About Saint John XXIII (Colorado State University) · Fort Collins, Colorado
Saint John XXIII Catholic Church (often branded "RamCatholic") is a personal parish of the Archdiocese of Denver located at 1220 University Avenue in Fort Collins, Colorado, directly across the street from the Colorado State University campus. Founded in 1969, it is a parish without traditional territorial boundaries — its unique mission is to evangelize the CSU campus and serve the spiritual needs of the university's staff, faculty, students, and other college-age young adults in Fort Collins. The parish offers a full schedule of daily and Sunday Masses (including a Traditional Latin Mass), regular confession, perpetual-style adoration, and an active campus ministry supported by a large FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) missionary team.
- Established
- 1969
- Patron
- Saint John XXIII (Pope John XXIII, canonized 2014)
- Rector
- Fr. Joseph Lajoie
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Denver
Why belong here
St. John XXIII is a personal parish without territorial boundaries, so anyone — student or not — can register and make it their spiritual home. Registered parishioners are explicitly considered partners in the parish's distinctive mission of bringing the Gospel to the CSU campus: parishioners are asked to think of the parish as their home and the students as important guests, welcoming them, walking with them through life's highs and lows, and modeling faithful Catholic life. The parish sustains that mission with a rich sacramental life (daily Mass, Traditional Latin Mass, frequent confession, weekday adoration, and a daily rosary) and an unusually large FOCUS missionary team dedicated to Bible studies, outreach, mission trips, and small-group discipleship on campus.
Mass times at Saint John XXIII (Colorado State University)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday: 8:30am
- Wednesday: 8:30am
- Thursday: 8:30am
- Friday: 8:30am
- Saturday: 8:00–8:50am
- Saturday: 2:30–3:30pm
- Monday: No Mass or Confession
Adoration times
- Adoration Chapel: Monday–Friday, 8:30am–8:00pm
- Saturday morning adoration: 8:00am–8:50am
Our Parish Story
Saint John XXIII was approved by the Archdiocese of Denver on August 12, 1967 to serve the Catholic students, staff, and faculty of Colorado State University, with Fr. Leonard Urban as its first pastor. The multi-use John XXIII Center was completed in the fall of 1969 on land donated largely by Tom and Ginnie Gleason, while Sunday Mass was held on campus and daily Mass at Fr. Leonard's rented rectory during the two years of construction. Fr. Rocco Porter became pastor in 2011 and coined the name 'Ram Catholic' for the campus ministry; the parish was renamed Saint John XXIII in 2014 when Pope John XXIII was canonized, and Fr. Joseph Lajoie took over as pastor in August 2022.
- Approved Aug 12, 1967 by the Archdiocese of Denver
- Center completed fall 1969
- Fr. Leonard Urban — first pastor
- Fr. Rocco Porter — pastor 2011 to July 2022; coined 'Ram Catholic'
- Renamed from 'Blessed John XXIII' to 'Saint John XXIII' in 2014
- Fr. Joseph Lajoie became pastor August 2022
Mission, Purpose & Identity
St. John XXIII describes itself as a personal parish whose mission is to deepen discipleship in Jesus Christ and to bring Him to the CSU campus and to other college-age students in Fort Collins. Unlike territorial parishes, St. John XXIII has no traditional boundaries; rather than drawing members from a geographic area, it serves the unique needs of those associated with CSU while welcoming all who seek a home there. In his pastor's letter, Fr. Joseph Lajoie frames the parish as existing to glorify the Father, worship the Son, and live in communion through the Holy Spirit — engaging, as a community, in 'the spiritual battle for holiness.'
- Personal parish (no territorial boundaries)
- Primary mission: evangelize the CSU campus
- Welcomes all who seek a home at the parish
- Parishioners asked to treat students as honored guests in the parish's 'home'
Becoming a Parishioner
Because St. John XXIII is a personal parish, anyone can register rather than being assigned by geography. The parish asks permanent parishioners to be partners in the campus mission — welcoming students, modeling Catholic family life, and supporting the parish with time, talent, and treasure. Registration is recommended as the best way to stay connected to parish life and communications.
- Open registration for permanent parishioners
- Parishioners partner with clergy and staff in campus mission
- Registration keeps you connected to parish communications and events
Ram Catholic Campus Ministry
Ram Catholic is the name given to the parish's campus ministry program by Fr. Rocco Porter in 2011. The program has grown continuously since 1969 and now includes soup suppers, ski trips, service projects, retreats, Bible studies, outreach events, and mission trips. It is led on the staff side by a Director of Campus Ministry and a Coordinator of Campus Ministry and supported by a large FOCUS missionary team living out on or near campus.
