Archdiocese of Denver to ordain 3 priests, including one cancer survivor

May God bless them on their journey!

Isn’t this a huge (Arch)diocese, only three is very disconcerting, even with all the folks driven away from the Church by our current Archbishop we’re getting 7 in my Diocese.

Isn’t this a huge (Arch)diocese,

Not really.

How large is the Catholic population in the Archdiocese of Denver?
The total number of registered Catholics in the Archdiocese of Denver reaches almost 385,000 out of a general population that totals a little over 3 million.

only three is very disconcerting,

Denver is experiencing a resurgence of vocations to the priesthood at its two seminaries, St. John Vianney Theological Seminary and Redemptorist Mater Archdiocesan Missionary Seminary. During the 2005-06 academic year, Archbishop Chaput ordained 14 men to the priesthood, the largest number of ordinations in the Denver Archdiocese since the early 1960s.
“I’ve ordained 10 percent of the priests in our diocese in the last two years,” he told the audience, eliciting applause.
A hundred men are in formation at the archdiocesan seminaries this academic year. Sixty-six men are currently in formation to serve the Denver Archdiocese, according to seminary officials.

Cathedral Basilica Of The Immaculate Conception

Welcome to the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. Our windows are considered some of the finest in the world. There are 75 windows - more than any other church of any denomination in America. F.X. Zettler crafted the windows in Munich, Germany at the Royal Bavarian Art Institute (the firm and its secret for exquisite stained glass were destroyed during World War II). Mr. Zettler was a chemist who was known for his unique ability to craft beautiful colors and dyes. With monumental effect, Zettler oversaw 50 artisans who worked to craft our windows. In 1912 the total cost of the 75 windows were $34,000. Today, just one transept window would cost over $500,000.

Click to see the Cathedral stained glass windows show.

Three deacons to be ordained to the priesthood on May 12
By John Gleason

On May 12, the Archdiocese of Denver will ordain three seminarians into the priesthood at the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. The seminarians have been serving as deacons in the last leg of their journey toward the priesthood.

Deacon Randy Dollins
Deacon Randy Michael Dollins was born in Mission Viejo, Calif. He moved with his parents to Colorado in 1979 where they joined Queen of Peace Parish in Aurora. He grew up in Aurora where he attended Polton Elementary School, Prairie Middle School and Overland High School. Possessing love of sports as a young man, particularly basketball, for a time he thought that he might even play in the National Basketball Association. But God had other plans.
At worked as a graphic designer for a sportswear company for five years before doing a year of mission work with NET Ministries. After that, he entered St. John Vianney Theological Seminary.
It was while working as a youth minister at Queen of Peace that he found his vocation. Although work paid the bills, Deacon Dollins said ministry fulfilled him and made him a better person. The priesthood isn’t something that you grab, he remarked, rather it’s something that grabs you. Asked about his family’s reaction, he summed up their feelings in one word: “Excited.”
“They have always been very encouraging,” he said. “My ordination will be a great opportunity to bring the whole extended family together and reconnect.”
As for himself, Deacon Dollins sees his priesthood vocation as being able to provide the sacraments to the people of God and to experience their joys and sorrows.
“It’s being fully alive,” he said. “Doing what God has called me to do.”

Deacon Steven Voss
Deacon Steven Michael Voss calls Lakewood home. He was reared in what he calls a happy, active Catholic family. Born in 1978, Voss, 28, is a member of St. Jude Church. He has an uncle who is a Jesuit priest so he experienced both the Society of Jesus and diocesan priests as positive and life-giving people in his childhood.
He attended Notre Dame and Sts. Peter and Paul schools before going on to J.K. Mullen High School where he graduated in 1997, crediting his teachers as helping to cultivate his faith and encouraging him to think about his vocational calling.
Following a brief stint at the University of Northern Colorado he entered St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in 1999. He was ordained into the diaconate on Sept. 23, 2006.
It was while he was at UNC that ill health forced him to take time off from his studies and re-evaluate his life. At that time, he said, God entered fully into the experience. During an archdiocesan “Come and See” discernment retreat, he felt tremendous confirmation in his calling to the priesthood. He described the experience as a prompting from the Holy Spirit to take action.
“I entered the seminary in 1999,” he said, “and it has been a grace filled and peaceful fit.”

Deacon Timothy Hjelstrom
Denver and St. John Vianney Theological Seminary are a long way from the small Nevada town where Deacon Timothy Joseph Hjelstrom was born. For the first 15 years of his life, he and his parents lived in Alamo, just north of Las Vegas. After moving to Grand Junction where he attended high school, he enrolled at Colorado State University where he studied chemical engineering and where he earned a degree in that field.
“I was always interested in math and science,” he said. “I was interested in mechanics; I loved to build things and tinker with them to see how they worked.”
While in college, he labored in his selected field, working for a Grand Junction engineering firm that did corrosion prevention. During this time he made another discovery; one that got him thinking more about his vocation.
“I realized that I was spending more time at church then I was in my classes,” he said. “That led me to (think) during my senior about entering the priesthood.”
He heard about the Spirituality Year program at Denver’s St. John Vianney Theological Seminary and he decided to take a year and see what developed. He never left.
As to his future in the priesthood, Deacon Hjelstrom said it boils down to one important thing: serving people.
“I see this as a chance to sit down and share the faith and offer them something greater — especially in the sacraments — in their life,” he said. “I see this as very happy and fulfilling.”

Thank you so much for posting the links to the Basilica. I am particularly intrigued by the stained glass windows. Our pastor purchased a 150 y/o Methodist/Episcopal Church, with most of its original stained glass windows. All are in desperate need of restoration and repair. Meeting with the professionals has been an ‘illuminating’ (pun intended :-) experience. They have explained the various types of glass and cames used which help to date each window. While ours are nothing by comparison to those in the Cathedral, I have a new appreciation for the investment of stained glass windows. The Cathedral’s collection appears to be from the same period and studio. Just magnificent!

I’m not sure if these men are the only ones to be ordained this year. The size of last year’s class has already been noted. I’ve met at least two of these men, and they’ll be fine priests.

Thanks for the Info, I someohow thought they were a huge Diocese.

You know I thought that after the fact, given the ages, they don’t seem to include any Delayed Vocations so maybe there are other Ordinations.

I always envision Denver as this Catholic Bastion, I actually have a relative who’s a Redemptorist out that way.