Metropolitan Archdiocese of Denver, USA

Continent: North America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Denver / Denverien(sis) (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Cheyenne, 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 (2012.05.29 – ...):	Archbishop Samuel Joseph Aquila (74)
Auxiliary Bishop (2016.08.25 – ...):	Bishop Jorge Humberto Rodríguez-Novelo (69) Titular Bishop of Azura

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Denver (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Samuel Joseph Aquila (74)
(2012.05.29 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop 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 – ...)

Bishop James Douglas Conley (69)
(Apostolic Administrator 2011.09.08 – 2012.05.29)

Archbishop Charles Joseph Chaput, O.F.M. Cap. (80)
(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 (92) (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 († 71)

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 († 82)

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 (USA)
Ordained Priest:	1886.04.26
Consecrated Bishop:	1911.07.06
Died:	1940.01.14 († 78)

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 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1874.05.31
Consecrated Bishop:	1887.10.28
Died:	1917.08.09 († 67)

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 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1836.12.17
Consecrated Bishop:	1868.08.16
Died:	1889.07.10 († 76)

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 (69) (2008.04.10 – 2012.09.14)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop José Horacio Gómez Velasco, Opus Dei (73) (later Archbishop) (2001.01.23 – 2004.12.29)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Richard Charles Patrick Hanifen (93) (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)

Special Churches

Cathedral, Minor Basilica: Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, Denver, Colorado
Jubilee Churches in the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (2016)
Jubilee Churches in the Holy Year 2025

Churches by City (157)

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

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 104,192 km²

Population: 620,000 Catholics (16.3% of 3,807,037 total)

Pastoral Centres: 124 parishes

Personnel: 297 priests (200 diocesan, 97 religious), 187 deacons, 276 religious (128 brothers, 148 sisters), 50 seminarians