PHOTOS | Spiritual Mothers Pray for Our Spiritual Fathers at Mass on World Day of Prayer for Sanctification of Priests
- Guest Contributor
- Jul 2
- 4 min read
By Ryan Brady
“...It’s the same with our children, our grandchildren, our spouses who will not accompany us to Mass, our friends who mock us for being here, and those out on the streets, completely oblivious to the real reason to celebrate tonight.”
Standing at the ambo with a charred, centuries-old painting behind him, Father Eric Zegeer continued his homily at Sacred Heart Parish in Denver last Friday evening, the parish’s feast day:
“We have been made for him, and in him alone our hearts shall rest. That’s why he invites us to come and rest, to rest in the wound of his pierced heart. To find in that heart our home, our peace, our healing from anxiety and fear, our assurance of his infinite love.”
The image behind him was a life-sized painting of Christ, holding the cross, and gesturing the faithful towards his sacred heart. Father Zegeer brought it out from storage on Friday, the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, for the parish’s holy hour, Mass and community celebration in partnership with the Archdiocesan Spiritual Mothers Apostolate. The image has been in the church for over one hundred years, and though it was damaged in the fire that destroyed a substantial part of the building in the early 1900s, it, like the parish community, survived. It was a favorite image of Servant of God Julia Greeley, an emancipated slave who was brought into the faith at this very parish in the late 1800s, and who called the church home for the rest of her life. Father Zegeer continued;
“This was an image she looked at daily when she went to Mass. Because she looked upon this image, it wasn’t discarded. Because she looked upon this image, here it remains. But something far greater happens to you. Julia Greely never looked upon you, but Jesus does. He did from the moment of your conception.”
Sacred Heart is the oldest continuously operating church building in Colorado and one of Denver’s oldest parishes. It has been a home to countless Catholics since the late 1800s.
(Photos by Ryan Brady)
Father Eric Zegeer, who has been pastor since 2022, has led the community in an annual Sacred Heart celebration since his installation, and he said it has only grown each year, alongside the parish itself. His first year as pastor, the parish grew 58%; this past year, 22%. Beyond attendance, the parish is seeing a massive physical and spiritual rejuvenation.
It seems many would agree with him when he says, “Our home is in the heart of Christ.”
Like Marshall, who grew up at Sacred Heart in the 1960s and still comes today. He spoke at length about his home here “ever since grade school.” Though he lives south of Denver now, he still drives in for Sunday Mass, and other mornings if he can.
He’s not the only one, either. Multiple people that night spoke of driving in from the Denver suburbs to make it to a parish they love. The Marian Garden was packed that night. Dozens of the faithful were all enjoying home-cooked food, a testament to the Sacred Heart family as almost all of them call the parish home, whether they grew up down the road or immigrated from out of the country.
Some came from the wider archdiocese as well. The Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart is also the World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests, when the faithful are asked to pray for their spiritual fathers near and far.
The Archdiocese of Denver does this in a unique way through its “spiritual mothers.” These women live a life of largely hidden apostolate, silently and anonymously praying for each and every individual priest in the archdiocese. They sponsor and help facilitate events like this as part of their work, so much of the holy hour before Mass was spent praying for priests. Each spiritual mother is assigned at least one priest in the archdiocese, whom they will support with prayer and sacrifice for the rest of their lives. On this specific day, the mothers prayed to consecrate the priests in their care to the Sacred Heart of Our Lord.
“We want to be always attentive to our priests, and never to take him for granted. He needs our friendship and love, Kind words and acts of thoughtfulness, And our prayers and sacrifices. Dear Lord, we ask you to bless our priests and confirm him in his vocation” - From a prayer for our priests on the back of a holy card passed out that night
Mothers, fathers, and children all found themselves at home in Sacred Heart that night. Despite the usual shenanigans of the ever-growing RiNo district, with its bars, clubs and irreligious residents, the parish was a light to the neighborhood, just as it has always been. It drew and nurtured a Servant of God in Julia Greeley over a century ago, and continues to be a home for hundreds, whether they’re like Marshall and his wife still driving in from the suburbs, local Hispanic families new to the city or the few young professionals who have come in from the surrounding apartments.
Father Eric, giving his homily in both Spanish and English, was adamant that the Lord offers us peace in his Sacred Heart, ever wishing his apostles, “Peace be with you.” Supported by the prayers of his parish and spiritual mothers, he said with the heart of Christ:
“‘I know that you have left me. I know that you have abandoned the fold. I want to put you on my shoulders and bring you home. There is no place for shame or guilt in my heart. Only reparation, reconciliation, love, and hope.’ That is the heart of Christ. That is what we celebrate today, and that’s why here, especially, of all the churches in the state, in the oldest continuously operating church building in the state, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Christ — we are home.”
