About Diocese of Colorado Springs
The Diocese of Colorado Springs (Latin: Dioecesis Coloratensium Fontium) is a Roman Catholic diocese in central Colorado, erected by Pope John Paul II on November 10, 1983, from territory taken from the Archdiocese of Denver and the Diocese of Pueblo. It is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Denver and serves roughly 190,000 Catholics across 10 counties and 39 parishes and missions, anchored at the historic St. Mary's Cathedral (built 1891) in downtown Colorado Springs. Led through most of its life by three successive bishops — Hanifen, Sheridan, and Golka — the diocese is currently sede vacante following Bishop James Golka's 2026 appointment as Archbishop of Denver, with Father Kyle Ingels serving as Diocesan Administrator.
- Bishop (vacant); Diocesan Administrator
- Sede vacante — Very Rev. Kyle Ingels, Diocesan Administrator (since March 26, 2026); fourth bishop pending appointment
- Established
- 1983
- Cathedral
- St. Mary's Cathedral, 26 W. Kiowa St., Colorado Springs, CO 80903
- Territory
- Ten counties in central and eastern Colorado: Chaffee, Cheyenne, Douglas, Elbert, El Paso, Kit Carson, Lake, Lincoln, Park, and Teller — covering roughly 15,560 square miles and organized into five deaneries (Cathedral, Metro North, Metro South, and others).
- Parishes
- 39 parishes and missions
- Province
- Archdiocese of Denver (Ecclesiastical Province of Denver)
Diocese Overview
Created in November 1983 by Pope John Paul II and canonically installed on January 30, 1984, the Diocese of Colorado Springs (Latin: Dioecesis Coloratensium Fontium) is a Latin-Rite diocese of the Roman Catholic Church covering ten counties in central and eastern Colorado. Its territory — Chaffee, Cheyenne, Douglas, Elbert, El Paso, Kit Carson, Lake, Lincoln, Park, and Teller — spans about 15,560 square miles and is home to approximately 190,000 Catholics served through 39 parishes and missions organized in five deaneries. The diocese is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Denver within the Province of Denver and is governed from the diocesan offices at 228 N. Cascade Ave., Colorado Springs, CO 80903.
- Established: November 10, 1983
- Cathedral: St. Mary's Cathedral, Colorado Springs
- Patroness: Our Lady of Guadalupe
- 39 parishes and missions
- Five deaneries
- Province of Denver
- Website: diocs.org
Diocesan Mission and Coat of Arms
The Diocesan Mission commits Catholics of Colorado Springs — 'led by our Bishop and in communion with our Holy Father the Pope' — to deepen union with Jesus Christ through worship, prayer, and formation, and to bring Christ to the world through word, witness, and service. Bishop Hanifen personally designed the diocesan coat of arms upon the diocese's creation in 1984: an azure field supports a snowcapped purple Pikes Peak (representing the 'mountain of the Lord' from Isaiah), the blue-and-silver waters of the springs (a baptismal sign of unity across diverse peoples, citing Ephesians 4:4–5), and three interlocking gold circles evoking Trinitarian mutuality, community, and prophecy.
- Mission: worship, formation, witness, service
- Arms emphasize Pikes Peak, waters of baptism, and Trinity
History and Erecting the Diocese
The diocese was erected on November 10, 1983 by Pope John Paul II, separating its counties from the Archdiocese of Denver and the Diocese of Pueblo. Auxiliary Bishop Richard C. Hanifen of Denver — already serving as vicar for the southern portion since 1976 — was named the first ordinary. On January 30, 1984, at Pikes Peak Center in downtown Colorado Springs, more than 20 visiting bishops, three abbots, and Vatican Nuncio Pio Laghi gathered for the installation Mass, which was broadcast live on KRDO and is remembered for the memorable moment when the bull establishing the diocese could not be located and Hanifen joked that it was 'cattle country.'
