The Diocese of Pueblo has a new hire!

On Thursday, August 13, Catholic Charities of Southern Colorado welcomed an enthusiastic crowd of community members, parish leaders, partners, sponsors, staff, volunteers, and Fatherhood Program participants to the Rising Son Breakfast—a vibrant morning celebrating fathers, families, and the bright future they are helping build.

The annual State Fair of Colorado, held in Pueblo, always designates its last day as a celebration of culture and diversity. This is known as Fiesta Day. Special events are scheduled to memorialize the historic Hispanic presence which has existed and flourished for some eight generations prior to the foundation of the State of Colorado, and which inspires us through this present day.

I write this with profound regret and heartfelt sorrow. Through the dedication of teachers, staff, parents and benefactors, St Therese Catholic School has contributed to the spiritual journey and successful careers of countless students in the Pueblo community for 26 years.

It is my sad duty to report to you now that St Therese Catholic School is no longer open for enrollment for the coming 2026-2027 school year. We pray that Our Lord is with our students and teachers.

The Diocese of Pueblo has a new hire!

There are so many searching people in the world today, people hungering for instruction, good people who are looking for direction. There are parents sick with grief over the future of a troubled child, people stripped of dignity due to unemployment, women facing pregnancy alone. People who are angry and confused because they believe society is no longer dependable. They are looking for answers and for meaning. They are like sheep without a shepherd, and Jesus looks to us

The Church is standing the test of time and we are growing. For our diocese, The Little Way, may this summer be a time of peace, thanksgiving, and welcoming hospitality.

I write this from Orlando, enjoying the sunshine and fellowship of the USCCB at our annual June gathering. This message will be short and sweet. God is good, the Church is in good hands, we have a wonderful Holy Father.

Summer has arrived, with its promise of recreation and rest. This is a special time to give thanks to God for all the gifts that are given, and to plan the next months as special occasions of grace.

This month marks the one-year anniversary of the election of Cardinal Robert Prevost as Pope. It has been exciting following our very own American-born Pope through his first year – although what has most edified me is that Leo XIV has not allowed himself to be pigeonholed as an “American Pope.” He is a missionary who belongs first to the Lord and, for his sake, to the entire world.

The United States Catholic Conference of Bishops will soon gather for the June Assembly in Orlando. On Thursday June 11 the U.S. bishops, united in prayer, will officially consecrate the United States of America to the Sacred Heart of Jesus (the Solemnity is June 12) in anticipation of the 250th anniversary of our country.

It is in faith that we learn of the hidden, invisible dynamics of the supernatural realm, the divine wind that breathes heaven through our soul into creation, and the most important reality of our lives: God loves us, God is with us, God will never give up on us.

The Diocese of Pueblo bishop, who recently submitted his resignation as required by the Catholic Church upon reaching the age of 75, entered the priesthood only after earning a master's degree in music and piano, teaching music at Fort Worth Community College, and managing a nursery company for 14 years.

All signs throughout the diocese pointed to a blessed celebration of the Holy Triduum, and so it was. Throughout the preparation of the Lenten Season, and into Holy Week, we were led into new signs of resurrection in our hearts, families, and parishes.

The Tomb, the Garden, the relationship with Jesus, the safe places where we pray: all are crucial to our understanding of the Resurrection.

As many are aware, according to canon 401 of the Code of Canon Law, bishops are requested to submit a letter of resignation to the Supreme Pontiff upon reaching their 75th birthday. Accordingly, prior to my own 75th birthday of March 3, I have submitted that letter to Pope Leo XIV via the Papal Nunciature. My present status as Bishop of Pueblo continues until my resignation is accepted by the Holy See, and my replacement is announced.

I was struck by the pressures and anxieties experienced by young people today, and by the number of times the speakers tried to convince them to believe in God’s personal, unconditional love. I started to wonder why this message was being repeated with such insistence. It seemed a little cheesy. Doesn’t God’s love go without saying?

We have just celebrated the Rite of Election in Pueblo, and I am now on a prior scheduled retreat with brother bishops in Florida. These Rites will be completed in Durango and Grand Junction upon my return, and I wish to share some thoughts about their significance.

This Wednesday we shall take the ashes in the form of the cross on our forehead. We begin the forty days of Lent with the reminder of our mortality, as dust unto dust, and our salvation, the cross of Jesus Christ. The symbolism is powerful.