About St. Paul the Apostle · Pueblo West, Colorado
St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church is a Roman-Latin parish in Pueblo West, Colorado, belonging to the Diocese of Pueblo. The parish mission statement declares that the community is 'Strengthened by the Sacraments' and 'strives to serve God, family and country.' The parish offers two Sunday Masses (7:30 am and 10:30 am), a Saturday Vigil Mass, daily Mass Wednesday through Friday, Eucharistic Adoration on Wednesdays, Confession on Wednesdays and Saturdays, a robust Faith Formation program for all ages (including OCIA, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, EDGE middle school and Life Teen high school programs), and active ministries such as the Knights of Columbus, Legion of Mary, choirs, and a parish-sponsored bingo. Weekend Masses are live-streamed on YouTube, and the parish regularly publishes a weekly bulletin and bulletins archive online.
- Established
- 1986
- Patron
- St. Paul the Apostle
- Rector
- Father Edmundo Valera
- Diocese
- Diocese of Pueblo
Why belong here
St. Paul the Apostle is the only Catholic parish within Pueblo West, giving it a clear mission as the spiritual home for roughly 2,000 local Catholics. Worshippers can take part in two Sunday Masses plus a Saturday Vigil and daily Wednesday–Friday Mass, with weekend liturgies live-streamed on YouTube for those who cannot be present. The parish feeds faith formation across every age — Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for PreK–K, elementary classes, OCIA for adults, EDGE for middle schoolers, and Life Teen for high schoolers — and offers a deep devotional life including weekly Eucharistic Adoration on Wednesdays (with Divine Mercy Chaplet and confession) and First-Friday Adoration. Service and fellowship are lived out through the Knights of Columbus, the Legion of Mary, adult and youth choirs, a community-service coordinator, and parish-sponsored bingo that brings the community together.
Mass times at St. Paul the Apostle
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 4:45 PM – 5:45 PM (during Adoration; call to confirm)
- Saturday 3:15 PM – 3:45 PM (or by appointment)
Adoration times
- Wednesday 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM (with Divine Mercy Chaplet)
- Friday 9:00 AM – 10:00 PM (First Fridays)
Parish Identity & Mission
The parish identifies itself by a clear mission: 'Strengthened by the Sacraments, we the parishioners of St. Paul Catholic Church strive to serve God, family and country.' St. Paul the Apostle is the only Catholic parish located within Pueblo West and operates under the Diocese of Pueblo in the Roman-Latin rite. Its Sunday Mass schedule, weekday Masses, Adoration, and Confession times are published both on the parish website and through a weekly bulletin. The parish is bilingual, offering liturgy and formation in English and Spanish, and is recognized by GCatholic as a Jubilee Church for the Holy Year 2025.
- Diocese: Diocese of Pueblo
- Rite: Roman-Latin
- Languages: English and Spanish
- Designated Jubilee Church for Holy Year 2025
History & Building the New Church
St. Paul began in Pueblo West in 1986 as a mission church, gradually outgrowing its original building on Stardust Drive. For years, pastors and parishioners negotiated with the Pueblo West Metropolitan District for land to expand while fundraising for a new church. The original building was eventually sold and St. Paul's members worshipped at St. Pius X in Pueblo during construction of the new 17,500-square-foot facility on West Oro Grande Drive. Dedicated in November 2009 by Bishop Arthur Tafoya, the parish graduated from mission status to a full-fledged parish at the same ceremony.
- 1986 — Parish established as a mission church in Pueblo West
- Late 1990s — Parish already serving ~400 families in a ~260-seat church
- ~2006 — Original Stardust Drive building sold
- 2009 — New 17,500 sq. ft. church dedicated by Bishop Arthur Tafoya
- Msgr. Ed Nunez named pastor at the time of dedication
Architecture & Worship Space
The new church, designed by JP Architecture in a contemporary style, features a 350-seat sanctuary anchored by a 17-foot-tall granite piece supporting the Crucifix. Stained glass from the original building was placed near the altar, and the adjoining Day Chapel (80 seats, used as a children's area for Sunday services) holds new stained glass by Adducci Studio of Denver. The total project came in just under a $4 million budget. Mosaic-tile renditions of the Stations of the Cross line the back and side walls, and the surrounding windows are intended to be filled with stained glass in future phases.
- 350-seat sanctuary
- 80-seat Day Chapel
- 17-foot granite Crucifix
- Stations of the Cross in mosaic tile
- Stained glass from original building preserved near the altar
Clergy & Staff
The parish is currently led by Father Edmundo Valera, supported by two deacons, Phillip 'Blue' Medina and Patrick Byrne, and a broader staff that includes administrative, music, faith formation, and community-service roles. The parish office phone (719-647-1500) rings through to staff and to voicemail; the pastor can be reached directly at [email protected].
