Gala to mark cathedral’s 96th anniversary

By John Gleason

The annual dinner and auction to commemorate the anniversary of the dedication of the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception will be held Oct. 25 at the Brown Palace Hotel. 
This year mark’s the cathedral’s 96th anniversary. Prior to the gala, Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., will celebrate Mass at the cathedral at 4:30 p.m. The gala dinner and auction, to be held at the hotel, begin with a cocktail hour at 6 p.m.  Mistress of Ceremonies will be TV anchor Anne Trujillo from Channel 7.  Radio personality Lou from Littleton will serve as auctioneer.

Many fine items will be found in both the silent and live auctions, according to Parish Administrator Mary Ellen Lederman.

“We have all kinds of things this year,” she said.  “We have two round trip tickets anywhere in the continental United States from Southwest Airlines; tickets on the 50-yard-line to see the Broncos take on Buffalo; courtside seats for a Nuggets game complete with VIP parking; a Winter Park condo getaway; gift certificates to restaurants and the arts and a whole lot more.”

Last year the gala raised $100,000.  Proceeds from the event were used for the continued enhancement and beauty of the cathedral.  In the past year, major renovation was done to the vestibule, baptistery and sound system.  Lederman said the second phase of the renovation will include the removal of wood paneling, which was installed during the 1970s, to restore the interior to its original look.

“We want to refurbish the pews as well,” she said. “There is other painting and cleaning, and preserving the windows, too.  All this gets done through the success of our fundraisers and generous donations.”

Each year, a great many people come to be a part of this fundraiser, many of whom aren’t parishioners.  When asked about the number of non-parishioners who get involved with the event every year, Msgr. Thomas Fryar, V.G., pastor of the cathedral, said their participation is a bright example of how so many Catholics see a connection between themselves and the Mother Church of the archdiocese.

“This is the parish for the whole diocese and it’s a very illuminating experience for me as pastor to see them have this desire to reach out and be a part of it,” he said, “to acknowledge this as their home as well as their responsibility.”

Tickets for the diner/auction are $125 per person. Deadline to register is Oct 17.  For more information, call 303-839-0226 or e-mail  melederman@denvercathedral.org.