What does it mean to be “on mission” with the Archdiocese of Denver? How do we carry out this mission to others in our particular calling and place in the Kingdom of Heaven on earth?
Apostolate leaders from FOCUS, Christ in the City, Emmaus Catholic Hospice, campus ministry teams, independent Catholic schools and other Catholic ministries across the Archdiocese of Denver gathered to learn about this common vision and mission — “that, in Jesus Christ, all might be rescued and have abundant life, for the glory of the Father.”
“Jesus’ Great Commission in Matthew 28 calls us to go out to all nations,” Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila reminded those gathered, emphasizing the importance of first knowing Jesus and then going out to preach his Good News. “This gathering is about clarifying our mission so that we may be sustained in the work entrusted to us by Jesus. If we do not have a deep relationship with Christ, the Father and the Holy Spirit, we will not be sustained in our mission.”
“This is to provide a space to gather the leaders of our apostolates and ministries in the Archdiocese of Denver to come together to share clarity on the mission of the archdiocese and the mission of the Curia so that all the leaders who are working in the apostolate in these various ministries can know what we’re doing,” added Dr. Scott Elmer, Chief Mission Officer for the Archdiocese of Denver.
Those gathered were grateful for the opportunity to network, share prayer and ideas, and to unite in the mission of the local church.
“To be able to talk with and exchange ideas with other apostolates here in our Archdiocese is a great gift. Knowing we have prayerful and faithful colleagues open to support, dialogue and in mission working towards the glory of God – it is renewing and uplifting,” said Mark Hahn of Emmaus Catholic Hospice.
“It’s been a blessing just to have an opportunity to come together and to get on the same page under the mission of the archdiocese,” added Erika Richard, director of campus ministry at Ram Catholic, serving Colorado State University. “We need the opportunity to support each other any way we can, recognizing we’re all in it together, doing the mission together, trying to accomplish the good work that the Lord has bestowed on us, and to make disciples of all nations.”
For Dr. Elmer, the hope is that apostolate leaders across the archdiocese might grow in relationship with each other and share how the Holy Spirit is working in their ministries so that they would be inspired by each other to continue moving forward in their work.
As the Archdiocese embarks further on mission, Dr. Elmer said, various healing ministries like Healing the Whole Person and several leadership teams have begun to take root in communities across Northern Colorado.
“We’re seeing a lot of momentum around putting leadership teams around our pastors to form that type of dynamic in leading our institutions,” he said, “It’s a dynamic that’s helping the pastors to expand their ministry to lead more effectively by taking a lot of pressures off of them and allowing them to engage the mission more fully.”
Overall, the call for these apostolate leaders is to join the archdiocesan curia, as well as local parishes and schools, in putting on an apostolic mindset for evangelization and to turn to the Father, relying completely on him in all of our efforts.
“Are you seeking the will of the Father in your apostolate? Are you praying for those who oppose the Gospel? Are you trusting and praying to the Holy Spirit? Because when we entrust our mission to the Lord, everything changes,” Archbishop Aquila concluded.
The gathering set a foundation for greater collaboration among apostolates, ensuring that all efforts are directed toward the ultimate goal: bringing people into life-changing encounters with Jesus Christ.
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