PHOTOS | A Lightning Rod for God’s Grace: Cathedral Sees Sparks of Spiritual Renewal

Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila prays before those receiving sacraments during the Easter Vigil at the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Denver. (Photo by Daniel Petty/Denver Catholic)

Amid the chaos of construction on Colfax Avenue, the twin spires of the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Denver tower above the commotion, drawing souls to find their way home.

"I hope that something of a revitalization is happening in the heart of Denver,” said Father Samuel Morehead, who served as the Cathedral Basilica’s rector from June 2021 to June 2025. “I think various companies and the city are working on improving the Colfax district; however, those are still a work in progress. It's hard to get here. The parking is horrendous. So, God is obviously doing something that's independent of other realities around here.”

That “something” seems to be a remarkable rejuvenation. Mass attendance rose 26 percent from October 2023 to October 2024. The offertory grew by 40 percent as of April 2025. Moreover, an incredible 85 youth and adults entered the fullness of the Catholic faith over the 2025 Easter season.

Unhindered by the downtown construction, Linda Flores, a parishioner of the Cathedral Basilica since 2014 and their administrative assistant since 2018, continues to witness the spiritual sparks fly from the pews — especially at the standing-room-only 10:30 a.m. Mass on Pentecost, which is for her a hallmark of the community’s spiritual renewal.

“That Mass touched my heart and my family’s heart,” Flores said. “My grandson and his daughters had never been to a Catholic church, and they were in awe from the drop of the rose petals to everything Archbishop Aquila said. It was really holy; I felt closer to God and filled with hope for the future.”

A Conductor of Grace

In addition to the work on the streets and parking lots, the Cathedral Basilica itself has been a focus of renovation.

“The exterior of the Cathedral was recently redone, and now, that shines more visibly,” said Father John-James Arcidiacono, the cathedral’s parochial vicar. “I think a lot of people do come to the Cathedral because it is a beautiful building. The architecture is a visible attraction for the Cathedral, but then, you also have the auditory attraction with the bells. They remind people that this is a place of prayer and invite them to come.”

Raised without any religion, Kira Roark found herself among those drawn to the Cathedral Basilica after learning about the faith of her grandmother, who, along with her sisters, was a parishioner there.

“I went to the Cathedral to honor my mother and foremothers,” Roark said, “and when I was there, I felt what I don't know how else to describe as other than a loving embrace from Mary, which brought me back for Mass the following Sunday.”

On her return for Mass, Roark met Father Morehead.

“When I met Father Sam and told him this was my first time back at Mass since I was a 6-year-old with my grandmother,” Roark said, “he looked at me with such kindness and said, ‘Welcome home.’”

The next week, Roark encountered Father Arcidiacono and signed up for Credo, the Cathedral Basilica’s faith formation program, knowing in her heart that she wanted to be Catholic. In the following months, she, along with more than 85 other adults and youth, discovered the teachings of the Catholic faith at the Cathedral Basilica, witnessing to the spark of spiritual renewal taking place among the physical renovations in the heart of Denver.

Kindling the Spark

“People are drawn to truth, goodness and beauty, and the Cathedral offers all of that in spades,” Father Morehead said. “So, wherever the spark of faith has happened, and if you find yourself in Denver and you're searching, in one sense, we're the easiest place to find. If we, as the Cathedral priests, deacons and staff, are just halfway doing our job, we make it easy for people to plug in, to inquire, to be received into the Church and to come back to the full practice of the faith.”

Along with an increased availability of the sacraments — three Masses each weekday, four Sunday Masses and an hour for Confessions seven days a week — the Cathedral Basilica hosts bi-monthly young adult events, along with weekly faith formation for adults and religious education for youth.

Faithful gather for the Cathedral's Easter Vigil.

The Cathedral hosts regular young adult events, like Swing Dance Sunday, which see dozens attend.

The "Flower Ladies" help beautify the Cathedral for her various liturgies and events.

Father John-James Arcidiacono and Father Samuel Morehead bless those gathered for the Easter Vigil.

The Cathedral also operates a food pantry for those in need.

Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila distributes Holy Communion during the Easter Vigil.

The Cathedral's Music Ministry is known for their excellence, beautifying the various liturgies.

Faithful gather in celebration following the Easter Vigil at the Cathedral.

Preparing the sanctuary for the year's solemn events is no small task, but it's a labor of love!

Dedicated to serving those most in need, the Cathedral operates a food pantry.

Father Sam Morehead distributes Holy Communion during the Cathedral's Easter Vigil.

Hundreds came together to celebrate the Lord's Resurrection at the Cathedral's Easter Sunday Masses.

A labor of love, the "Flower Ladies" help beautify the Cathedral for the year's solemn events.

The Cathedral serves those most in need in the community, distributing food and supplies.

(Photos by Daniel Petty/Denver Catholic, Lena Hall)

The Cathedral Basilica also partners with the Mission Support Centers, a new archdiocesan initiative that embeds cross-functional operations teams in regional groups of parishes to provide support in finance, human resources, mission advancement and communications. That partnership led to a dramatic increase in Father Morehead and his staff’s availability for ministry, which only helps fuel the fire of revitalization at the Cathedral Basilica.

“We have a unique location since we are the Cathedral Basilica, but we have also found creative ways to reach into people’s lives through social media,” Father Morehead said. “I would also attribute a lot of great success here to the personal care of Father John-James, who personally has invested in those coming into the Church, getting to know them and helping them in that journey towards the sacraments.”

As the cathedral’s parochial vicar, Father Arcidiacono coordinates the adult faith formation program, which serves a diverse population of ages, ethnicities and socio-economic backgrounds. Father Arcidiacono notes that he hopes to meet people where they are and accompany them as they discover and wrestle with Catholic teaching.

“It can be a delicate task of accompanying people to present the Church's teaching with clarity and also with charity through pastoral accompaniment, but not with compromise,” Father Arcidiacono said. “We want to try to meet people where they're at, but also take them a step further. Even if someone is completely at odds with the Church’s teaching, they are still welcome to come here. We’re happy to journey with you."

From Spark to Flame

Considering the whole of her experience at the Cathedral Basilica, Roark cited Father Morehead and Father Arcidiacono’s pastoral care as the cornerstone of her faith formation.

“The most significant part of my Credo experience was how God’s love moved through Father Sam and Father John-James,” Roark said. “In every class, we catechumens experienced their faithful teaching and their sincere joy that we were all there together.”

Throughout the year, members of Credo would bring friends and family to witness what they were experiencing at the Cathedral Basilica.

“The missionary work of bringing others in speaks volumes about the experience we were given,” Roark said. “Each of us — with our diverse life experiences and unique callings to the Church — felt supported and welcomed. We were hungry for truth and thirsty for belonging, and we received both. Thanks be to God!”

With a resurfaced parking lot and at least some physical construction completed, the Cathedral Basilica’s spiritual renovations continue to pave the way for new people to encounter the fullness of the Catholic faith.

“People are becoming interested,” Father Morehead said. “The Cathedral, obviously, with its two beautiful spires, is something of a lightning rod for God's grace, representing visually the depth of our Catholic tradition, and so, I think, catches the attention of souls who flock down here.”