A Quiet Beginning

Archbishop James Golka makes his profession of faith and oath of fidelity during Vespers, a prayer service from the Liturgy of the Hours, the Church's official prayer, before formally taking office as Denver's sixth archbishop and ninth bishop on March 24, 2026. (Photo by Daniel Petty/Denver Catholic)

There is something quietly beautiful about beginnings that come in the light of Easter.

As I begin my ministry as Archbishop of Denver, entrusted to me by the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, through the prayerful discernment of the Church and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, I have found myself returning again and again to a simple realization: the Lord is already at work. And he is inviting us to stay close to him.

We are an Easter people.

That’s not just something we say; it’s who we are. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ changes everything. It means that no matter what we face, the final word is never loss or discouragement, but life. It means that God is always doing something new, even when we don’t immediately see it.

That’s true at the beginning of a new chapter like this one. And it’s just as true in the ordinary days that follow.

When I entered the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Denver for the first time as your Archbishop, the invitation on my heart was simple: Let Christ hold you.

Not just in big moments. Not just when life is going well. But in everything.

So often, we move quickly to what we need to do, our responsibilities, our plans, even our efforts to serve the Church. But the starting point is always the same: to receive the love of Christ. To allow him to draw near. To know that we are not alone.

That's where everything begins.

In Jesus, God does not remain distant. He comes close. He enters into our lives fully — our joys, our struggles, our wounds — and he stays. He gives himself to us completely, and he continues to do so, especially in the Eucharist. There, he feeds us, strengthens us and reminds us who we are.

And he does all of this personally. Not in a general way, but for each of us. God wants to do that with you and with me.

Sacred Scripture gives us this promise: “Behold, I make all things new” (Revelation 21:5).

That promise isn’t only about the end of time. It’s happening now. The Lord is at work in quiet ways, renewing hearts, strengthening faith and calling people closer to himself. Sometimes we see it clearly. Sometimes we don’t. But he is always at work.

The mission of the Church flows from this. It’s not something we invent or manage on our own. It’s something we receive. The Lord invites each of us, through our Baptism, to share in it, to know him, to love him and to help others come to know him.

And often, that mission is lived in simple, hidden ways: in a conversation, in an act of mercy, in the quiet witness of a faithful life. The Lord uses those moments more than we realize.

That mission belongs to all of us.

At the center of everything is Jesus Christ. He is the one who leads us. He is the one who holds us together. He is the one who sends us forward. My hope as your Archbishop is simply to stay close to him and to help others do the same.

I have already seen how alive the faith is here in Northern Colorado, in your parishes, in your families, in the quiet ways you serve and care for one another. It is a gift to be here with you and to walk this path together.

Wherever you are as you read this, whether in a moment of joy or in something more difficult, remember this: Christ is risen. And he is near.

Let him draw close to you. Let him renew what needs renewal. Let him hold you.

And let’s keep walking together in faith, hope and charity as an Easter people.