(Photo: Josh Applegate/Unsplash) You find your way into a Catholic church, and it’s quiet. Really quiet. The lights are low, except for a small red dot of light shining above a side door. Over time, people go in and out. Maybe you do, too. Either way, it’s hard to miss, between the light and the line. Many of us might be familiar with what happens in that closet-sized space — the confessional — as sinner after sinner comes before the Divine Mercy of Jesus, bursting forth from

The Sermon of the Beatitudes (1886-96) by James Tissot from the series The Life of Christ, Brooklyn Museum. (Photo: Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons) By Father José Noriega, D.C.J.M. St. John Vianney Seminary, Denver The Christian novelty was like a spark that kindled a new fire, with a radiance and a warmth never before seen. To the great question of the human heart — what is the happy life, and how is it attained? — Christianity offered an answer that astonished both th

(Photo: Adobe Stock) "You are the light of the world. … You are the salt of the earth.” Matthew 5:13-14 When Jesus speaks these words, he is not addressing an elite few. He is speaking to ordinary disciples, to people with families, jobs, limitations, fears and questions. People like you and me. Every baptized Catholic shares in the mission of Christ. We are invited, indeed privileged, to go in search of the lost sheep, to bring light into darkness and to offer hope to those

Deacon Jim Heatwole raises the cross (L) during a procession as Hung Pham (C) and Deacon Kevin McCutcheon (R) look on Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion at the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception on April 18, 2025. (Photo by Daniel Petty/Denver Catholic) It’s the holiest time of the year, as we prepare to enter into Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection anew. As we prepare for the Holy Triduum — Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday — we no

(Photo by André Escaleira, Jr./Denver Catholic) When I began my time in the Diocese of Colorado Springs, I said I was fascinated by Jesus Christ, and I have been for much of my life. What was true then, and what was true in the Scriptures, is only truer today. I am fascinated by the way that Jesus makes himself present in our world today. I am fascinated by Jesus’ words, which echo through the centuries and in your heart and mine. I am fascinated by the way that he loved all

A Catholic call to contrition, confession and change. The Confession by Giuseppe Molteni (1838). Oil on canvas, 173.5 x 141 cm (68.3 x 55.5 in). Cariplo Collection, Gallerie di Piazza Scala, Milan. (Photo: Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons) For those struggling to get out of habits of mortal sin, frequent Confession is a necessity. But since venial sins are not required to be confessed, I set out to be convinced of the benefits of frequent Confession. The Catholic Church t

Part Four: To evangelize well, we must first be good and holy friends. (Photo: Lightstock) Editor's Note: This column is part of a yearlong series on evangelization, breaking down what often feels like a tall order into real, practical, actionable steps towards intentional accompaniment. Part One: A Practical Guide for Everyday Catholics Part Two: Be A Disciple First Part Three: Discern Who to Accompany It’s been fifteen grueling months, but my dog is finally  obedient. Kind

A Hermit at Prayer by Bartholomeus Maton, c. 1641. (Photo: Public Domain via Artvee) The entire purpose of Lent, now past the halfway mark, is to prepare us for the glory of Easter and its revelation of the destiny that God first intended for humanity “in the beginning” (Genesis 1:1): the destiny that Christ made possible after the Fall through the Paschal Mystery of his Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension. As the Church continues its Lenten journey, perhaps we might

In this guide for Denver Catholics, the liturgies, events and celebrations surrounding the installation of a new archbishop are explained, along with other frequently asked questions. Archbishop-designate Golka prays during Mass in Christ the King Chapel at St. John Vianney Seminary in Denver following his announcement as the sixth Archbishop of Denver. (Photo by Grant Whitty/Denver Catholic) The Installation of Archbishop-designate James Golka as the sixth Archbishop of Denv

From a challenging homily to pilgrimage in France, one local priest reflects on the mission of spiritual fatherhood in an apostolic age.   Father Trevor Lontine says Mass at the tomb of St. John Vianney in Ars, France, during a recent pilgrimage. (Photo provided) By Father Trevor Lontine  A Priestly Challenge at the Start of My Priesthood  On May 15, 2022, Father Dan Barron, OMV, stood at the pulpit in St. Joseph Parish in Denver and asked a simple question. There are so many

In the modern age, abstaining from technology is a noble Lenten practice to enter the desert, quiet the mind and heart and hear the voice of God. (Photo: The Temptation of Christ in the Wilderness by Sebastiano Ricci, Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons. Smartphone digitally added.) Since we are halfway through Lent, it’s a good moment to consider how it’s been going. The purpose of our self-denial is conversion, as we learn to let go of control and to depend more upon God.

