PHOTOS | A Legacy of Self-Gift: Hispanic Community Thanks Archbishop Aquila
- Rocio Madera
- 4 minutes ago
- 9 min read
At a special Mass of thanksgiving, the Catholic faithful gathered with their shepherd to express deep gratitude ahead of his upcoming retirement.
Last Saturday, members of the local Hispanic community gave thanks for and honored the ministry of Denver Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila during an emotional Mass and celebration held at Queen of Peace Parish in Aurora.
The Mass for the First Sunday of Lent took place two weeks after the announcement that Pope Leo XIV had accepted Archbishop Aquila's retirement and appointed Archbishop-designate James Golka, currently bishop of the Diocese of Colorado Springs, as the sixth archbishop of Denver.
Presided over by Archbishop Aquila, the Mass of Thanksgiving included Bishop Jorge Rodríguez and Father Félix Medina, pastor of Queen of Peace, along with other priests and deacons of the archdiocese who came to express their gratitude to the archbishop.
A Preacher to the End
In his homily on the Gospel, Archbishop Aquila reminded the faithful that temptations are part of the Christian life and that no one is exempt from them — not even Jesus, who was also tempted in the desert.
“Being Christian does not mean we will not face temptations. I can assure you that, even after nearly 50 years as a priest and almost 25 as a bishop, I am still tempted,” the archbishop said.
He explained that, unlike Adam and Eve, Jesus overcame the evil one by relying on the Word of God, showing us how we must respond in times of trial.
“Adam and Eve listened more to the Devil than to God. They did not put the Word of God first in their lives. That is why it is so important that each of you come to love the Word of God, place your faith in it and trust that it will be fulfilled,” he explained.
He also noted that today we continue to be tempted by power, money, wealth and other worldly things. Yet only Christ can give us true joy and strength.
“Sometimes we foolishly think that all those things will make us happy. But all of that will pass,” he explained. “Everything you have one day will pass away. When you die, there will not be a U-Haul truck behind your hearse carrying all your belongings.”
The archbishop concluded his homily by encouraging the faithful to love Scripture, not to put God to the test, to go to Confession when they fall into temptation and, above all, to use this season of Lent for deeper conversion and a closer relationship with Christ, trusting that God is always with us.
“Open your hearts to these readings, meditate on them within and discern where, in the next six weeks, the Lord is calling you to a deeper conversion,” he said. “And ask for a greater love for the Word of God. Remember the Word: ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.’”
A Message of Gratitude
At the end of the Eucharistic celebration, the archbishop addressed those present to express his heartfelt gratitude to the Hispanic community, highlighting their faith, devotion and the affection with which they have accompanied him throughout his ministry.
“It has been a great joy to serve the Hispanic community over the last thirteen and a half years. I have been deeply moved by your devotion, faith and love for Our Lady of Guadalupe,” he said with emotion. “I am grateful to Bishop Rodríguez, our Hispanic priests, deacons, religious and those who serve in the various movements that have brought you closer to Jesus, to the Church and to Our Lady.
“My prayer at the beginning of my ministry as archbishop, entrusting it to the protection of Our Lady of Guadalupe, has been fulfilled far beyond anything I could have imagined,” he added.
It is by the grace of the Lord — to whom we must remain close, like branches to the Vine (John 15) — that Archbishop Aquila has received every gift throughout his 13 years of ministry in the Archdiocese of Denver.
“When we remain united to the Vine, Jesus Christ, and abide in him, we bear much fruit. It is his work and his fruit when we keep him first in our lives,” he explained.
He also took the opportunity to ask the community to welcome Archbishop-designate James Golka with joy and openness.
“I pray, dear brothers and sisters, that as we receive our archbishop, Archbishop Golka, our love for Jesus, for our Blessed Mother, for the Church and for the sacraments may continue to grow and deepen for the glory of the Father,” he said.
(Photos by Juan Andrés Coriat)
A Flock Honors Its Shepherd
After Mass, the children’s choir “San José” from St. Joseph Parish in Denver and the “Coro de Olivo” from Our Lady Mother of the Church in Commerce City joined their voices in a heartfelt serenade in honor of Archbishop Aquila. Students from St. Rose of Lima in Denver, Annunciation in Denver, Assumption in Denver, St. John the Baptist in Longmont and Blessed Miguel Pro Academy in Westminster presented him with flowers as a sign of gratitude.
Representatives of apostolic movements in the Archdiocese of Denver also thanked the archbishop by presenting him with a spiritual bouquet, while Hispanic community social outreach groups gifted him an image titled Welcome the Stranger, highlighting his dedication to various communities throughout his ministry.
As at any joyful Hispanic celebration, a mariachi band concluded the event, leading a Guadalupan moment in which hundreds of attendees sang “La Guadalupana.”
To close, the mariachi performed the song “El amigo,” the well-known hymn of friendship popularized when a children’s choir sang it to Pope St. John Paul II during his first visit to Mexico in 1979.
Archbishop Aquila joined the faithful, raising his hands while holding a white handkerchief, as the community sang to him with heartfelt emotion.
A Community Full of Gratitude
Members of the Hispanic community from various parishes and movements across the Archdiocese of Denver expressed deep affection and gratitude for Archbishop Aquila as he approaches retirement. They seized the opportunity offered by the Mass of Thanksgiving, sharing their thanks for the archbishop's generous service and conveying their best wishes for this new chapter of retirement.
“May God always bless him. May he continue praying for us, and we will continue praying for him wherever he is in retirement. We know we can count on all the blessings he is sending us,” said Rocio Carbajal, a parishioner of Our Lady Mother of the Church Parish in Commerce City.
