www.archden.org 105 Years of Service to the Gospel Volume LXXXI – No. 17 MAY 4, 2005 IMAGO DEI Local monsignor recalls new pope as unpretentious PHOTO BY JAMES BACA/DCR with penchant CARL ANDERSON, Knights of Columbus Supreme Knight, receives the Imago Dei award from Archbishop for humor Charles Chaput, O.F.M. Cap. PAGE 8 Top Knight expresses Upcoming gratitude for Catholic priests, Mile High both present and future Scripture PAGE 3 Institute SPECIAL FOCUS: EDUCATION THE CRUSADES served as a popular subject for artists, as in this frontispiece to an features two early Bible, who wanted to capture a spirit of heroism. Daily life for many crusaders, Catholic school students again however, was often grim and marked by personal and financial sacrifice, as well as the renowned inherent dangers of battle. A new motion picture about the Crusades is expected to demonstrate outstanding stir controversy about the epic Christian-Muslim conflict. academic achievement scholars PAGE 15 PAGE 12 Conference offers innovative SEEDS OF HOPE TRUTH ABOUT CRUSADES resources to parents, educators Disabled PAGE 15 speaker delivers VITAL FOR CHRISTIAN RESPECT LIFE YOUNG ADULTS inspiring Mountain message on IDENTITY Oliver, conference False interpretations of Crusades obscure my to offer transcending inspiring life’s problems motives of those who sacrificed for faith brother PAGE 2 talks PAGE 10 PAGE 4 PAGE 12 ARCHBISHOP'S COLUMN BULLETIN BOARD Corpus Christi Mass and Procession; Eucharistic Adoration; THE CRUSADES: THE TRUTH Homeschool Graduation; Maronite Mission Benefit Dinner; MAKES A DIFFERENCE Pilgrimages; Theology on Tap PAGE 2 PAGE 17 2 l MAY 4, 2005 l DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER COVER STORY ARCHBISHOP’S COLUMN MOST REV. CHARLES J. CHAPUT O.F.M. CAP. The Crusades: The truth makes a difference Christians obligated to keep alive the real facts of real history Nearly 250 people showed up at the John Paul II Center last week — double the number we expected — for a history lesson. They filled the seats, lined the walls and then spilled out of Rooms 123-125 and jammed the corridor outside. Why did they show up? They came to hear a talk about the Crusades. But why did they really show up? I think they wanted to re- cover something they sensed had been stolen from them: their mem- PROVIDING SUPPLIES FOR CRUSADERS was a complicated task, especially in the East, as shown in this ory. 13th century image of a baggage train. The image is from “The Oxford Illustrated History of the Crusades,” Anyone who reads George Orwell’s dark novel of the future, “1984,” edited by Jonathan Riley-Smith, whose works are recommended as excellent reading on the complex topic. will remember the following lines: “He who controls the present, controls the past. He who controls the past, controls the future.” Truth about Crusades vital for Christian Memory is a powerful thing. It helps form who we are, how we think and what we do. By influencing our choices here and now, memory encourages a certain shape to the future — and discourages others. identity and modern portrayals, historian says That’s why every new ideology and generation of social engineers BY ED LOPEZ self, Reyes believes the stakes are “The story is always more com- seeks to rewrite the past. Whoever controls the memory of a culture higher for Christians when it plex than simplistic judgments,” also has power over its future. The historical Crusades burst comes to the Crusades. he added. That’s why today’s European Constitution makes no mention of the with such images of story and “The Crusades is one of those Reyes said his intent wasn’t to continent’s profoundly Christian past. By writing Christian faith out of spectacle that in Hollywood, cos- great topics that are used to beat whitewash the Crusades, to pre- Europe’s history, secularists hope to wipe it out of Europe’s future. The tume and set designers would Catholics,” explained Reyes, who tend that nothing bad happened, same applies in our own country. No one can read the founding doc- drool at the prospect of tackling has a doctorate in history from the or dismiss the existence of any vil- uments of the United States without seeing the deeply religious — and such a film project. University of Notre Dame. lains. especially Christian — spirit that informs them. People who deny that Courageous knights on spirited A new movie on the Crusades Rather, Reyes said he wanted to do so for a very simple reason. By scrubbing God out of America’s his- horses charging across by director Ridley present an accurate vision of the tory, institutions and public discourse, they hope to scrub Him out of hot sands. Muslim Scott, “Kingdom of first Crusade and how that vision America’s future. warriors wielding Heaven,” which is to