Kendrick Castillo: Local Hero, and Soon-to-Be Saint?

Kendrick Castillo has long been considered a local hero, inspiring many with his example of selflessness and courage, even having a roadway named in his honor last year. Now, the Catholic Church in the Diocese of Colorado Springs has begun investigating his life to potentially petition that he be named a saint. (Photo provided)

Just over six years ago, Kendrick Castillo gave his life so that his classmates might live when a gunman threatened their lives at the Highlands Ranch STEM School. Tragically, Castillo was killed, and eight others were injured. 

Bishop Jorge Rodríguez commended Kendrick Castillo's example of courageous and selfless love during his funeral homily. (Photo by Andrew Wright)

“Kendrick gave everything he is, and everything he had — family, a future, a degree, his life — so other young men and women could go back to their families, have a future, graduate and live,” Bishop Jorge Rodríguez said in his homily at Kendrick’s funeral. “Kendrick’s life is like the echo of Jesus’ words: ‘Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.’ 

“Only a young man with God in his heart and possessing a big, good heart can do what he did: to lay down his life to save his friends. I’m sure [Kendrick’s parents] John and Maria, that you feel proud of your son. God, too, is very proud of his child, Kendrick.” 

Earlier this week, the Diocese of Colorado Springs announced in a statement that a petition to open his cause for canonization has been received. 

“I am very grateful for the time and effort that Father Gregory Bierbaum and Father Patrick DiLoreto of St. Mark Parish in Highlands Ranch have spent gathering evidence and conducting interviews to prepare for a petition to open the cause for canonization of Kendrick Castillo,” said Colorado Springs Bishop James Golka in a statement. “Although I have just begun to review the information submitted, it seems clear that Kendrick was an exceptional young man.” 

A preliminary step in the canonization process, Father Bierbaum and Father DiLoreto began collecting testimony, conducting interviews and gathering information about Kendrick Castillo to determine whether his life — including and beyond his heroic, sacrificial act — was one of “heroic virtue.” 

Castillo's brother Knights of Columbus were on hand at his funeral to serve as Honor Guard, praying for their brother's eternal repose. (Photo by Andrew Wright)

While Castillo enjoyed a number of connections to the Archdiocese of Denver, having attended Notre Dame School in Denver, served as a Squire of the Knights of Columbus in a Denver council and had his funeral at St. Mary Parish in Littleton, the Church looks to the end of individuals’ potentially heroic lives to determine which diocese has the primary right to petition for canonization. 

Since Castillo died in Highlands Ranch, which is part of the Diocese of Colorado Springs, Bishop Golka and his diocese have that right to begin investigating, and potentially petition Rome to consider Castillo a saint.  

As the process unfolds, Bishop Golka and the Diocese of Colorado Springs will review and examine the evidence collected by Father Bierbaum and Father DiLoreto. If he approves, Bishop Golka will forward the petition for Castillo’s canonization to Rome for further consideration. 

The canonization process is lengthy and can take years — or even centuries. Denver Catholics might recall Servant of God Julia Greeley’s cause for canonization, which was opened in 2016 — nearly 100 years after her death. The local phase of her cause was closed in 2018, after two years of study, discernment, interviews and research, all of which was accepted in early 2021. Five years after the official local opening of the cause (the preliminary period notwithstanding), the Vatican officially accepted the Archdiocese’s petition, which continues to be discerned and considered. 

A large part of the canonization process is determining whether the individual whose cause is being considered has a faithful following, whether the faithful invoke their intercession and whether miracles are granted through their intercession. The Catholic Church typically requires one verified miracle for beatification, after which the individual is referred to as “Blessed,” and two verified miracles for canonization, after which they are considered a “Saint.” 

For this reason, the canonization process is lengthy and involves lots of prayer and discernment. Saints are not “made” by the Church. Rather, the Church recognizes that, through God’s grace and mercy acting especially through them and their prayers, they are certainly in Heaven. 

“As we study and discern how to approach the massive undertaking of promoting a canonization cause, I ask all the faithful to keep Kendrick’s family in their prayers,” Bishop Golka said in his statement. “I also encourage everyone to privately invoke Kendrick’s intercession, praying especially for the youth in our diocese, that they emulate his example of fortitude and generosity.” 

No matter how long the process may take or what its conclusions might be, it is clear that Kendrick Castillo’s example has inspired many, as he emulated Christ’s own words: “Greater love has no man than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). 

“I believe God used him for what he needs him for. He was a tool, a faithful follower…he saved his friends,” John Castillo, Kendrick’s father, told the Denver Catholic in the weeks following the shooting. “The fact that he did what was in his heart for his friends is more powerful to me than that word ‘hero.’ It really represents who he was.”