Pope Leo XIV has named Bishop James R. Golka of Colorado Springs as the next archbishop of Denver, the Holy See announced Feb. 7. 

Archbishop-designate Golka, 59, will succeed Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila, whose resignation was accepted upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75. According to a press release from the Archdiocese of Denver, Archbishop-designate Golka will be installed as Denver’s sixth archbishop during a March 25 Mass.

A native of Grand Island, Nebraska, Archbishop-designate Golka was appointed bishop of Colorado Springs by Pope Francis in 2021. According to his biography, Archbishop-designate Golka studied philosophy and theology at Creighton University and later served as a Jesuit lay missionary with Native American missions in South Dakota. He also earned a Master of Divinity and a Master of Arts in sacramental theology from St. Paul Seminary in Minnesota.

Ordained a priest for the Diocese of Grand Island in 1994, Archbishop-designate Golka has held several leadership roles, including vicar general, director of clergy formation, and chair of multiple diocesan councils and boards. 

The Archdiocese of Denver is Colorado’s largest Catholic jurisdiction, serving more than 600,000 Catholics across northern Colorado, the press release stated.

In a message to the faithful, Archbishop Aquila offered gratitude and thanksgiving and encouraged Catholics to support his successor through prayer.

“May he be strengthened by your prayers, encouraged by your collaboration, and sustained by the grace of the office he will receive,” Archbishop Aquila said. “Welcome him with open hearts, confident that Christ himself remains the ultimate Shepherd of the Church.”

Archbishop-designate Golka addressed the appointment during a Denver press conference the morning of the announcement, opening with a call to prayer. He described his reaction as “equally excited and equally sad,” expressing gratitude for his years in Colorado Springs while emphasizing his trust in God’s guidance. 

“I trust God more than I trust myself, and if God wants me to be here, I’m going to say yes,” he said, later adding, “I cannot wait to see what God has in store for us together.”