Parish History

January 30th:

St. Patrick’s Respect Life Crafters have served the needs of struggling young mothers for 35+ years, donating their time and talents by knitting and crocheting gifts for newborn babies. Drawing from the skills of their members, they expanded their original focus on baby blankets for the Life Support Center at Catholic Charities of Central Colorado to add baby hats and booties.

When a new member who had moved from Ohio shared a prayer blanket she had received with the group, they added prayer blankets and shawls for people facing medical challenges. Each blanket had a special prayer and cross attached.

Seven years ago, the group again expanded their charity efforts by creating gifts of fleece blankets for children who may have never had a blanket of their own, and sewing doll clothes for distribution through our Christmas giving tree project.

St. Patrick’s Knights of Columbus Council 9993 contributed funds for yarn and materials.

Meeting every other week for three hours, the Respect Life Crafters enjoyed their work, shared meals together, and socialized. Their work has touched the hearts of young mothers, those facing serious medical issues, and families struggling to provide for their families at Christmas, both within our parish and across the diocese. Are you called to use your talent in the domestic arts to serve others with the Respect Life Crafters?

January 23rd:

John the Baptist challenged the newly baptized to “produce good fruits as evidence of their repentance.” The crowds asked, “What then should we do?” He told them “Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise.” (Luke 3:8-11) St. Patrick parishioners have reflected on God’s bounty and generously served others for 40 years. Below are some of the ways.

St. Patrick’s Parish Pantry provided food, baby diapers, and personal hygiene items on Fridays. Parish children contributed food during the weekly offertory. St. Vincent de Paul Society volunteers met with struggling families and helped them address their needs. Parishioners contributed Holiday Food Baskets at Thanksgiving and Christmas, and provided children’s clothing and toys through our Giving Tree. Respect Life Crafters engaged those who crochet, knit or sew, providing baby blankets, caps, and booties to our diocesan Life Support Center, and prayer blankets to those with serious illness or recovering from major surgery. Our Military Outreach Ministry collected professional clothing to aid veterans interviewing for/transitioning to civilian jobs. Our youth collected school supplies for children in need, and food, socks, underwear and baby diapers for the Los Pobres Migrant Center. Parish volunteers worked at the Marian House Kitchen feeding the homeless and working poor. Our Homeless Outreach Ministry served breakfasts at the Salvation Army. Parishioners provided Meals for the Homebound and Funeral Meals for grieving families.

How do you respond to St. John the Baptist’s stewardship and discipleship challenge?  

January 16th:

In January 2006, the Fostering Hope program was initiated to explore the impact of creating support teams at Colorado Springs churches to serve as extended families for overextended foster parents to enrich the lives of foster children and provide occasional respite for foster parents. St. Patrick formed one team in 2007, later expanding to three.

Each team member completed a background check and diocesan Safe Environment Training. Team members met monthly with their assigned foster parents to determine what support was needed, drawing upon individual team member giftedness and interests. For some it was helping with homework, organizing a birthday party, taking the kids for a hike or to a movie, or preparing a meal for the children at their home, allowing the foster parents to enjoy a “date night.”

By sharing their time, talent, unconditional acceptance and concern for young people, Fostering Hope Team members provided individualized support and temporary caregiving that reduced stress on foster parents and provided personalized attention to children and youth helping them to thrive. As children in foster care are adopted or “age out,” teams and families change. Is this a place where you feel called to serve?

January 9th:

Most Catholics are familiar with the “three T’s of Stewardship: time, talent and treasure.” Vincentian priest Rev. Mark Pranaitis, CM, PhD, who served as Director of Stewardship and Development for the Diocese of Colorado Springs from August 2004-April 2007, added a fourth T: Touch. He noted that people are changed forever when they encounter and establish a personal connection to the people they are serving first-hand.

Several of St. Patrick’s charitable ministries connect parishioners directly with those they serve, including our Stephen Ministry providing one-on-one caring support to those going through challenging times, volunteers who prepare and serve meals at the Marian House Kitchen, workers participating in Habitat for Humanity house “builds,” and parishioners providing food and staples to the needy through our parish Food Pantry.