Past Bishops in Succession
Three bishops have led the diocese across four decades. Bishop Richard C. Hanifen (1983–2003) doubled Catholic population and parish count, launched The Catholic Herald, and championed ecumenism. Bishop Michael J. Sheridan (coadjutor from 2001, diocesan bishop 2003–2021) executed a major Vatican II-faithful renovation of the cathedral and oversaw the columbarium and the 2022 apse restoration. Bishop James R. Golka (2021–2026) strengthened Hispanic ministry and dedicated the first diocesan shrine in 2025 before his appointment as Archbishop of Denver by Pope Leo XIV. Father Kyle Ingels, formerly Director of Vocations and Vicar General, was elected Diocesan Administrator by the College of Consultors on March 26, 2026 to govern the diocese during the current sede vacante.
- Hanifen 1983–2003
- Sheridan 2003–2021 (coadjutor from 2001)
- Golka 2021–2026 — now Archbishop of Denver
- Father Kyle Ingels — Diocesan Administrator since March 26, 2026
Sede Vacante (2026)
Following Bishop Golka's installation as Archbishop of Denver on March 25, 2026, the Diocese of Colorado Springs became sede vacante. Per canon law, the College of Consultors elected Very Reverend Kyle T. Ingels as Diocesan Administrator on March 26, 2026 to maintain the diocese in proper direction until the Holy Father names a fourth bishop. Father Ingels also continues as parochial administrator of St. Paul Parish and hosts the diocesan podcast 'The Summit.'
St. Mary's Cathedral
St. Mary's Cathedral, at 26 W. Kiowa Street, is both the architectural heart of the diocese and the oldest Catholic parish in the Pikes Peak region — its roots reaching to Father Joseph P. Machebeuf's 1873 Mass in the Colorado Springs Gazette reading room. Designed in Gothic Revival by architects Pease & Barber, its lower church was dedicated on Palm Sunday 1891 at a cost of $12,000, and the upper church was dedicated December 19, 1898 at an additional $50,000. The bell towers arrived in 1902, the iconic 73-foot east steeple (the tallest church steeple in Colorado Springs) was completed in 1907, and limestone facings were added in 1930. Major 21st-century projects include the 2003 Vatican II–aligned interior renovation (rededicated May 31, 2003 by Bishop Sheridan), the 2005 opening of the cathedral columbarium, and the 2022 restoration of the apse and installation of a new main altar of Colorado-sourced Yule Marble. St. Mary's was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 3, 1982.
- First Mass in Colorado Springs 1873
- Gothic Revival, Pease & Barber
- NRHP listed 1982
- St. Mary's Cathedral Columbarium opened 2005
- Apse & main altar rededicated March 25, 2022
Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mother of the Divine Redeemer
On July 5, 2025, Bishop Golka dedicated the Diocese of Colorado Springs' first diocesan shrine — the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mother of the Divine Redeemer — at Divine Redeemer Church, 927 N. Logan Ave., Colorado Springs. Created through the merger of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish (founded 1948 by Theatine priests for the Spanish-speaking community) into the architecturally significant Vatican II–era Divine Redeemer Church, the shrine was established by episcopal decree on June 15, 2025 with a Capuchin Franciscan team (Father Alex Diaz as rector, Fathers Brandon Berg and Kevin Thompson as parochial vicars). The shrine offers Masses in English and Spanish each weekend, generous opportunities for the sacrament of reconciliation, and indulgences to pilgrims under the 2025 Jubilee Year designation of 'Pilgrims of Hope.' The Divine Redeemer School closed in May 2025 after nearly 70 years; the building will be reused for faith formation at the shrine.
