One year later in Bailey

One year ago today a gunman entered Platte Canyon High School in Bailey, held several students hostage and eventually shot and killed 16-year-old Emily Keyes before turning the gun on himself.

St. Mary of the Rockies in Bailey is hosting a day of remembrance on this anniversary of the shooting. The parish will host adoration of the Blessed Sacrament all day, and Colorado Springs Bishop Michael Sheridan is concelebrating Mass at 7 p.m. with Father Patrick Battiato, pastor of St. Mary of the Rockies. Father Battiato is also making himself available all day for those who want to have a confession heard or who just want to talk.

Capuchins featured in Wall Street Journal article

The Wall Street Journal ran an interesting article last week on confessions and how Christians are availing themselves of confession in different forms. The well-written piece focuses on the Capuchin who run the Catholic Center at The Citadel in Colorado Springs. In addition to offering a resource for people to come and worship in a unique location, the friars hear confession and celebrate Mass six days a week at the mall (the center is closed on Sundays).

Send us your fall colors photos!

Fall may be my favorite season (which would put winter a close second), and since I've lived here in Colorado for two years, I've wanted to run some fall color pictures. So... if you live in the Diocese of Colorado Springs, we're looking for photos of the beautiful fall tree changes that take place across the diocese. E-mail them to me at editor@coloradocatholicherald.com and I'll try to work them into an upcoming Herald.

BOGO wine

Not sure if you've heard of this wine. BOGO stands for Buy One Give One and, in addition to an affordable price and excellent taste, it offers a pro-life twist. According to their Web site, 10 percent of all purchases go to support adult stem-cell research. From their Web site:

We offer super-premium, imported wine at a great value to our current demographic: informed, compassionate, pro-life consumers who enjoy fine wine and share in our mission of "building a culture of life."

From what I understand, BOGO was a big hit at the recent ENDOW Catholic Women's Forum at the Penrose House (see the upcoming Herald for a recap).

Hopefully word will spread about this wine for a worthy cause.

Date, location change for Father Loya talk

The Herald-sponsored theology of the body talk by Father Thomas Loya has been moved to Pax Christi Church in Littleton and will take place 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 24 (not Oct. 25 at St. Mark Church). We had to bump up the talk a day due to Father Loya's travel schedule. Please spread the word and we hope you can make it up for what will be a fascinating presentation from one of the topic's best speakers. You will not want to miss it.

More on Cardinal Arinze itinerary

In the latest Herald, we printed a Colorado Springs itinerary for Cardinal Francis Arinze, who will be in town this week as the keynote speaker for the national Legatus Conference. In addition to a public talk he'll give, we just learned he will be giving the homily at the
5:30 p.m. Mass Thursday at St. Paul Church. So his public appearances will be:

Wednesday, Sept. 19
3 p.m. Mass at St. Mary's Cathedral
7 p.m. Lecture: "The Apostolate Specific to the Lay Faithful" at Holy Apostles Church (No cost to attend but tickets are required for seating. A limited number of tickets are left and can be acquired by calling Esperanza Griffith at 719-866-6492.)

Thursday, Sept. 20
5:30 p.m. Homily at Mass at St. Paul Church.

Pro-life policies in Russia

Today people in one region of Russia are being encouraged to try to conceive. Couples who conceive and have a baby next June 12 are entitled to prizes from the government. That's an interesting way to promote birth rates and a culture of life.

Remembering Sept. 11

I was at Divine Redeemer School today, where the eighth grade led a prayer service in remembrance of the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and the fifth grade held a luncheon for soldiers from Fort Carson to thank them for defending the country.

I thought that was a great idea. I had a chance to meet some of these soldiers, and they're the real deal; they have a strong conviction that they're doing what's right. They also seemed touch by the act of kindness from Divine Redeemer students.

The winning poster design

©The Colorado Catholic Herald, 2007

We may need to add "Catholic Press Month 2008" on it, but here's the design by Dave Kottler.

Another Herald contest-Evan Almighty DVD

We have a neat contest for our blog readers. For the next month, the Herald is offering its readers the chance to win one of five "Evan Almighty" DVDs. Simply send your name, address and telephone number (e-mail also preferred) to:

The Colorado Catholic Herald
Attn: Evan Almighty Contest
228 N. Cascade Ave.
Colorado Springs, CO 80903

We will draw for the winners on Oct. 8 so they can get the DVDs shortly after its official street release on Oct. 9.

Cardinal Arinze adds Mass at St. Mary's Cathedral to Colorado Springs visit

Spread the word!

Nigerian Cardinal Francis Arinze, prefect of the Vatican's Office of Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, has added a public Mass to his upcoming Colorado Springs visit.

Cardinal Arinze will celebrate Mass at St. Mary's Cathedral in downtown Colorado Springs at 3 p.m. Sept. 19. At 7 p.m. that evening, he will give a lecture, "The Apostolate Specific to the Lay Faithful," at Holy Apostles Church, 4925 Carefree Circle North in Colorado Springs. Anyone is welcome to attend, however tickets have been distributed to pastors of Diocese of Colorado Springs parishes that ensure a seat to each ticketholder.

Cardinal Arinze will give the keynote address at the Sept. 20-23 national conference for Legatus, an organization of Catholic CEOs and businessmen. On the evening of Sept. 20, he will also travel to Arvada for a public talk, "Eucharist, Nourishment for the Christian Steward," at Spirit of Christ Church.

Tridentine Mass on EWTN

From EWTN headquarters in Irondale, Ala...

EWTN Global Catholic Network will broadcast a Solemn High Mass in the extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, live from the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville, Alabama, on Friday, September 14th, at 8 AM.

In our Sept. 21 issue, the Herald will look at the launching of the motu proprio (which goes into effect on Sept. 14) and what it may mean for our diocese. Also, around that time, a special 30-minute interview with Bishop Sheridan on this topic will start airing on KFEL-970 AM.

Mother Teresa's doubts

A new book was released today, "Come Be My Light," which compiles letters written by Mother Teresa to her spiritual director. Much has been made of the book -- particularly by the growing atheist movement -- of Mother Teresa's repeated references to suffering a "dark night of the soul." Of course, folks like Mother Teresa-bashing author Christopher Hitchens would like nothing more than to portray Mother Teresa as a sham who only put on a pious face in public. But don't fall for that.

Don't forget that the book was released by the postulator for her cause for canonization, not by somoene looking to debunk Mother Teresa's life and ministry. The letters have been well-known to the Vatican and are seen as examples of Mother Teresa's great faith through dark times. Those who think the Vatican conspires to hide sad or depressing information from the public should take those facts to heart, for if that was the case then they would not want these letters public. Rather, they acknowledge the difficulties that come with embracing Christ's Cross and see these letters as important for us to read. Being a saint is not quite how Hollywood portrays it.

I had hoped to review the book in time for our next issue on Sept. 7, but alas it did not arrive in time. I will write about it in the Sept. 21 issue, perhaps as an editorial. A Catholic News Service story on the book appears on page 23 of the Sept. 7 issue.

In the meantime, here are two outstanding commentaries on the book, one by the preacher of the papal household, Father Raniero Cantalamessa, and the other by renowned Vatican journalist Sandro Magister of L’espresso.

CD Giveaway winners

Congratulations to CCH blog readers Rob Huntrods and Mary Henning, who will receive the John Michael Talbot "Living Waters 50th" promo CDs.