One of our direct service ministries founded in August 2003 is our St. Vincent de Paul Society of St. Patrick’s. Begun by Deacon Jim Bachta and his wife Bonnie with Deacon Dick Brown, this ministry is modeled after the work of a 17th Century priest and provides both material and spiritual assistance to those in need.

A hallmark of this ministry is that pairs of parish volunteers actually visit the needy in their own lodgings, not only to understand and respond directly to the specific circumstances surrounding the individuals’ difficulties, but also to establish a caring, non-judgmental relationship between the people in need and our parish community.

This charitable ministry is resourced by St. Patrick’s Emergency Fund.

December 26th:

In January 2002, parish health professionals seeking to use their gifts for the benefit of the larger community established a St. Patrick Health Ministry as “a special way of caring for one another.” The Health Committee included a doctor and four nurses. Bridget Miller, RN, was our first volunteer parish nurse.

The Health Ministry was faith-motivated and God-centered: Jesus sought the physical, mental, and spiritual well-being of every human being. He “came that they might have life and have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) Parish nurses made home and hospital visits, led health education programs, and made referrals for diagnosis/treatment. They did not diagnose medical conditions or provide medical treatment.

Activities of the Health Ministry included:

· Updating church first aid kits with medical response instructions to help people injured or sick at church.

· Conducting blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose level screenings.

· Conducting Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) training.

· Conducting flu shot clinics.

· Hosting Family Caregiver socials to introduce home caregivers to community resources.

· Hosting speakers on health topics (yoga, chiropractic, advance directives, and self-care).

· Making referrals to local agencies for installing/using car child safety seats, obtaining low-cost children’s dentistry, and supporting hospital blood banks.

December 19th:

Rev. Michael C. Butler was assigned to St. Patrick as parochial vicar from 2002-2004. Father Mike shared a reflection in our October 27, 2002, bulletin, summarizing Christian stewardship as “Managing the Mysteries of God,” with words, deeds, and actions.

He taught that the difference between belief and living as a steward “is the difference between listening to music and playing an instrument. It is the difference between watching sports on TV and participating in a sport. It is the difference between visiting a museum to look at art and creating art… The steward actively seeks to put his or her faith into action, actively seeks to move closer and closer to God. The passive believer may thank God for the gifts God has given them. The steward accepts the obligation to prove his/her thanks by putting the gifts to use in God’s service.”

Fr. Mike celebrated Mass at Benet Hill Monastery and was a chaplain at Memorial Hospital and the Air Force Academy. A longtime member of the Knights of Columbus, he enjoyed riding motorcycles, providing outreach to local motorcycle riders and riding his motorcycle to lead parish “floats” in city St. Patrick’s Day parades. After serving as a priest at Our Lady of the Pines Parish from 2004 – 2010, he returned to St. Patrick, serving until his death in 2018.

December 12th:

Father Brad Noonan became our fourth pastor on December 1, 2001. Using Father Don Brownstein’s parish needs assessment and the capital campaign begun by Deacon Dick Brown, he led construction of offices and classrooms in a building connected to the church.

Bishop Michael Sheridan officiated at ground-breaking on July 1, 2003. By December 2004, the church added a new entrance and bell tower, eighty seats, handicap access, an elevator, reconciliation rooms, and altar server vestry. The baptistry was relocated to the Nave, new sound system and lighting were installed, and a fellowship hall was built with a family/bride’s room for funerals and weddings. The Center for Formation and Mission housed 14 classrooms, 15 offices, 5 meeting rooms, 2 storage rooms, and a workroom.

The fellowship hall was named Fitzpatrick Hall after Bonnie Fitzpatrick, benefactor. The parish hall was named Bonzel Hall, after Blessed Mother Maria Theresia Bonzel, whose intercession was credited with the miraculous healing of four-year-old parishioner Luke Burgie. The Knights of Columbus meeting room was dubbed McGivney Hall, after founder Blessed Father Michael J. McGivney. Conference/meeting rooms were named the Bishops Room, Pastors Room and Deacons Room. Classrooms were named after North American saints. Construction cost was $4.35 million.

