About St. Leander · Pueblo, Colorado
St. Leander Catholic Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in the East Side neighborhood of Pueblo, Colorado, belonging to the Diocese of Pueblo. Founded in 1902 as a Benedictine mission, the parish serves approximately 990 registered families and offers Mass in both English and Spanish, along with weekday and Saturday services in its Guadalupe Chapel. The parish is known for its strong Hispanic community life (roughly 75-80% Hispanic), its Society of St. Vincent de Paul outreach, faith formation for children, and a tradition of pastoral care for the sick and homebound.
- Established
- 1902
- Patron
- St. Leander of Seville (6th-century Archbishop of Seville, Benedictine monk, Doctor of the Church)
- Rector
- Fr. Hugo França (Parochial Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Pueblo
Why belong here
St. Leander is a multigenerational East Side parish where many families have been registered for generations — staff and parishioners still field calls from across the country from descendants wanting to marry or baptize children in their family church. The parish offers seven Masses a week (English and Spanish), a robust faith formation program for children, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul for direct aid to neighbors in need, a Pastoral Care Ministry bringing Holy Communion to the homebound, and Operation Rice Bowl during Lent. With weekday Mass in the Guadalupe Chapel, regular Eucharistic Adoration, and Saturday confessions, it is a welcoming community anchored by a 1926 Spanish Colonial Revival church.
Mass times at St. Leander
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
- Or by appointment during the week
Adoration times
- Sunday 8:00 AM – 8:30 AM
- Thursday 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM
- Saturday 4:30 PM – 5:00 PM
Parish History
St. Leander Parish was established in 1902 by the Benedictine community in Pueblo's East Side neighborhood. For more than twenty years, Mass was celebrated in the basement of Benedictine College, which the order had built just west of the present church. In 1914 the congregation built a grade school east of the college, and by the early 1920s the growing parish needed its own church building. Construction began in 1925 on what is now the present church using a blueprint from a Colorado Springs church to economize; the project was estimated at $50,000 and was so tight that Father Edmund Butz, OSB reportedly took family loans to finish it. The church was consecrated April 7, 1926 and blessed on Easter Sunday 1926.
- Established 1902 by the Benedictine community
- First pastor: Father Agatho Strittmatter, OSB
- Staffed by Benedictine priests from 1902 to 1973
- School opened 1914, closed 1971 with diocesan schools
- Church consecrated April 7, 1926; blessed Easter Sunday 1926
Architecture and Buildings
The present church is a Spanish Colonial Revival-style building constructed in 1925-1926 using blueprints from a Colorado Springs church to economize. A rectory was added in 1952, and in 1956 the parish hall was built and the school was remodeled. Both the church and the former school building have been part of efforts to designate them as Pueblo city landmarks, recognized as significant anchors of the East Side.
- Spanish Colonial Revival-style design
- Rectory added 1952
- Parish hall built 1956
- School building remodeled 1956
- Pursued as city landmarks for redevelopment
St. Leander of Seville
The parish is named for St. Leander, a 6th-century Benedictine monk who became Archbishop of Seville, Spain. He is recognized as a Doctor of the Church and was instrumental in the conversion of the Visigoths from Arianism to Nicene Christianity. His feast day is celebrated on February 27.
- 6th-century Archbishop of Seville
- Benedictine monk
- Doctor of the Church
- Feast day: February 27
Parish Staff
St. Leander is currently led by Fr. Hugo França as Parochial Administrator, with Fr. Mike Lacey in residence. The parish staff also includes a Permanent Deacon, liturgical assistant, office manager, finance manager, facilities coordinator, religious education coordinator, and a team of office volunteers and maintenance staff.
- Fr. Hugo França — Parochial Administrator
- Fr. Mike Lacey — In Residence
- Deacon Victor Silveira — Permanent Deacon
- Raymond Solis — Liturgical Assistant
- Margarita Guevara — Office Manager
- Eva Lowe — Finance
- Amber Martinez — Facilities
- Rebecca Martinez — Religious Ed Coordinator
- Hope Vaquera — Office Volunteer
- Diana Gregory — Office Volunteer
- Trudy Miller — Office Volunteer
- Moises Avina — Maintenance
Mass and Liturgy
The parish celebrates seven Masses each week. The Sunday 8:30 AM Mass in English is also livestreamed on the parish's Facebook page. A 12:30 PM Sunday Mass is celebrated in Spanish, serving the parish's large Hispanic community. A Saturday 5:00 PM Vigil Mass fulfills the Sunday obligation, and Tuesday through Friday Masses are celebrated at 8:00 AM in the Guadalupe Chapel.
