Denver Catholic

6 MAY 28-JUNE 10, 2016 | DENVER CATHOLIC Around the Archdiocese Independent & Assisted Living Nursing • Medicare Rehabilitation In-Home Care • Out-Patient Therapy There is a place that's just waiting for you to experience senior living as it should be — St. Andrew's Village. Acting your age is not a requirement. Acting how you feel is always encouraged! Whether splashing in the pool, enjoying our Happiest Hour with friends and neighbors, or an evening of fine dining where our staff knows your favorite drink, you'll feel years younger and enjoy every minute of it. Ask about a Priority Reservation. Call 303.695.8100 for lunch and a visit! Click StAndrewsVillage.net Feeling Young at Heart? We know just the place. . . EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY SERVING THE DENVER METRO CATHOLIC COMMUNITY SINCE 1890. (303) 233-4611 www.denverfuneralproviders.com 9:00am – 10:00am Placing of Flags (American Legion Post #1) Meet in the Parking Lot 11:30am – 12:15pm Babyland Remembrance Service Babyland at Block 13W 6:00pm – 9:00pm Queen City Jazz Band Pavilion 9:00pm – 9:30pm Fireworks West of Pavilion 11:30am – 12:15pm Veterans Remembrance Service Tower of Memories Centennial State Pipes and Drums Honor Bell Foundation All Veterans Rifle Team 1:00pm – 3:00pm Pipes in the Park 2:00pm – 3:00pm Pipes in the Park Saturday, May 28th Sunday, May 29th Monday, May 30th MEMORIAL WEEKEND CELEBRATION * The Event is FREE and Open to the Public* Jazz Music, Fireworks, Bag Pipes and More! Come Gather with Family and Friends and Bring Memories To Life. OLINGER CROWN HILL MORTUARY & CEMETERY 7777 W. 29th Ave. Wheat Ridge, CO 80033 BY AARON LAMBERT E ach day, innocent Christians around the world are ruth- lessly martyred for their faith. It would seem a pressing social justice issue, yet it often falls upon deaf ears. Father Andre Mahanna and the St. Ra· a Mission of Hope and Mercy advocate for those who are being perse- cuted and serve as the foundation for an interfaith community that gathers each year to pray for an end to the violence wrought on Christians. On May 20, this interfaith commu- nity gathered once more for the second annual ecumenical prayer breakfast, hosted by Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila and Bishop Abdallah E. Zaidan of the Maronite Eparchy of Our Lady of Leb- anon of Los Angeles.« The breakfast was once again orga- nized by Father Mahanna, who serves as the director of ecumenism for Our Lady of Lebanon Eparchy and is also the pastor of St. Ra· a's Maronite Catholic Church in Lakewood. The event was held at St. Bernadette Catholic Church in Lakewood. A time of prayer and contemplation was held in the church, during which ecumenical leaders led the congrega- tion in a series of prayers and hymns. Afterward, an authentic Lebanese breakfast was served in the basement of St. Bernadette. Archbishop Aquila commended Father Mahanna and the Mission of Hope and Mercy for raising awareness of the plight of persecuted Christians and providing legitimate aid to them. "I ask that you continue to support the Mission of Hope and Mercy and the work Father Andre has done in bringing all of this about," he sad. "Highlighting all of this for us in Colorado has been a tremendous blessing, and I am deeply grateful to him and St. Ra· a's for their spearheading of this mission." Several volunteers with the Mission of Hope and Mercy shared their per- sonal testimonies of working for the mission, and Father Mahanna spoke about the urgency of ecumenical coop- eration to address this dire situation, especially that of various Christian denominations. Also sharing his testimony was Father Oja Gafour, an episcopalian priest who serves as the African mis- sioner at Church of the Epiphany in Denver. He called attention to the Christians in the Nuba mountains of Sudan who are current targets of genocide. Father Mahanna challenged every- one to contemplate their own place in the Body of Christ and discern the ways they can help persecuted Chris- tians throughout the world — an act he believes is an inherent duty of each and every Christian. "The source of the St. Ra· a Mission of Hope and Mercy is not Father Andre," Father Andre said. "I believe it's a call from God to each and every one of us to be a true, concrete extension of God's existence." Ecumenical community rallies at second annual prayer breakfast To learn more about St. Rafka's Mission of Hope and Mercy or to donate to their cause, visit savechristianmiddleeast.org MISSION OF HOPE AND MERCY

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