Pope John Paul II during a visit to the Baltimore Basilica in the 1990s. Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo: Carol M. Highsmith via Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain) Forty-seven years ago, Pope John Paul II issued his first encyclical, Redemptor Hominis  (The Redeemer of Man). The first letter in the centuries-old encyclical tradition devoted to the Christian idea of the human person, Redemptor Hominis  was also what Cardinal James Hickey once called the “program notes” for John Paul

Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila and Archbishop-designate James Golka pray together in Christ the King Chapel at St. John Vianney Seminary in Denver. (Photo by André Escaleira, Jr.) This last year, the world watched as the cardinals gathered in Rome for the election of a new pope, the 267 th  bishop of Rome. New York recently received a new archbishop, and Denver is preparing for one as well. We are witnessing apostolic succession in action, extending an unbroken chain of bishops

Part Three: Intentional accompaniment and evangelization must be taken to prayer first. Before he chose his disciples, Jesus went up the mountain to pray intentionally. Like him, we who are evangelizers (hint: every Catholic!) are called to pray about whom he's calling us to accompany. (Photo: Lightstock) Editor's Note: This column is part of a yearlong series on evangelization, breaking down what often feels like a tall order into real, practical, actionable steps towards in

(Photo: Adobe Stock) By Dr. Elizabeth Klein Associate Professor of Theology Augustine Institute In the fourth century, a young woman named Macrina (venerated today as St. Macrina the Younger) unexpectedly lost her fiancé prior to her wedding. She took this turn of events as a divine sign never to marry, explaining to her parents that her intended spouse was still alive in Christ. 1 This decision characterized the saint’s outlook on life: to live life as preparation for death

(Photo: Lightstock) As the Lenten season begins, Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila has issued his final pastoral note, entitled "Encounter Jesus: Listening with the Heart." In it, he encourages the faithful to encounter the Lord Jesus, especially in Scripture, discern his voice and allow his will to be carried out through each of us. The pastoral note and its exhortation come following the announcement that Pope Leo XIV had accepted Archbishop Aquila's request to retire on February

Why the Great Commission still applies to married couples. Mission brought Alli and Tanner to the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, IN, in July 2024. (Photo provided) Leaving staff as a campus missionary with FOCUS was a difficult transition. I absolutely loved evangelizing students at the University of Colorado Boulder, and I didn’t want my zeal for souls to fizzle out. I was determined to continue living on mission, even if it would look different. My fiancée w

(Photo by Rocio Madera) Everyone’s favorite season of sacrifice is just around the corner! The penitential period of the Church year seems to sneak up on us year after year, and brings with it lots of questions. While wonder is  a gift of the Holy Spirit, there’s no need to sit in uncertainty any longer! Is Ash Wednesday a Holy Day of Obligation? According to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) 1991 general decree, there are six Holy Days of Obligation i

(Photo by André Escaleira, Jr.) No, those strange folks with dirt on their head aren’t actually all that strange! Ash Wednesday is just around the corner, and with it, the beginning of Lent, a time of spiritual preparation, reflection and introspection. During this holy time, Christians around the world will consider ways to live more simply, to act more generously and to get to know God better. The ashes rubbed on the foreheads of millions each year remind us of our weakness

Ecce Homo (Behold the Man) by Caravaggio, c. 1605. (Photo: Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons) It’s easy to take things that we’re used to doing for granted. Lent’s just one of those Catholic customs that come around every year as the liturgical year moves through its cycles. But if we actually think about why we practice it, it may help us to get more out of it. I’d like to explore the “why” behind it to help us be more intentional in how we enter into Lenten practices thi