St. Pius X

OUR PARISH HISTORY

St. Pius X Catholic Church in Pueblo, CO was created in 1954. Members of the parish originally met at the old VFW Hall on Pueblo's North Elizabeth Street. The current church, located at 3130 Morris Ave. was opened in 1956. The church operated as one of Pueblo’s parochial grade schools from 1956 to 1970. The parish and the school drew its numbers from the young, developing northside neighborhood that expanded Pueblo’s boundaries to the north and west. In addition, the church served from 1972 to 1986 as the parish home for Catholic families of Pueblo West. Eventually, St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church was built in Pueblo West and continued as a mission of St. Pius X until 2009. The current church building originally was intended to be a gymnasium for the school. It was used for church services until the planned church building could be built. Those plans changed when then-Bishop Charles Buswell decided to close all the Catholic schools in Pueblo in the early 1970s. That decision negated the need for a gymnasium, and the building was converted into the church sanctuary that the parishioners use to this day. The school, which was located under the gym, has now been converted into storage space. Other changes were in store for the church. The church was decorated with stained-glass windows, including a large three-panel main window on the west wall. In addition, the interior of the church includes several other stained-glass windows. Along the side walls are depictions in stained glass of the traditional 15 mysteries of the rosary. The church features a courtyard area for prayer, meditation and outdoor services. Adjacent to it is an outdoor Way of the Cross, which is available at any time of day or night along an outdoor walkway. It is constructed of copper and rainbow granite. Also, a parish hall was built adjacent to the church building in 1993. At that time, the church’s cornerstone was taken out and was put on display on the church grounds. With a capacity of 280 people and handicap accessible, the hall has given St. Pius X versatility in hosting events. St. Pius X was a pope in the early 20th century who promoted communion for children and frequent communion by adults to counter the period of time since the 900s when people felt too unworthy to be united to God in such an intimate way. Pius X was canonized a saint for those efforts and others.

PARISH STAFF

• Administrator: Fr. Emmanuel
• Deacon: Roy Stringfellow
• Office Manager: Pat Montelongo
• Director of Religious Education: Belinda Castro
• Bookkeeper: Nanci Welte
• Music Director: Susan Kiminski
• Maintenance/Custodial: Daniel Molina/Deneen DeHerrera

SACRAMENTS

Sacraments are outward signs instituted by Christ, and entrusted to the Church, to give grace. The sacraments are efficacious (effective) signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us. The visible rites by which the sacraments are celebrated signify and make present the graces proper to each sacrament. Sacraments are “powers that comes forth” from the Body of Christ, which is ever-living and life-giving.(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1116) The Church has never wavered in its belief that the seven sacraments are not something invented by popes and bishops, but are an authentic teaching handed down to his apostles by Jesus Christ. The seven sacraments are: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist (Sacraments of Initiation), Matrimony, Holy Orders (Sacraments of Service), Reconciliation, and Anointing of the Sick (Sacraments of Healing). “The seven sacraments touch all the stages and all the important moments of Christian life; they give birth and increase, healing and mission to the Christian’s life of faith. There is a certain resemblance between the stages of natural life and the stages of the spiritual life.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1210)