Metropolitan Archdiocese of Denver, USA 🇺🇸

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Denver / Denverien(sis) (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Cheyenne, Colorado Springs, Pueblo

Neighbouring Dioceses: Salt Lake City (←), Cheyenne (↑), Grand Island (↗), Lincoln (→), Salina (↘), Colorado Springs (↓), Pueblo (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Websites:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Immaculate Conception (December 8), Saint Francis of Assisi (October 4)

Cathedral Dedication Anniversary: October 27

Liturgical Calendar 📅

History

1868.02.05: Established as Apostolic Vicariate of Colorado and Utah (English) (from Diocese of Santa Fe)
1870: Renamed as Apostolic Vicariate of Colorado
1887.08.16: Promoted as Diocese of Denver / Denverien(sis) (Latin) (became suffragan of Santa Fe)
1941.11.15: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Denver / Denverien(sis) (Latin) (with suffragan sees Cheyenne and Pueblo and lost territory to establish Diocese of Pueblo)
1983.11.10: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Colorado Springs and gained suffragan see Colorado Springs

Contact Info

Address: Catholic Pastoral Center, 1300 South Steele St., Denver, CO 80210-2599, USA

Phone: +1 (303) 722-4687

Papal Visits

Pope John Paul II (1993.08)

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2026.02.07 – ...):	Archbishop James Robert Golka (59)
Auxiliary Bishop (2016.08.25 – ...):	Bishop Jorge Humberto Rodríguez-Novelo (71) Titular Bishop of Azura

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Denver (Roman Rite)

Archbishop James Robert Golka (59)
(2026.02.07 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Denver (USA)

Stewards of God’s mysteries

Born:	1966.09.22 (Grand Island, NE, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1994.06.03
Consecrated Bishop:	2021.06.29

Priest of Grand Island (USA) (1994.06.03 – 2021.04.30)

Bishop of Colorado Springs (USA) (2021.04.30 – 2026.02.07)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Denver (USA) (2026.02.07 – ...)

Archbishop Samuel Joseph Aquila (75)
(2012.05.29 – 2026.02.07)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Denver (USA)

Quodcumque dixerit facite

Born:	1950.09.24 (Burbank, CA, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1976.06.05
Consecrated Bishop:	2001.08.24

Priest of Denver (USA) (1976.06.05 – 2001.06.12)

Coadjutor Bishop of Fargo (USA) (2001.06.12 – 2002.03.18)

Bishop of Fargo (USA) (2002.03.18 – 2012.05.29)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Denver (USA) (2012.05.29 – 2026.02.07)

Bishop James Douglas Conley (71)
(Apostolic Administrator 2011.09.08 – 2012.05.29)

Archbishop Charles Joseph Chaput, O.F.M. Cap. (81)
(1997.03.18 – 2011.07.19)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Philadelphia (USA)

As Christ loved the Church

Born:	1944.09.26 (Concordia, KS, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1970.08.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1988.07.26

Bishop of Rapid City (USA) (1988.04.11 – 1997.03.18)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Denver (USA) (1997.03.18 – 2011.07.19)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Philadelphia (USA) (2011.07.19 – 2020.01.23)

Archbishop James Francis Stafford (93) (later Cardinal)
(1986.05.30 – 1996.08.20)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Pietro in Montorio
Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Denver (USA)
Major Penitentiary emeritus of Apostolic Penitentiary

In principium erat verbum

Born:	1932.07.26 (Baltimore, MD, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1957.12.15
Consecrated Bishop:	1976.02.29
Created Cardinal:	1998.02.21

Priest of Baltimore (USA) (1957.12.15 – 1976.01.19)

Chaplain of His Holiness (1970.07.28 – 1976.01.19)

Titular Bishop of Respecta (1976.01.19 – 1982.11.17)

Auxiliary Bishop of Baltimore (USA) (1976.01.19 – 1982.11.17)

Bishop of Memphis (USA) (1982.11.17 – 1986.05.30)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Denver (USA) (1986.05.30 – 1996.08.20)

President of Pontifical Council for the Laity (1996.08.20 – 2003.10.04)

Cardinal-Deacon of Gesù Buon Pastore alla Montagnola (1998.02.21 [1998.05.02] – 2008.03.01)

Major Penitentiary of Apostolic Penitentiary (2003.10.04 – 2009.06.02)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Pietro in Montorio (2008.03.01 [2008.05.25] – ...)