December 5th:

In Feb. 2013, Pope Benedict XVI resigned, citing his age and declining health. (Of 266 popes, only three were older at the end of their papacy; just six resigned.)

The College of Cardinals met in March 2013. Their deliberations are confidential, but Gerard O’Connell, Vatican correspondent for America, described the strengths of Jesuit Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio (Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina), whose hemisphere held 48% of the world’s Catholics.

“He was known to be a very holy man, a humble, intelligent, inspiring pastor, devoid of ambition, who avoided the limelight, lived a simple life and had a passionate love for the poor… He had governed the Archdiocese of Buenos Aires for 15 years in a truly pastoral way, with decisiveness, prudence, and creativity; he had a talent for government... Above all, he was a man of courage with a missionary vision, able to open new horizons for the church, a man committed to dialogue- with Jews, with Muslims, with other Christians and with those who professed no faith. He was above all a pastor.”

Bergoglio took the name Francis to honor of St. Francis of Assisi. He was the first pope to take the name Francis, the first Jesuit pope, and the first from the Western hemisphere. From the balcony overlooking St. Peter’s square, he said:

“Now let’s begin this journey, bishop and people, this journey of the church of Rome, which is the one that presides in charity over all the churches- a journey of brotherhood, love and trust among us. Let us pray for one another. Let us pray for the whole world that there be a great brotherhood.”

November 28th:

Canon Law defines a parish as “a definite community of the Christian faithful established on a stable basis …entrusted to a pastor as its own shepherd under the authority of the diocesan bishop.” As new parishes were formed in Colorado Springs, the area of responsibility for St. Patrick Parish shifted, and is now defined by boundaries set on March 28, 2008.

This not only reflects areas where our parishioners live and work and play, but the hospitals, nursing homes, retirement communities, schools, and other institutions served by our clergy and outreach ministries. Our parish boundaries are: Briargate Blvd./Woodmen Rd. on the North, Austin Bluffs/Stetson Hills on the South, I-25 on the West, and Marksheffel Rd. on the East.

November 21st:

In December 2001, Pope John Paul II appointed Most Rev. Michael J. Sheridan coadjutor bishop of Colorado Springs in preparation for Bishop Hanifen’s retirement. Bishop Sheridan, who held a B.A. in Philosophy, an M.Div. degree, an M.A. in Historical Theology, and a licentiate and doctorate in Sacred Theology, replaced Bishop Hanifen on January 30, 2003.

Bishop Sheridan’s goals for the diocese were to enhance the teaching of the Gospel to encourage Catholics to live their faith more energetically, and increase the number of seminarians and priests.

He wrote scholarly articles for The Colorado Catholic Herald and hosted a radio program to clarify Catholic social teaching. He established a Serra Club to advance vocations, working to form vocations committees in parishes.

Bishop Sheridan issued letters on the duties of Catholic politicians and voters, stating Catholics had a solemn obligation to inform their consciences based on the truth of the Gospel and support candidates who upheld the right to life. He hosted regional meetings to talk with his flock about the Church’s moral teaching and what it meant to be a “faithful citizen.” He said: “All other rights are useless if one is denied the right to live.”

He adjusted St. Patrick parish boundaries based on the creation of St. Gabriel the Archangel and St. Benedict parishes. He guided the local Church during the COVID-19 Pandemic. He led the establishment of the St. John Henry Newman Chapel and Catholic Student Center to serve the spiritual needs of the 6,000+ Colorado Springs college students, more than a third of whom lived within St. Patrick Parish boundaries.

Bishop Sheridan celebrated parish milestones and achievements, confirmed our youth and new Church members, ordained new clergymen, and assigned learned and spiritual pastors, parochial vicars, and deacons to guide and serve our faith community.

