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Finding Strength in Brotherhood: Gathering of Men Retreat Set for Late January

(Photo: Lightstock) Each January, the mountains of Estes Park fill with brotherhood as Catholic men from Colorado and beyond make their way to the YMCA of the Rockies. They come carrying ordinary burdens: pressures at work, strains in fatherhood or struggles in marriage. Some arrive unsure why they signed up at all. The Gathering of Men Retreat , held this year from January 30 to February 1, invites men into something deeper than a weekend away. Under the direction of Father John Lager, a...

Rachel’s Vineyard Colorado Offers Weekend of Hope and Healing

(Photo: Lightstock) From January 30 through February 1, 2026, Rachel’s Vineyard Colorado will host a confidential Catholic retreat designed to offer hope and healing to women and men carrying the hidden pain of a past abortion. Held at St. Mary Parish in Littleton, the weekend retreat invites participants into a safe, prayerful environment to encounter God’s mercy and begin a journey toward restoration. Rachel’s Vineyard retreats are rooted in the Church’s consistent teaching on the dignity...

Weeks for Freedom Call Colorado Catholics to Prayer, Awareness and Action

The plague of human trafficking affects countless souls, and local Catholics are invited to pray, witness and work to end the vicious suffering. (Photo: Lightstock) Catholics across Northern Colorado are invited to unite in prayer and action during Weeks for Freedom, a focused observance running from January 10 to 24 dedicated to ending human trafficking through faith, education and concrete outreach. Taking place during Human Trafficking Prevention Month, the initiative invites parishes and...

Facilitating Encounters with Christ: Jeff Runyan and Encounter Travels

(Photo provided) For Jeff Runyan, discipleship has always meant helping others meet Jesus — not just in theory, but in person.    After more than a decade of service with FOCUS, Runyan discerned that God was calling him in a new direction. In late 2023, he and his wife began praying about how best to use their gifts and passions for the Church. Through that prayer, he realized that one of his greatest passions was taking people around the world to encounter Christ through sacred places and...

Official Priest Assignments: January 2026

(Photo by Daniel Petty/Denver Catholic) Here’s a list of all the new priest assignments for the Archdiocese of Denver, including pastor and parochial vicar assignments. Father José Saénz,  medical leave, effective January 5, remaining in residence at St. Therese, Aurora. Father David Allen, stepping down as pastor at Christ on the Mountain Parish, Lakewood, for medical leave effective February 7. Father Witold Kaczmarzyk, pastor,  Christ on the Mountain Parish, Lakewood,  effective February...

‘That’s What I Was Made For’: Denver Deacons Share Lives of Service at SEEK26

Personal witness highlights the beauty and urgency of the diaconate in today’s Church. (Photo provided) Three deacons from the Archdiocese of Denver addressed a packed breakout session at the SEEK26 conference, sharing their journeys from their call to the diaconate to their ordination to their daily living the heart of the servant. The gathering was part of the Archdiocesan Diaconate Office’s efforts to raise awareness of the diaconal vocation and the beginning of a new partnership with...

At SEEK, Denver Catholic Schools Invite Young Adults into the ‘Most Hopeful Mission Field’ of Teaching

'Schools are the most hopeful mission field in the Catholic church today.’ Liam Gallagher, executive director of Cabrini Teaching Fellows, speaks to prospective new teachers. (Photo provided) By Jay Sorgi Catholic schools have always had an intrinsic mission of educating young people in our faith, but Denver Catholic Schools are taking that mission to the next level. Together with the Cabrini Teaching Fellows , members of the Catholic school community took the annual SEEK conference as a...

Why Missionary Priests Matter Today: A Conversation with the Rector of Redemptoris Mater Seminary

Father William Clemence reflects on the urgency of evangelization and RM’s role in preparing priests who can meet the moment, both locally and around the world. Seminarians at Redemptoris Mater Archdiocesan Missionary Seminary are formed with a missionary charism, ready to preach the Gospel anywhere in the world. (Photo by Grant Whitty) Catholics frequently discuss evangelization in conversation, during Mass readings, homilies and theological discussions. But what does it look like in...

SEEK26 Offers a ‘Prime Place’ for Vocations Discernment, Seminarians Say

With nearly 6,000 attendees, the conference becomes fertile ground for listening to God. (Photo courtesy of FOCUS) With a unique opportunity to raise awareness of vocations among thousands of young men and women, the Archdiocesan Vocations Office manned a booth at SEEK 26, sparking conversations with those considering God’s will for their lives. The multi-day, annual Catholic evangelization conference, hosted by FOCUS, was held from January 1 to 5 at the Gaylord Rockies Resort in Denver....

‘What Does God Want?’ Archdiocese Mission Officer Challenges SEEK Participants — and You

A talk given at the Denver conference asks us all to seek out our calling within the Catholic Church (Photo by André Escaleira, Jr.) By Jay Sorgi He started by taking an ever-growing fire for Christ in people’s hearts, and voicing the questions, “What's my role in this? What part is God asking me to play?” Archdiocesan Chief Mission Officer and Superintendent Dr. Scott Elmer took a talk at Denver’s SEEK conference on Saturday and made it a personal challenge to discern and direct people’s...

PHOTOS: Archbishop Aquila Opens SEEK26 in Denver with Mary, Mission and a City Full of Hope

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 Columbus, OH, and...

WATCH: Pope Leo XIV Offers Message of Hope and Blessing to SEEK 2026 Participants

As tens of thousands of Catholics gathered for SEEK 2026 across Denver, Columbus and Fort Worth, they were united not only by worship and fellowship, but by a special message from the Successor of Peter himself. In a recorded video address shared with conference attendees, Pope Leo XIV offered words of encouragement, prayer and hope to the participants taking part in the national conference hosted by FOCUS. The Holy Father’s message resonated deeply with the conference’s theme, To the...