- Dedicated July 5, 2025 by Bishop Golka
- First diocesan shrine in the diocese's history
- 927 N. Logan Ave., Colorado Springs
- Masses in English and Spanish each weekend
- Jubilee Year 2025 pilgrimage site
- Capuchin Franciscan leadership
Parishes, Deaneries, and Mass Times
The diocese serves 39 parishes and missions grouped into five deaneries (canonical geographic clusters), covering over 15,000 square miles. Use the diocesan website's Mass Finder to view Mass, confession, and adoration times by parish. Among the most prominent parishes: St. Mary's Cathedral (the mother church), Holy Apostles, Corpus Christi, St. Patrick, Sacred Heart, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Gabriel the Archangel, St. Peter (Monument), St. Paul (Colorado Springs), St. Joseph, Our Lady of the Pines (Black Forest), Holy Family (Leadville — the highest incorporated city in the U.S.), Our Lady of the Woods (Woodland Park), St. Mary Help of Christians (Castle Rock — actually served by a diocesan priest team), St. Benedict (Falcon), St. Andrew Kim (Korean Catholic community), The Catholic Center at the Citadel, and the Vietnamese Holy Martyrs Parish.
- Metro North, Metro South, and other deaneries
- St. Mary's Cathedral: 26 W. Kiowa St.
- Shrine: 927 N. Logan Ave.
- Daily and Sunday Masses across the diocese
- Confession and adoration scheduled per parish
Catholic Schools
Catholic education is overseen by the Office of Catholic Schools under Superintendent Sheila Whalen. The diocese supports a network of parish and regional Pre-K through 8th-grade schools forming 'missionary disciples for life and eternity,' in addition to independent Catholic high schools. Together the diocese reports providing religious education and formation to more than 9,012 students annually.
- Superintendent of Catholic Education: Sheila Whalen
- Diocesan Pre-K–8th grade schools
- St. Mary's High School (independent)
- Chesterton Academy of Our Lady of Walsingham
Catholic Charities of Central Colorado
Catholic Charities of Central Colorado is the social-service arm of the Diocese, serving anyone in need regardless of faith, race, gender, age, disability, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, or background. Covering Colorado Springs, Castle Rock, El Paso County, Douglas County, and surrounding Central Colorado communities, the agency assisted over 240,000 individuals and families in its most recent reporting year through food assistance (Marian House Kitchen, The Marketplace pantry, Castle Rock Pantry), housing support, counseling, family services, immigration legal help, rent and utility assistance, employment support, and emergency services — all rooted in Catholic Social Teaching.
- Marian House Kitchen
- The Marketplace food pantry
- Castle Rock Pantry
- Immigration legal services
- Counseling, housing, emergency aid
Franciscan Retreat Center at Mount St. Francis
Effective August 1, 2023, the Diocese of Colorado Springs assumed operation of the Franciscan Retreat Center on the Mount St. Francis campus at 7740 Deer Hill Grove, Colorado Springs 80919. With six conference spaces, a full-service cafeteria, and overnight accommodations for up to 70 people, the center is available for both daytime and overnight retreats. The diocese also opened the Padre Pio building on the same campus as a residence for a community of diocesan priests who minister throughout the city.
- Located at 7740 Deer Hill Grove, Colorado Springs 80919
- Phone: (719) 955-7025
- franciscanretreatcenter.org
- Assumed by diocese: August 1, 2023
Vocations and the Priesthood
The Office of Vocations discerns and forms future priests, with 21 seminarians currently in formation for the diocese. The diocese is served by 81 priests (active and retired), 87 permanent deacons, 2 religious brothers, and 60 religious sisters. Father Kyle Ingels formerly served as Director of Vocations before becoming Vicar General and Diocesan Administrator.
- 21 seminarians in formation
- 81 priests serving
- 87 permanent deacons
- 2 religious brothers, 60 religious sisters
Campus Ministry and Young Adult Ministry
Mountain Lion Catholic is the diocese's campus ministry serving University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) students, with Mass, Bible studies, free Supper & Topic nights throughout the academic year at the Newman Catholic Student Center (St. John Henry Newman Chapel and Catholic Student Center). The Diocesan Young Adult Ministry (YAM) accompanies Catholics in their late teens, 20s, and 30s through monthly programming that supports 'an ever-deeper encounter with Christ' in a peer community of faith.
