The transformed the into a sacred place of worship Wednesday as thousands gathered to celebrate the installation of Archbishop James R. Golka as the new spiritual leader of northern Colorado’s Catholics.
Golka, who previously served as the bishop of the , is succeeding Archbishop Emeritus Samuel J. Aquila, who led the Denver Archdiocese for nearly 14 years.
Clergy, parishioners from across the state, representatives from other faith communities and Golka’s many relatives — he’s one of 10 children — packed the CoBank Arena.
“My family just got a lot larger,” Golka said during the celebration as he asked members of the Archdiocese of Denver to stand.
Golka, 59, is now the leader for the more than 600,000 Catholics, 148 individual parishes and 31 Catholic schools within the Denver Archdiocese. He became the sixth archbishop of the diocese during the special Mass of Installation that featured the pope’s official representative in the United States, Cardinal Christophe Pierre, assigning Golka to the role.
During the ceremony, Pierre read a letter from Pope Leo XIV encouraging Golka to “share the blessings of mercy with your flock” in Denver.
Golka then carried the holy letter throughout the arena, smiling proudly as he showed it to the audience and taking care to pause for children who wanted a glimpse. The arena clapped and cheered for their new archbishop.
A special Mass followed a procession of hundreds of priests, deacons and bishops from Colorado’s three Catholic dioceses — Denver, Colorado Springs and Pueblo — and the in Nebraska. The arena filled with the sound of hymns, and the Mass featured Bible readings, Holy Communion and a homily.
Debby Gavato, a parishioner at in Fort Collins, made the trip to witness a historic moment in her church.
“I’ll probably never see a new pope, so this is the closest to apostolic succession that I’ll come to witnessing,” she said on her way into the celebratory Mass.
Gavato said outgoing Archbishop Aquila did an amazing job getting the church to this point.
“God entrusted Archbishop Golka to take what Aquila has done and shepherd us forward,” she said.
Golka was born into a sprawling family in Grand Island, Nebraska. After graduating from in Omaha with degrees in philosophy and theology, he served as a Jesuit lay missionary volunteer for Native American missions in South Dakota from 1989 to 1990, according to archdiocese officials.
Golka attended in Minnesota, earning a master of divinity and a master’s degree in sacramental theology.
He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Grand Island in 1994 and served as vicar general and pastor of the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary before his 2021 appointment to Colorado Springs, according to the archdiocese.
Golka has served closely with Spanish-speaking communities in the past and has told Spanish-speaking members of the Denver Archdiocese that he plans to walk alongside them toward God’s kingdom.
Golka’s homily consisted of a story from the COVID-19 pandemic when he was anointing the sick in Grand Island hospitals. He was asked to anoint one member of his congregation, a Guatemalan immigrant who worked at a local meatpacking plant and often came to the church before work to pray. The man was being taken off a ventilator and was not expected to survive.
Golka suited up in protective gear, gave the man a blessing, prayed with him and told him that he hoped to see him again. A couple of days later, Golka learned the man had survived and was home with his family.
The man told Golka that while he was in the hospital, Jesus Christ came to him and claimed him and was beside him while Golka prayed and spoke to him.
“I did what any priest does as faithfully as we can,” Golka said. “We simply do what the church asks us to do, and we trust Jesus will do the rest. The main archbishop of this church is not James Golka, thanks be to God, it is Jesus Christ.
Kathleen Pougnet, a parishioner at in Broomfield, attended the service with her husband, Antony Pougnet.
The couple said they had heard so many good things about Golka.
“We look forward to his leadership,” Kathleen Pougnet said.