“May God sustain him in his ministry and allow him to continue building up the Catholic faith in his retirement. May he continue exercising his episcopal ministry. May God always bless him!” shared Ramona García, a parishioner of St. Joseph Parish in Denver.
Some attendees emphasized the archbishop’s devotion to the Hispanic community, especially during times of uncertainty and darkness.
“We will remember him for his great work, for opening more doors to Hispanics. I met him at talks for the Hispanic community, and that gave me a different experience. I am very happy to have had the opportunity to share time at his side. He leaves a very great legacy, especially for us Hispanics — to grow and protect marriages and young people, which was his priority,” said Daniel Mexicano of the Kairos group at Our Lady Mother of the Church Parish.
“You can see that he loves us Latinos and defends us. We will miss him, and we love him with the love of Christ. We will be praying for him. We have already offered Masses for him so that he may do well, be at peace and have a life and retirement in God’s hands,” added María Guadalupe Lucero, a parishioner of Holy Cross Parish in Thornton.
For the entire Hispanic community gathered at the Mass of Thanksgiving, the blessing of expressing gratitude to a spiritual father was no small thing; it was the fruit of deep respect for a successor of the apostles.
"I feel very blessed to have attended this Mass with Archbishop Aquila. I wish him many blessings in this next chapter," said Azucena Miramontes.
"It's beautiful to see the humility that the archbishop has to lead us closer to God through his ministry. Today, I had the blessing to see him twice, because I went early to the Cathedral where he was [for the annual Rite of Election], and now, here," shared Guadalupe Refugio, a parishioner of Queen of Peace Parish in Aurora.
"The entire Hispanic community will remember Archbishop Aquila with a lot of love. We love him a lot," said Cruz Octavio.
A Legacy of Service
As his retirement approaches, many attendees couldn't help but reflect on the spiritual leader’s legacy over the past 13 years.
“Hispanics will remember him with devotion because he has done so much work for us. He gave us a place and recognized us. We will miss him. May he continue praying for us, just as we will pray for him,” said Felipe Zaragoza of the Kairos group at Our Lady Mother of the Church.
“I see in our archbishop the Lord Jesus Christ, with that look of humility, love, sincerity and invitation to continue knowing, loving and serving our Lord and our neighbor. Always inviting us to conversion and prayer. God bless him today and always, and wherever he goes, may he continue bringing souls to our Heavenly Father. A good shepherd and servant!” shared Noemi Ubaldo, a parishioner of St. Anthony of Padua in Denver.
For many Hispanics, the archbishop leaves a powerful legacy of service, especially among youth and the pro-life community.
“He leaves a very good seed through his ministry. He leaves a heritage that, I believe, will bear fruit for years among young people and the Hispanic community. The archbishop communicated with us in one way or another. He never stopped being a child at heart, and that is what leads us to Heaven,” said Linda Sosa, community leader and president of the Linda Sosa Foundation.
“He gave great witness to his love for Christ in the pro-life community. He was always there, making his presence known, calling us to defend life and always bringing the light of Christ. He also raised his voice in defense of the immigrant community. The archbishop always invited us to prayer and to seek the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe. He is truly an example to follow,” said Laura Acosta, volunteer for Respect Life Denver and parishioner of Holy Cross, visibly moved with emotion.
But above all, Archbishop Aquila taught the community to draw closer to Jesus Christ, who is the Vine (John 15).
“The legacy he leaves is primarily his spirituality. He has always sent a clear message to all people, both American and Mexican. His farewell was very moving,” said Simón Pedro, a parishioner of Queen of Peace Parish in Aurora.
Grateful Vocations
The vocations that Archbishop Aquila accompanied with such care and dedication were also present. Several deacons and religious sisters shared their experience with the Denver Catholic and humbly expressed their gratitude for the closeness, support and example they received from their shepherd.
“We are giving thanks to Archbishop Aquila. His presence in the Hispanic community has greatly helped us. The holiness of Christ that he has poured out among us and the words he has shared have always led us to the Lord Jesus, and for that we give him many thanks,” said Deacon Daniel Rivas, who will be ordained a priest this May.
“I will remember the archbishop as a very prayerful person, very zealous for his people, for his flock. We religious sisters thank him for all the attention he has given us, for his generosity, for his self-gift, for his faithfulness to our Lord and for giving that ‘yes’ to God,” said Sr. Imelda of the Carmelite Sisters Allied with the Trinity, visibly moved with emotion.
“I feel profoundly grateful, along with my family. I join all Catholics in this archdiocese in thanking him for his pastoral selflessness. He always demonstrated a great devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, reminding us all that she is Mother and Queen of the Americas for Hispanic Catholics," said Deacon Abram Leon. "We entrust Archbishop Aquila to the powerful intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe and wish him a happy and blessed retirement, trusting that the Lord who called and chose him will grant him long life, good health, peace and tranquility. This is my prayer for him."
“Thank you for these nearly 14 years of service as shepherd of our archdiocese. Your guidance, leadership and love have helped us grow and unite as one flock under one shepherd throughout Denver. My family and I wish you peace and joy in this upcoming time of retirement, and may the good God repay you a hundredfold for all you have done for our Holy Mother Church,” shared Carlos Escobedo-Gaytan, a parishioner of Holy Cross in Thornton and a candidate for the diaconate.
A Testimony of Love
Without a doubt, the celebration at Queen of Peace Parish was much more than a tribute; it was a testimony to the deep bond between Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila and the Hispanic community he has served with dedication and faith for the past 13 years.
For his part, the archbishop left moved and grateful for the love, devotion and unity he encountered in the Hispanic community, leaving behind a legacy of trust in God that will continue to inspire all.
“May God bless you abundantly. Pray for me as I will pray for you!” the archbishop concluded.
