Denver Catholic

youth on Friday night. "We were really excited to offer them reconciliation," Peters said. "About 400 confessions were heard." To help the kids understand service work and share the social ministry of the Church, each was asked to bring a new pair of socks to donate to the Office of Hispan- ic Ministry's annual underwear collection for migrant ministry. The goal was to collect under- garments, in particular socks, for seasonal, male migrant workers. Mountain Madness has trans- formed over the years, beginning in the late 1990s in the Denver metro area. Originally it was a one-day rally for teens and tweens, organized by Blessed Sacrament and St. James' parish - es, followed up with a ski trip in the mountains the next day. "It continued at the parish- es for about three years," Peters said. "After attendance grew to about 500-600, the archdiocese took over." In 2001, it moved to the YMCA of the Rockies where the students stay in dorms for two nights. "The conference wasn't named 'Mountain Madness' until the archdiocese took it over," Peters said. "I'd say the title applies: it's held in the mountains and when you have that many junior high students together, there can be a little madness—but all in a good way." The students agreed. "It was an amazing experience, to be with God and be talking about who he is," Klein said. "I will always remember how much fun it was. "And the snowball fights!" Julie Filby: 303-715-3123; julie. filby@archden.org; www.twitter. com/DCRegister CATHOLIC LIFE I 3 DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER I FEBRUARY 19, 2014 BY JULIE FILBY In an upcoming talk, author and theologian Brant Pitre, Ph.D., will help Catholics inte- grate the word of God into their spiritual lives by not only read- ing Scripture, but by "praying it" as well. "I think the prayerful reading of sacred Scripture hasn't clearly moved to the center of the spiri- tual life for many Catholics," Pitre told the Denver Catholic Register from Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans where he is a pro- fessor of sacred Scripture. "Some Catholics think: 'Reading the Bi- ble? That's what Protestants do.'" At the next installment of the Archbishop's Lecture Se- ries 7 p.m. March 18, Pitre will demonstrate how the Church has emphasized the practice of praying with Scripture from the 1965 closing the Second Vatican Council through today as re - vealed in the preaching of Pope Francis. His talk "The Bible and the Spiritual Life: Lectio Divina from Vatican II to Pope Francis" is the third in a four-part lec- ture series covering principle documents of Vatican II; this one highlighting "Dei Verbum" ("Word of God"). Prayerful read- ing of the Bible, also known as Lectio Divina ("divine reading"), has continued to be taught by popes since Vatican II, particu- larly by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI and Pope Francis. "It's fascinating; Pope Bene- dict was the first pope who ac- tually laid out the steps for how to practice Lectio Divina," Pitre said referring to the former pon- tiff's 2010 apostolic exhortation "Verbum Domini" (the "Word of the Lord") where in addition to laying out the steps, he charged that the practice was not only for priests, nuns or consecrated, but for all the lay faithful. Fast forward to Pope Francis, the first Jesuit pope. "As the first Jesuit pope, Lectio Divina has always been some- thing that's important to him," Pitre said "In Jesuit formation it is central, as it was a central practice of (St. Ignatius) Loyola (founder of the Jesuits)." Pope Francis has taken the ba- ton from Vatican II and Benedict XVI, Pitre said. "He is really focusing, in his pontificate, on the prayerful reading of sacred Scripture," he continued, "primarily by mod- eling it for us in his homilies. If you've read any of his homilies, you know that they're dripping with Scripture, they're saturated in the Bible." Pitre's lecture—designed for priests, religious, seminarians, laypeople, catechists, anyone involved in ministry, and anyone interested in deepening their prayer life—will show attendees how to pray with Scripture and give practical examples. "I think Pope Francis recogniz - es that the new evangelization is going to have to be motivat- ed by people that are motivated by the word of God," Pitre said. "He's charging us all to become more familiar with Scripture as an essential part of the new evangelization." Pitre, who holds a doctorate in theology from the University of Notre Dame, is the author of sev- eral articles and books includ- ing "Jesus the Bridegroom: The Greatest Love Story Ever Told" to be released March 11. He has produced dozens of Bible stud- ies and lives in Gray, La., with his wife and their five children. The four-part series on Vatican II constitutions will wrap up April 8 when Augustine Institute pro- fessor Douglas Bushman, S.T.L. will speak on "Gaudium et Spes," the longest and most visionary of the documents that looks at the Church and her mission in the world. Both lectures will be held in Bonfils Hall on the John Paul II Center campus at 1300 S. Steele St. Advance registration is not needed, seating is first-come, first-served. For more informa- tion, call 303-715-3230 or email bethany.doss@archden.org. There's more to the Bible than reading ARCHBISHOP'S LECTURE SERIES "The Bible and the Spiritual Life: Lectio Divina from Vatican II to Pope Francis" Featuring: Brant Pitre, professor, author and theologian When: 7 p.m. March 18 Where: Bonfils Hall, John Paul II Center, 1300 S. Steele St., Denver Questions: 303-715-3230 or bethany.doss@ archden.org NEXT UP IN THE SERIES Speaker: Professor Douglas Bushman, S.T.L. Topic: "Gaudium et Spes," the Church and her mission in the world When: 7 p.m. April 8 Where: Bonfils Hall, John Paul II Center, 1300 S. Steele St., Denver TWO youths talk and take in the beautiful view and wildlife while on the Mountain Madness re- treat at YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park Feb. 15. PHOTOS BY ROBERT LINN/DCR FATHER Jim Crisman delivers his homily during Mass at Mountain Madness 2014. DAN Harms and Kyle Heimann of the acoustic rock duo Pop- ple perform at Mountain Madness Feb. 15. BY THE NUMBERS Mountain Madness 2014 Youth attending: 680 Chaperones attending: 120 Priests attending: 20 Confessions heard: 400

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