Archbishop's web site Denver Catholic Register Parishes Catholic Pastoral Center
February 28, 2001
Annual archdiocesan Lenten program gets new name, look
By Roxanne King
Archbishop Charles Chaput's annual program promoting the Holy Father's Lenten message and the Sacrament of Reconciliation has a new name, a spokesman said.
For the past several years, the Lenten program, which is coordinated by the Office of Liturgy and published in the Denver Catholic Register, was called "Pilgrimage of Reconciliation." This year, it is called "Healing Our Hearts," said Anthony Lilles, associate director of the Office of Liturgy.
The seven-week program includes encouraging the faithful to read and reflect on the Holy Father's annual Lenten message. It also includes a series of columns penned by priests and theologians reflecting on the Pope's message or other Lenten themes. Additionally, it includes a list of Penance services held at local parishes. (For the past couple of years, two Capuchin friars have traveled throughout the diocese offering individual confession at parishes. Their schedule also runs in the Register as a service to the faithful.)
"Up until this year, it has always been called `Pilgrimage of Reconciliation,'" Lilles said. "The Office of Liturgy and the archbishop thought it would be good, as we enter into the new millennium, to infuse the program with new energy and a new vision and out of that desire came a new title — 'Healing Our Hearts.'"
Each year, the Office of Liturgy also creates a poster, which serves as an easily recognizable "icon" to promote the Pope's Lenten message and the local Lenten program, Lilles said.
"This `icon' highlights the theme of the Pope's Lenten message, `Love is not resentful,'" Lilles said, adding that the phrase is a Scripture verse from I Corinthians. "The poster interprets an original work of art which shows one man facing a cross of light and another man stepping away from that light with his heart on fire, as if his heart had been healed by the cross of Christ."
The painting, by local artist Mary Morrison, depicts the healing that takes place when one enters into the penitential work of Lent — conversion of heart, forgiveness and reconciliation.
Concluding his thoughts on the Pope's Lenten theme and the poster image, Lilles said, "Love is not resentful, because the love of Christ that comes from the cross heals us of those things that make us resentful and purifies us for a deeper love."
For the complete text of the Holy Father's Lenten message see last week's edition of the Denver Catholic Register or visit the website at www.archden.org/dcr.
