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7 DENVER CATHOLIC | AUGUST 22-SEPTEMBER 11, 2015 WELCOME BACK STUDENTS! To learn more about supporting or joining the Machebeuf Community, visit machebeuf.org MACHEBEUF J E S U I T E D U C A T I O N J E S U I T E X C E L L E N C E 2013 J E S U I T E X C E L L E N C E T O U R DAY DATE TIME PLACE WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AT THE 2015 JESUIT EXCELLENCE TOUR! REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE JESUIT COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES LISTED TO THE RIGHT WILL BE IN DENVER TO SPEAK WITH STUDENTS. 2015 THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 10, 2015 6 – 8 p.m. DENVER MARRIOTT TECH CENTER 4900 S. SYRACUSE STREET DENVER, CO 80237 Hotel parking validation available at college fair registration table CREIGHTON UNIVERSIT Y FAIRFIELD UNIVERSIT Y GONZAGA UNIVERSIT Y LOYOLA MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY LOYOLA UNIVERSIT Y CHICAGO LOYOLA UNIVERSIT Y MARYLAND LOYOLA UNIVERSIT Y NEW ORLEANS MARQUETTE UNIVERSIT Y REGIS UNIVERSIT Y ROCKHURST UNIVERSIT Y SAINT JOSEPH'S UNIVERSIT Y SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSIT Y SANTA CLARA UNIVERSIT Y SEATTLE UNIVERSIT Y UNIVERSIT Y OF SAN FRANCISCO XAVIER UNIVERSIT Y I n today 's anti-Christian culture, Catholics no longer have the option to be idle and indecisive about living their faith, said author and speaker Dan Burke. During his talk Aug. 14 at St. Mary Parish in Aspen on "The Future of Christianity?", Burke said he told faithful it's time to act. "Cultural Catholicism isn't going to cut it anymore," said Burke, who is president and founder of the Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation, which o£ ers online spiritual education classes. "Those sitting on the edges are going to have to make a decision." Drawing closer to Christ, especially through Scripture, is how Christianity will endure a secular culture, he shared with the Denver Catholic during an interview. " We better draw near to Christ, because if we don't we're going to fi nd ourselves enveloped by the darkness. Instead of advancing to the kingdom, we'll (advance) through the gates of hell," he said. Burke, who is also the executive director of and blogger for the National Catholic Register, gave a talk at the parish during a weekend celebration of its feast, the Assumption of Mary. Avila's academic dean and co-founder Anthony Lilles—former professor at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver—also gave a talk over the weekend. Father Nathan Cromly of the Community of St. John celebrated week- end Masses at the parish. Through a partnership with Avila, the parish plans to host engaging talks, courses and training for faithful who live in the a³ uent and highly-cultural town of Aspen. The area needs a strong Catholic pres- ence, said pastor Father John Hilton, who recently completed a cross coun- try bike ride to help support the parish's initiative. "I think Aspen is one of those places where culture is formed," Father Hilton told the Denver Catholic in May. "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." Father Hilton's bike ride was part of a parish campaign to fund a renovation of the church and build a new pavilion where the Avila Institute would host its courses. With a $4 million renovation to the church built in 1892 and a new pavilion, Father Hilton hopes the faith will grow in relevance to the community. "Father Hilton wants to draw in some of the community here who maybe don't attend church or are Catholics who have drifted away," Burke said. The new pavilion would also provide the Avila Institute with its fi rst physical campus for spiritual formation classes, personal enrichment courses and a mas- ters-level spiritual theology program. If faithful cling to the Gospel and grow in their faith, the Church will survive through di² cult times, Burke said. "The darker our culture gets and the more hostile it gets toward people of faith, the brighter the lights will shine within those who have a living relation- ship with Christ," he said. Future of Christianity lies in drawing near to Christ, says speaker BY NISSA LAPOINT 303-715-3138 | nissa.lapoint@archden.org www.twitter.com/Nissa_LaPoint BRING AVILA TO ASPEN Learn more at stmaryaspen.org Dan Burke, president and founder of the Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation, spoke at St. Mary Parish in Aspen about the future of Christianity as part of a new initiative with the parish. PHOTO PROVIDED/ARCHDIOCESE OF DENVER