40 Years of Hope: Samaritan House and the Church's Enduring Mission of Mercy
- Catholic Charities
- 20 hours ago
- 5 min read
A new banner now hangs over the entrance to Samaritan House in downtown Denver.
40 Years of Hope. 1986–2026.
For many, it marks the anniversary of one of Colorado's best-known ministries. But for the Catholic Church in Northern Colorado, it represents something much deeper: forty years of answering Christ's call to welcome the stranger, shelter the vulnerable and restore human dignity.
Long before Samaritan House became a Denver landmark, it began as an act of faith.
A Bold Beginning
In the early 1980s, homelessness in Denver reached a breaking point. Amid brutal winter storms, churches open their doors to people seeking warmth, exposing a growing need that temporary solutions could no longer meet. Rather than simply responding to each crisis, Archbishop James V. Casey imagined something that did not yet exist — a permanent home built specifically for people experiencing homelessness.
It was a bold idea.
On July 31, 1985, only months before his death, Archbishop Casey broke ground in his final major public act as Archbishop of Denver. His successor, then-Archbishop J. Francis Stafford, embraced the vision and completed the project. When Samaritan House opened on November 20, 1986, it became the first building in the nation designed specifically for people experiencing homelessness — not simply providing a bed for the night, but creating a place where lives could begin again.
At its dedication, then-Archbishop Stafford summarized the Church's purpose with words that continue to guide the ministry today: "The world of poverty is a world of death through neglect. Here we answer that neglect with love."
A Legacy of Love
That commitment has endured through four archbishops and generations of staff, volunteers and benefactors.
Today, that same commitment continues under Archbishop James R. Golka, who was installed as the sixth Archbishop of Denver in March 2026. In his homily at the Mass of Installation, he reminded the faithful that serving others is not simply the work of the Church's leaders but the calling of every Catholic.
"We are made for mission. The mission is God's," he said. "I'm all in. I'm ready. How about you?"
For forty years, Samaritan House has been one of the Archdiocese of Denver's clearest answers to that call — inviting thousands of Catholics to put their faith into action by welcoming neighbors experiencing homelessness with compassion, dignity and hope.
Today, Samaritan House has grown far beyond its iconic Lawrence Street location. Catholic Charities now operates five Samaritan House locations serving Denver, Fort Collins and Greeley. Together, they welcome women, families and veterans experiencing homelessness while providing meals, housing navigation, employment support, behavioral health resources and countless other services designed to help people move toward lasting stability.
"Our mission has always been bigger than providing a safe place to stay," said Darren Walsh, CEO of Catholic Charities. "Every person who walks through our doors is created in the image and likeness of God. Our calling is to meet them with the love of Christ, restore hope and help them discover that a new beginning is possible. That's what Samaritan House has represented for forty years, and that's what it will continue to represent for generations to come."
That vision echoes Archbishop Golka's own hopes for the Church in Northern Colorado. Reflecting on the beginning of his ministry, noted that God has already been at work. He reminded Catholics that God's mission is often lived in quiet, unseen ways — through a conversation, an act of mercy or the faithful witness of ordinary people.
"That mission belongs to all of us," he said.
Supporting Neighbors. Transforming Lives.
Every meal served, every child welcomed, every family reunited and every volunteer who quietly gives their time at Samaritan House reflects that hidden work of mercy. For some, that new beginning is life-changing.
When Lauree arrived at Samaritan House after losing custody of her children, battling addiction and finding herself alone on Denver's streets, she remembers one overwhelming feeling.
"I remembered for the first time in a long time feeling like I could breathe," she recalled.
With the support of her case manager, she obtained legal documents, found employment, secured permanent housing and began rebuilding her relationship with her children. Her first day living at Samaritan House also became her first day of sobriety.
Today, she wakes each morning with gratitude.
"I'm so grateful for my time at Samaritan House," Lauree said. "I wake up every day looking forward to the future and all the many blessings that God has planned for me. I look forward to being able to give back what was given to me."
Stories like Lauree's exist because of people who quietly devote their lives to serving others.
Few embody that better than Marie Saavedra. Now 94 years old, she still volunteers at the Samaritan House warehouse nearly three decades after first becoming involved with Catholic Charities. Week after week, she helps organize clothing and essential items for women, families and veterans, demonstrating that the ministry of Samaritan House has always depended on ordinary Catholics willing to perform extraordinary acts of love.
A New Story: Sammy's Big Adventure
The ministry also continues to evolve.
To commemorate the 40th anniversary, Catholic Charities recently introduced Sammy's Big Adventure, a children's book inspired by Samaritan House itself. Written and designed by the Catholic Charities team, the book tells the story of Samaritan House through the eyes of a stuffed dog named Sammy.
The story grew from one of the ministry's simplest traditions: every child arriving at Samaritan House is invited to choose a stuffed animal to keep. For children facing some of the most uncertain days of their lives, that small gift often becomes their first source of comfort, security and hope. The book reminds readers that, while Samaritan House has served hundreds of thousands of neighbors over the past forty years, every person who enters its doors has a story worth telling.
That same spirit continues to inspire new partnerships. Every Child Pediatrics opened one of the nation's first pediatric clinics located within a homeless ministry at Samaritan House, while donors recently helped renovate family spaces, children's areas, the chapel, computer lab and community gathering spaces so future generations can be welcomed with even greater dignity.
A Future Filled with Hope
As Catholic Charities looks toward its centennial in 2027, Samaritan House's anniversary is both a celebration and a reminder. The building may have opened forty years ago, but the mission remains timeless: a Church willing to step toward suffering and a community choosing compassion over indifference.
Archbishop Golka recently offered a prayer for the City and County of Denver, asking God to help all people "look out for the least, the littlest, the lost, the last, the poor and the immigrant." It is a prayer that captures the heart of Samaritan House as it begins its fifth decade of service.
Thousands of volunteers, donors and staff continue living the Gospel one person at a time. For forty years, Samaritan House has been far more than a building. It has been a living expression of Christ's mercy. From Archbishop James V. Casey's courageous vision in 1985 to Archbishop James R. Golka's call for every Catholic to embrace the Church's mission today, Samaritan House stands as a living reminder that the Gospel is proclaimed most powerfully when it is lived.
And thanks to the faithful across the Archdiocese of Denver, Catholic Charities will continue supporting neighbors and transforming lives for decades to come.
