July 2022: Bishop's Update

I wanted to take a few moments today to reach out and connect with you all. At this time, those who are on this email list are either active clergy within the diocese, retired clergy within the diocese, clergy who are pending incardination, or clergy who are under apostolic covering as a part of their discernment process. Please know that I think of each of you daily, and pray for you frequently. 

First, I want to share my joy that Father Jason and Father Ric will be incardinating with our Communion on August 14 at Saint Matthias with Archbishop Todd. I feel that between our time at the retreat and my individual conversations with them in the intervening months, they will be strong co-laborers with us in the vineyard. I am impressed by their dedication to the people of God, their self-awareness, and the uniqueness of their giftings and talents as they will serve God, the Church, and the People committed to their care. Please join me in intense prayer for them in the coming months. I would ask each of you, on Saturday, August 13, to please pray the Litany of Ministry from our Daily Prayer Books at either Morning or Evening Prayer, or at a specific time in the day for the intention of the reception of these two priests into our formal fellowship. (To pray for them by name, please adapt the ordination of a presbyter section to say "incardinated" instead of "ordained".) I will also share that I am disappointed that I won't be able to be there in person for the incardination, as I have preexisting commitments here in Indiana, including another week-long stint in one of our State Prisons doing trauma relief with prisoners. 

Second, I would like to begin offering a monthly Zoom call among the clergy for the purposes of fellowship and prayer. All too often we can live on an island and forget that we have a deep interconnectedness. I have set up a brief survey to help with scheduling. Please complete this at your earliest convenience: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VVDWDJF

A few updates from our family: Clare and Grace recently competed at StarQuest Nationals in French Lick, Indiana. As many of you know, they are both involved in competitive dance. They had a great time, and all of their dances placed - including several that either scored top in the nation or qualified for dance-off's in the Best of the Best. Brendan has finally (I think) found his niche, and began football - this week is his first week in pads and helmet making contact, and this will be his first year playing the sport.  Kristen recently left her job at Greenwood Christian School, where she has worked for four years, and transitioned to serve as Branch Office Assistant with Edward Jones. August 27 will mark her fifth anniversary from her cancer surgery, and this is a pretty big milestone - so please keep her peace and anxiety in your prayers.

Finally, I want to share with you that our family has decided that we have outgrown our home. We are currently in the process of getting our house ready to go on the market August 1st. One of our goals is to move into a specific school district (where our children currently attend as out-of-district transfers), but we are finding that housing that meets our needs is hard to come by. We would appreciate your prayers for a smooth relocation (just a mile or two north!) in the coming months.

In Christ, I seek to be your servant.

SPOTLIGHTDivine Mercy Catholic ChurchAurora, Colorado

Divine Mercy Catholic Church of Aurora, Colorado was planted in April 2016, and is still going strong today. Five years later, the parish was blessed to find a permanent home in Aurora in the lower level of the Bridge Centers Building on East Smoky Hill Road.

The parish worships on Sundays and Wednesdays, combining the historic liturgical practice of the Church with joyful, contemporary music. Lay ministers and servers take important roles in the assembly, and a chapter of the Guardians of the Cross is active in the parish.

Divine Mercy continues to experience numerical growth, together with a deepening love for the Lord. The parish desires to become more visible to the community and expand its impact through loving and serving the community. 

The people of the Parish draw great spiritual strength and guidance from central tenants of two prominent Christian leaders. First, from Saint Francis of Assisi, the concept "Go out into the world and spread the Gospel, using words when necessary" serves as an invitation to action. This concept is supported by the words of the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., who once stated emphatically that, "The time is always right to do what is right." 

Inspired by these bold Christian leaders, the parish has consistently emphasized outreach as a means of answering the Lord's call. Local outreach efforts include partnerships with Aurora Warms the Night and the Colorado Hosting Asylum Network. On a national level, the parish actively supports Father Steve Block and St. Martin’s Mission in Wisconsin. Internationally, support is extended to work in Haiti. 

The parish pastor is Rev. Michael Messina, who was ordained as a deacon in 2001, and as a priest in 2002, by Bishop Dan Gincig, the first diocesan bishop of the American Catholic Communities. Father Michael served in various ministries in Wisconsin before relocating to Colorado with his wife, Tania, in late 2014. Before planting Divine Mercy, he served at Christ the King Church in western Aurora. 

Father Michael and Tania have four children, Michaela, Ashley, Ryan, Nicole; and two cats, Squeak and Jerry.

PHOTOS FROM THE LIFE OF DIVINE MERCY CATHOLIC CHURCH

 

 

Note: A previous Mass time is mentioned in the video.

The current time for Sunday Mass (as of June 2023) is 10:30 AM.