Denver Catholic

9 DENVER CATHOLIC | JUNE 10-23, 2017 Extending a warm welcome to our new parochial vicars, Fr. Emmanuel Osigwe and Fr. Francesco Basso! Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception 1530 Logan Street, Denver, CO 80203 303-831-7010 • www.denvercathedral.org The clergy, staff and parishioners of the Cathedral Basilica. Fr. Emmanuel Osigwe Fr. Francesco Basso We welcome our new Pastor, Fr. Matthew Book and look forward to our new journey with you! 10316 W Bowles Ave, Littleton, CO 80127 Father Michael Pavlakovich The Sta- and Parishioners at Light of the World Roman Catholic Church wish to thank you for your twelve years of faithful service! Many blessings as you begin your new adventure. Jesus said that 'Whoever sees Me, sees the Father' (Jn 12:45). Because a priest is an alter Christus, people call him 'Father.' Fathers protect, they provide and they establish. In my ministry as a priest of Christ, I establish the divine life in a soul through holy Baptism. I protect them spiritually in the Sacrament of Penance. And I provide the heavenly Food through the Holy Sacrifi ce of the Mass. Another huge part of fatherhood is being present. In these few days and weeks of being a priest, I have found that being present in the manifestation of fatherly and priestly love for souls. The fatherly presence of a priest helps the baptized soul experience what Jesus experienced in His baptism when the voice of the Father came from heaven and declared, 'You are my beloved son, with you I am well pleased.' And it's this work of presence, together with protecting, providing, and establishing, that gives joy and meaning to my vocation." FR. NICHOLAS LARKIN On the day of a man's priestly ordination, the man becomes confi gured to Christ the high priest in a radical way, and 'with the help of God,' he consents to the questions the bishop asks of him. As a physical father of a household protects his children from harm, provides for them in their needs, and establishes an environment of love and care, so too does a so-called 'spiritual father,' yet in a radically di£ erent way. As the rite of ordination a¤ rms, the priest is to 'strive to bring the faithful together into one family, so that [he] may lead them to God the Father through Christ in the Holy Spirit.' In a similar but di£ erent way as the physical father, the spiritual father is to pray and o£ er sacrifi ces for his children — his sheep — in imitation of Jesus the Good Shepherd. He is to learn what it means to protect his sheep, provide for them, and establish their identity as children of our true Father in Heaven. After having been ordained for one year, I am still learning what it means to be a father. I am grateful to God and to the Church for having called and a¤ rmed my vocation to Holy Orders. Even though it still sometimes throws me o£ when people twice my age call me 'Father,' I strive to remain in imitation of Jesus, who always directs us to His Father in Heaven. Happy Father's Day!" FR. MATT MAGEE An image of my father that will remain with me forever was of him kneeling next to his bed at night, praying before he went to sleep. He often came home exhausted, but he always made time for prayer. It was clear by the way he lived that the Lord was the center of his life. So when I think of a spiritual father, I think of my dad as a model.§To be a spiritual father is to be in touch with the Lord, and just as my dad lifted up all the concerns he had about his family (seven children), so must a priest.§ He carries in his heart the joys, sorrows, successes and failures of the people whom he loves and for whom he has given his life.§ My father was very aware of his foibles and leaned on my mother to help him. In a like manner, a spiritual father is cognizant of his 'weaknesses' and he leans on the Blessed Mother to help him as he guides his family.§ My father taught us we couldn't have everything we wanted because it didn't always bring happiness. In a similar manner, a spiritual father teaches his people to discern the will of God and see how that is a better path to happiness than what our world often presents as the source of happiness. Being a spiritual father means being willing to undergo conversion and to trust and with Peter to say, 'Yes, Lord §I do love you.' It means becoming an instrument of the Lord and often begins by going to our knees and lifting up the people whom we love to the one who is Father of us all." MONSIGNOR BERNIE SCHMITZ " " "

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