Archbishop's web site Denver Catholic Register Parishes Catholic Pastoral Center
October 9, 2002
Young adult groups lead celebration of pope's anniversary
Event commemorating election of John Paul II to papacy 24 years ago to include Mass, music, speakers
By Jack Bacon
Everybody is invited to Pope John Paul II's anniversary party at Skyline Park in downtown Denver Oct. 16.
Pope Day celebrates the 24th anniversary of Pope John Paul II's election to the papacy on Oct. 16, 1978. He was installed Oct. 22.
Parish young adult groups and the archdiocese's Young Adult Ministry Office are hosts for the event, which begins with Mass at 5:30 p.m. in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. Father Krzysztof Misiura, a newly ordained priest for the archdiocese who was born in Poland, will celebrate Mass and give the homily on the pope and his messages to the world.
The celebration then shifts to the amphitheater at Skyline Park at the 16th Street Mall and Arapahoe Street. After a program of special music and prayer, four speakers will address four themes of the pope's messages: ecumenism, his tribute to women, his teaching on human sexuality and the theology of the body, and his basic, underlying invitation to Christ.
In addition to music, the speakers' words will be accompanied by appropriate images shown on a giant screen. The Skyline Park program, scheduled 7 p.m.-9 p.m., winds up with a session of prayer and song. Participants also will have the opportunity of confession.
Peter Braam, coordinator of young adult ministry, emphasized the celebration isn't just for Catholics and certainly not just for young people.
"This is an outreach program," he said. "Everybody is welcome."
To encourage participation, in addition to special invitations to each parish, members of parish young adult groups are distributing invitation fliers at lunchtime on the street to one and all three times before the celebration: one week and one day before Oct. 16 and again that day.
Braam said the celebration was planned in part because of widespread feeling that the pope's messages either aren't heard or listened to, and often are misunderstood, ever since he was elected.
The attempt to attract non-Catholics, as well, he said, is a deliberate evangelistic activity to carry out the messages of Pope John Paul II and the Gospel. He quoted from the pope's remarks at World Youth Day in Denver in 1993:
"Do not be afraid to go out on the streets and into public places like the first Apostles, who preached Christ and the good news of salvation in the squares of cities, towns and villages. This is no time to be ashamed of the Gospel. It is the time to preach it from the rooftops."
Braam said similar celebrations are scheduled in numerous cities in the United States, Canada and other countries. The idea originated with Peter McFadden of New York, one of the celebration sites.
To volunteer, call Sara Fleming, 720-560-2212. For information, call Peter Braam, 303-715-3279.
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