Denver Catholic

14 MARCH 11-24, 2017 | DENVER CATHOLIC A place for reconnecting With God. Come for a day or week. Book your next retreat with us! 719-258-1600 For Tour or Reservations www.eltesororetreat.org Sundays: Kids Eat FREE / Tilapia Tuesdays: $1.00 per piece / Wednesdays: Senior Discount! Open: Sun-Thur 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., Fri & Sat 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. Get Your Fish Here On Fridays British Style Fish & Chips www.gbfishandchips.com 1311 S. Broadway Denver, CO 80210 720-570-5103 2175 Sheridan (Sloan's Lake) Edgewater, CO 80214 303-232-2128 5325 E. Colfax Denver, CO 80220 303-333-4551 7401 Ralston Rd. Arvada, CO 80003 303-420-9897 www.proximotravel.com 508-340-9370 Hablamos Español 855-842-8001 anthony@proximotravel.com Call us 24/7 Several trips to different destinations: the Holy Land; Italy; France, Portugal, & Spain; Poland; Medjugorje, Lourdes, & Fatima; Ireland & Scotland; England; Austria, Germany, & Switzerland; Greece & Turkey; Budapest; Prague; Our Lady of Guadalupe; Colombia; Brazil; Argentina; Domestic Destinations; etc… We also specialize in custom trips for Bishops, Priests and Deacons We also offer other trips with prices starting at $2,499 ~ Prices are ALL-INCLUSIVE with Airfare from anywhere in the USA Around the Archdiocese BY AARON LAMBERT T his year marks the 500th anni- versary of the Reformation; a time for Catholics to remember the event that splintered Christendom into thousands of denominations and a time to work toward the unity that Christ desired for all Christians. Pope Francis has made Christian unity one of his priorities and now Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila is making strides to push forward, if even just a little bit. On March 19, Archbishop Aquila will co-preside over a prayer service along- side Lutheran Bishop James Gonia of the Rocky Mountain Synod to com- memorate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. The service will be held at Bethany Lutheran Church in Denver,ª marking an important mile- stone in local ecumenical relations between the Catholic and Lutheran churches. COMMEMORATION OF A TRAGEDY Father Doug Grandon, parochial vicar of St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Denver, was bothª an evangelical and Episcopalian pastor before he entered the Catholic Church and became a priest. He noted there's an important distinction between celebrating the Reformation and commemorating it. "Unlike some Protestant churches, we don't celebrate the Reformation, but we remember it as a whole series of tragic events," Father Grandon told the Denver Catholic. "A proper look in the rearview mirror acknowledges that the Catholic Church is responsible for a great deal of that tragedy." The Church was plagued with mas- sive corruption in those times, Father Grandon pointed out. Martin Luther took issue with the sale of plenary indulgences, which in part prompted his famous 95 Theses, but there were other signifi cant problems as well: scan- dalous popes, poorly trained priests, and bishops not living in their dioceses. "That doesn't justify all the break- away movements, but we can under- stand how people could lose faith in the Church," Father Grandon remarked.ª The Council of Trent, held between 1545 and 1563, began to implement a dramatic reformation of the Catholic Church that addressed many of these failed points. "It was too late to put the broken pieces back together," Father Grandon lamented. Today, the three most important divisions between the two churches lie in the issues of Papal authority, inter- pretation of Scripture and the nature of the Eucharist. "Five hundred years later, we see this as a real tragedy," said Father Grandon, "but we see the Holy Spirit working to give us hope once again that the Church could come back together. There have been fruitful dialogues between Lutheran representatives and Catholic leaders, and they have made various Can this broken family heal? Archbishop Aquila to attend 500th commemoration of Reformation Unlike some Prot- estant churches, we don't celebrate the Reforma- tion, but we remember it as a whole series of tragic events." FATHER GRANDON "

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