Echoes of Faith: St. Dominic Parish’s Century of Witness in Denver

Founded in the shadow of opposition, St. Dominic Parish has stood for a century as a witness of Gospel courage and Dominican welcome in Denver.

(Photo courtesy of St. Dominic Parish)

One of Father Luke Barder’s favorite parts about the Dominican order is their attentiveness to making those on the fringes feel seen, acting as an approachable voice for the Catholic faith and inviting those who may have felt excluded from it into the church’s four walls. 

This love for neighbor that the Dominicans exemplify is exactly what the church named for the order’s founder, St. Dominic Parish in Denver, sought to do with its relocation 100 years ago to the intersection of 29th Street and Federal, a location that at one point was the highest point in all of Denver.

With the support of the Anthony family, one of the most influential families in Denver during the early 20th century, the impressive Late Gothic Revival church came to bless the Highlands of Denver. More than a simple relocation, the ecclesial effort was meant to make a statement.

“At the time of the 20s, the Ku Klux Klan ran Denver, they ran Colorado,” Father Barder, the parish’s current pastor, said. “They had a huge presence and influence.”

So, despite the endeavor being slightly beyond the family and community’s means, the Anthonys knew they had to do it.

Gerard DiMartini, the director of music and liturgy at St. Dominic, explained that this attitude exemplified by the Anthony family is characteristic of the order itself. 

“The Dominicans always say, ‘What do we need and how are we going to get it done,’” he explained, speaking of their active nature and their attention to goals, which seemed to be present not only among the clergy but also among those attending the parish. Through that spirit, the church construction was carried out.

But the new church’s location was not met well by members of the KKK.

A 2021 Denver Post article detailed an instance in which a parishioner found a cross ablaze on the front lawn of the new church as she prepared to attend Mass. According to the article, she ran home, grabbed her husband, and they put the fire out and removed the symbol.

The size and splendor of the parish could simply not be ignored, especially with its location at such a visible point in the city. 

“We built it this big precisely to make a statement,” Father Barder said. “We are physically an icon of North Denver.”

That history of courageously standing for the Gospel continues to re-echo through the centuries, shared Sophia Parnell, a parishioner at St. Dominic.

“It’s so on brand for St. Dominic’s in terms of standing with those who might be on the margins,” Parnell said. “I think that’s so important and that the echoes of the [church’s] past still continue today when it comes to standing up when people need assistance.”

Of course, the Denver church was not alone in its witness amid persecution. Around the same time, in Mexico, a repressive, atheistic, communist government had arisen from a 1919 revolution and sought to quash the Catholic Church. In response, the Cristero War broke out as a rebellion against the banning of religious practice in the country.

“They banned alcohol from the grape because they didn’t want Catholics having mass,” Father Barder explained. “It was illegal to have crucifixes or to be publicly religious; priests were exiled or killed.” 

That war began in 1925, the same year St. Dominic’s held their first Mass. It was also the same year Pope Pius XI created the Feast of Christ the King — the clarion call of the Cristeros during their war.

Father Barder shared that this local and global context is paramount to the parish, the community they support, and the importance of the church’s witness.

“We as a parish are very cognizant of the role that the church plays in being witnesses to faith in God, faith in Christ,” Father Barder said. “We aren’t the big pulpits for political discourse, but what we are is the authenticity of our faith.”

“Our preaching is incarnated in a true humanity,” he continued. “We strive to never forget that people are people, and we are against reducing someone to an ideology or statistic.”

It is that divine mission, given by the same God who promised to remain with his people always, that has helped the Church withstand some of the major political and social shifts that have taken place worldwide, Father Barder said. Because of that same love for neighbor, St. Dominic, too, has remained an icon of grace within the city of Denver.

Today, St. Dominic’s vibrant parish community remains strong and situated at its historic location. With many parish groups for parishioners of all ages, the community is an involved one, and one that continues to seek humanity in all who attend Mass.

“We get a lot of visitors given where we’re located, especially on a Broncos weekend,” Father Barder said. “But those who come always say they have never felt more welcome in a Catholic Church in their life.” 

This sentiment is also shared by regular Massgoers, including Mary Alice Bramming, who has been a parishioner of St. Dominic’s for 45 years.

“Here, almost instantly, you learn the names of so many people you go to mass with,” Bramming said. “That was true when I joined 45 years ago, and it’s true today.”

Growing up, Bramming attended a rural mission church and loved how parishioners there would remain after Mass had concluded just to spend time together. The same is true of the community at St. Dominic, she said.

“That is one of the things that I’ve really liked about St. Dominic’s,” Bramming said. “I just think that builds community.”

Whether the people stand around outside in the warm months or within the parish during the cold ones, Bramming shared that it fills her heart to see parishioners getting to know each other. She finds the community to be a caring one, no matter how long someone has attended the parish, whether as a parishioner, visitor or even as a Dominican priest, brother or novice. Since the parish is also home to the Dominican novitiate, even new religious brothers are integrated into the warm community.

“The novices are plunged into this parish on an almost daily basis,” said Father David Wright, former novice master of the province. “That is the healthiest environment that we could hope for for their training and introducing them to our way of life.”

The parish offers opportunities for parishioners to become even further involved with the novices by inviting them to participate in the novices’ classes. Parnell described her and her fellow parishioners’ sadness when having to say goodbye to the novices who are relocated after their novitiate.

“How many parishes do you have where you get to know the young men who are being formed into priests?” Parnell asked. “ I think that’s a really special experience that we have. We become really close to them during their novitiate year.”

Father Wright spoke of how much he’s enjoyed hearing how parishioners speak of the novices.

“I’m no longer the novice master, but I used to say to [them] that one of their primary formators will be the parishioners,” Father Wright said. 

As the parish looks to its next 100 years and celebrates its history as an icon of grace in Denver, Father Barder hopes that the church will continue to expand its reach in the years to come and believes that the Dominican charism on which the church was founded may help bring more people into it.

“I see the parish growing,” Father Barder said. “But I see it growing not just because it’s welcoming, but because it’s creating an environment for people to be empowered to live their faith (in) today’s world.” 

DiMartini feels that no amount of adversity or change within a modern context could shake the foundation that St. Dominic has built. He strongly believes in the parish's future and its ability to prosper for years to come.

“Wherever it (is), it will be the lifeblood of that area, and people will be fed,” DiMartini said. “There's a new kind of hope.”

+++

St. Dominic 100th Anniversary Celebration

2905 Federal Blvd, Denver, CO 80211

Sunday, October 5, 2025

1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.