- Pastor: Father Edmundo Valera
- Deacon: Phillip 'Blue' Medina
- Deacon: Patrick Byrne
- Music Director: Lupe Gutierrez
- Religious Ed Coordinator K–6 and Sacramental Preparation: Gaylene Mehalovitz
- Youth Minister / Sacramental Preparation: Angela Racine
- Community Service Coordinator: Kate Raphael
- Bookkeeper: Diane DellaRocca
- Faith Formation Director: Jane Sandoval
Sacramental Life
Reconciliation is offered weekly on Wednesday evenings during Adoration and on Saturday afternoons before the Vigil Mass, with appointments available on request. The parish runs formal preparation programs for Baptism (including a pre-baptismal catechesis during pregnancy and for infants through age 8), First Eucharist (especially for First and Second graders), and Confirmation (alongside the Life Teen high-school program). Adults and children over 8 enter the OCIA process — a minimum two-year journey of formation that culminates in full initiation at the Easter Vigil.
- Confession Wed 4:45–5:45 PM and Sat 3:15–3:45 PM
- Baptismal Catechesis — Sept through Nov (also year-round for OCIA children)
- First Eucharist preparation (First & Second grade focus)
- Confirmation preparation (Life Teen)
- OCIA for adults and OCIA Adapted for Children (2+ years)
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Under the direction of Jane Sandoval, Faith Formation at St. Paul the Apostle aims to mold and transform young disciples through worship and service. Programs span age 4 through high school, with parallel support for parents. Elementary classes meet Sunday mornings; middle school EDGE and high school Life Teen combine the 12:45 PM Mass with relational faith activities until 4:00 PM. Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is offered at the PreK/Kindergarten level, with Sacramental Preparation layered in across the elementary years and OCIA serving older children and adults.
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (PreK–K)
- Elementary Faith Formation — Sundays 9:15–10:30 AM (ages 4–6th grade)
- EDGE Middle School — Sundays (begins with 12:45 PM Mass, ends 4:00 PM)
- Life Teen High School — Sundays (begins with 12:45 PM Mass, ends 4:00 PM)
- OCIA & OCIA Adapted for Children
- Parents Continuing Faith
Music & Liturgical Arts
The parish is blessed with both a children's/youth choir and an adult choir. The adult choir, under Music Director Lupe Gutierrez, provides a rich and comforting musical presence throughout the liturgical year, while the youth choir under Susan Kinnischtzke brings joyful sound to family Masses. The Audio & Visual Ministry ensures that all congregation members can hear clearly and follow along via on-screen scripture and lyrics, and it manages the parish YouTube livestream.
- Adult Choir — Music Director Lupe Gutierrez
- Youth Choir — Director Susan Kinnischtzke
- Audio & Visual Ministry (sound system, on-screen lyrics, livestream)
Parish Ministries & Service
Service and fellowship at St. Paul the Apostle are organized around several long-standing groups. The Knights of Columbus sponsor parish-wide events and bingo. The Legion of Mary meets Tuesdays at 5:30 PM and offers both active and auxiliary forms of membership, with weekly apostolic work that includes visits to the sick and homebound and collaboration on parish-wide missions. A Community Service Coordinator (Kate Raphael) helps parishioners respond to needs locally and beyond — including past collection drives for firefighters and evacuees affected by area wildfires.
- Knights of Columbus — bingo and parish service
- Legion of Mary — meets Tuesdays 5:30 PM
- Community Service Coordinator — Kate Raphael
- Audio & Visual volunteers
Parish Life: Bingo & Fellowship
Knights of Columbus-sponsored bingo is an unusual and beloved feature of parish life at St. Paul the Apostle. Games run Wednesdays at 12:00 PM, Fridays from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM, and on the 1st Sunday of every month at 5:00 PM, all played at the Bingo Casino. Beyond bingo, the parish uses its weekly bulletin, social media, and active website to keep parishioners connected, and events such as the parish's traditional Living Last Supper during Lent bring the community together in prayer.
- Wednesday Bingo 12:00 PM
- Friday Bingo 12:00–4:00 PM
- 1st Sunday of Month Bingo 5:00 PM
- Annual Living Last Supper during Lent
- Weekly bulletin (online archive available)
Contact, Office & Communications
The parish office is open Tuesday from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM and Wednesday–Friday from 9:30 AM to 1:00 PM; the office phone is (719) 647-1500 (fax 719-647-1525). Worshippers can also stay connected through the live-streamed weekend Masses on YouTube and the regular parish bulletin, both linked from the homepage of apostlepaulpw.com.
- Office hours: Tue 9 AM–1 PM; Wed–Fri 9:30 AM–1 PM
- Phone: (719) 647-1500
- Fax: (719) 647-1525
- Website: https://www.apostlepaulpw.com/
- Live-streamed Masses on YouTube
- Weekly bulletin published online
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. J. William Hubermid-1990s–~2006
Pastor of St. Pius X in Pueblo who also shepherded St. Paul the Apostle mission in Pueblo West; led the multi-year effort to acquire land and build a new, larger church; ministered to St. Paul's congregation at St. Pius X for three-plus years while the new church was under construction.
- Msgr. Ed Nunez~2009
Named St. Paul the Apostle's new pastor in time for the November 2009 dedication of the new church by Bishop Arthur Tafoya.
- Father Edmundo Valeracurrent
Current pastor listed on parish staff page (contact: [email protected]).