A Year of Quiet Progress
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
- --------------------------------------- A year of quiet progress By Martin Moran lies and all Americans were more aware of their ob Nineteen hundred and eighty-seven was a very good ligations to the sick, the poor and the homeless. year. Early in January, Archbishop Stafford issued his first It was a year of quiet progress for the Archdiocese of pastoral letter as leader of the 330,000 Catholics in northern ~nver. Compared lo the previous year, with the deaths of Colorado. E ntitled "The Crisis of Rural Colorado,·· the B1sho~ Evans and Ar~hbishop Casey and the appointment of archbishop outlined a six-point program to deal with the Archbishop J . Francis Stafford as the new ordinary of the farm crisis and called for archdiocesanwide support for the 100-year-old archdiocese, 1987 was an untroubled sea of slate's struggling farmers and ranchers. tranquility. The archbishop's pastoral took note of the increase in That's not to say it d!dn't have its highlights, luminous fa rm foreclosures, the low financial return for farmers, the moments and controversies. The news events of 1987, as far growing national farm debt and the devaluation of agricul as the Church was concerned, arrived in orderly fashion. tural land. Among the remedies he proposed were increased They were well paced. cooperation among farmers, the strengthening of urban Philosopher Soren Kierkegaard observed that life must be rural ties and support of slate legislation to aid farmers lived forwards, but it can only be observed backwards. threatened by foreclosures. Looking backwards, the highlight of 1987 was Pope John Also during January, seven inner-city Catholic elementary Paul Il's nine-day visit lo 'the United Slates in September. schools joined together to tackle the common problems of The Pope didn't come to Denver, but Denver1tes went to financial debt and falling enrollments. Principals and pas the Pope. They were present in large numbers at each of tors signed a charter that created a board of trustees, his nine stops, giving meaning lo the theme of the papal established an advisory board and provided for a develop trip, "Unity in the Work of Service." ment director. The effect was lo redefine Catholic educa• tion as a priority. Reaching out Before the month ended, Archbishop Stafford led more Archdiocesan centennial Mass. Through the use of state-of-the-art satellite TV tech than 3,000 pro-life marchers from the slate capitol to nology, Pope John Paul II reached out and touched more Denver's city and county building for the " March for Life" than 2,000 youths from Colorado and Wyoming during a commemorating the 14th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme special teleconference linking Denver lo Los Angeles, Court Roe vs. Wade decision removing most restrictions where the Pope appeared in the Universal Studios Am• against abortion. phitheatre. Supporting the unborn The crowd in Denver greeted the Pope's movie-screen At a size image with deafening cheers and signs reading " Come pre-march rally on the steps of the capitol. the ski with us," " A Mile Hi from Denver," and " We Love You archbishop delivered the benediction, praying for " support J .P. II." for the unborn and the weak among us." Some youths cried after seeing and hearing the Pope. As the Lenten season approached, Archbishop Stafford Some where at a loss for words lo describe their reaction to proclaimed the 40 days of Lent as " a pilgrimage or rec the emotionally charged event. onciliation." The intent, he explained, was " to call the On his arrival in this country, the Pope said he came as a Archdiocesan Church to a deeper awareness or the meaning friend, "a friend of all Americans: Catholics Orthodox of penance and reconciliation in our common life... " P rotestants and Jews, people of every religion ~nd all me~ The pilgrimage of reconciliation was significant for an and women of good will.·• The Holy Father clearly intended other reason. It set a spiritual tone for the archdiocese that not to limit his message lo the Catholic community, but was to be nurtured throughout the year by special events as they occurred in the liturgical calendar. The message: rather to address everyone as brother, sister and friend. itua lity should take precedence over material concerns. Those nine days were a time of great joy for most spir Catholics. They strove to receive Christ's vicar cordially On the Feast of St. Isidore, the patron of farmers, Arch and with hospitality befitting his office, his person and what bishop Stafford traveled to Colorado's vast eastern plains, he represents. They welcomed him as a man