Father Dennis Dwyer, R.I.P.

Father Dennis Dwyer, founding pastor of Ave Maria Parish in Parker and creator of “The Original Scene,” a youth theater group in Denver that put on more than 80 productions during its 20-year existence, died Jan. 15 in Denver of complications from diabetes at age 67.

For the full story, including visitation and Funeral Mass times, click here.

Click here for the Herald's March 2007 profile on Father Dwyer.

A proud moment for the diocese

(CNS photo/Alessia Giuliani, Catholic Press Photo)

As mentioned in an earlier post, Colorado Springs Diocese seminarian Jim Baron, who is studying at North American College in Rome, was selected to read the second reading during Midnight Mass celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI at St. Peter's Basilica on Christmas Eve. Thanks to Paul Haring at Catholic News Service for getting his Vatican contact to snap a picture of this. You can see a larger version of the photo if you click on it.

Keeping track of our seminarians

The Diocese of Colorado Springs' vocations office has launched a nice, new Web site, FuturePriest.com to attract more vocations to the diocese. In addition, seminarian John Stearns has his own blog chronicling his first year of studies at Kenrick Seminary in St. Louis.

Pro soccer player leaves career for priesthood

We're going to be WYD blog heavy this week, but I couldn't pass up posting this great story of a professional soccer player who ended his career to pursue the priesthood.

More on Christopher West's talk

A few things stayed with me after Christopher West's theology of the body talk last night:

1. The turnout was amazing. It shows that there is a real desire out there for the truth. I hope this talk inspires some folks to delve more into the theology of the body and start study groups at their parish, college campus or just among friends. John Paul II's dense teaching

2. I've heard Christopher speak several times and I've heard and watched many theology of the body CDs, tapes and DVDs. Yet the message never gets old, even when I hear the same things repeated. Last night's talk moved me in ways similar to when I first him speak about 6-7 years ago. It's like taking a super-powered vitamin.

3. The most moving moment of the night for me was the affirmation of our wonderful clergy and religious who take vows of celibacy to serve the Church. I have an older sister who is a nun, and it is so beautiful to hear her talk about her spousal relationship with Christ. I wonder how many people's eyes were opened last night to the courageous, beautiful witnesses of our priests and nuns. If only the world understood the priesthood and religious life (and celibacy) in this way... we have some evangelizing to do! And, although our deacons were not called up to the front (the focus was on the celibate vocation at that point), they are also to be thanked for their witness to Catholic marriage. Their calling is exceptional as well, and in his vows, the deacon -- with his wife, for they are truly a team -- are saying "yes" to being a witness of true, Catholic, spousal love in the world. Thank you.

It would be great for eveyrone to share one or two items from last night's talk that really moved you. Maybe it was something you had never heard before and a light bulb was turned on. Maybe it was something you may have known but was presented in a new way. Or maybe the talk is inspiring you to take a particular action.

Sigh...

By now, some of you are probably aware of the sadness at EWTN, as Father Francis Mary, the longtime host of "Life on the Rock," took a leave of absence last week from the show to discern his vocation to the priesthood after becoming emotionally involved with a widow that he was counseling. This has come as crushing news to many viewers of the show, particularly teens, who looked up to Father Francis Mary as a role model.

This is not the first time this has happened to a priest and it won't be the last. We must pray constantly for the strength of our priests, who can go through bouts of loneliness and doubt from time to time. This must be a struggle for some priests who get quite involved in the lives of their parishioners through counseling and spiritual direction. But when is it time to cut it off? Where is the line drawn?

On some blogs, commenters are also rehashing the tired argument against priestly celibacy. No priest is forced to be celibate. They freely choose it when they are ordained, so that argument is moot. The challenges to remain celibate in this hyper-sexualized, pornified world must be great, but a healthy view of celibacy and chastity -- per John Paul II's theology of the body -- is important. It is an amazing, inspiring witness to see men and women who, knowing that their sexuality is a gift from God, offer it back to Him (this is not a rejection, although society portrays it that way) so that they can serve their spouse, the Church. Christopher West portrays it beautifully in his book "The Good News About Sex and Marriage:"

As a sacrament, the "one flesh" union of marriage is only a sign and foreshadowing of things to come. We're created for nuptual union with God. That's what sexual desire ultimately points to -- our desire for heaven. . .

. . . Only by looking toward this heavenly reality can we properly understand the celibate vocation. As we read in the Gospel, Christ calls some of his followers to embrace celibacy, not for celibacy's sake but 'for the sake of the kingdom.' (Mt 19:12) "The kingdom" is precisely the heavenly marriage. In short, those who choose celibacy are "skipping" the sacrament in anticipation of the real thing. (page 160)

There is much more to expand on there, but you should read the book, hear his tapes or come to his talk Dec. 4 at St. Patrick at 7:30 p.m.

Let us pray for Father Francis Mary during this difficult time, as well as for the family he is involved in. Let us pray for the EWTN community, which seems to be struggling hard with this news. And let us pray for all priests and nuns who have chosen celibacy. Thank you so much for your strength and for pointing us to the heavenly banquet.

Vocations talk

I was reading a wire article in the Gazette Sunday morning (this link is to a lengthier version of the story on another site) on how religious orders are trying to use Web tools like blogs, YouTube and Facebook to recruit vocations. Nice to see the New Evangelization in action. The Gazette version came with this text pulled out into a sidebar:

The Catholic Church is desperate to reverse a decades-long decline in religious vocations. According to the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) at Georgetown University, the number of Catholic nuns in the United States has plunged from 179,954 in 1965 to 67,773 in 2006. For priests, the figures are only slightly better: a decline from 58,632 to 41,794. During the same period, the number of men being ordained priests annually fell by half, from 994 to 431.

The reasons for the downturn are varied: more secular lifestyles; more career options, especially for women; and family pressure not to join a religious order.

Yes, there is a sense of desperation these days about vocations, but amid that there is some encouraging news. Of course, you never hear the good news (unless it comes from the Catholic press) because, in the secular media, no sane man or woman would consider giving his or her life to Christ as a priest or nun. That, of course, would mean celibacy (at least in the Roman Catholic Church) and you'd have to be crazy to give up sexual intimacy. Ahh, I digress. That's a theology of the body discussion for another time (or you can read this link). Remind me to mention two awesome TOB-related talks coming to the diocese later this year. Anyhow, that same CARA survey shows that the number of seminarians in the U.S. in 1995 at 3,172 and actually growing -- even if it is slightly -- to 3,306 in 2006. That was only two less seminarians than in 2005, so we may be seeing some stability in new vocation numbers. In the Diocese of Colorado Springs, the number of seminarians has slowly increased in recent years. One, Father Rafael Torres-Rico, was ordained this summer and two more -- Bob Newbury and Kirk Slattery -- are scheduled to be ordained priests over the next year.

On a related note, here's a very intersting CARA breakdown of seminarians in 2007.