Thanks to a partnership between the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Denver and the Colorado Catholic Conference, lawmakers, staff and visitors to the Colorado State Capitol had the chance to mark Ash Wednesday with prayer. (Photo by Neil McDonough) Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, and in downtown Denver, the holy season saw a surprising start as the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception and the Colorado Catholic Conference brought ashes to a

Darren Walsh, president and CEO of Catholic Charities of Denver, and Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila at the Beacon of Hope gala in 2022. (Photo courtesy of Catholic Charities of Denver) By Darren Walsh President & CEO Catholic Charities of Denver As we welcome our new archbishop, I have been reflecting on the leadership of Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila and, just as importantly, on the friendship and steady support he has offered Catholic Charities of Denver over so many years. Arch

In a formal letter of commendation, the sisters recognized the Denver archbishop’s “steadfast fidelity” to preaching the Gospel of Life.   Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila invited the Sisters of Life to the Archdiocese of Denver early in his ministry, and was pleased to welcome them at a Mass in September 2015. (Photo by Andrew Wright/Denver Catholic) It’s no secret that the dignity of life faces profound challenges in the apostolic age in which we live. Unlike the eras of the pas

From diaconate formation to the wedding Mass, God was at work every step of the way. (Photo by Mo, emmkayyphotos.com By Jay Sorgi Katie and Victor Villa prove that God can turn small things, like a delivery of raffle tickets and a night at a taco bar, into something beautiful, even a sacramental union. Of course, it helps to have dads who are Denver-area deacons and who became close friends during their formation, which they began together in 2019. “Steve Boselli and the Bose

By Neil McDonough and André Escaleira, Jr. On Saturday, February 7, the Vatican announced that Pope Leo had accepted Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila's request to retire and had named Most Reverend James R. Golka , currently Bishop of Colorado Springs, as the sixth Archbishop of Denver. Later that morning, the archbishop-designate was introduced to the faithful of Northern Colorado in a press conference held at the Cardinal Stafford Library at St. John Vianney Seminary in Denver

The importance of the Church and Christian friendship in healing and strengthening married life. Lumen, a community of Catholic married couples. (Photo provided) Loneliness is a phenomenon that does not arise only in the lives of people who lack strong friendships; it often extends to marriages as well. Just as it is not good for a person to be alone, the isolation of a couple can lead to countless problems, and even to failure. By contrast, God’s plan for marriage and the fa

(Denver Catholic file photo) Deacon Gordon David Hudec, who ministered the charity of Christ for nearly four decades as a husband, father, grandfather and ordained deacon, entered eternal life on February 7, 2026, at the age of 80, surrounded by his family. Born March 23, 1945, in San Diego, California, to Frank Hudec and Julia Hodina, Deacon Hudec was baptized on April 29, 1945, at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish and confirmed on April 11, 1957, at Our Lady of Angels Par

(Photo courtesy of Holy Family High School) For parents of eighth graders, the approach to high school can feel like it arrives all at once. One moment, your child is navigating middle school lockers and homework; the next, you’re weighing decisions that will shape their intellectual, spiritual and personal formation during some of the most influential years of their life. Recognizing how weighty that moment can feel, the Archdiocese of Denver’s Office of Catholic Schools has

(Photo: © Vatican Media) Last month, Pope Leo XIV received more than 1,000 itinerant catechists in an audience in the Hall of Blessings, responsible for the Neocatechumenal Way in 138 nations on five continents. The papal audience came at the end of a gathering held at the “Servant of Yahweh” Center in Porto San Giorgio under the guidance of the team responsible for the Neocatechumenal Way worldwide, and included Kiko Argüello, founder of the Neocatecumenal Way, as well as Fa

(Photo courtesy of Mullen High School, Denver) For Catholic school communities across Northern Colorado, moments of quiet formation often bear fruit far beyond anyone's imagination. This winter, one of those moments unfolded thousands of miles from home — on the cobblestone streets of Bergamo, Italy — as Dale O’Blia, a 2024 graduate of Mullen High School in Denver, carried the Olympic torch. Selected as one of a highly limited number of torchbearers, O'Blia took part in the 6

