Denver Catholic

12 I FEBRUARY 5, 2014 I DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER ADVERTISING FOCUS CALENDAR February 12 St. Valentine's Day Pilgrimages February 19 All Things Senior - Pullout February 26 Education March 5 Ash Wednesday Gardening Thinking about a will? Request a free Wills Kit from CRS. Learn what you need to know before you see an attorney. 1-800-235-2772 CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES Giving hope to a world of need. February 7-9 Weekend Retreat (Women) February 14-16 Weekend Retreat (Couples) February 21-23 Weekend Retreat (Women) Feb. 28-Mar. 2 Weekend Retreat (Men) March 5 Day of Prayer: 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. March 7-9 Vietnamese Retreat (Men & Women) 4801 North Highway 67, P.O. Box 185, Sedalia, CO 80135 Phone: 303-688-4198 ext. 122 (information/reservations) Website: www.sacredheartretreat.org BY NISSA LAPOINT The secret is out: confession is a source of inexpressible joy and healing. The Light is on for You cam- paign is returning to Denver for its third year this March to turn the sacrament of reconciliation from a secret into a well-known fact. When launching the cam- paign in 2012, then apostolic ad- ministrator of the archdiocese, Auxiliary Bishop James Conley, called confession "the best kept secret in the Catholic Church." Three years later, Archbishop Samuel Aquila is expanding the one-night confession event in- to a six-week educational cam- paign during the liturgical sea- son of Lent to make Catholics more aware of the renewing and healing graces of the sacrament. The archdiocese's Offi ce of Communications is joining forc- es with the Offi ce of Evangeliza- tion and Family Life Ministries to promote the campaign, during which catechetical guides and a special series in the Denver Cath- olic Register will be published. The series will include confes- sion FAQs, a how-to guide, list of confession times and inspira- tional stories about fellow-Cath- olic's confession experiences. Parishes will also have access to banners, posters and graphics to aid in promoting the event. "We're going to promote con- fession so it's not a secret any- more," said communications di- rector Karna Swanson. "We want everyone to know about con- fession, how great it is and the mercy that's available through confession." The campaign begins Ash Wednesday, March 5, and ex- tends throughout Lent. It will include the popular archdioc- esan-wide night of confession, which will be held Thursday, March 20, from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. All parishes are asked to unite and participate in the cam- paign to make the sacrament available at the same time. Catholics are welcome to par- ticipate, including those who've strayed from the Church or those who haven't confessed in some time. "It gives people who aren't aware of the times and dates of confession, and maybe aren't regular church-goers, the oppor- tunity to know this is the time to go," explained Swanson. The archdiocese also invites all faithful to promote the cam- paign and confession so that fellow Catholics may take advan- tage of it. Resources on a to-be- announced website will be avail- able for everyone. "We encourage all parishio- ners and faithful to put it on their own websites and social media," Swanson said. This pastoral initiative, aimed at increasing awareness and participation in the sacrament of penance, began in the Arch- diocese of Washington, D.C., in 2005. The Archdiocese of Bos- ton also launched the campaign two years ago. Confession is the means for Catholics to obtain pardon from God for sins committed and reconciles them with Christ's Church. The sacrament goes by var- ious names including "con- fession," because of the act of disclosing sins to a priest, and the "sacrament of penance," because it consecrates a per- son's personal steps toward conversion. Some priests say confession is akin to an appointment with a dentist or doctor, only confes- sion is an appointment with God and it's for the healing of a soul. And to stay healthy spiritually, means making regular appoint- ments for confession. Whether Catholics choose to attend the Light is On for You confession night or make an ap- pointment with their priest, the important goal is to grow closer to God and take advantage of the sacraments the Church offers, Swanson said. In confession, the mercy of God is overfl owing. Catholics in Denver can expect to fi nd his forgiveness while receiving the sacrament. "We're always surprised no matter what we have to confess," Swanson said. "God's mercy, grace and forgiveness are much greater than we are. Prepare yourself to be surprised by his mercy." Parishes plan to keep the Light on for You this Lenten season THE LIGHT IS ON FOR YOU FAQ'S Parishioners • Campaign: March 5-April 16 • Archdiocesan-wide confession night 4:30-7 p.m. March 20 Parishes • To order a Light is on for You banner (in English or Spanish), contact 303-715-3230 or info@archden.org. you and your family in your retirement!" Colorado Springs Bishop Emeritus Richard Hanifen wrote, "You were the anchor while the vicars came and went along with the archbishops, bishops and even the cardinal. … I will always appreciate your friendship and your deep spir- itual journey." Her favorite response may well be that of her former boss, Bishop Nickless. "Marie, you are the best! I think I am a bishop because of you!" she read aloud, laughing at their inside joke. Looking up she confi ded, "There are other priests I think are bishop ma- terial, too!" Her current boss, Msgr. Schmitz, told the Register Sail- as has been his trusted "co-pi- lot" making sure he stayed on course and alerting him to the needs of the priests. "The priests were not just names in a book but they were, and still are, her 'brothers' and daily she prays for them. … She aches over their pains and re- joices over their successes," he said. "Each person has a digni- ty in her mind and she protects it. She will be deeply missed." Roxanne King: 303-715-3215; editor@archden.org; www.twit- ter.com/DCRegister Marie From Page 8 Catholic newspaper The Wan- derer headquartered in St. Paul, Minn. He was also active on the board of the Wander- er Forum Foundation, now the Bellarmine Forum, and served as a policy expert for the Heritage Foundation. He twice won awards from the Freedoms Foundation for his newswriting and in 2003 he also received the Frederic Oza- nam Award from the Society of Catholic Scientists for "vig- orously defending the faith by the written and spoken word." In addition to his journalism career, Morriss taught at several colleges for more than 25 years and taught religion to children for 30-plus years at Colorado Catholic Academy, which he started in Denver in 1970. A prolifi c author, he wrote a number of books for children as well as many for adults, ranging from poetry to anal- ysis. Among his works are "Francis Thompson: A Refl ec- tion on the Poetic Vocation," "The Divine Epic," "The Cath- olic as Citizen," "A Little Life of Our Lord," "The Divine Ep- ic," "Saints in Verse" and "Two Chapels," a treatment of Bless- ed Cardinal Newman and the Oxford Movement. "It was an adventure in Ca- tholicism being raised by my dad," said Gerard Morriss, 56, of Denver. "He went to Rome a couple of times to cover ses- sions of the Second Vatican Council." "That was really a highlight for him," added Bateman. "He had a great love of the Catholic Church. We grew up with that." Her father, Bateman said, "was a poet at heart." Morriss fi nished his last manuscript just last year— pounded out on a typewriter as he never embraced com- puters—called "Memoirs of a Reluctant Soldier," it recalls his time in the military. "He was writing till the very end," Bateman said. Morriss was preceded in death by his wife and by his daughter Franciscan Sister Mary John (formerly "Regina") Morriss. He is survived by his children—Patricia Bateman (and husband Louie) of Wich- ita, Kan.; Mary Ellen (and hus- band Jeff ) Hill of Denver, and Gerard Morriss of Denver— and his grandson, Lee Francis Hill of Denver. Roxanne King: 303-715-3215; editor@archden.org; www.twit- ter.com/DCRegister Morriss was editor of DCR, NCR, The Wanderer From Page 3

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