top of page
Advertisement
All Articles


From the Cemetery to the Seminary: How Serving the Dead Brought Four Vocations to Life
Through tending graves, comforting the grieving and witnessing the Church’s prayers for the dead, these seminarians learned what it truly means to shepherd souls. Isaac Cunnings, Zach Welton and Greg Hitschler at St. Joan of Arc Parish in Arvada. (Photo provided) Zach Welton’s first funeral at Mount Olivet Catholic Cemetery in Wheat Ridge was unlike anything he’d experienced before. Assigned to assist with a monthly burial service called “Precious Lives,” he found himself sta

Kristine Newkirk
Nov 215 min read


WATCH: Help Shape the Future of the Church – Support the Annual Seminaries’ Appeal
Each year, the Archdiocese of Denver invites the faithful to support the Annual Seminaries’ Appeal, helping form the next generation of priests. With over 120 men currently in formation at St. John Vianney and Redemptoris Mater seminaries, each seminarian’s education — including theological studies, pastoral training and spiritual formation — costs $61,000 annually. Your prayers and generosity make this formation possible, nurturing men who are answering Christ’s call to serv

Archdiocese of Denver
Nov 121 min read


The Hidden Heart of Denver: Carmelite Sisters Radiate the Love of the Trinity
From their convent at the St. John Paul II Center, the Discalced Carmelite Sisters of the Most Holy Trinity live a hidden life of prayer and service — reminding the Archdiocese of Denver that God’s love is always present. The community of the Allied Carmelites of Denver with Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila. (Photo provided) Founded in 1986 in Aguascalientes, Mexico, the community of the Discalced Carmelites of the Most Holy Trinity arrived in Colorado in 2017 with the mission of

Rocio Madera
Nov 76 min read


Forming Shepherds For Tomorrow: Support the Annual Seminaries’ Appeal
Beginning this weekend, seminarians will visit parishes throughout the archdiocese to share their vocation stories and ask for your support. Tommy Myers and Deacon Daniel Rivas, both seminarians for the Archdiocese of Denver, are in formation for the priesthood at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver. (Photo by Grant Whitty) Each year, the Archdiocese of Denver invites the faithful to support the formation of future priests through the Annual Seminaries’ Appeal.

Archdiocese of Denver
Nov 62 min read


Where Heaven Meets the Hills: Walburga’s Mother Maria-Michael on the Beauty of Consecrated Life
In the quiet plains near the Wyoming border, the Benedictine nuns of the Abbey of St. Walburga live a life of prayer and praise — a hidden wellspring of grace for the Church and the world. (Photo courtesy of the Abbey of St. Walburga) If you’ve never been to Virginia Dale, Colorado, it’s quiet. There’s not much “going on” by worldly standards, and most people might just be passing through on their way to Laramie or Fort Collins. But in that quaint and quiet town, mere miles f

André Escaleira, Jr.
Nov 55 min read


Called to Serve: One Deacon’s Journey of Faith, Family and Renewal
Deacon Raul Martinez (left) and his family. (Photo provided) By Caitlin Burm Answering God’s Call Sometimes God’s call to serve comes as a gentle whisper — and often when we least expect it. For Deacon Raul Martinez, that whisper came during one of the hardest chapters of his life. What began in heartbreak became a journey of faith, renewal and service — one that transformed Deacon Martinez, his wife, Linda Martinez, their family and the parish community at St. Theresa Parish

Guest Contributor
Nov 44 min read


When the Call to Be a Priest Comes in High School
Three Colorado teens traded high school routines for an early call to the priesthood. Now seminarians at St. John Vianney, they share how faith, school and unexpected moments led them to embrace a life of mission and sacramental devotion. Ashton Mendoza, Daniel Olivas-Rey and Thaddeus Conder smile for a quick selfie during a recent hike. (Photo provided) Thaddeus Conder knew that fear crept in at night. As a small boy, he suffered from night terrors. He recalls once waking fr

Kristine Newkirk
Nov 36 min read


A Servant’s Heart: Deacon Mark Leonard Begins New Role Supporting Denver’s Deacons
Deacon Mark Leonard, the Archdiocese's new associate director of deacons, prays the Rosary while walking in the recent pro-life procession around Planned Parenthood in Denver. (Photo by André Escaleira, Jr.) When Deacon Mark Leonard and his wife, Joanna, packed up their home in New Mexico to move to Denver, they did so for a familiar reason — family. Their daughter, her husband, and their grandchildren had settled here, and the Leonards wanted to be close. But as God often do

Denver Catholic Staff
Oct 283 min read


Still Saying ‘Yes’: Deacon Henry Sandoval’s Journey of Faith at 90
Through his nearly 50 years of ministry, the deacon at Guardian Angels Parish in North Denver gives witness to the power of one “yes” at a time. 90-year-old Deacon Henry Sandoval is still serving the Church with joy, after decades of faithful, loving ministry. (Photos provided) By Jay Sorgi Deacon Henry Sandoval used to say no to God decades ago, but for nearly 50 years, he’s learned that he doesn’t know how to utter that word to his Savior. “You can't say no. I can't do it,”

Guest Contributor
Oct 114 min read


PHOTOS | Where Holy Priests Are Formed: St. John Vianney Seminary Open House Offers View Inside Growing Mission
The seminary's annual Open House showed donors and guests that formation is more than academics — it's about forging hearts fully given...

Guest Contributor
Oct 104 min read


"Normal Guys Following God's Call": Nearly 100 Men Gather to Discern the Priesthood in Denver
Nearly 100 men gathered to discern their vocations — and a potential call to the priesthood — last month, a direct fruit of the...

Guest Contributor
Sep 294 min read


FULL TEXT: Archbishop Aquila’s Possible Last Priestly Ordination Homily
Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila ordained Father Daniel Viana Pereira and Father Paolo Mori to the priesthood Saturday — potentially the final...

Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila
Sep 248 min read


PHOTOS: Denver’s Two New Priests to Bring Hope to a Hurting World
As he nears his potential retirement, Archbishop Aquila ordained Father Daniel Viana Pereira and Father Paolo Mori, sending them out to...

André Escaleira, Jr.
Sep 246 min read


Survey: New priests are young and involved in their community
(Photo by Neil McDonough/Denver Catholic) By Kate Quiñones/CNA The incoming class of seminarians who will be ordained in 2024 is young...

Catholic News Agency
Apr 18, 20243 min read


“We need priests. So pray.”
The Archdiocese of Denver needs more priests, and we can all help in the work of vocational recruitment with our prayers, says the...

Denver Catholic Staff
Jun 23, 20163 min read
bottom of page

