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FOCUS Founder Curtis Martin announced his retirement from the role of FOCUS CEO, Friday, Dec. 12, 2025. (Photo: FOCUS) Curtis Martin, founder of the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS), has announced he is stepping down as CEO after nearly three decades of leadership, marking a significant transition for one of the most influential Catholic evangelization ministries in the Church today.  Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila offered the following statement upon the annou

Rian Johnson's Wake Up Dead Man is a moving depiction of the faith in the modern age.   (Photo courtesy of Wake Up Dead Man 's social media) Wake Up Dead Man is the best movie I’ve seen in theaters in a while.   Since seeing the movie before Thanksgiving with Risen Christ Parish in Denver, I’ve been talking it up to friends nonstop. Just this past weekend, some friends shared that they’d seen it and were floored. One, who hadn’t read the Denver Catholic in a bit, even comme

(Photo by Rachel Moore, courtesy of FOCUS) When the calendar turns to a new year, thousands of Catholics, from college students to grandparents, parish leaders to young families, will begin 2026 not with resolutions, but with a pilgrimage of the heart. From January 1 to 5, the Archdiocese of Denver will welcome one of the largest Catholic gatherings in the country: SEEK 2026, the annual evangelization conference hosted by FOCUS. For decades, SEEK has been a catalyst for conv

(Photo: Denver Catholic file photo) Every December, just as Advent reaches its final stretch and Christmas draws near, the Archdiocese of Denver turns its gaze toward a uniquely local Marian devotion: Our Lady of the New Advent, celebrated on December 16. While many Marian titles are celebrated throughout the universal Church, this one belongs especially to us. Rooted in Colorado’s landscape, crafted for our archdiocese and embraced by generations of faithful, Our Lady of the

Auxiliary Bishop Jorge Rodríguez preaches during the special Midnight Mass for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Denver. (Photo by Juan Andrés Coriat) Neither the December Colorado cold nor the late hours of the night could keep thousands of Guadalupan faithful from gathering on Thursday, December 11, at Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine in Denver to sing the traditional mañanitas to the Morenita of Tepeyac on her feast day.  Like every

When plans fell apart, peace entered in, and the season of joy became real for the first time. (Photo: Adobe Stock) By Forest Barnette I expected last Christmas to be really hard. It was the first time my husband, kids and I didn’t travel to see extended family. The estrangement that caused these circumstances was painful enough on its own, not to mention the FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), the traditions lost and the grieving for what I’d imagined holidays with kids, cousins and

What repeated Scripture, a preschool coloring page and the wisdom of the saints reveal about desire, especially this Advent. (Photo: Lightstock) By Meg Stout Have you ever had a moment where God was communicating something really clearly to you? He can do so in many different ways: through images, thoughts that arise in prayer, words from other people, homilies or even through nature. For me, he often gets his message across through Scripture, usually at Mass. Because I can m

Dr. Bob Cutillo's new book, "Holding on in the Storm," aims to help Christians face death and suffering without fear, drawing from biblical, medical and personal wisdom gleaned over decades of medical practice, and in his accompaniment of his wife, Heather, as she prepared for death. (Photo courtesy of Dr. Bob Cutillo) By Caitlin Burm Many of us have faced the loss of a loved one and know how disorienting death can feel. Even with the hope of eternal life, grief can still ove

Father Joseph LaJoie celebrates "Mass on the Grass" at Colorado State University, a RamCatholic tradition in the fall semester. (Photo courtesy of St. John XXIII Parish's Facebook) By Sarah Mendus Across the street from Colorado State University in Fort Collins sits St. John XXIII Parish, the beloved home of RamCatholic and its many CSU student members. Since 2022, the community has been shepherded by Father Joseph LaJoie, a pastor known for his classic rock references and hi

(Denver Catholic file photo) The Archdiocese of Denver has issued the following statement addressed to the faithful regarding the public activity of Mr. Charlie Johnston, to alert the community and avoid confusion about his status within the Church. The complete statement follows below, printed in full: The Archdiocese of Denver is issuing this alert to reiterate that, as stated in years past, it does not recognize Charlie Johnston or the website corac.co  as authoritative so

