(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

A confessor's perspective on love, dignity and the gift of self. (Photo: Lightstock) By Father Daniel Ciucci Pastor, Most Precious Blood Parish, Denver There are few better opportunities for a societal pulse check than the confessional. The Fifth Commandment, in particular, manifold in its application, covers everything from drunkenness, reckless driving, gossip and physical violence, to the withholding of forgiveness, the clutching onto bitterness and the like. Recently, how

What Genesis really teaches about sin, power and marriage (Photo: Lightstock) “Your desire shall be for your husband, and he will lord it over you.” Genesis 3:16 I think of all the beautiful aspects of the Genesis account of paradise, the one I perhaps envy most is the perfect relationship between man and woman. (I know, walking with God in the cool of the afternoon seems like a pretty good gig, too.) We have talked about how God created them specifically for each other , a

(Photo provided) There are few words that a person will say in their lifetime that carry as much eternal weight as the two simple words couples say at the altar on their wedding day: "I do." In uttering these two words, a man and his wife are doing much more than merely promising to lay down their lives for one another — though, to be sure, they are doing that too. "I do" is a mutual assent that a man and his wife will give themselves completely and totally to one another in

(Photo: Adobe Stock) We are living in what many have described as an “apostolic age,” like the first centuries of the Church, when Christians proclaimed the Gospel in a world that did not share their assumptions about God, truth or the purpose of human life. In that time, Christians lived, loved and worshipped differently than the world. And in doing so, they drew others to the beauty of Christ. In our own time, the cultural foundations that once supported Christian life have

Part Two: Why evangelization begins with personal conversion and encounter with Jesus Christ. (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 Three: Discern Who to Accompany Part Four: Build Authentic Friendships Part Five: Build Zones of Freedom My dad

Newman joined a list of several other Catholic saints considered patrons of other aspects of education. Get to know them here. A portrait of a young St. John Henry Newman hangs in Cathedral High School, part of the Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter, in Houston. (Photo: Amira Abuzeid/CNA) By Francesca Pollio-Fenton/EWTN News Pope Leo XIV named St. John Henry Newman a patron saint of Catholic education in a document published on Oct. 28 for the 60th anniversary of Gravissim

(Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain) By Father Sean Conroy When the Church canonizes a saint, it isn’t merely adding another name to the litany; it’s affirming that holiness can blossom in our own time. I had the immense gift of attending the canonization of Pier Giorgio Frassati this Jubilee Year, and I can only describe the experience as a taste of Heaven. He was canonized a saint on the centenary of his death, yet to me, he is a friend whom I often talk to and seek h

(Photo: Lightstock) Looking for a way to go into the new year with some extra grace? Did you know the Church offers TWO chances for plenary indulgences as we ring in the New Year? New Year’s Eve The first opportunity comes on New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31, as we reflect on all God has done in 2025 and prepare for a new year — a Jubilee Year! For those who publicly recite the Te Deum , a plenary indulgence is granted under the normal conditions detailed below. The Te Deum is a trad

(Photo: Lightstock) Christmas Eve and Christmas Day have come and gone, but the celebrations continue! “After the annual celebration of the Paschal Mystery, the Church has no more ancient custom than celebrating the memorial of the Nativity of the Lord and of his first manifestations, and this takes place in Christmas time,” read the Universal Norms on the Liturgical Year and the General Roman Calendar (32). The ancient commemoration of the birth of our Lord and Savior resoun

Gustavus III Attending Christmas Mass in 1783, in St Peter's, Rome, Louis Jean Dezprez. (Photo: Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons) By Hung Pham Director of Liturgy for the Archdiocese of Denver While most liturgical celebrations have one Mass, certain solemnities may have two different Masses: a Vigil Mass and a Mass for the Day. However, the celebration of Christmas is unique. For the Nativity of the Lord, the Church gives us four different Masses to celebrate: the Vigil Mass

A powerful meditation on divine overshadowing, the Trinity’s indwelling and Emmanuel at Christmas. Annunciation by Giambattista Pittoni, c. 1757. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain) I’ve always found the Scripture passage in Luke 1 about the Annunciation fascinating and mysterious. After Mary gives her fiat, the Holy Spirit overshadows her, and then voilà! She is pregnant with the Lord. I’m not sure exactly how that works, though I’ve had some insights lately. The idea

(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

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

(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: 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

(Photo: Adobe Stock) By Michelle Connor Harris, Psy.D. Executive Director St. Raphael Counseling, a ministry of Catholic Charities Bring to mind your best Christmas memory. Was it receiving a particular gift that you longed for? Decorating the Christmas tree? Maybe it was baking Christmas cookies with your mom and getting to lick the last bit of frosting from the spatula. If you’re a parent, perhaps you recall the giddy anticipation of your children on Christmas Eve and their

(Photo: Unsplash) Every Advent, the Church invites us to prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ at Christmas. And here in the Archdiocese of Denver, we are blessed with a uniquely beautiful way to do that: the Days of Prayer to Mary, a local tradition that places a week of intentional Marian devotion between two of December’s greatest feasts. A Week Framed by Mary December is full of Mary’s radiant presence. We begin the Days of Prayer to Mary with the Solemnity of the I