Denver Catholic

2 MARCH 21-27, 2015 | DENVER CATHOLIC Archbishop's Page Vatican Denver Catholic (USPS 557-020) is published weekly except the last week of December and the fi rst weeks of January, and in June, July and August when it goes bi-weekly. Denver Catholic is printed by Signature Ož set in Denver. Periodical postage paid in Denver, CO. SUBSCRIPTIONS: $35 a year in Colorado; $42 per year out of state. Foreign countries: $42 surface, all countries, 6-8 weeks for delivery; $135 air, all other countries (average). Mexico, $48 air; Canada, $55 air. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Denver Catholic, Circulation Dept., 1300 S. Steele St., Denver, CO 80210 or email circulation@archden.org. EDITORIAL: 303-715-3215 or denvercatholic@archden.org | ADVERTISING: 303-715-3253 or denvercatholicads@archden.org CIRCULATION CUSTOMER SERVICE: 303-715-3230 or circulation@archden.org General Manager KARNA SWANSON Director ANDREW WRIGHT Business Manager MICHAEL O'NEILL Published by the Archdiocese of Denver, 1300 S. Steele St., Denver, CO 80210 Archbishop's Column Most Rev. Samuel J. Aquila ARCHBISHOP'S SCHEDULE March 21: Vigil Praise, Christ the King Chapel, St. JPII Center (7 p.m.) March 26: All-school Mass, Holy Family High School, Broomfi eld (10:15 a.m.) @ArchbishopDen Mar 10 Separating Unitive From Procreative Is Root of Culture of Death - http://eepurl.com/bgwgQ5 In the 34th Psalm, verse 15, we read, "Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it." Lord, today our state, our country, and our world seem to con- tinually be threatened by violence and division. It seems at times that more people are turning toward evil than toward the good. In many of our commu- nities people are experiencing a moral crisis, families are breaking apart, and traditional systems of support are disappearing, leaving people adrift, and often without hope. In such times, Father, you call us to return to you. You call us to remember the essential truths that you have woven into our very beings: that we have dignity because we are made in your image and likeness, that true freedom is found in being freed from sin, and that our happiness depends on living according to your plan for us. Father, help us return to you and trust in you. Lord, help us become people of hope. Lord, help us trust in your good- ness. And in doing so, help us overcome any spirit of division, so that we can work to promote the God-given dignity of every Coloradan. ARCHBISHOP AQUILA, opening prayer for House of Representatives March 6 PRAYER OF THE WEEK O nce a year we are supposed to see the doctor for a physical. He does some tests, draws some blood, and o' ers some advice on staying or becoming healthy. It's a routine that most of us are familiar with and recog- nize as a good practice, even if we don't enjoy it or do it every year. This past December I launched a similar process for the Archdiocese of Denver to determine its vitality and to learn where it has grown, where it has become smaller, and what we can do to improve the reach of the Gospel in our local communities. When I was bishop of Fargo, I conducted this type of assessment every fi ve years in all of the parishes, and I saw the benefi ts that came from having a better awareness of the Church's strength and needs. This is not just a good management exercise; it's also a practice that Jesus praised in the Parable of the Talents and John's Gospel. The resourceful servant said, "'Master, you delivered to me fi ve talents; here I have made fi ve talents more.' His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master'" (Mt. 25:20-21). Jesus desires that every disciple enter into the "joy of the Master." In John 15, Jesus describes himself as the true vine and the Father as the vine grower. Then he says, "By this is my Father glorifi ed, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. … I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete." Each of you knows your local parish. The assessment process is designed to gather grassroots input that will then assist the deaneries in providing feed- back and o' ering recommendations for the future. Your pastors and I need your honest and creative participation in the surveys that you have received. In order to make sure that everyone is able to participate, the surveys are also avail- able to parishes in Spanish, Vietnamese, and Korean. I want to hear about your experience of the faith—your encounter with Jesus, the pastoral care you have received, your desires for the future, what can be improved, and areas of strength in your local parish community. The Archdiocese of Denver is vast, covering a little over 41,000 square miles. It is also diverse, with large and small parishes, urban and rural. The I-25 Corridor from Denver to Fort Collins and east of there has experienced tre- mendous growth and change in recent years. In fact, the state's Local A' airs O¤ ce estimates that Colorado's popula- tion will grow by 88,500 people in 2015. Since the situation is diverse, and keeping in mind the principle of subsid- iarity, I have asked each pastor to adapt the assessment tools to the parish's circumstances. This means that friends in other parishes might have a slightly di' erent experience than you do. Throughout this process of plan- ning and evaluation it is important to remember our ultimate goal: to bring others to know, love, and serve Jesus Christ and his Church. And because we live in a time when so many are confused, Pope Francis has urged us to approach those who are lost or discouraged with mercy. He has even announced that he will declare a Jubilee Year of Mercy in 2016. The talents and resources the Lord has given us must be placed at the ser- vice of the Church's mission of mercy. And in order to do that, I need your help and full participation in the parish assessment process. May God bless you for your generos- ity and your willingness to proclaim the Gospel. I pray that you will experience and enter into the joy of the Master and then share that joy with others. The parish checkup and being faithful servants

• Cover