Denver Catholic

BY ROXANNE KING The Denver Catholic Register won four 2014 Catholic Press As- sociation Awards June 20. The awards were presented at the annual Catholic Media Con- ference, which drew journalists from across the nation and Can- ada. This year's event was held in Charlotte, N.C. The Register was recognized with the following: • Most Effective Use of Small Space – Second Place for "Look Who's Reading the Denver Cath- olic Register" a series promoting the newspaper's Join the Mis- sion subscription campaign that featured Register syndicat- ed columnist George Weigel, Olympic medalist Missy Frank- lin and Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen, by Roxanne King, Julie Filby, James Baca and Nis- sa LaPoint. The judges said, "… good use of subheads, good page balance." • Best Newspaper Website – Third Place for the Register's new online presence at www.Denver CatholicRegister.org by Karna Swanson, David Hazen, Rox- anne King, Julie Filby and Nissa LaPoint. The judges said, "This well-designed website allows for browsing content in a logical and helpful manner." • Best Front Page, Tabloid – Honorable Mention for "Cath- olics urged to draw spiritual weapons, defend religious liber- ty," "Court rulings may threaten state's same-sex marriage ban" and "Denver's World Youth Day transformed local, universal Church, says cardinal" by Rox- anne King and Filippo Piccone. The judges said, "Good use of color and photographs. It was obvious what the editors deemed the most important topic." • Best Coverage of the Year of Faith – Honorable Mention for "Year of Faith Pilgrim Passport and Map," "Faithful invited to make Year of Faith pilgrimage" and "The graces of pilgrimage" by Filippo Piccone, Julie Filby, Jean Torkelson and Roxanne King. The judges said, "The Pil- grimage Passport is a great way to bring the Year of Faith to life." The Register's sister publi- cation, the Spanish-language monthly El Pueblo Católico, re- ceived eight CPA Awards. 10 I TRUTH & BEAUTY JULY 2, 2014 I DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER Archdiocese of Denver Mortuary 12801 W. 44th Ave. Wheat Ridge, CO 80033 (303) 425-9511 Mt. Olivet Cemetery 12801 W. 44th Ave. Wheat Ridge, CO 80033 (303) 424-7785 St. Simeon Cemetery 22001 E. State Hwy. 30 Aurora, CO 80018 (720) 859-9785 • Professional, personalized service • Respectful • Compassionate Caring for the faithful in Northern Colorado since 1893 in their most personal time of need. THE ARCHDIOCESE OF DENVER CEMETERIES AND MORTUARY ADVERTISING FOCUS CALENDAR JULY 16 Lawyers JULY 30 Seniors AUGUST 13 Deacon Appreciation AUGUST 27 Seniors Education: Back to School Need spiritual advice? Ask St. Francis de Sales Register honored with four press awards Local professor presents letters in all-new translation BY JULIE FILBY This story continues a Den- ver Catholic Register sum- mer reading series on Catho- lic-themed books with a Colora- do connection. St. Francis de Sales, widely regarded as one of the greatest spiritual advisers in the histo- ry of the Church, was known for his kind, gentle and pa- tient manner; as well as for his writing. When he wasn't able to reach people, literally, as he traveled through rough ter- rain in Europe; or when doors were slammed in his face as he worked to bring Calvinists back to Catholicism, it was his writing on the truth, beauty and goodness of Jesus that convert- ed countless hearts. Christopher Blum, academic dean and professor at the Augus- tine Institute in Green- wood Village, pored over four volumes from the thousands of letters written by the 16th-century bishop and selected 60 of the most striking pieces to translate—from French to En- glish, many for the first time— into a new book of meditations: "Roses Among Thorns: Simple Advice for Renewing Your Spir- itual Journey." "In the later part of his life, a large percentage of his letters were really private personal let- ters to a friend," Blum said of the saint who lived from 1567 to 1622, including many letters to dear friend St. Jane de Chantal. "It's been well-known that the two of them exchanged very beautiful letters," he said. While those letters have been published in the past "Roses Among Thorns" introduces a new perspective. "They tend to get published as being letters between two saints," Blum said. "What I wanted to do was put these selec- tions together in a way that the reader would not feel he was looking over the shoulder of someone else's conversation— but simply being addressed by the saint himself." To accomplish that feel, Blum removed personal references such as "my dear sister," and mentions of specific events; but left the spiritual content of the passages intact. "What's in the book is Francis de Sales' own private personal advice to his closest friends," he said. "He's so warm and ap- proachable, to read him is to read as if you're being addressed directly." The meditations provide "simple advice for renew- ing one's spiritual life," he continued. "This book is for people who understand themselves to be making a spiritual journey and could use a little mini-retreat or pep talk," he said, adding that during the translating and edit- ing process, he personally prof- ited from the messages. "It just really struck me how helpful these passages are," Blum said. "At a certain point in your Catholic life … you can really use something new. It's great to have something new that's actually old, and by a doc- tor of the Church." The doctrine in the book is not any different than "Intro- duction to the Devout Life," the renowned 1608 work of St. Francis de Sales that remains popular today, but it's packaged differently, he said. Titles of the meditations in- clude: Seasons of Life, Accepting God's Will, Too Busy to Pray, The Imagination in Prayer, The Pas- sage of Time, and Blum's favor- ite, Jesus the Gardener, among many others. The personal let- ters are designed to help readers develop soul-nourishing habits and restore one's confidence in Christ. "If you find it difficult to live amid the clamor of the world with your eyes fixed on Christ alone," he said, "let St. Francis de Sales teach you how to live as a true rose among thorns." This is Blum's second transla- tion of St. Francis de Sales with Sophia Institute Press, the first being "The Sign of Cross: The Fifteen Most Powerful Words in the English Language" released in 2013. Both are available at www.sophiainstitute.com and local Catholic bookstores. Julie Filby: 303-715-3123; julie. filby@archden.org, www.twitter. com/DCRegister BOOK Title: "Roses Among Thorns: Simple Advice for Renewing Your Spiritual Journey." (111 pages, $11.95) Author: St. Francis de Sales Translator: Christopher O. Blum, Ph.D. Forward by: Bishop James Conley, S.T.L. Available: www.sophiainstitute. com and Catholic book stores CHRISTOPHER BLUM JOB OPENING: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR The Catholic Foundation of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, seeks a visionary and accomplished leader to serve as its next Executive Director. The Foundation currently manages assets of $42 million and distributes approximately $1.4 million a year through its grantmaking and other charitable distributions. Reporting to the Board of Trustees, the Executive Director is the strategic and operational leader of The Catholic Foundation, with responsibility for ensuring that the Foundation continues to grow in its mission and value to the community. The Executive Director oversees the fiscal management and donor services of the Foundation and directs its operational activities. Preferred candidates for this position will have demonstrated success as an engaging, innovative, and energetic leader of a multifaceted organization, with exemplary skills in strategy, relationship and fundraising management. For a full job description and application instructions, go to: www.thecatholicfoundation.org Applications will be accepted until July 31, 2014

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