School’s Out, Archbishop’s In: Archbishop Golka Visits Several Denver Catholic Schools in First Weeks

A firm believer in Catholic education, Denver’s new archbishop joined Regis Jesuit High School, Mullen High School, Chesterton Academy of Our Lady of Victory and Notre Dame School for Mass in his first weeks in Northern Colorado.

Denver Archbishop James Golka has been busy in his first weeks as Northern Colorado's shepherd, visiting Regis Jesuit High School in Aurora, among others. In these visits, the archbishop celebrated Mass, baptized and confirmed students and got to know the school communities better. (Photo courtesy of Regis Jesuit High School)

It’s been six weeks since we welcomed our new shepherd, Archbishop James Golka, the sixth archbishop of Denver, and he has hit the ground running! From his first Holy Week, Triduum and Easter in Denver to his first priestly ordinations here, from parish visits to retreats, from Catholic Charities events to the March for Life, Archbishop Golka’s been busy!

Amid his travels around the archdiocese, Archbishop Golka has had the opportunity to visit several of Denver’s Catholic schools, something close to his heart as a Catholic school graduate himself. In fact, Catholic education runs in his family — all of his siblings attended Catholic school, his mother taught theology, his brother was a principal, another brother teaches theology and several nieces teach in Catholic schools.

“I would do anything I can to hold [Catholic education up],” Archbishop Golka said during the press conference following the announcement of his appointment to the Archdiocese of Denver on February 7, 2026. “If we have Catholic schools that are forming young disciples well with a robust sense of Catholicism and community, that’s going to help the world in the future.”

A few weeks later, after visiting St. Vincent de Paul School in Denver, the new archbishop noted his excitement to visit the archdiocese’s parishes and schools when speaking with Dan Caplis on the Dan Caplis Show.

“I really look forward to visiting the parishes — they’re all unique. I grew up in Nebraska, so I can’t wait to get to the rural parts of the archdiocese,” he said. “And I’m a Catholic school guy, and so I really can’t wait to visit our schools and see if I can support them in some way.”

Now, in the weeks since his installation, Archbishop Golka has hit the road to visit some of those schools, like Regis Jesuit High School (RJHS) in Aurora, Mullen High School in Denver, Chesterton Academy of Our Lady of Victory in Centennial and Notre Dame School in Denver.

Archbishop James Golka smiles with newly initiated Catholic students.

Archbishop Golka smiles with David Card, RJHS' president.

A "powerful moment of unity and grace," the archbishop's visit to RJHS led students deeper in prayer

Archbishop Golka gave first Communion to a number of RJHS students during the all-school Mass.

In gratitude to the archbishop, the school community presented him a small token of appreciation.

A supporter of Catholic education, Archbishop Golka was pleased to visit RJHS and other schools.

Archbishop Golka gave first Communion to a number of RJHS students during the all-school Mass.

The Mass was a "powerful moment of unity and grace for the entire Regis Jesuit community."

The archbishop's presence at RJHS was a "moving affirmation of faith," the school said.

As part of his visit, Archbishop Golka conferred sacraments on 15 students.

While at RJHS, Archbishop Golka had the privilege of receiving 15 students into the Catholic Church.

In his homily, Archbishop Golka emphasized the gifts of God and our call to give generously.

(Photos courtesy of Regis Jesuit High School)

A Sacramental Encounter: Regis Jesuit High School

Present for the Regis Jesuit’s annual Mass of Thanksgiving, Archbishop Golka emphasized the goodness of God in his homily, reminding students and faculty of the gifts he bestows on his children. When those gifts are generously shared, the archbishop noted, they grow and multiply rather than wither and diminish.

“Celebrating the Sacraments with our students in communion with our Archbishop is both deeply meaningful and profoundly formative,” shared Father Gary Menard, SJ, superior of the school’s Jesuit community. “It reflects who we are as a Jesuit school and our commitment to spiritual depth, academic excellence and preparing young men and women to serve others with purpose.”

During the Mass, Archbishop Golka also baptized and confirmed 15 students as they entered full communion with the Catholic Church through the Order of Christian Initiation for Teens (OCIT).

"It feels very refreshing to truly be a part of the faith that I have been practicing and putting my trust in for so long,” shared Beau Huckemeyer, an RJHS senior. “I feel renewed to be accepted and in a position to receive the Body of Christ."

"Throughout the OCIT process at Regis Jesuit, I have learned new things about my faith and truly dug deeper into what I believe in and why. Now being fully initiated into the Catholic Church, I feel renewed," added Josslyn Ross-Mahoney, a junior at the school.

The archbishop’s visit was profoundly meaningful for the school community, “offer[ing] a powerful moment of unity and grace for the entire Regis Jesuit community,” the school said in a press release. Receiving 15 new Catholics made the encounter all the more powerful, making it a “moving affirmation of faith,” the school added.

“Our OCIT students remind us that faith formation is foundational to the Regis Jesuit experience,” said David Card, RJHS president. “Their willingness to encounter faith thoughtfully and freely speaks to our mission to shape lives of meaning through reflection, relationship and service.”

Visiting during Lasallian Heritage Week, Archbishop Golka celebrated Mass for Mullen High School.

In his homily, the archbishop emphasized the importance of Catholic education.

By loving neighbor out of love for God, the archbishop said, students foster loving unity.

Archbishop Golka's visit was a memorable one for students and faculty alike.

