Here is some more noteworthy work carried out by the Pastoral Center in FY 2021.

Evangelization and Family Life Ministries

The Office of Evangelization and Family Life Ministries provides ministerial support for English and Spanish-speaking Catholics in the archdiocese. Highlights of programs and events this office supported in FY 2021 include:

• Hosted a bilingual evangelization training event for 60 lay leaders.
• Offered ongoing RCIA training workshops over zoom.
• Invested infrequent and ongoing coaching with pastors and parish leadership teams to assist them in their move to mission.
• Offered multiple training workshops for marriage preparation leaders.
• Collaborated with 12 parishes in initiating evangelization initiatives utilizing the faith studies and methods of Catholic Christian Outreach
• Hosted Encuentros for middle school, high school, and young adults serving around 300 young people.
• Hosted Steubenville of the Rockies for 1,200 high school students
• Broadcasted Mountain Madness to several satellite locations to reach more middles school students during the pandemic
• Collaborated with parish leaders to run six parish retreats, serving approx. 400 people.
• Hosted and ran five retreats for lay ecclesial movements, serving approx. 1,200 people.
• Collaborated with parish leaders to provide four formation workshops, serving approx. 200.
• Launched Family ministry program Familias Virtuosas to build up relationships between parents and children.

Marketing & Communications
The Archdiocese of Denver is continuing to improve the support and services provided to parishes. A major step toward this continued and streamlined support was the implementation of the Mission Support Concierge and the Freshdesk ticketing system. This provided clarity and ease for parishes to connect with the Pastoral Center to assist in their day-to-day mission.

Last year also saw growth in the culture of teamwork and inter-departmental collaboration at the Pastoral Center. The Marketing and Communications team, in collaboration with the Mission Advancement Office, published a beautiful special edition magazine to celebrate the Year of St. Joseph while also launching the 2021 Archbishop’s Catholic Appeal campaign.

On the digital side of things, Bishop Machebeuf High School launched their new website in June 2021 to align with the beloved high school’s exciting vision for the future.

Last but not least, FY 2021 brought the start to the Synodal Process, and the Pastoral Center played a key role in creating collateral and communicating with parishes during every step of the process. This included building synod.archden.org, distributing the Advent preaching series, and promoting Archbishop Aquila’s Pastoral Note.

Human Resources
The Human Resources department, now called the Office of People Support, for the Archdiocese of Denver saw a number of changes during FY 2021 as team members returned from remote work. The team added a Training Support Manager to provide continued care to newly hired staff, as well as streamline the on-boarding and off-boarding process and continued training for parish staff. A comprehensive Benefits Welfare & Trust online resource was developed to better serve our archdiocesan community as a whole.

Mission Advancement

The office of Mission Advancement shares the mission of the Archdiocese with the faithful of Northern Colorado and connects donors to over 40 ministries and programs.  Thanks to your generous support, the 2021 Archbishop’s Catholic Appeal (ACA) raised a record $11.9 million.  Mission Advancement also directs both the Annual Seminaries’ Appeal which raised $2.3 million for our two seminaries as well as the retired and infirm priest’s appeal.  The new Director of Special Campaigns assists parishes and schools with capital campaigns and major gifts and has recently facilitated several seven-figure gifts while advancing a culture of philanthropy among parishes.  2021 also witnessed the launch of the Archbishop’s Circle, a leadership giving society for donors who support the Archdiocese through annual gifts of $50,000 or more.  Mission Advancement team members are careful stewards that connect donors with impactful initiatives which lead others to Jesus Christ so that all might be rescued and have abundant life, for the glory of the Father.

Of note, grants and contributions increased as the archdiocesan cemetery and mortuary entities made an $8 million grant to the Archdiocese to provide capital for a recapitalization.

Office of Design and Construction
The Office of Design and Construction is witness to the continued vitality of the Archdiocese through the multiple design and construction projects at our parishes, schools, and cemeteries with their repairs, remodels, and new construction. The office assisted various parishes and ecclesiastical organizations in completing $13.3 million of major construction projects. At the close of 2021, approximately 120 projects were in progress with a total estimated project value of $147 million. The office continues to advise the parishes, schools and cemeteries in being good stewards of their resources by providing tools and practical expertise in best-value project management practices.

