On Mission

A simple question posed in a quiet chapel led to a 31-day Mass streak, a series of powerful spiritual lessons and a deep peace that only Jesus can give. (Photo: Unsplash) It was a quiet Saturday afternoon. I found myself in my parish’s chapel, yelling at God, angry  at him for calling a dear friend to move away. Between tirades came a reply that echoed in the silence: “What if you loved me this much?” Now, I wish I could say I piously realized the error of my ways, repented, cried tears of...

From living wills to the sacraments, the Church guides us to prepare for death not with fear, but with faith and hope in the Resurrection. (Photo: Unsplash) By Deacon John Volk, MD   There’s an old saying: “Don’t rehearse for bad news.” While that can be good advice, sometimes it is wise to have a discussion with loved ones about how to approach medical decisions in the later years and at the end of life. In my experience as a family doctor, often medical conditions arise suddenly, and...

(Photo: Unsplash) By Deacon Ernest Martinez Director of Deacons Archdiocese of Denver As I reflect on End-of-Life Month  in our Archdiocese, I find myself looking back over two distinct callings in my life: first as a police officer, then later as a deacon. They might seem worlds apart, but both have placed me face-to-face with the mystery of death and the beauty of the human soul’s longing for God. From the Streets to the Sanctuary During my years in law enforcement, I stood countless times...

The saint-in-the-making was known for his faithful love for his family — a love that sacrificed himself to save his son with Down Syndrome — and now gives a powerful example for fathers and families worldwide. Thomas Vander Woude (Photo: Courtesy of Christendom College) At times, the stories of the saints can seem so ancient that there is a danger we will consider them too different from us, cut from a different cloth, as it were. It can be easy to think of the saints as ancient mythological...

(Photo: Unsplash) Throughout November, the Church reflects on the mystery we will all one day face: the passage from this life to our eternal home in Heaven. Locally, in the Archdiocese of Denver, we observe End-of-Life Month, inviting the faithful to reflect on the hope of the Resurrection, to accompany loved ones with dignity, and to learn from the wisdom of the ministries uniting to form the newly established Catholic End-of-Life Network.  Comprising the Catholic Foundation, Catholic...

As canonization efforts begin, community members gathered to remember Castillo’s unwavering faith and extraordinary sacrifice.   John Castillo, Kendrick's father, pauses to reflect during the unveiling event of a new memorial to Kendrick Castillo in Highlands Ranch. (Photo by Neil McDonough) By Barbara O'Neil On a crisp Friday morning in Highlands Ranch, a crowd of people gathered at Civic Green Park to witness the unveiling of a newly installed monument honoring Kendrick Castillo. The...

State bars Catholic preschools & families from its “universal” preschool program (Denver Catholic file photo) Catholic preschools in the Archdiocese of Denver have been seeking equal treatment for more than two years, in the face of Colorado's exclusion of religious schools from their "Universal" Preschool Program (UPK). The fight began in August 2023, when a team of lawyers from Becket filed a lawsuit against Colorado on behalf of two of the Archdiocese of Denver's Catholic preschools....

Through the ministry of extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, hospital rooms become places of grace and quiet encounter with Jesus. By Jay Sorgi Sometimes, they give Jesus to a patient who is recovering and ready to return home to their family. At other times, they give the Eucharist to someone who is receiving Jesus for the last time before returning home to the Father. Teresa Doyle has been bringing Christ in the Precious Body to patients at St. Anthony Hospital in Lakewood, as well as...

An aerial mockup of the Mullen Residences community, scheduled to open in 2029 following extensive renovations. (Courtesy photo) When the Little Sisters of the Poor announced their departure from the Archdiocese of Denver in 2022, they took with them a treasured ministry to the elderly whose absence has surely been felt.    The place where the Little Sisters lived and served for over a century, Mullen Home for the Aged, has stood mostly vacant in Denver’s Highlands neighborhood ever since,...

The beloved mountain retreat and Chapel on the Rock enter a new chapter as a shrine, uniting with Annunciation Heights to lead souls “to the heights” to encounter Christ in faith and through reconciliation.   Camp St. Malo and its iconic St. Catherine Chapel on the Rock, pictured during the November Aurora Borealis event in Colorado, form Colorado's newest shrine alongside Annunciation Heights. The holy partnership is dedicated to evangelization through encounter and reconciliation. (...

The bishops issued a Special Message addressing their concern for the evolving situation impacting immigrants in the United States. It marked the first time in twelve years that the USCCB invoked this particularly urgent way of speaking as a body of bishops. Maura Moser (far left), director of the Catholic Communications Campaign, moderates a discussion on immigration with (left to right) Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops; Bishop...

On All Souls Day, hundreds gathered at Mount Olivet Cemetery to pray for loved ones and celebrate the hope of resurrection through a vibrant Day of the Dead commemoration, complete with a Rosary, Mass, dance and community. (Photo courtesy of Mount Olivet Catholic Cemetery) By Erin Scherer Tucked away on the northwest corner of the cemetery, several hundred individuals came together in prayerful hope. It was All Souls Day, and those gathered not only prayed for their departed loved ones but...