All Articles

After the death of her husband, a Colorado woman carried forward his dream of visiting the Wisconsin shrine — and discovered unexpected healing along the way. Marianne Arling and her pilgrimage group smile at Servant of God Adele Brice's tomb. The group visited the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion in Wisconsin as part of the Catholic Saints of America exhibit, in conjunction with the 250th anniversary of the United States' founding. (Photo provided) By Marianne Arling

For the Solemnity of the Assumption, a masterpiece of sacred art reveals the relationship between beauty, longing and love. Assumption of the Virgin by ​Titian, c. 1516-1518. Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, Venice, Italy. (Photo: Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons) “What makes good art?” It was the way my friend asked the question. Knowing him, he wasn’t looking for an answer that included anything along the lines of “sound composition, good lighting, technical

Hundreds of faithful took part in Denver’s first Marian Day, held on the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in a gathering marked by faith, prayer and devotion. At the conclusion of the first Marian Day in the Archdiocese of Denver, the faithful walked together in procession, united in prayer and devotion to the Virgin Mary. (Photo by André Escaleira, Jr./Denver Catholic) “Mary’s yes can change the whole world.” With these moving words from his homily, De

(Photos by André Escaleira, Jr.) We started our day with some free time, which meant that I had the chance to see Pope Leo — an opportunity I couldn’t pass up! When Pope Leo appeared in the window, the energy was electric. The Vicar of Christ, the world’s spiritual father, an American, was right there! As he spoke, I couldn’t help but tear up: his message called us to love more devotedly, more freely, more generously, even as Mary did — she who loved Jesus, even knowing she w

Through Bouguereau’s Pietà, one mother reflects on Mary, suffering and the staggering beauty woven into love itself during the month of mothers and the Blessed Virgin Mary. Pietà by William-Adolphe Bouguereau, c. 1876. (Photo: Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons) “What on God’s good earth is more glorious than this: to be a mother?” Venerable Jozsef Cardinal Mindszenty As a mother, I can only answer, “nothing.” And while there are myriad paintings I could have chosen to hono

A timeline of episcopal service in Northern Colorado (Photo by Dan Petty/Denver Catholic) 2015-2016: Restored Order of the Sacraments of Initiation and Sealed & Sent "The world needs saints. Even as our society becomes more distant from faith and more forgetful of God, it still hungers for joyful witnesses who have been transformed by Christ. At the same time, new generations of Catholics need grace to sustain them in a non-Christian environment. To answer these needs, I have

Mary at the Foot of the Cross by Elizabeth Zelasko. ( Denver Catholic file photo) The Catholic Church is today in the early stages of a nine-year novena , moving towards the 2,000th anniversary of the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ. As we journey toward that anniversary, Denver Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila had the idea of gathering the faithful in prayer around one sacred image , an icon to help lead us, year after year, deeper into the mystery of the Cross. READ MOR

As the annual FOCUS conference began on the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, the Denver archbishop encouraged the thousands gathered to ponder with Mary and grow in faith, identity and mission. (Photo courtesy of FOCUS) As one year closes, another begins. And this year has begun with a bang, as thousands of faithful descended upon the Mile High City on Thursday from across the United States for FOCUS’ annual SEEK conference. This year’s conference, hosted simultaneously in C

A Colorado Catholic artist explains the symbolism behind sacred icons, especially those depicting Mary, and invites us to step into the divine mystery. Our Lady of the Sign from Yaroslavl, Kiev School, c. 1114. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain) So, what is an icon actually? I give talks all around the country on the topic, so if you don’t know what an icon is, please know that you are not alone! I get asked this question often. Simply put, icon means “image.” In the

(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

(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: 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