Denver Catholic

8 DECEMBER 10-23, 2016 | DENVER CATHOLIC Around the Archdiocese Your gift supports Catholic Education – Thank You – HOLY FAMILY H I G H S C H O O L MACHEBEUF Bishop Machebeuf High School Machebeuf.org/donate Holyfamilyhs.com/donate BY ROXANNE KING I n 1998, four Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma, Mich., arrived to Denver to help open and establish St. John Vianney Theological Seminary. Over the years the order's presence in the archdiocese grew to seven and spread to the Western Slope. This month, with their original mis- sion completed, three sisters are leaving the seminary convent, but four sisters will remain at St. Clare of Assisi School in Edwards, Colo., to continue teaching there. "It's been a great joy for each one of the sisters assigned here to work in the seminary, to collaborate and to bring it together," said Sister Esther Mary Nickel, superior of the Denver convent the last dozen years. Explaining their move, she added, "Our hope was that as new priests were formed [at the semi- nary], they would eventually take over our jobs and that is happening." When the seminary was being launched, then-rector, now Archbishop Samuel Aquila, had invited the sisters to help sta˜ it, and to maintain the semi- nary chapel and sacristy, work with fi rst-year seminarians and care for the archbishop's residence. Today the seminary is thriving and the archbishop's residence, which sits across from the seminary, was recently expanded for communal living and combined with the new multi-use facil- ity called the Holy Trinity Center. The Holy Trinity Center, which was paid for through private donors and completed last year, solves space woes the archdiocese was experiencing at the John Paul II Center campus, which houses two seminaries—St. John Vian- ney and Redemptoris Mater Archdioce- san Missionary Seminary—the convent, a Spirituality Year House for fi rst-year seminarians, and the pastoral center o" ces. "The Holy Trinity Center is fulfi lling its purpose as a place for meetings, din- ners and a place of hospitality. It's been wonderful seeing how it's developed," said Sister Nickel, who has coordinated its activities since it opened. Sister Nickel, who holds doc- toral degrees in theology, liturgy and agronomy, also taught at St. John Vianney, assisted the Catholic Medical Association Denver Guild, the nonprofi t Divine Mercy Supportive Care, Endow women's studies, served as archdioce- san liaison to the Discalced Carmelites, and was a consultant to the O" ce of Liturgy. "It's been a great privilege and a joy to work with these men who go out and serve the people of God in the parishes. For me teaching has been a tremen- dous gift," she said, adding that she also enjoyed her work with the Catholic groups, chancery o" ces and religious communities. "There are such good people who have been working in the Archdiocese of Denver," she said. Sister Nickel is going to Jackson, Minn., to write a couple of books and several articles. She'll also be helping former Denver priest, now Sioux City, Iowa, Bishop R. Walker Nickless, with liturgical formation. Also leaving are Sister Mary Elisha Glady, who is going to the Diocese of Lake Charles, La., to serve as director of formation, and Sister Mary Katerina Masek, who is going to the Diocese of Phoenix to teach philosophy and music. Religious Sisters of Mercy to leave seminary, but not archdiocese Professor-nuns helped establish St. John Vianney Theological Seminary

• Cover