Archbishop James Vincent Casey
(1967.02.18 – 1986.03.14)

Born:	1914.09.22 (Osage, IA, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1939.12.08
Consecrated Bishop:	1957.04.24
Died:	1986.03.14 (Denver, CO, USA † 71)

Priest of Dubuque (USA) (1939.12.08 – 1957.04.05)

Titular Bishop of Citium (1957.04.05 – 1957.06.14)

Auxiliary Bishop of Lincoln (USA) (1957.04.05 – 1957.06.14)

Bishop of Lincoln (USA) (1957.06.14 – 1967.02.18)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Denver (USA) (1967.02.18 – 1986.03.14)

Archbishop Urban John Vehr
(1941.11.15 – 1967.02.18)

Born:	1891.05.30 (Cincinnati, OH, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1915.05.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1931.06.10
Died:	1973.09.19 (Denver, CO, USA † 82)

Priest of Cincinnati (USA) (1915.05.29 – 1931.04.17)

Bishop of Denver (USA) (1931.04.17 – 1941.11.15)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Denver (USA) (1941.11.15 – 1967.02.18)

Titular Archbishop of Masuccaba (1967.02.18 – 1970.12.31)

Bishops of Denver (Roman Rite)

Bishop Urban John Vehr (later Archbishop)
(1931.04.17 – 1941.11.15)

(see above)

Bishop John Henry Tihen
(1917.09.21 – 1931.01.06)

Born:	1861.07.14 (Oldenburg, IN, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1886.04.26
Consecrated Bishop:	1911.07.06
Died:	1940.01.14 (Wichita, KS, USA † 78)

Priest of Saint Louis (USA) (1886.04.26 – 1888)

Priest of Wichita (USA) (1888 – 1911.05.12)

Bishop of Lincoln (USA) (1911.05.12 – 1917.09.21)

Bishop of Denver (USA) (1917.09.21 – 1931.01.06)

Titular Bishop of Bosana (1931.01.06 – 1940.01.14)

Bishop Nicholas Chrysostom Matz
(1889.07.10 – 1917.08.09)

Born:	1850.04.06 (Munster, Germany)
Ordained Priest:	1874.05.31
Consecrated Bishop:	1887.10.28
Died:	1917.08.09 (Denver, CO, USA † 67)

Priest of Colorado (USA) (1874.05.31 – 1887.08.16)

Titular Bishop of Telmissus (1887.08.16 – 1889.07.10)

Coadjutor Bishop of Denver (USA) (1887.08.16 – 1889.07.10)

Bishop of Denver (USA) (1889.07.10 – 1917.08.09)

Bishop Joseph Projectus Machebeuf
(1887.08.07 – 1889.07.10)

Born:	1812.08.11 (Riom, France)
Ordained Priest:	1836.12.17
Consecrated Bishop:	1868.08.16
Died:	1889.07.10 (Denver, CO, USA † 76)

Priest of Clermont (France) (1836.12.17 – 1868.03.03)

Vicar Apostolic of Colorado and Utah (USA) (1868.03.03 – 1870)

Titular Bishop of Epiphania (1868.03.03 – 1887.08.07)

Vicar Apostolic of Colorado (USA) (1870 – 1887.08.07)

Bishop of Denver (USA) (1887.08.07 – 1889.07.10)

Vicars Apostolic of Colorado (Roman Rite)

Bishop Joseph Projectus Machebeuf
(1870 – 1887.08.07)

(see above)

Vicars Apostolic of Colorado and Utah (Roman Rite)

Bishop Joseph Projectus Machebeuf
(1868.03.03 – 1870)

(see above)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Nicholas Chrysostom Matz (1887.08.16 – 1889.07.10)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop James Douglas Conley (71) (2008.04.10 – 2012.09.14)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop José Horacio Gómez Velasco, Opus Dei (74) (later Archbishop) (2001.01.23 – 2004.12.29)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Richard Charles Patrick Hanifen (94) (1974.07.06 – 1983.11.10)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop George Roche Evans (1969.02.24 – 1985.09.13)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop David Monas Maloney (1960.11.05 – 1967.12.02)