November 14th:

On June 3, 2000, St. Patrick parishioner Dick Brown was ordained a permanent deacon, our first parishioner to be ordained, focusing on pastoral care and marriage preparation. Deacon Dick had been encouraged by Fr. John Slattery to consider the diaconate. He completed certification as a lay Catholic chaplain and earned a master’s degree in Theology as part of his discernment.

In 2001, Deacon Dick was named interim Parish Director, serving for 9 months, a period which included fund-raising for church renovation, and construction of permanent offices and classrooms. Parishioners were asked to make a pledge over 5 years, with a 10% down payment when the pledge was made. By the end of October, 2001, pledges exceeded $2,861,000.

While Deacon Dick had effectively stepped in to keep expansion plans on track after Father Don Brownstein was reassigned, he said the job of a deacon at that time was to bring Christ to the community, visiting people in hospitals and prison, setting a Christ-like example in the workplace, and assisting at Mass. He also provided marriage counseling, performed weddings, baptisms, funerals, Rosary prayer services and interment services. When priests were not available, he led Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of a Priest and weekday communion services in lieu of morning Mass.

He served as parish volunteer coordinator for several years, facilitating our Holiday Food Basket and Giving Tree programs. His primary love throughout his diaconate career was pastoral care- visiting the sick and homebound, ensuring the Eucharist was available to them, and coordinating with our priests to meet parishioners’ Sacramental needs.

November 7th:

In 1998, four-year-old parishioner Luke Burgie became seriously ill with an intestinal illness that did not respond to treatment, leaving doctors baffled. For six months, he struggled to eat, only to end up curling up sick and in agony.

That October, Sister Evangeline of the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration visited the religious education class of Luke’s eight-year-old sister, Jill, who was moved by the visit. “My soul felt something it never felt before,” Jill wrote in her diary.

Sister Evangeline invited the family to lunch. The Burgies became friends with Sister Evangeline and Sister Margaret Mary. In January 1999, Luke was scheduled for an exploratory CAT scan; Mom asked the sisters to pray for him.

They “zeroed in” on him for a month, praying a novena to their religious order’s foundress Mother Maria Theresia Bonzel, seeking her intercession. Doctors said recovery from this kind of illness would be gradual.

Luke recovered suddenly on Feb. 22, 1999, without explanation. His mother said he “just got up from the couch and began playing like a normal happy kid.” Luke said “Jesus healed me.”

Jan Burgie believed it was a miracle from the nuns' prayers. Rome investigated whether this could advance the cause for Mother Theresia Bonzel's beatification. The miracle was approved March 27, 2013. Mother Theresia was beatified by Pope Francis on Nov. 10, 2013. Our parish hall bears her name.

October 31st:

Vicky Kohlman, a St. Patrick musician, used music to support priestly vocations. She began in 1990 playing prelude music before the 7:30 am Mass.

Born visually impaired, Vicky was taught by her mother to play piano reading music, before going blind when she was 25. Parishioner Idan Cortez, who also played, gave her pointers on playing “by ear,” which she taught herself to do.

Vicky completed a masters in agency counseling, collaborating with Paula Joy to provide spiritually focused counseling.

Praying to understand God’s plan for her life, she developed her musical talent and, in 2005, produced her first CD of sacred music. Through sales of “All for the Glory of God- Volume I,” $6,000 was raised to support St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish’s capital campaign.

She then decided to focus full time on her music ministry. Vicky and Paula formed a non-profit “All for the Glory of God Ministry” under the auspices of the Diocese of Colorado Springs to minister to the people of God, donating the proceeds to the Church.

By the end of her ministry, $80,000 had been donated to parishes and the Diocese for seminarian education.

October 24th:

St. Patrick’s Vocations Ministry initiated a Traveling Chalice program in May 1996, an idea of the SERRA Club, which promotes and supports Catholic religious vocations. The Traveling Chalice concept was first implemented in Colorado Springs by Father Bill Carmody.

The centerpiece of St. Patrick’s program was a carved olive wood chalice from the Holy Land, mounted on a wood platform base with plaques engraved with a prayer for vocations and a dedication in memory of the late George Alderman, a parishioner and former member of the Diocesan Vocation Team.