Frassati Catholic Academy (FCA), taking inspiration from its patron, Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati, and in the classical tradition, forms students as disciples who know truth and love God, seek knowledge to grow in wisdom, aim to serve others, live by a well-formed conscience, good habits, and discipline, and participate in society as good thinkers, communicators, and virtuous leaders.

In 2021, Frassati Catholic Academy grew to 345 students in Prekindergarten through 8th grade, and joyfully maintained in-person learning throughout the pandemic. Teachers and staff are proud to be advancing the school’s mission of leading students to the heights of the intellect and the depths of the soul so as to form authentic disciples who bear joyful witness to Christ! New blessings to FCA: the Holy Mass is now celebrated at school 5 times a week, and students are able to receive reconciliation weekly and attend adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament weekly. Generous donors helped us with facilities and grounds improvements: HVAC repairs, a new sidewalk, and a new fence which encloses the play yard. The school continues to strengthen its Catholic classical curriculum and is adopting the new and rich history standards. FCA is excited to graduate its third graduating class this spring, and announce that 87% of the students graduating have been accepted to area Catholic high schools. The school has pre-enrolled 370 students for the fall of 2022.

Holy Family first opened its doors 100 years ago, in 1922. The people in the building have changed, the building itself has changed, but Holy Family’s mission remains consistent – Holy Family offers a Catholic learning environment that stresses academic excellence, fosters mutual respect, demands responsibility, and encourages self-growth.

Enrollment reached an all-time high in the 2021-22 school year with just over 740 students. Applications for the incoming freshmen class, the Class of 2026, held firm with 235 students applying. The incoming freshmen class for the 2022-23 school year will represent the 100th class in the history of Holy Family.

Academically, 292 Holy Family students took an AP class – participating in 535 AP tests. 228 students earned Honor Roll status, and 56 new students were inducted into the National Honor Society. Holy Family graduated 159 students in the Class of 2021 at a May commencement ceremony. They were awarded over $14 million in scholarships and awards.

Holy Family also hired nearly a dozen educators to the teaching faculty. 84% of the Holy Family faculty holds an advanced degree (masters or higher).

Students thrived both in the classroom and athletics, evidenced by 121 student-athletes earning Academic All-State honors. Highlighted by the school’s first-ever 4A girls soccer state championship and a second straight state title for the softball team, Holy Family brought home five state championships in 2021. Holy Family athletes won three individual state championships and had notable accomplishments in baseball (state runners-up) and girls tennis (state runners-up in No. 2 doubles).

During the 2021-2022 school year, Bishop Machebeuf High School witnessed the successful continuation of fully in-person learning amid the pandemic, the return of many extracurriculars including fine arts and athletics, and the emergence of new traditions. Bishop Machebeuf presented a production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, made multiple State appearances in athletics including a Cheer State Championship, and sent 38 students and several faculty members to Washington, D.C. for the National March for Life. These events have nourished the community and have inspired the planning of similar activities in the future. Students are looking forward to backpacking trips in the summer of 2022 as well as a trip to Spain during Spring Break of 2023. Additionally, Bishop Machebeuf continues to find success in the Integrated Humanities curriculum which promotes their mission of holistic and comprehensive Catholic education. The class of 2022 is expected to earn more than $5 million in scholarships toward higher education and graduates will be attending a variety of universities around the country. Additionally, Bishop Machebeuf has strengthened partnerships with ACE Scholarships and the Schmitz Family Foundation, as well as initiated partnerships with DMZ Productions and PIN Business Network, all of which add to the overall success of BMHS.

Of note, contributions increased due to a grant of $1.5 mission from the archdiocesan cemeteries and mortuary entities.

In fiscal year 2020-2021, Seeds of Hope continued to expand its mission by offering Hope Scholarships to qualifying and eligible students and their families at any of the 33 Archdiocese of Denver Catholic K-8 schools. Through the mission of Seeds of Hope to “cultivate minds and hearts for Christ by striving to make a transformative Catholic education financially accessible to any family who seeks it”, Seeds of Hope believes students who desire the benefits of Catholic education should not be turned away because of financial limitations.

