Archbishop Golka: “The Church stands with immigrants”

IN INTERVIEW| Archbishop James R. Golka with Jesús Sánchez Meleán, editor of El Comercio de Colorado. (Photo/Sergio Dominguez-El Comercio de Colorado)

INTERVIEW WITH THE NEW ARCHBISHOP OF DENVER

Newsroom El Comercio de Colorado

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In an exclusive interview with El Comercio de Colorado, the new Archbishop of Denver, Bishop James R. Golka, shared details of his recent meeting with Pope Leo XIV, highlighted his fluency in Spanish learned in Guatemala, and reaffirmed his commitment to the Latino community, asserting that “the Church stands with immigrants.”

Jesús Sánchez Meleán: What is your message for the Latino Catholic community in Colorado?

Archbishop James Golka: I am very happy to be here with you. God has a plan for us together. I have a lot of love for the Hispanic community; for me, it is a gift to offer Mass in Spanish. It is a gift in my life. We are here together as brothers and sisters, and my desire is for us to walk together toward the Kingdom of God. He has a big plan for us, especially in this time of fears and difficulties. The Church is here with us to help us place our trust in Jesus.

JSM: What do you miss most about Colorado Springs?

AJG: I loved being a priest in western Nebraska for 27 years, so it took me a little time to adapt to being a bishop in Colorado Springs, a place I came to love. It is a beautiful diocese with wonderful people. I loved living right next to the mountains. After four and a half years, I finally came to know every parish, every priest, and many of the Catholic leaders. I felt that we finally had a good relationship and were ready for whatever God had in store next.

Archbishop Golka: “The Church stands with immigrants”

JSM: We know that God disposes, but in the meantime, what priorities do you wish to execute here?

AJG: I want to continue the work started by Archbishop Aquila and his team: how do we prepare missionary disciples for an apostolic age? We are all called to be missionaries; God has a mission and a plan for each of us to go out into the world. We live in an era where we can no longer assume that people know Jesus. We want to equip every Catholic to do that.

Second, I want to invest heavily in caring for our priests; I want them to be healthy, happy, and holy. If they have all the support they need, our parishes will reflect that same vitality; conversely, if priests do not grow in holiness, the parish won’t either. That is why I want to support our priests.

And third, we have 150 people working for the archdiocese. I want every single one of us to be focused on how we support our parishes and Catholic schools. If people call us, we must be able to help and back them up so they do not feel alone. Together, we can provide them with the support they need to thrive and be more faithful witnesses of Jesus Christ. For now, those are the things closest to my heart.

Monseñor Golka “La iglesia está con los inmigrantes”

JSM: What do you consider to be the main challenge in the Archdiocese of Denver?

AJG: On a spiritual level, our main challenge is simply to trust God more. I want every Catholic and Christian to do that and draw closer to our Lord. We talk about it, but how much time do we actually dedicate to it? All Catholics agree that praying is a good idea, but are we truly all praying?

On a practical level, the archdiocese has launched many great initiatives to help us grow in faith, but how do we fund them? Our budget and finances are always a question mark: how are we good stewards of what God has given us? The constant question is how to be good stewards of all the financial resources received to use them for God and His Kingdom.

And on a political level, we are in a difficult state right now regarding abortion, immigration, and detention centers. Those are very real and human challenges for us, but they are also part of our faith. How do we let Jesus Christ guide us in all those areas?

Archbishop Golka: “The Church stands with immigrants”

JSM: What is the role of the Catholic Church in addressing a complex issue like migration?

AJG: The role of the Church is to accompany people. We know that the issue of immigration is very difficult. People have the right to leave and seek refuge if their own country or place is not safe for them, and we know that nations have a duty to protect their borders and enforce their laws.

But as Christians and Catholics, when there is a person next to us in need, helping them is not optional: we must care for them as best as we can. I want our Church to be equipped to accompany families who are afraid, families who are divided, or those who do not know what will happen next.

We have a strong organization like Catholic Charities here to assist them. But every Catholic is called to do so. Who is your neighbor, do you know them, and do you care about them? I think it starts there, and then we turn to our Lord. Jesus accompanies His people; He wants to care for everyone, especially those who are afraid, suffering, sick, or impoverished. We are called to let Him work through us to care for those people. I believe we have a lot of work to do in this area.

Archbishop Golka: “The Church stands with immigrants”

JSM: You recently visited Pope Leo XIV and received your pallium. Could you share an anecdote or detail from your conversation with the Holy Father?

AJG: What a humbling moment to stand before the Holy Father; I never thought that would happen to me. The day I received the pallium, I expected him to greet me in Latin, but he called me by name and spoke to me in English “with a Chicago accent.”

I never expected that from a Holy Father, so in that moment I just told him, “I thank God for you every day.” The next day I had an audience with him, and it was like talking to your favorite parish priest: he was humble, approachable, kind, very affable, devout, thoughtful, eager to build bridges and help, and super intelligent. I had 30 minutes and took advantage of every single one. It was wonderful to speak with your spiritual father.

JSM: Did you have the opportunity to invite the Pope to visit Denver?

AJG: Yes, I dropped a hint about when he might visit the United States again. It’s complex for him being an American Pope, so he has to evaluate when and how he would come to the US. We joked about it, but I knew I couldn’t extend an official invitation just yet. However, he knows Denver, knows us well, and cares deeply about us.

JSM: Where did you learn Spanish?

AJG: In Guatemala when I was a seminarian. I studied for six months because my desire was to offer Mass in Spanish and accompany the Hispanics living in Nebraska, my home state. It is important for the Church to be here with immigrants.