Denver Catholic

6 JUNE 13-26, 2015 | DENVER CATHOLIC Around the Archdiocese • 2013 BBB Gold Star and A+ rated business • 2013 Best of Service Award – Centennial/Englewood • All our Doctors of Audiology are Board Certied • Saturday appointments available by appointment More than 100 Physicians have referred their patients... Advanced Audiology, Inc. He a r i n g & Ti n n i t u s C e n t e r Dr. Fatima, AuD, BCABA Dr. of Audiology, HINDI/URDU Dr. Jenkins, AuD, BCABA Colorado's 1st Board Certified Dr. Of Audiology We take your Hearing Seriously. www.AdvancedAudiology.com 303.649.2122 Centennial, Colorado Advanced Partner Siemens Hearing Instruments A faith driven, warm and welcoming environment offering a variety of living op ons: • Independent Living • Assisted Living • Memory Care Secured Unit • Adult Day Programs • On-site Physician Clinic • Respite Care • Daily Mass Time-limits on special may apply. Embrace your Spiritual Journey! Summer MOVE-IN SPECIAL Call today to learn more about our summer move-in special and how you can get 2 months rent-free 303-964-3804 Centura Health does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, na onal origin, disability, age, sex, religion, creed, ancestry, sexual orienta on, and marital status in admission, treatment, or par cipa on in its programs, services and ac vi es, or in employment. For further informa on about this policy contact Centura Health's Office of the General Counsel at 303-804-8166. Copyright ©Centura Health 2015 2835 W. 32nd Ave., Denver centuraseniors.org/thegardens about 90 miles a day and will stay at hotels along the way. Some are almost speechless when he tells them his plans. Father Hilton says it's his obligation to engage in the battle for souls and witness to the love and salvation of Christ. "Hopefully what people will do is say, 'Here's a priest doing something unusual or extraordinary across the country," Father Hilton told the Denver Catholic. He wants his bike ride to prompt lay people to ask themselves what they can do to help make the world holy. "The Lord is calling us to be creative and do extraordinary things for him," he said. As pastor of the small parish for four years, Father Hilton said he wants to make the parish more relevant to the mountain town's trend-setting community. Aspen is an a© uent and highly-ed- ucated town known for its breadth of physical activities and outdoor sports including skiing, hiking and mountain biking. It is also known for intellectual conferences and cultural events. Father Hilton said residents can be skeptical of organized religion. "In Aspen the mentality could often be, 'I'm a spiritual person, but I don't see a need for attending¥ church,'" he said. Aspen is highly cultural, he said, and the Church should be active in the community. "I think Aspen is one of those places where culture is formed," he said. "The challenge for us at St. Mary's is to be relevant to the life of the people here. It would really be a tragedy for the Church to not be engaged in the culture." One way he hopes the church will grow in relevance is by undergoing a $4 million renovation. The church, founded in 1892, needs rehabilitation and a new pavilion that would serve as a parish hall and con- ference center to host regular speakers and conferences. A strong parish community filled with well-formed parishioners will help bolster the Catholic presence in the town, he said. "What Aspen needs is the Catholic Church vitally engaged and relevant and providing the fi nest Catholic teach- ing, spirituality and training for the new evangelization," he said. Father Hilton is partnering with the Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation— an online educational and enrichment program—to draw leading Catholic speakers who can o er spiritual training and formation for the community. The new construction would be home to a campus where the Institute would provide graduate-level education and spiritual formation. St. Mary's will kick-o its conference ambitions by hosting a series of speak- ers Aug. 13-15. Dan Burke, founder of the Avila Institute, and other leading Catho- lics will give talks at the parish. Father Hilton is asking for donations and prayers for his bike ride and the suc- cess of the new evangelization in Aspen. "As Catholics, we must be engaged in the world," he said. « 1 | i PEDALING PRIEST UPDATES Father John Hilton's cross-country bike ride June 2 through July Watch for updates at www.pedalingpriest.com. IMAGE PROVIDED

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