- Mountain Lion Catholic (UCCS)
- St. John Henry Newman Chapel & Catholic Student Center
- Young Adult Ministry (YAM)
Hispanic Ministry / Ministerio Hispano
Implementing the USCCB's Encuentro y Misión framework, Hispanic Ministry identifies the needs of the rapidly growing Hispanic Catholic community across the diocese. The office coordinates Spanish-language Masses across parishes (the new Shrine is a flagship bilingual site), Hispanic lay movements, and the parish-based Programa de Formación en la Fe (Faith Formation Program in Spanish). Bishop Golka's fluency in Spanish shaped a decade of growth in this ministry.
- Encuentro y Misión
- Misas en Español
- Movimientos Laicos / Lay Movements
- Programa de Formación en la Fe
Prison and Jail Ministry
The Prison and Jail Ministry brings the love and mercy of God to the incarcerated through liturgical and sacramental services. Its primary mission is to offer hope to those in chaos and to treat every inmate with dignity, a particularly visible ministry in Colorado Springs given the concentration of state and federal correctional facilities within and adjacent to the diocese.
- Liturgical and sacramental services
- Operates in state and federal facilities across the diocese
Respect Life Apostolate and Walking with Moms in Need
The diocese operates a Respect Life Apostolate consistent with Catholic teaching on the dignity of every human life, including Walking with Moms in Need initiatives providing practical support to mothers in crisis pregnancies across the diocese. Walking with Moms in Need is highlighted on the diocesan website as a featured ministry resource.
- Walking with Moms in Need
- Parish-based and diocesan support resources
Saint Cecilia Schola Cantorum
The Saint Cecilia Schola Cantorum is a diocesan-sponsored youth choral program for grades K–12 that meets every Friday September through May at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Designed as 'a musical class for young Catholics that changes lives,' the program teaches music theory, sight-singing, parts-singing, liturgical understanding, and Latin pronunciation through a graded curriculum with written homework and final exams — equipping choristers to 'sing out fully, joyfully and confidently' at liturgies throughout their Catholic lives.
- K–12 diocesan choir
- Meets at the Shrine on Fridays Sept–May
- Graded music-theory and liturgical curriculum
Marriage and Family Life
The Office of Marriage and Family Life supports sacramental preparation, enrichment, and pastoral care for Catholic marriages and families across the diocese — coordinating with parishes to form engaged couples, support struggling marriages, and strengthen family spirituality through retreats, workshops, and resources.
- Pre-marriage preparation
- Marriage enrichment and healing
- Family spirituality resources
Bishop's Office and Diocesan Administration
The Bishop's Office is responsible for day-to-day administration of the diocese. With the see currently vacant, the Very Reverend Kyle T. Ingels — Diocesan Administrator — leads the office in continuity with the Bishop's directives. He was appointed Vicar General by Bishop Golka on July 1, 2024 and elected administrator on March 26, 2026.
- Chancery: 228 N. Cascade Ave.
- Phone: (719) 636-2345
- Diocesan Administrator: Father Kyle Ingels
The Catholic Herald and Communications
The Catholic Herald, the monthly diocesan newspaper launched in September 1984 by Bishop Hanifen, publishes news and feature coverage across the diocese — including the diocese's 40th-anniversary commemoration in 2024, the founding of the Shrine in 2025, and the 2026 sede vacante transition. The Herald also maintains online categories for Diocesan News, 40th Anniversary of the Diocese, and Administrator announcements.
- Launched September 1984 by Bishop Hanifen
- Online at diocs.org/Herald
Get Involved / Pilgrimages and Formed Resources
The diocese offers multiple pathways for the faithful to deepen their Catholic life: ForMED online faith-formation resources, parish and diocesan apps and podcasts, liturgical-season resources, diocesan pilgrimages and missionary trips (including Jubilee Year 2025 pilgrimages to the new Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe), and volunteer opportunities through Catholic Charities and parish ministries.
- Get Formed (online formation)
- Parish and diocesan mobile apps
- Jubilee Year 2025 pilgrimages
- Missionary trips
- Catholic Charities volunteering