The generosity of the Seeds of Hope community continues to be a blessing. Seeds of Hope provided tuition assistance and grants to schools totaling approximately $2.28M, which supported more than 916 K-8 students across the Archdiocese of Denver.

Also in fiscal year 2021, Seeds of Hope granted out to Archdiocese of Denver Catholic K-12 schools the remaining $323K from the successful Catholic Schools Emergency Relief Fund effort that was marketed and administered in Spring 2020 when the pandemic took hold to support technology needs, emergency tuition assistance and other school needs that arose with the COVID-19 crisis.

By providing scholarships, Seeds of Hope gives families the choice to send their children to a Catholic K-8 school where spiritual, mental, academic, and physical formation is provided. Seeds of Hope also strives to assist and sustain these Catholic communities which support families in all aspects of life as its grants not only allow for parent choice in education, but also bolster each school’s tuition income. Our schools form the whole child, fully committed to educating and forming witnesses, intentional disciples of Jesus Christ, who will transform the world, young men and women who are prepared to be saints and leaders in our communities.

With that in mind, Seeds of Hope offers “Hope Scholarships” ranging from $500 to $3,000 per student, depending on need. Any K-8 student at any Archdiocese of Denver Catholic school who meets Seeds of Hope household income eligibility guidelines is eligible to apply for tuition assistance. Although families may receive assistance from sources in addition to Seeds of Hope, all families contribute to their children’s tuition. This contribution from the family helps create a sense of pride and accountability, as well as creating a valuable partnership between Seeds of Hope and its families.

As a continued service for the Office of Catholic Schools, Seeds of Hope continues to maintain and develop the online Variable Tuition Program that provides participating schools with a standardized framework to calculate fair and equitable tuition for families based on a family’s and school’s financial position.

Catholic Funeral & Cemetery Services of Colorado works with families during one of the most difficult times to “Fill the Void of Loss with Faith.”   2021 was no exception.   While everyone was impacted by the COVID pandemic, those working in funeral homes and cemeteries were on the front line. During 2021, the Archdiocese of Denver Mortuary served over 1000 families.  While dealing with the families with COVID was challenging, just as challenging was supporting families who suffered loss from pandemic-related psychological stresses that resulted in increased drug overdoses and suicides, particularly among young people.  Yet, the team at Catholic Funeral & Cemetery Services rose to the occasion to support every family that entered our care.  In support of the families we care for, our team of deacons continued to call every family served by our mortuary.   Given the nature of the work at Catholic Funeral & Cemetery Services, we knew we needed to do more to support our team.  To that end, a unique wellness program has been started focusing on supporting our team in their spiritual and emotional growth as they work to support families in their time of trauma and need.

Our cemetery team, having served over 1500 families, has been working hard over the past year to continue our growth as we prepare to continue to serve our community well into the future.  The paving project continued at Mount Olivet Catholic Cemetery ensuring a smooth ride for all vehicles.  Security upgrades were made at both cemetery locations.  New sections are in the process of being opened at both cemeteries.  This includes new sections that will allow us to continue to serve families that need financial assistance in providing a proper burial for their loved one. At St. Simeon Catholic Cemetery, we are similarly opening additional sections for families who couldn’t otherwise afford to have a loved one be buried in a sacred space.  We are also constructing/opening a new section which will include above-ground outdoor mausoleum space.

Catholic Funeral & Cemetery Services operates using the belief that we are a ministry first and business always. Through good financial and business practices, Catholic Funeral & Cemetery Services has been good stewards of the funding that has been entrusted to their ministry through the patronage of the families served. Not only does this stewardship allow us to provide prayerful burials to more than 97% of families requiring the support from Denver County Social Service; Catholic Funeral & Cemetery Services has been able to support other ministries within the archdiocese. Last year through the prudent management of the various cemetery-related funding streams, significant donations were made to other ministries and parishes within the archdiocese including Bishop Machebeuf High School and the Cathedral.

Catholic Funeral & Cemetery Services continues to grow as a ministry through a faithful team, strong leadership, wise decision-making, and always keeping God at the center of all that is done. In doing so, Catholic Funeral & Cemetery Services truly does fill the void of loss with faith.

Of note, support and administrative expenses increased due to $8.3 million and $3.7 million grants made to other Archdiocesan entities.