(Photo: Denver Catholic file photo) After a brief period of service as interim superintendent, the Archdiocese of Denver is pleased to announce that Dr. Scott Elmer will assume the role permanently, effective January 1, 2026. Reflecting on this call, Dr. Elmer shared, “I could not be more excited for this opportunity. I truly believe that our schools are our most potent mission field and the greatest lever we have to build the Kingdom of God and impact the future of our socie

(Photo: Andrew Wright/Denver Catholic) By Alfonso Lara Director of Leadership Formation Archdiocese of Denver During the Advent season, as the Church awaits the coming of our Savior, it’s easy to forget that the Virgin of Guadalupe is at the heart of our celebrations. Yet her light shines brighter than ever this time of year. Mary, a woman of faith and hope, teaches us to wait in silence, with hearts open to the will of God. In her “yes,” she reminds us that even amid the wor

(Photo courtesy of Catholic Charities) As Advent draws near and families prepare their homes for Christmas, many parents in our own community are quietly struggling with a basic yet overwhelming need: diapers. For families facing financial hardship, diapers are more than an expense. They can be the dividing line between stability and crisis. Marisol Family, a ministry of Catholic Charities, is once again running its annual Diaper Drive to meet this urgent need. The organizati

Deacon Juan Diego de María Gómez Jiménez was ordained a deacon on Sunday by Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila. (Photo by Juan Andrés Coriat) In a moving Eucharistic celebration surrounded by family, friends and parishioners at Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine in Denver, Brother Juan Diego de María Gómez Jiménez, a Cleric Regular Theatine, was ordained a deacon on Sunday, Dec. 7.  Although Brother Juan had felt a special connection to the Church and to the idea of a religious vocation s

Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila and representatives from the Archdiocese of Denver, Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Parish and STEM School, SHEA Family Charities and others ceremonially break ground on the new building at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic STEM School in Wheat Ridge. (Photo by Neil McDonough) On a bright December morning in Wheat Ridge, the schoolyard at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic STEM School bustled with excitement. Students gathered in their uniforms, families pressed

Why contemplating Christ’s first nine months reveals the dignity of unborn life — and deepens our Advent devotion. (Photo: Lightstock) Advent draws us to contemplate Christ’s first coming, even as we expect his coming again in glory. The season contains an almost incomprehensible reality: God has become man, “infinity dwindled to infancy,” as Gerard Manley Hopkins put it. Israel’s centuries-long yearning for the Messiah blossomed in the first Advent as Our Lady became God’s t

From trust to temptation, Pope St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body reveals why the fall wasn’t about an apple, but about doubting the Father's love. (Photo: Lightstock) I have a friend who had a very sweet and precocious son. When he was very little, she told me, “Jack has a question for you.” The question: “Why is God so mean? He wouldn’t even let Adam and Eve eat apples!”           Don’t we all kind of feel that way? I know I did. It took my beloved Pope St. John Paul I

With Father Mike Schmitz as the keynote speaker, Seeds of Hope celebrated its mission to form young disciples and the families whose lives are transformed. As the keynote speaker, Father Mike Schmitz reflected on the necessity of Catholic education and its role in making disciples of Jesus. (Photo provided) By Jay Sorgi The Denver Tech Center was abuzz with activity late last month, as hundreds of supporters of local Catholic education gathered for the annual Evening of Hope,

Auxiliary Bishop Jorge Rodríguez with graduates and program administrators following Mass at Sacred Heart Parish in Denver. (Photo by Juan Andrés Coriat) The most recent graduating class from the online degree program offered by Centro San Juan Diego, a ministry of Catholic Charities, in partnership with the Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla (UPAEP), celebrated their graduation on Friday, Nov. 21. The ceremony reaffirmed the impact of this initiative on Denver

(Photo: Lightstock) Many Catholics experience some degree of guilt, often, though not universally, more intensely during the holiday season. Guilt can arise from spiritual, cultural and emotional factors, and is an uncomfortable feeling that no one likes experiencing. Yet this discomfort points to our original state of innocence, the innocence Adam and Eve knew in the Garden of Eden. In this sense, guilt becomes a wake-up call. It alerts us when we have sinned and invites us