Metanoia Returns to Denver with a Message of Faith and Hope for Families
Hundreds of people participated in the second edition of the gathering, which included a Mass celebrated by Denver Archbishop James Golka, Eucharistic adoration and moments of reflection.
On Oct. 24, the Denver Coliseum became a place of spiritual encounter for hundreds of faithful who participated in the second Metanoia gathering in the Mile High City.
Organized by El Sembrador Nueva Evangelización (ESNE), this year’s event offered a space for prayer, reflection and family fellowship, inviting attendees to renew their faith.
The event began with a Mass presided over by Denver Archbishop James Golka, who, in his homily, invited the faithful to keep their eyes fixed on Heaven.
“God’s desire for us is to know Heaven. This is important because looking toward Heaven is a source of hope, hope for living in this world,” the archbishop said.
He also warned those present not to allow the concerns of daily life to draw them away from God.
“Here [in the world] we have many worries, many that are not of Heaven. Jesus wants us to place all of our concerns in Heaven. My life will change if my heart is set on Heaven,” he reflected.
And there is no more fitting place to surrender our concerns than in the celebration of the Eucharist, Archbishop Golka added. The Mass is truly an encounter with God the Father, who always desires to be in communion with us, he said.
Referring to the Our Father, he encouraged those present to pray it from the heart, recognizing that they are before the Father and can approach him with confidence.
“It is important to pray this prayer from the heart, not only from the mind. We are before our Father, and after this prayer, God will offer us his life. Jesus will offer his Body and his Blood,” Archbishop Golka emphasized.
The message of closeness to God and faith was also reflected in the experiences of the participants. For Ana Rodríguez and her husband, José, who attended Metanoia for the first time, it was a day that left them deeply filled with the Holy Spirit.
“I really liked the topics. They touched us deeply, especially those about family and marriage,” Rodríguez told the Denver Catholic, highlighting the homily and Archbishop Golka’s closeness to the Hispanic community.
“My husband and I were delighted with the archbishop’s homily. The way he expressed himself, supported us and addressed the community was very beautiful and moving,” she said.
Ana also highlighted Eucharistic adoration as one of the most special and emotional moments of the event, as participants had the opportunity to draw very close to Jesus in the Eucharist.
“It was a very beautiful experience. They carried Jesus in the Eucharist through the crowd, in the same way Jesus passed among the people. We all had the opportunity to touch him and feel his presence, with great reverence,” Ana recalled emotionally.
The archbishop concluded by inviting people to walk with open hearts, ready to receive everything God has prepared for each of us.
“It is important to walk with joy, to be available and open to receiving everything God has for us,” Archbishop Golka said.
In this way, Metanoia left participants with an experience of faith, joy and hope, inviting them to renew their hearts and their relationship with God. For the second consecutive year, Metanoia was a day that encouraged families to continue walking together in faith with their eyes fixed on God.