- Name coined by Fr. Rocco Porter in 2011
- Soup suppers, ski trips, retreats, service projects, mission trips
- Bible studies and outreach events
- Director of Campus Ministry: Tynan Bollinger
- Coordinator of Campus Ministry: Mary Grace Curran
FOCUS Missionaries
St. John XXIII partners with FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students), a national Catholic outreach whose primary mission is to share the hope and joy of the Gospel with college students. FOCUS missionaries are trained in Church teaching, prayer, Scripture, evangelization and discipleship, and they accompany students through Bible studies, outreach events, mission trips, and small-group discipleship. The CSU team is one of the larger FOCUS teams deployed to a U.S. campus.
- FOCUS Team Director: Brandon Holy
- FOCUS Greek Missionary: Cate Holy
- FOCUS Greek Outreach Coordinator: Camille Zarycki
- FOCUS Greek Outreach Coordinator: Jackson Turman
- Other missionaries: Hannah Steadman, Kaley Keefner, Cruz Keefner, Brady Zink, Casandra T.
Student Life Outreach
Beyond general campus ministry, St. John XXIII runs targeted outreach to specific groups of CSU students. The Varsity Catholic effort reaches student-athletes with mentorship in faith and sport, while the Catholics in Greek Life ministry supports sorority and fraternity members. The parish has a long-standing partnership with the Phi Kappa Theta fraternity on the CSU campus.
- Varsity Catholic — student athletes (Brandon Holy, FOCUS Varsity Catholic Coordinator)
- Catholics in Greek Life — sororities and fraternities
- Phi Kappa Theta fraternity partnership (Instagram @csuphikaps, facebook.com/csuphikaps)
- Fraternity/sorority Bible studies available
Becoming Catholic (OCIA)
Those interested in learning more about the Catholic Church or becoming Catholic are invited to Catholicism 101 / OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) on Wednesdays at 6:30pm when school is in session. Inquiries can be directed to the parish's sacraments email address.
- Catholicism 101 / OCIA — Wednesdays 6:30pm during the school year
- Contact: [email protected]
Clergy & Staff
The parish is led by Pastor Fr. Joseph Lajoie, with Fr. Michael Freihofer serving as Parochial Vicar. Lay staff include a Director of Campus Ministry, Coordinator of Campus Ministry, Director of Communications, Parish Accountant, and a Coordinator of Development, supported by the parish's large FOCUS missionary team.
- Fr. Joseph Lajoie — Pastor
- Fr. Michael Freihofer — Parochial Vicar
- Tynan Bollinger — Director of Campus Ministry
- Mary Grace Curran — Coordinator of Campus Ministry
- Brandon Holy — FOCUS Team Director
- Emma Dolan — Director of Communications
- Granger Stimpson — Development
- Vince Byrne — Parish Accountant
Visit, Contact & Church Hours
The parish office is on the south side of the narthex, just past the restrooms, and is open Monday through Thursday, 8:00am to 4:00pm. Church hours expand when CSU is in session and contract during summer and breaks. The building is across the street from CSU and has a large adjacent parking lot.
- Parish office: Mon–Thu 8:00am–4:00pm
- Phone: (970) 484-3356
- Across the street from CSU; large parking lot
- Spanish-language site available at saintjohn.church/es
Vision for the Future
St. John XXIII has published a long-range vision for redevelopment of its CSU-facing property. Plans call for a new Romanesque-style church built on a cruciform plan with a narthex, nave, apse, transepts, and a soaring bell tower; a main altar for the Roman Rite with side chapels for the Byzantine and Tridentine Masses; a broad piazza with a bronze statue of Saint Michael the Archangel in a central water fountain; a multi-level parking structure wrapped around a welcoming Newman Center and parish offices; and a 600-bed Catholic student housing complex to be developed with Blackbird Investments along the western edge of the property at City Park Drive.
- New Romanesque-style church with bell tower
- Side chapels for Byzantine and Tridentine Masses
- Piazza with bronze St. Michael the Archangel statue and fountain
- 600-bed Catholic student housing with Blackbird Investments
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Leonard Urban1969 (first pastor)
First pastor of then-Blessed John XXIII University Parish; oversaw planning and construction of the John XXIII Center completed in 1969.
- Fr. Rocco Porter2011–July 2022
Coined the name 'Ram Catholic' for the campus ministry program and built up campus ministry; oversaw the 2014 re-naming to Saint John XXIII when Pope John XXIII was canonized.
- Fr. Joseph LajoieAugust 2022–present
Current pastor; former CSU student, ordained December 2013, previously parochial vicar at St. Stephen Protomartyr in Glenwood Springs and Light of the World in Littleton, and pastor of Sacred Heart in Denver.