This chalice was presented at a weekend Mass to a family who took it home for a week and used it to pray daily for an increase in vocations to the priesthood, consecrated religious life, and lay vocations. The prayer read: “Lord Jesus, we pray as a community so more men and women will be touched by grace and will become priests, sisters, brothers, and lay ministers in service to You.”

In 2020 and early 2021, COVID-19 restrictions prohibited parishioners from taking the Traveling Chalice to their homes. However, once restrictions were lifted, the Traveling Chalice once again graced the homes of parishioners so that they could dedicate a week of prayer for an increase in religious vocations.

October 17th:

In May 2004, Bishop Sheridan issued a pastoral letter on the duties of Catholic voters, stating that Catholics have a solemn obligation to support candidates who uphold the right to life, informing their consciences based on the Gospel and fundamental Christian precept that all people are created in the image of God. They possess an inalienable right to life from conception to natural death. Acknowledging that life “is the right that grounds all other human rights,” Bishop Sheridan was an unwavering champion for the unborn. As Bishop Sheridan stated: “All other rights are useless if one is denied the right to live.”

Four years later, when political party platforms had planks for or against abortion, our diocese promulgated a statement regarding the evil of procured abortion, responding to statements by the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives “suggesting that Catholic teaching allows for procured abortion in certain circumstances.” Reiterating that abortion is intrinsically evil and that murder of the most vulnerable and innocent human beings is never justified, our bishop stated that Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi’s “outrageous attempt to present what she considers the teaching of the Catholic Church regarding abortion is simply wrong and should be disregarded by every faithful Catholic.”

Bishop Sheridan quoted Pope John Paul II: “The inalienable rights of the person must be recognized and respected by civil society and the political authority.”

“America you are beautiful… and blessed...

The ultimate test of your greatness is the way you treat every human being, but especially the weakest and most defenseless.

If you want equal justice for all and true freedom and lasting peace, then America, defend life.” Pope John Paul II

October 10th:

The tradition of altar boys dates back centuries, when boys helped the priest at Mass, often a step toward priesthood. St. Patrick Parish trained servers starting in the early 1980s. In 1989, we had 69 servers. Server vestments changed periodically; in 2007, they were red, as seen below.

In the 1990s, the Holy See determined that Canon Law did not preclude female altar servers. In June 1994, the Committee of the Liturgy provided formal guidelines. They replaced “altar boys” with “altar servers,” specified server duties, said there was to be no difference in roles between boys and girls, and required server formation. The decision to allow female servers was delegated to bishops, ensuring uniform diocesan policy. Pastors had discretion to use girl servers in their own parishes.

Pope Francis wrote to 1,000 Portuguese servers on May 1, 2021, during their pilgrimage to Fatima. As reported by the Catholic News Service, “The pope asked them to be particularly careful when serving at Mass to always behave in a way that ‘is fitting in the service of holy things,’ especially when they are near the altar, but also when they make the Sign of the Cross, kneel or are joining in the prayers and hymns.”

October 3rd:

Father Don Brownstein was assigned to St. Patrick’s for 11½ years, as Father Slattery’s first assistant pastor (Aug. 84 - May 86) and later as our third pastor (Aug. 91 - March 01). He embraced Father John’s vision of St. Patrick’s as a Vatican II parish, where lay people filled leadership positions, using their gifts and talents to build up the Church.

In honor of St. Francis of Assisi, Father Don instituted a blessing of pets on or near October 4, the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi. Father Don acquired land in anticipation of our parish’s growth and initiated a detailed needs assessment for our Center for Formation and Mission. 

Father Don began the use of children’s envelopes, which had space for the children to “write in” the time and talents they spent helping others (“made presents for my Mom, cut the lawn, practiced my saxophone, thanked God for my dog, vacuumed downstairs, zipped my sister’s dress for her…”).

He began our Stephen Ministry in 1995, providing  pastoral outreach offering one-on-one care to those going through difficult times in their lives.  