"As Catholics, we support each other, and we don't do it alone," the archbishop said.

(Photos courtesy of Mullen High School)

Unity and Charity: Mullen High School

During Lasallian Heritage Week and on the birthday of St. John Baptist de la Salle, Archbishop Golka paid a visit to Denver’s Mullen High School, a Lasallian Catholic community. Celebrating the school’s final all-school Mass, the archbishop expressed his excitement at visiting Catholic schools and emphasized the importance of unity within the Church.

“As the Archbishop, I love getting a chance to go out and visit the schools and the different Catholics and Catholic facilities around the diocese, so this is a great gift for me to be able to come out and just let them know that we're all together,” Archbishop Golka said. “As Catholics, we support each other, and we don't do it alone.”

Catholic education plays a vital role in fostering that unity, the archbishop noted, because of its mission of forming future saints: academically equipped, spiritually strong and faithfully compassionate. He challenged the Mullen community to live the Lasallian core principle of concern for the poor and social justice by loving neighbor out of love for God.

Archbishop Golka’s visit was a memorable one for Mullen students and faculty, who had the opportunity to greet Denver’s new shepherd following Mass.

“For students celebrating Lasallian Heritage Week, the message from Archbishop Golka was clear: the smallest acts of kindness can change lives, and the values learned in a Catholic school community extend far beyond the classroom walls,” the school said in a press release.

Archbishop Golka smiles with students following Mass.

The archbishop's presence at OLV was a boon to the school community, a moving first encounter.

In his homily, Archbishop Golka emphasized God's great call for each of our lives.

"Trust God totally, because then you'll be free," Archbishop Golka told students.

"When you do something for God, you come alive," the archbishop said.

(Photos courtesy of Chesterton Academy of Our Lady of Victory)

God is Calling: Chesterton Academy of Our Lady of Victory

While visiting Chesterton Academy of Our Lady of Victory in Centennial, Archbishop Golka reflected on vocation with students and faculty. He reminded the OLV community that, because God created each of us — an intentional choice he made at the beginning of time — we have a profound dignity, a beloved identity and a particular mission. Abiding in that identity and living out that mission is what brings us true fulfillment, the archbishop noted.

“Unless and until you ask God to show you ‘Why did you make me,’ you're never going to really know why God made you,” Archbishop Golka said plainly. “And if you know why God made you, and if you know what your purpose is, you're going to be alive. You're going to be happy. You're going to be fulfilled.”

Put simply, the archbishop continued, “God knows better what you want than what you know. So trust God totally, because then you’ll be free.”

Indeed, “when you do something for God, you come alive,” he added. “When you do something for God, you’re involved in an eternal story.”

The archbishop’s call to know and love God first and foremost resounded in the hearts of the OLV students and faculty present for Mass — a moving first encounter between the school and Denver’s new shepherd.

“Our Lady of Victory was blessed by Archbishop Golka’s visit and by his wise and important reminder that the Lord calls us to be his friends and, in so doing, gives us the vocation that will define our lives as followers of Jesus,” said Randy Aust, the school’s headmaster.

“It was so refreshing and encouraging to welcome the presence of our archbishop in our school today. He is such a loving father who calls everyone around him higher and reminds them of why we’re here,” added Mary Catherine Froula, a teacher at OLV. “His homily was a resonant reminder that this school was built on love, and can only continue in love, with the light of Christ as our friend and guide.”

In short, shared Lucia Gutierrez, a sophomore at the school, “It’s so cool to have an archbishop that clearly loves Jesus above anything else.”

Archbishop Golka celebrated Mass for Notre Dame School in Denver.

"Catholic school teachers are some of the best people I know," the archbishop said.

In his homily, the archbishop invited students to welcome the Holy Spirit into their lives.

Archbishop Golka encouraged the students to follow the Holy Spirit wherever he leads.

"Teachers, I want to thank you for what you do," the archbishop said in his homily.

(Photos by Matt Walker, courtesy of Notre Dame Parish and School)

Come, Holy Spirit: Notre Dame School

Mere days before Pentecost and amid the Month of Mary, Archbishop Golka visited Notre Dame Catholic School in Denver to celebrate Mass and preside over the traditional May Crowning with school students.

Recognizing the challenges worldwide, the archbishop invited students to pray for peace and to invite the Holy Spirit into their lives. As Pentecost fast approaches, Archbishop Golka’s invitation takes on new urgency: the Spirit coming soon is meant to lead, guide and inspire each student — and each of us — to become the men and women God is calling them to be, he said.

“The Father wants to know us, and we want to know him, but he’s so far that we need the Spirit to translate for us. So the Holy Spirit opens our ears so we can hear God the Father talk to us, opens our hearts so we can know his love for us, opens our eyes so we can see his presence around us. So we need Pentecost to help us do that,” Archbishop Golka explained to students. “We pray and we trust that the Holy Spirit is going to come and open our eyes and our ears and our hearts because the Father loves you so, so much. And we need to know that.”

The archbishop also thanked Father Peter Mussett, the parish’s pastor, and the school faculty and administration for their important work of forming future saints. Before asking students to turn to their teachers and thank them, too, Archbishop Golka noted his family’s long history in Catholic education and his commitment to the ministry being supported at the school’s Magnificat brunch.

“Catholic school teachers are some of the best people I know,” he said. “So, teachers, I want to thank you for what you do.”