with illness, women with children, orphans and youths unrepresented in court. Other notable missionaries came from a seminary in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Eight priests from the seminary visited Denver parishes over two weeks and raised $20,000. "We hope to have them back this year," Kearnes said. A bishop from Uganda visited to raise money to obtain clean water, health services and resources to evangelize. Spirit of Christ Church in Arvada gave a record amount—$39,000—this year to support the Uganda diocese. The funds will go a long way in the country, where the exchange rate is roughly $2,515 shillings for every U.S. dollar. "That was the largest collection Spirit of Christ has ever done for the mission coop," Kearnes said. "We were thrilled. ... They have a lot of needs in Uganda." To learn more, visit www. archden.org and search for "Missionary Cooperation Plan." SEMINARIANS and deacons from the Seminario Conciliar in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, visited the Denver Archdiocese to raise funds for its seminary. Worldwide the plan draws missionary joy and Jesus's Griffin of the Newark Archdimandate to "go forth" and ocese who was then-director $113 million for missions, the make disciples of all nations in of the Society for the Propaga- bulk of which comes from the his first apostolic exhortation tion of the Faith. The plan gave United States, she said. Father Allan Weinert, C.Ss.R., "Evangelii Gaudium" ("The Joy to dioceses the opportunity to treasurer of the Redemptorists' choose visiting missionaries. of the Gospel)." Today, dioceses field appli- Denver Province, has volun"In fidelity to the example of the Master, it is vitally import- cations, assign missionaries to teered to appeal at churches in ant for the Church today to go speak at churches, then collect Denver for seven years to supforth and preach the Gospel and distribute the funds di- port the missionary work of the Redemptorists in Thailand. to all: to all places, on all oc- rectly to the missions. He visited the country twice, Most missionaries are casions, without hesitation, reluctance or fear," he wrote priests from overseas dioceses specifically to see mission work Nov. 24. "The joy of the Gospel who visit during peak fund- in the Diocese of Udon Thani. is for all people: no one can be raising time between April and He said "by all observances it's one of the worst slums in the October. excluded." Nissa LaPoint: 303-715-3138; "They're sending priests and city of Bangkok." The Mission CooperaFather Weinert said he shares nissa.lapoint@archden.org; www. tion Plan was established in we're in-turn able to raise monthe story of how missionaries twitter.com/DCRegisterNissa the 1930s by Bishop William ey for them," Kearnes said. U.S. Supreme Court to hear landmark HHS cases BY JULIE FILBY The U.S. Supreme Court agreed Nov. 26 to take up two of the many cases challenging the Health and Human Services mandate of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores Inc. and Conestoga Wood Specialties v. Sebelius. The two companies argue that their employee insurance plans should not be forced to cover potentially life-terminating drugs that violate their religious convictions. Hobby Lobby is owned by the Green family, devout Evangelical Christians; and Conestoga Wood Specialties by the Hahn family, who are Mennonite. Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty, welcomed the Supreme Court's decision. "The Supreme Court's review of these cases highlights the importance of this conflict between the federal government and people seeking to practice their faith in daily life," Archbishop Lori wrote in a Nov. 26 statement. "We pray that the Supreme Court will find that the Constitution and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act protect everyone's right to religious freedom." The bishops have been encouraged by advances in the lower federal courts in cases involving family-owned companies as well as nonprofit religious organizations. Last week, a federal court handed the Pennsylvania dioceses of Pittsburgh and Erie a legal victory when U.S. District Judge Arthur Schwab ruled their legal challenge to the HHS mandate was likely to succeed on the merits, and granted their petition for a temporary injunction. The hearing included testimony from Bishop David Zubik of Pittsburgh, Bishop Lawrence Persico of Erie, as well as videotaped testimony from Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York and former president of the USCCB, as reported by the National Catholic Register. Schwab's ruling stated that the administration had failed to meet criteria outlined in the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which asks the government to identify a compelling state interest to justify laws that constrain the free exercise of religion. In July, Hobby Lobby was granted a preliminary injunction by the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals preventing the government from enforcing the HHS mandate, however the claim of Conestoga Wood Specialties was rejected by the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals. The Green family took an unusual step of joining the government in asking the high court to review the case, despite the victory, according to their attorney. "This is a major step for the Greens and their family businesses in an important fight for Americans' religious liberty," according to Kyle Duncan, general counsel of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty and lead lawyer for Hobby Lobby. The Becket Fund is a nonprofit, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions. "My family and I are encouraged that the U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to decide our case," wrote David Green, in a statement. "This legal challenge has always remained about one thing and one thing only: the right of our family businesses to live out our sincere and deeply held religious convictions as guaranteed by the law and the Constitution. Business owners should not have to choose between violating their faith and violating the law." The Supreme Court cases involving Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood Specialties will be combined for arguments, estimated to start in late March. A decision is expected by late June. There are currently 84 lawsuits challenging the HHS mandate including Little Sisters of the Poor, Colorado Christian University, the Eternal Word Television Network and Ave Maria University. The Supreme Court did not announce whether it would take up any of the additional HHS mandate cases also seeking a hearing. Julie Filby: 303-715-3123; julie. filby@archden.org; www.twitter. com/DCRegisterJulie

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