{"id":611,"date":"2008-05-05T12:21:00","date_gmt":"2008-05-05T12:21:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/viamedia\/2008\/05\/good-news-1.html"},"modified":"2008-05-05T12:21:00","modified_gmt":"2008-05-05T12:21:00","slug":"good-news-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/viamedia\/2008\/05\/good-news-1.html","title":{"rendered":"Good News"},"content":{"rendered":"

A couple of years ago, after our one and only Trip to Rome, a fellow wrote to me and asked about the apartment we’d stayed at<\/a>. As things turned out, he and his family were traveling to Rome and were going to stay in the same apartment.
\nA couple of days ago, this same man wrote me again, asking about the famed “Pope in Shades” pic, and he also described life in his new parish in Denver. I was struck by what he’d written, and thought it worth reprinting on the blog. So with his permission:<\/p>\n

Coming from Chicago, all I can say is the Catholic scene in Denver is incredible.\u00a0 Our parish is Church of the Holy Ghost<\/a>, where they offer the Novus Ordo in Latin.\u00a0 The priests are of the Oblates of the Bl. Virgin Mary and are very young, energetic and orthodox.\u00a0 They offer daily Mass, followed by the Angelus, Exposition of the Bl. Sacrament, Rosary and Confession.\u00a0 The parish is packed with young, very friendly families.\u00a0 Our school, St. Vincent de Paul, is run by 4 Nashville Dominicans – the average age is about 35.\u00a0 My favorite scene from this winter was one of the sisters, in full habit, standing in the middle of the street during a major snowstorm directing traffic as parents dropped off their kids.\u00a0 A group of 4 parents started a Jeff Cavins Bible study last year and it’s grown to 20 couples.\u00a0 We met last Friday night\u00a0 – casual dinner, beer and then the videos.\u00a0 I couldn’t believe it.\u00a0 Just wonderful.
\n\u00a0
\nArchbishop Chaput offers Mass on Sunday at 6:30 in the Cathedral (which is a magnificent structure).\u00a0 However, he hears Confessions before Mass and vests in the back of the church.\u00a0 Sort of shows you that what he considers important.\u00a0 His homilies are strong, very evangelizing and very geared towards teaching the faith.
\n…because of the beauty of the church, the reverence of the Mass and the availability of the priests, I’m going to almost daily Mass.\u00a0 In fact, more than ever, I WANT to attend Mass as frequently as possible.\u00a0 Obviously, I’m a weak Catholic and need everything the Church can offer to bring me to Christ – smells, bells, statues, artwork, stained glass windows etc.\u00a0 Second, these Oblate priests are unbelievable in the Confessional.\u00a0 They disappear and I feel like I’m talking directly to Christ.\u00a0 They offer mercy, but also practical points on how to conquer sin.\u00a0
\n…Third, the parish is very friendly.\u00a0 We have 5 kids (one on the way) so often my wife or I are standing in the back with one or more kids during Mass.\u00a0 Other people noticed we were new and introduced themselves to us.\u00a0 Older people often compliment us on the behavior of our kids, even when it’s not justified.\u00a0 It’s their way of saying, “Keep coming to Mass as a family!”\u00a0 After Mass, there are donuts and coffee in the basement and it’s packed with families and kids.\u00a0 People linger and talk.\u00a0
\n\u00a0Fourth, the church is located downtown and has a strong outreach program for the homeless.\u00a0 There’s a soup kitchen etc.\u00a0 So this shows you can combine so-called “conservative” Catholicism with vibrant Catholic social teaching.\u00a0
\n\u00a0\"\"Fifth, the church is beautiful and has a wonderful history:\u00a0 In the 1930s\/40s, an heiress commissioned an architect to design the church in honor of her parents.\u00a0 She first had him travel throughout Europe to study famous churches.\u00a0 As a result, Holy Ghost has a mix of styles, but it rivals the most beautiful churches I’ve ever been in, including Rome.\u00a0 I’ve attached a picture of the altar.\u00a0 Finally, it’s right downtown, surrounded by a couple of encroaching skyscrapers and across the street from the federal courthouse.\u00a0 It offers a powerful counterpoint to what society says is important.\u00a0 I always pray for the soul of this heiress.\u00a0 Just think, her generosity in the name of her parents continues to save souls and change lives in ways she never imagined.\u00a0 It’s just amazing to me.
\n\u00a0
\nI know I sound a little too enthusiastic to be real, but I didn’t want to move to Denver.\u00a0 I felt like Jonah being pulled to Ninevah.\u00a0 I turned the job offer down twice, even though it was a much better job with much better compensation.\u00a0 But now I know we’re supposed to be here and it is just fabulous from a Catholic perspective, in my opinion.\u00a0 Not once have we gotten the daily Chicago comment, “Are those all yours?”\u00a0 My wife is already in a Rosary league with other moms.\u00a0 There are informal doctrine classes for men at our kids’ school.\u00a0 My boss is a practicing Catholic whose wife homeschools their six kids.\u00a0 I’ve met half a dozen converts – all of whom said something dramatically changed as a result of World Youth Day.\u00a0 It really is incredible here and I’m not one to be overly optimistic or hopeful about the Church in America.\u00a0 I keep telling people here that they have no idea how great it is and they just look at me like I have two heads b\/c this seems so normal to them.
\n\u00a0<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A couple of years ago, after our one and only Trip to Rome, a fellow wrote to me and asked about the apartment we’d stayed at. As things turned out, he and his family were traveling to Rome and were going to stay in the same apartment. 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The Catholicism comes from her side. Amy grew up in a number of places - Indiana - Washington, DC - Lubbock Texas - Arlington, Virginia - DeKalb, Illinois - Lawrence, Kansas - and Knoxville, Tennessee, where the family settled in 1973. She attended Knoxville Catholic High School, then the University of Tennessee where she majored in history. She received an MA in Church History from Vanderbilt University, where she wrote a thesis on the changing role of women in 19th century American Protestantism, and the ways Scripture was used to justify those changes. She worked as as a teacher in Catholic high schools and a Parish Director of Religious Education and started writing for the diocesan press - the Florida Catholic - in 1988. Amy has written columns for Our Sunday Visitor and Catholic News Service at times over the past twenty years. Her articles have been published in venues ranging from Our Sunday Visitor to the New York Times to Commonweal. 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