Colorado: Where my heart put down roots

Over the years, from time to time, I’ve had the privilege of visiting my Capuchin brothers in the missions.  In New Guinea, people believe that a priest is finally “one of the people” only when he is buried in the same earth as the people he serves.  And so the Capuchins who live, serve and die in New Guinea, remain there with the people they have loved.

I’ve recalled that memory many times in celebrating Mass at Mount Olivet Cemetery and praying at the graves of Bishop Joseph Machebeuf and the other bishops of Denver who preceded me.  Denver is my home.  This is the place where my heart put down roots.  Over the past 14 years, the priests and people of Colorado have become my family—the source of more happiness than I ever could have expected, and certainly more than I deserved.  Once you know you must leave a place, you see it with new eyes; and so it is now with me.  While I have loved Colorado from the day I arrived, these final days in Denver have been filled with so many, many reminders of how extraordinarily generous Coloradans really are.

There was a moment at our annual priests’ convocation earlier this year, well before Philadelphia was on the horizon, when I saw firsthand that the “fraternal spirit” of priests who serve God’s people is more than just a wonderful ideal or an appealing theology.  It’s real.  It’s a living brotherhood.  It’s alive in the easy friendship of our youngest priests and our veteran men who’ve pastored parishes for decades.  It’s alive in their good will and their joy.  I thank God every day for the quality of priests who serve this local Church, and I will never forget their fraternal support for each other and for me; their patience and unselfish good humor; and their fidelity to the priesthood, the Church and their people.

I take with me so many blessings; far too many to name.  But when I look back and see what we’ve all accomplished together—our two wonderful seminaries with so many strong vocations; Centro San Juan Diego and a thriving Hispanic ministry; a dedicated and fruitful permanent diaconate; ENDOW’s marvelous service to women; the zeal of FOCUS and its nationwide campus ministry; the Augustine Institute and its outstanding formation of lay leaders for the next generation—well, each of these is a witness to what Christian men and women can achieve when they give themselves freely to God, and let God work his love and greatness through them.

I’ll miss the many married couples that have become my friends.  I’ll miss the young adults who helped make Sunday night Mass at the cathedral so joyful.  I’ll miss the kindness, patience and skill of my personal staff and the staff of the whole Pastoral Center—persons who serve our local Church so well.  I’ll especially miss my time with the good people of so many of our parishes from the border of Utah to the borders of Wyoming, Kansas and Nebraska.  That’s where the Church lives most vividly.  The faith of our people in the parishes is the foundation of our Church’s future.

This is not goodbye.  It’s time in Denver for a new pastor who will bring a new enthusiasm and new skills; new hopes and new joys.  We belong to the same family of God, and we will meet again in this world or the next when all separation and sadness will be in the past.  God bless you for your kindness to me.  I will never forget this wonderful Church and her people—each and every one of you.  You will always be in my prayers and in my heart.  Do not forget me in yours.

To read more from Archbishop Chaput, visit www.archden.org/archbishop.