Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput hailed Pope Benedict XVI’s message Sunday as one of renewal for the church.
“The church is alive,” Chaput said the pope told Catholics all over the world. “Perhaps that is going to be the theme of his papacy.”
If so, it sounds pretty good to a number of those who packed Denver’s Basilica of the Immaculate Conception on Sunday night for a special Mass celebrating the new pope, who was elected by the College of Cardinals last week.
Jenelle Martin said: “I like his new theme, his new message – the church is alive. I think it adds a little energy to the church.”
Jennifer Davis said she was particularly enthusiastic that German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was picked to succeed Pope John Paul II.
“After hearing him speak this morning, I feel heartened,” Davis said. “He’s trying to be a uniter. He wants to be a conciliator.
“I have great faith, great hope in the new pope,” said Davis, who sang at two Masses Sunday at St. Mary’s parish in Littleton, then came downtown for the special service.
Jiacomo Pecile, a native of Italy who now lives in Aurora, made no bones about his feelings.
“I very happy,” he beamed. “We love it.”
John Steffen said, “He is trying to unify all the churches, which is a big task, a hard task.”
But he said he feels Pope Benedict XVI is “tough” enough to pull it off.
Chaput invited some of the standing-room-only crowd to come down front and sit on the stairs at the foot of the altar. Among those attending were the dean of St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral, Peter Eaton, and the Rev. Michael Sheeran, president Regis University.
“We need to re-commit ourselves in order for the church to have the new life the holy father spoke of this morning,” Chaput said. “We all want the church to be alive.”
He said the church is more than a building, “however beautiful it might be. The church is the living stones which are you. Having a church fully alive means that all of us must be alive.”
Staff writer Jim Kirksey can be reached at 303-820-1448 or jkirksey@denverpost.com.
