On Mission

From a North Dakota missionary and a Southern Catholic writer to Black religious founders and a mystic healed by St. Thérèse, these holy women show how God transforms suffering into witness. (Photo: Denver Catholic design) By Terry Polakovic In every age and time, though much differs and changes, one thing remains steadfast: God raises up saints to manifest his loving kindness to his people. He inspires people to live holy lives, following him even to the Cross, in love for God and neighbor....

From classrooms and family life to the firehouse, the media apostolate and the fight for racial healing, these holy men and women revealed Christ through lives poured out in love. (Photo: Denver Catholic design) In every age and time, though much differs and changes, one thing remains steadfast: God raises up saints to manifest his loving kindness to his people. He inspires people to live holy lives, following him even to the Cross, in love for God and neighbor. The same is true here, on our...

The St. Raphael Counseling team stands ready to support children, adults and families with mental health care from a Catholic perspective. (Photo courtesy of Catholic Charities) Mental health challenges are touching more individuals and families than ever before. From children navigating anxiety and learning differences to couples working through relationship struggles and adults facing depression, grief or major life transitions, the need for compassionate, accessible care continues to grow...

Archdiocesan deacons gather for Deacon Day at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Northglenn in 2023. (Photo by Daniel Petty/Denver Catholic) Here’s a list of the latest deacon appointments for the Archdiocese of Denver, effective July 1, 2026, unless otherwise noted. Deacons Assigned to New Parishes Deacon Thomas Garcia, relieved of duties at Shrine of St. Anne Parish, Arvada, and appointed to St. John Paul II Parish, Thornton, ad nutum archiepiscopi. Deacon Thinh Le, relieved of duties at...

Pope Leo XIV smiles as he greets visitors and pilgrims from the popemobile while riding around St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican before his weekly general audience on May 20, 2026. (CNS photo/Lola Gomez) St. Augustine uses the image of two cities to define the central conflict that runs throughout history between the self-love that constitutes the City of Man and the divine love that forms the City of God. Unsurprisingly, the first Augustinian Pope, Leo XIV, shapes Magnifica Humanitas, his...

(Courtesy photo) I have a glass sitting in my cabinet that I needed to return to Mary Machado. A toothpick holder, really, that she brought to my house for an annual homeschool community event. She left it, and I never got it back to her; I figured I’d just give it back this coming fall. Now I don’t know what to do with it, since Mary left this earth on June 24, 2026, after a short battle with pancreatic cancer. Only diagnosed less than three weeks prior, her last days were filled with visits...

(Photos ©Vatican Media) The pallium pilgrimage was a blessed and unique experience for pilgrims, to be sure, but one special moment for Northern Colorado's shepherds stood out among them all: meeting Pope Leo XIV! While in Rome for the pilgrimage and Pallium Mass, Denver Archbishop James Golka, Archbishop Emeritus Samuel J. Aquila, and Denver Auxiliary Bishop Jorge Rodríguez, together with John Magee, archdiocesan chancellor, and Deacon Doug Flinn, archdiocesan general counsel, had the...

Robert Louis Wilken. (Photo: Fair Use) Robert Louis Wilken — radical Christian disciple, devoted husband and father, distinguished patristics scholar, elegant writer, serious baseball guy — died on June 6, a few months short of age 90. Curiously enough, the first thing that comes to mind when I think of this longtime friend and colleague is a pop-quiz Q&A I heard years ago in Charlottesville, Virginia, where Robert was an adornment of Mr. Jefferson’s university for many years: Question:...

Photo of the night shift working north of Beulah. (Photo courtesy of Aspen Acres Fire 2026 Agency, Ernest Prax) Editor's Note: Multiple wildfires continue to burn across Colorado, forcing evacuations, destroying homes and threatening communities in the Dioceses of Pueblo and Colorado Springs. Three wildland firefighters also lost their lives while responding to the fires, underscoring the tremendous sacrifice made by those protecting others. As Catholics across the state join Bishop Stephen...

(Denver Catholic file photo) Editor's Note: On July 1, 2026, the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) proceeded with the unauthorized ordination of four bishops without a pontifical mandate. In response, the Holy See declared the ordinations a schismatic act and announced the canonical consequences for those involved. In light of these developments, Archbishop James R. Golka issued a letter to the faithful and the Archdiocese of Denver released a Frequently Asked Questions document provided below...

(Photo: Unsplash) Editor's Note: On July 1, 2026, the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) proceeded with the unauthorized ordination of four bishops without a pontifical mandate. In response, the Holy See declared the ordinations a schismatic act and announced the canonical consequences for those involved. In light of these developments, Archbishop James R. Golka has issued the following letter to the faithful of the Archdiocese of Denver, in addition to an archdiocesan FAQ on the matter. July 7,...

On frontiers, in hospitals, during epidemics, in mission fields and on battlefields, these holy men and women followed Christ into places others feared to go. (Photo: Denver Catholic design) By Meg Stout In every age and time, though much differs and changes, one thing remains steadfast: God raises up saints to manifest his loving kindness to his people. He inspires people to live holy lives, following him even to the Cross, in love for God and neighbor. The same is true here, on our shores....