(Photo: Pannonhalma Archabbey, courtesy of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) As Catholics begin the penitential journey of Lent, the Church once again invites the faithful to unite prayer, sacrifice and generosity in a special way. On Ash Wednesday, Feb. 18, parishes across the United States will take up the Collection for the Church in Central and Eastern Europe, an annual appeal sponsored by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops that has brought healing an

Let Lent lead us into love through Catholic Charities. Catholic Charities offers several opportunities to get involved and give back this Lent, from Fort Collins to the Denver Metro, from the Western Slope to your own neighborhood. (Photo provided) Lent arrives every year like an invitation, quiet but impossible to ignore. The ashes on our foreheads remind us that life is brief, and love is meant to be shared widely. You may be thinking about what to give up, but Lent also as

On Saturday, February 7, the Vatican announced that Pope Leo XIV had accepted Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila's request to retire and had appointed Most Reverend James R. Golka , currently Bishop of Colorado Springs, as the sixth Archbishop of Denver. That same morning, the Archdiocese of Denver hosted a press conference to introduce Northern Colorado's newest shepherd at the Cardinal Stafford Library at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver. In the conference, Archbi

(Photo: Lightstock) St. Raphael Counseling, a ministry of Catholic Charities, is excited to introduce a new six-week Marriage Preparation Program, designed to help engaged couples build a strong faith-filled foundation for lifelong partnership. Endorsed by the Archdiocese of Denver, this program reflects St. Raphael Counseling’s commitment to supporting healthy marriages by combining sound psychological science with Catholic teaching.  St. Raphael Counseling provides compassi

On Saturday, February 7, Pope Leo XIV accepted Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila's request to retire and appointed Bishop James R. Golka, currently Bishop of the Diocese of Colorado Springs, as the Archdiocese of Denver's sixth archbishop. (Photo by Daniel Petty/Denver Catholic) “If we don’t pray first, we’re going to be lost. So let’s pray,” Denver’s next archbishop began on the morning of Feb. 7.  Mere hours before, the Vatican announced that Pope Leo XIV had accepted Archbishop

(Photo courtesy of the Diocese of Colorado Springs) DENVER — Pope Leo XIV has named Bishop James R. Golka as the sixth Archbishop of Denver, the Holy See announced early February 7, 2026.  Archbishop-designate Golka, 59, is the current Bishop of the Diocese of Colorado Springs. He will succeed Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila, 75, who has been chief shepherd of the Archdiocese of Denver since 2012.  Archbishop Aquila’s retirement — which he offered to the pope upon his 75th birthd

(Denver Catholic file photo) February 7, 2026  My Brothers and Sisters,  As I prepare to enter retirement, my heart is filled above all with gratitude — to God, to the priests and deacons of this local Church, to consecrated women and men, and to the lay faithful who have walked together as missionary disciples in Northern Colorado. From the beginning of my ministry here, I have been convinced that the Lord is at work among us, calling us ever more deeply to conversion, commu

Then-Bishop James R. Golka preaches during Mass at SEEK26 in Denver. (Photo by Grant Whitty/Courtesy of FOCUS) Archbishop-designate James R. Golka was born September 22, 1966, in Grand Island, Nebraska, the fourth of 10 children born to Robert and the late Patricia Golka. He graduated from Grand Island Central Catholic High School and attended Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, from 1985-89, where he earned degrees in philosophy and theology.  He served as a Jesuit lay

Then-Bishop James R. Golka blesses attendees at Mass at SEEK26 in Denver. (Photo by Madisen Martinez/Courtesy of FOCUS) Habemus archiepiscopum! We have an archbishop!  On Saturday morning, the Vatican and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) announced that Pope Leo XIV had accepted Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila’s request to retire from pastoral governance of the Archdiocese of Denver after nearly 14 years of service. At the same time, the Holy Father appoin

When St. Joan of Arc Parish in Arvada, Colorado, brought more than 70 parishioners to the SEEK conference  in Denver this January, it wasn’t a last-minute decision — it was the fruit of years of discernment, prayer and a renewed understanding of what it means to be a parish on mission in the Archdiocese of Denver. The 74 Fervent Evangelical Warriors from St. Joan of Arc Parish in Arvada (plus a few extra!) gathered for a group photo during SEEK26 in Denver. (Photo courtesy of