Archdiocese Launches Catholic Schools Review Focused on Mission, Viability and Long-Term Sustainability

Formal recommendations expected later this fall; committee work just beginning

(Photo: Lightstock)

The Archdiocese of Denver has launched an initiative to evaluate and strengthen the future of Catholic education across northern Colorado. In a letter to Catholic school leaders and parents, Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila announced the formation of three committees tasked with prayerfully studying the mission and viability of the Archdiocese’s Catholic schools.

While the work is in its early stages, Archbishop Aquila emphasized that formal recommendations will not be presented or evaluated until later this fall. The committees' formation represents the beginning of a thoughtful and thorough process aimed at ensuring that all Catholic schools in the Archdiocese are spiritually, academically, financially and operationally strong for generations to come.

“This effort is not just about examining data,” Archbishop Aquila wrote. “It is about discerning the most effective ways we can strengthen and sustain our Catholic schools.”

Importantly, the Archbishop underscored that this is a collaborative effort involving pastors, principals, teachers, parents, and members of the Archdiocesan Catholic Schools Office and Finance Council.

The initiative responds to two realities: ongoing challenges faced by several schools and shifting population patterns that present both obstacles and new opportunities.

In recent years, demographic shifts, declining birth rates and financial constraints have led to difficult decisions in both public and private education sectors. Several public school districts — including those in Denver, Jefferson, Douglas and Mesa Counties — have undergone significant restructuring.  

Unfortunately, Catholic schools have not been immune to these pressures: in the past two years, institutions such as St. Pius X Catholic School, Wellspring Academy of St. Bernadette, Guardian Angels Catholic School and Bishop Machebeuf High School have closed their doors. 

With these realities before us, the Archdiocese is proactively studying how Catholic schools can adapt to these demographic changes through the formation of these three committees.

The first committee will focus on Catholic education’s foundational “why,” reexamining the mission and foundational charter of Catholic schools within the archdiocese. This will include reflection on the Archdiocese’s discerned mission values and anchors to deepen clarity around the identity and purpose of Catholic education in today's cultural and spiritual landscape.

The second committee will study the viability of schools amid shifting population dynamics in Northern Colorado, analyzing demographic trends, population pyramid data and evolving age distributions to understand current and projected trends. The goal is to evaluate which schools are thriving, which are struggling, and where new schools might be needed as family populations shift.

“This will help us assess how our schools can be strategically positioned to serve the evolving needs of families,” the archbishop noted. 

The third committee will integrate findings from the first two groups into a formal report, offering recommendations to Archbishop Aquila and relevant archdiocesan leadership bodies. This report will emphasize three core priorities: mission fidelity, accessibility for families and excellence in all areas of Catholic education. Its purpose, the archbishop said, is to help Catholic schools “thrive spiritually, academically, financially and operationally.” 

“Our goal is the health and sustainability of all our schools,” said Archbishop Aquila. “We are seeking to build a future where every Catholic school in our Archdiocese is a beacon of faith and formation, rooted in the Gospel and responsive to the needs of the families we serve.”

As this work begins, the archbishop asked the faithful to entrust the process to the Holy Spirit and to pray for wisdom and unity across the archdiocese.

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