Bishop Conley to deliver public talk on Faithful Citizenship at Denver parish
Pro-life advocate Father Habiger to speak on end of life issues

By Erika Palma

St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church is one example of a parish that has taken to heart the archbishop’s call to the faithful to share their Catholic beliefs in the public square.

Next month the parish is sponsoring a talk by Denver Auxiliary Bishop James Conley on faithful citizenship. Bishop Conley will speak on “A Catholic’s Formation of Conscience, the Political Environment and Abortion” at 7 p.m. Oct. 8.

Next week the parish is sponsoring two talks by Catholic columnist Father Matthew Habiger, the former president of Human Life International, on end of life issues, including palliative care and living wills. Father Habiger will speak at 7 p.m. Sept. 28 and 9 a.m. Sept. 29.

The presentations are sponsored by the parish’s Faithful Citizenship and Respect Life committees. Andrew Watson, director of religious education at the parish, said the events are being offered to address social topics through the teachings of the Catholic Church.

“Many people know these things in their hearts … but they don’t know it in their heads,” Watson said.

The faithful need Church teachings explained, he said, so they can live and share them in the professional, social and political spheres.

 “Properly forming our consciences to the truth is important so that we don’t deceive ourselves,” added Lee Ann Rogers, co-chair of the Respect Life committee.  “In weighing the various issues during this election season, we are so fortunate to have Bishop Conley and Archbishop (Charles) Chaput giving us clear direction on what is the most important issue—protecting and defending life.”

In his 23 years as a priest, Bishop Conley has served the Catholic Church in a wide variety of ways—as pastor, college campus chaplain, director of Respect Life ministries, theology instructor and a Vatican official. He was named auxiliary bishop of Denver in April by Pope Benedict XVI and ordained to the episcopacy in May.

Catholics have an important contribution to make to our culture, Bishop Conley said.

“Because of our foundational belief in the sanctity and dignity of every human life, and the solid and consistent articulation of that belief, Catholics can help to lift up our culture so that our world will become a much friendlier place for human beings to flourish,” he said.

Following his talk, Bishop Conley will take audience questions. The presentation will be followed by a reception in the parish cafeteria.

Father Habiger was ordained in 1968 for St. Benedict’s Abbey in Atchison, Kan.  He earned two master degrees and a doctorate in moral theology from Catholic University of America. In 1990, he began working with the pro-life movement proclaiming the values of the gospel of life. He has traveled the globe to help others to understand a truly Catholic compassion for the sick and dying.
“There is great interest in the mystery of death and dying,” Father Habiger has said. “Furthermore, the activity advocacy of euthanasia has accentuated the need for clarity about the role of suffering during the dying process.”

End of life issues, the priest noted, “pertain to everyone.”

In his presentation Father Habiger will draw heavily upon Church documents, including the 1980 “Declaration on Euthanasia” by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. 

Deacon Robert Finan of the Faithful Citizenship committee said the parish is opening the talks to the wider Catholic community in hopes the faithful “will support and participate in these opportunities to be informed and challenged as they prepare to vote in the national, state and local elections in November.”

St. Vincent de Paul Parish is located at 2375 E. Arizona Ave. in Denver. For more information, call 303-744-6119 Ext. 17.