- Sunday 8:30 AM (English) — livestreamed on Facebook
- Sunday 12:30 PM (Spanish)
- Saturday 5:00 PM Vigil (English)
- Tuesday–Friday 8:00 AM in Guadalupe Chapel
Faith Formation and Religious Education
St. Leander runs a parish Religious Education program for children, coordinated by Rebecca Martinez, covering First Communion, Confirmation preparation, and RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults). Classes use the former school building and the parish hall, which also host youth activities and Bible study.
- Religious Ed Coordinator: Rebecca Martinez
- First Communion preparation
- Confirmation preparation
- RCIA classes
- Youth activities
- Bible study groups
Outreach and Charity
Outreach is at the heart of St. Leander's identity, with three main ministries focused on serving neighbors in need — the Society of St. Vincent de Paul for direct material assistance, a Pastoral Care Ministry for the sick and homebound, and Operation Rice Bowl each Lent in partnership with Catholic Relief Services.
- Society of St. Vincent de Paul — emergency food, groceries, clothing, rent, utilities
- Pastoral Care Ministry — Communion visits, prayer, Anointing of the Sick
- Operation Rice Bowl — Lenten CRS hunger program
Society of St. Vincent de Paul
St. Leander's SVdP conference is a community of faith-filled volunteers who offer direct, personal, confidential assistance to neighbors struggling with basic needs. Guided by the spirit of St. Vincent de Paul, the team serves with love, humility, and fellowship.
- Emergency food assistance and grocery gift cards
- Clothing, rent, and utility support
- Holiday and seasonal giving programs for families
Pastoral Care Ministry
Pastoral Care Ministers bring Holy Communion, prayer, and companionship to parishioners who are homebound, elderly, ill, or living in hospitals and care facilities. They help coordinate the Anointing of the Sick and Reconciliation when needed, embodying the Corporal Work of Mercy to visit the sick.
- Bring Holy Communion to homes, care homes, and hospitals
- Prayer and companionship visits
- Coordinates Anointing of the Sick and Reconciliation
- Training and support provided to new volunteers
Operation Rice Bowl
Each Lent the parish distributes CRS Rice Bowls for parishioners to collect sacrificial offerings, then returns them the Sunday after Easter. The program supports Catholic Relief Services' global hunger and poverty programs and local hunger initiatives in the Diocese.
- Lenten prayer, fasting, and giving
- Cardboard rice bowls distributed before Ash Wednesday
- Supports CRS global hunger programs
- CRS daily reflections and meatless recipes
Missions and East Side Community
St. Leander has been a mother parish for two East Side mission communities. St. Anne's Church in the Eastwood Heights neighborhood was founded in 1961 as a mission of St. Leander, and Our Lady of Guadalupe at 814 E. Second Street was later established as a second mission. Our Lady of Guadalupe remains the only active mission of St. Leander today.
- St. Anne's (Eastwood Heights) — mission founded 1961
- Our Lady of Guadalupe (814 E. Second Street) — active mission
- Roughly 75–80% Hispanic community today
- About 990 registered families (as of centennial reporting)
Remembering Fathers Scheets and Stovik
In 1996 two of the parish's priests, Fathers Thomas Scheets and Louis Stovik, were murdered in the rectory by a parishioner suffering from schizophrenia. The parish responded with faith and resilience; today a large weathered-steel memorial in the rectory yard, featuring busts of both priests and a commemorative plaque, keeps their memory present at the heart of parish life.
- Fathers Thomas Scheets and Louis Stovik, murdered 1996
- Weathered-steel memorial with busts and plaque
- Inscription: 'Father, bless those who gave us our daily…'
Visiting and Contact
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office at (719) 544-8411 or by email at [email protected]. The parish is located at 1402 East 7th Street, Pueblo, CO 81001. Sunday Mass is livestreamed on the parish Facebook page for those unable to attend in person.
- Address: 1402 E. 7th St., Pueblo, CO 81001
- Phone: (719) 544-8411
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Tue–Thu 9:30 AM–4:00 PM; Fri 9:30 AM–2:00 PM
- Sunday Mass livestreamed on Facebook
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Agatho Strittmatter, OSB1902–
First pastor of the parish; led the Benedictine mission that began in the basement of Benedictine College.
- Father Edmund Butz, OSBmid-1920s
Oversaw construction of the present church; reportedly took personal loans from family to complete the building.
- Father Thomas Scheetsserved in 1996
One of two priests murdered in the rectory in 1996; memorialized on parish grounds.
- Father Louis Stovikserved in 1996
One of two priests murdered in the rectory in 1996; memorialized on parish grounds.
- Father Ben Bacinoas of 2002
Had been at St. Leander for three years at the parish's 100th anniversary in 2002.
- Rev. Tony Wojcinskias of 2009
Pastor as of the 2009 East Side feature; discussed parish demographics and architecture.
- Rev. Charles A. Senarecent
Listed as pastor by churchesinusa.com.