of pure reli where he celebrated Mass and preached that the purpose of gion, of great faith, a healer of souls. His spiritual stature the feast was lo pray "that St. Isidore intercede for all of us in rural Colorado to grant us grace and to praise God and profound religious convictions rekindled a deeper reli· and the grace to sustain ourselves in courage in the event gious sense in all who were willing to listen. difficult times assail us." Special grace St. Isidore, the archbishop said, was a man known for his It was an occasion of special grace. When Pope John poverty. " A man who did not own his own farm, this man Paul departed the United Slates lo return to Rome, Catho- Continued on page 3 Getting ready tor papal teleconference. Bishops and AIDS Vatican finances Family and children ..... ,..... , .............. .......... DHUIIMHII ..... Ylllloan la-■- d■pl■llna ...... nol .., to ... ,.,..... todaJ," Arollbilhop . , 11 I J ........, ........ ll1aullMftlat lta__..bf . ppl1111lnll.illu11IIMR1oapllal. Staflorcl ..,_ at apeoial •-tor lamlliN. --•• ,,.. ...... ,_...._ P-11 Page7 Page 2 - Wed., January 6, 1988 - The Denver Catholic Regi9ter IN THE The SPOTLIGHT Archbishop's Column 1988 New Year's Baby Occupation: Person ification of New Year Age: Seven days. Spiritual Childhood What is it that led you to choose your profession? From 1965 to 1969 I was living at a home for chil extremely dtfficult to love. To see the child honestly, It is a job somebody ha~ dren from broken and poor families. Ranging m age whether rebellious, retarded or unborn, is to remind to do and I just happened to from six to fifteen, Lhe girls and boys needed lo be ourselves that human life is significant not because be available I was JUSl shown great kindness Most of them were emotionally the person can do this or potentially create that. In standing there and this big upset and required special patience from the Bal• being with children. one learns that one cannot earn booming voice said, "I need limore Catholic Charities staff before bemg placed significance for our lives The significance of human a volunteer." with roster parents Many had been physically abused life consists solely in this it 1s a gift of God. What do you like bi!st before coming to Catholic Charities. Al times. their Such is the wisdom we learn from children's weak about it? spiritual wounds were very raw and their pain showed ness. Parents have learned that they can hold nothing It's exciting to l'0n itself 10 a nger with one another ::'ld distrust of adults. back in their care for their vulnerable, unprotected template what the next 3511 Caring for such children ones Parents frequently find it necessary to sacrifice days will bring. The opportunities are countless So An was very difficult. It took a their dreams for advancing themselves or their ca• are the potential disappointments, but I'm not going to heavy toll on the adults liv reers m order to be with their children think about what can go wrong. I intend to do as much Continued i ing and working with them It is clear that our care for children teaches a as I can with what I have where I am. became a They needed lots of love. necessary wisdom One's goal 1n life is not to gain What do you like least about it? was a man the kind of love St Paul significance or prominence by doing great projec~. Probably my lack of experience. It_ wo_uld be so The emi describes in I Cor 13 - One's task is to love this poor one, this weak one. this much better if I knew what I was gettmg mto. Hm, cial Mass ·'Love is always patient and unborn one, this retarded one, this rebellious ad ever, I guess the best substitute for experience 1 June duri kind. Love is always ready olescent, this aged one. youth. In my case infancy. Marian YE to excuse to trust, to hope Paradoxically, our care for children introduces us to What is your most memorable experience? and to endure whatever the underlying spirituality of the Gospel. In Bethlehem At the age of seven days, I haven't really had any Marian V comes·· of Judea God revealed Himself first as a God of memorable experiences. If I a m forced to choose I The Ma In those years as chaplain childhood, a God of weakness and suffering and ab guess I would have to say it would be getting handed explained, to the children and the solute poverty. The Child with His mother Mary in this job. Church th staff. I gr ew in my respect vites us to take on a unique attitude, one character What is your favorite pastime? llenium ol for the tasks of parents I learned a great deal about ized by spiritual childhood. This is a disposition of Are you kidding? This is a full-time, 24-hour-a-day that the life and love and sacrifice.