motivated people who lived at a We have a duty to prevent that. We have the obligation to keep alive frightful, curved open nationally this time when religious conviction the real facts of real history. When Pope John Paul II called on us dur- swords. The blood and week, is expected to was tightly integrated into their ing the Great Jubilee to “purify” our memories, he asked us not to for- bravado. fuel controversy about lives, in contrast to modern times. get the hard events of the past, but rather to remember them more Modern wind ma- the epic Christian- The first Crusade occurred humbly and clearly. chines may whip up Muslin conflict. against the backdrop of vast terri- Lasting reconciliation between aggrieved parties always begins clouds of swirling dust Though popular torial expansion by militant Islam. with an honest, mutual examination of past sins. This requires an ac- with ease, but the vor- perceptions and por- The conquest of Spain was swift, curate historical record. As Christians, we need to repent of our own tex of history is more trayals of the Crusades but it took seven centuries for the many sins and acknowledge the sins — sometimes, terrible sins — complex, resisting may gravitate toward Spaniards to reclaim their lands. committed by Christians in the past. We also need to invite, by our ex- shorthand explana- battle-hungry knights Islamic military muscle was ample and by our commitment to telling the truth, the repentance of tions and often more and others seeking sweeping. In fewer than 100 years, others who have sinned against Christians — sometimes, terribly — realistically painted in plunder and power Muslim warriors conquered lands over the centuries. shades of gray than over peaceful popula- from Persia to Spain, then pushed Unfortunately, over the past few decades, the confession of sins has facile strokes of black JONATHAN REYES tions, Reyes believes deeper into Europe, where their often seemed like a Christian monologue. That isn’t just. It isn’t honest. and white. an accurate picture of advance was finally halted in And it doesn’t serve charity, because charity is always wedded to truth. At his lecture last week on the the Crusades should dissipate any France. Muslims raided Rome in Nearly 250 people showed up at the John Paul II Center last week to Crusades at the John Paul II vague sense of Christian guilt. 846 and burned St. Peter’s Basilica. hear a lecture on the Crusades because, for most of their adult lives, Center, historian Jonathan Reyes “We should be proud of the Pope Urban II preached the they’ve heard critics distort and misrepresent Christian history in gen- succinctly staked out the ground Crusades and not ashamed of first Crusade in 1095, heeding the eral and the Crusades in particular. They sense they’re too often being between the fun of fiction and the them, and not simply defensive. call for assistance from fellow short-changed by the movies they see, the “scholarship” they read and rigor of reality. “Why? Because when you actu- Christians in the Byzantine Empire the commentators they hear, but they don’t know why. They sense that “It’s easy to tell a good story for ally climb into the history, what who were under pressure of the Crusades — despite their many failures and the grave sins com- a historian,” Reyes told the over- you see is actually a tremendous Muslim advances. The climate was mitted on both sides — were nonetheless, in the context of their times, flow audience. “It’s hard to tell a story, a story of a civilization that favorable for an invigorated drive also acts of piety, deep faith, nobility, heroism and self-sacrifice with true story.” believes deeply in God and his to reclaim conquered land. the purpose of liberating the Holy Land and ending the oppression of Although knowing factual his- honor, making tremendous sacri- Reyes noted the strong under- brothers and sisters in Christ. tory is a worthwhile pursuit in it- fice to preserve that honor.” Ridley Scott’s new major film on the Crusades, “Kingdom of See Crusades, Page 3 Heaven,” opens this Friday, May 6. Whether it’s accurate or inaccurate as history makes a difference. At a minimum, the controversy sur- DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER rounding it should remind us of the urgent need facing Christians to recover, understand and protect our memory as a believing people Published by the Archdiocese of Denver, 1300 S. Steele St., Denver, CO 80210; (303) 715-3215 who have a decisive role in history. The past shapes the future. We can Denver Catholic Register (USPS 557-020) is published weekly except the last week of at least do our best to ensure that the past tells the truth. General Manager December and the first week of January by the Archdiocese of Denver, 1300 S.