Father Don published “The Joy of Serving the Lord- There’s Always Room for You,” a directory of ninety ways for parishioners to become involved in the parish. He said: “We would like to see everyone involved. Why? Because when we are involved, Church is not ‘those people’ – it is us. All of us are called to be Church.”

September 26th:

Rev. Bill Carmody joined St. Patrick Parish in the summer of 1989 while a seminarian. He helped as a sacramental priest for four months after ordination.

Father Bill had many passions, but none surpassed his commitment to protecting the unborn. As the Respect Life Coordinator for our Diocese, he was the voice of the community conscience, known for standing up for the unborn.

Father Bill introduced Project Rachael into the diocese, reaching out to mothers and fathers who had experienced an abortion. He championed Chastity Rallies for youth surrounded by a culture which challenged the virtue of teen abstinence until marriage.

In 1994, Father Carmody began celebrating weekly Masses in front of the Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood Clinic. He helped start the 40 Days for Life prayer vigil to end abortion.

In 2002, Father Bill was pastor of Holy Family Parish in Security and St. Joseph Parish in Fountain. In 2008, he helped merge the parishes, creating St. Dominic Parish. Father Bill oversaw construction of the new church, which was dedicated in March 2010.

Father Bill was one of seventeen priests formally assigned to help our pastors during our first 40 years as associate or assistant pastor or sacramental minister. Others assisted as available or joined us as seminarians.

July 18th:

As St. Patrick’s Mass attendance grew during the fall of 1981, St. Patrick’s switched the location for Saturday Mass from the Academy Hotel to St. Luke’s Lutheran Church. For several years after our church was built, St. Patrick’s held joint ecumenical prayer services with St. Luke’s around Thanksgiving, the churches alternating as hosts.

In Jan. 1982, a Finance Council was formed, and dedicated worship space was rented in the lower level of the Erindale Shopping Center on N. Academy Blvd. Our first Mass was celebrated there on Jan. 30, 1982. Affectionately called “St. Yakitori’s” in reference to the Japanese restaurant above us, this location was our parish home for 5 years.

On March 14, 1982, Bp Hanifen consecrated the rented church space, followed by a parish brunch at the Hilton Inn near I-25 and Garden of the Gods Road. This new location drew people together in a special way, helping create the spirit of hospitality and openness which has characterized our community since.  Everyone wore name tags to get to know one another.

Parishioners built altar furniture (later given to Our Lady of the Visitation parish) and parishioner Bill Hurt made a stained-glass crucifix which hung behind the altar (now above the doors to Fitzpatrick Hall).

July 11th:

July 1, 2021 marked the 40th anniversary of the founding of our parish, which was formally established as part of the Denver Archdiocese before the Diocese of Colorado Springs was established. His Excellency, The Most Rev. John Vincent Casey wrote to Father John Slattery on May 21, 1981, stating: “I am pleased, herewith, to relieve you of your duties as Pastor of St. Jude Church, Denver, and I appoint you to be the founding pastor of a new parish, St. Patrick’s, Colorado Springs, in the area of the Dublin House. This appointment is for a six-year term and becomes effective on Wed., July 1, 1981.”  

Father John moved into a rented house on Snowbird Dr. on July 15, 1981, held an organizational meeting there on August 2, and began regular Saturday Mass at what is now the Academy Hotel on September 5, and Sunday Mass in the all-purpose room at Fremont Elementary School on September 6. Father John told the Colorado Springs Gazette:  "we want to create a good staff and a spirit of hospitality and warmth in the parish, friendliness and openness, a real community. That is the key challenge."

July 4th:

Bishop Emeritus Richard Hanifen addresses Reverend Monsignor John Slattery at the St. Patrick groundbreaking on April 6, 1986.

Thank you to everyone who has provided input for the St. Patrick Parish History. We are approaching the 40th anniversary of our founding on July 1, 1981, at which time we will begin a celebratory year commemorating the St. Patrick faith community, our seven pastors and our three bishops. I continue to welcome input in the form of stories and pictures celebrating our ministries of worship, hospitality, outreach, and faith formation.