COLORADO SPRINGS. Even though parishioners at St. Gabriel the Archangel weren’t able to attend any Masses during the month of April, the parish not only held its regular monthly food drive but held an extra drive that resulted in a 3,500-pound food donation to Marian House soup kitchen.

COLORADO SPRINGS. The impacts of the coronavirus pandemic will ripple through society for years to come, but one of the groups most immediately and directly affected by the pandemic are engaged couples who were planning weddings this year. These couples have been faced with a difficult choice — move forward with a wedding where only their parents and possibly siblings can attend, or postpone it for an indeterminate period of time.

COLORADO SPRINGS. Like Catholics everywhere, members of Our Lady of the Pines Parish have not had much opportunity to visit the church or each other.

COLORADO SPRINGS. Two months after the Diocese of Colorado Springs suspended public Masses in response to the coronavirus pandemic, parishioners are being invited back to the limited celebration of Mass starting the weekend of May 16-17. But because of the need for comprehensive safety measures to limit further spread of the virus, the manner in which people gather at church will look very different than it did in the past.

COLORADO SPRINGS. The coronavirus pandemic has not only led to a suspension of public Masses, it has also cast uncertainty on the celebration of other sacraments, including weddings, confirmations, and funerals. Following is a list of frequently-asked questions based on the liturgical guidelines issued by Bishop Michael Sheridan on March 20:

COLORADO SPRINGS. With churches in the Diocese of Colorado Springs prohibited from holding public Masses until at least the end of April, Bishop Michael Sheridan and parish pastors are making plans to celebrate Holy Week and Easter liturgies in front of video cameras so that parishioners can participate via YouTube, Facebook, or other social media platforms.

COLORADO SPRINGS. In response to health officials’ recommendations that large group events be cancelled to limit the spread of coronavirus, the bishops of Colorado on March 13 ordered that all public Masses and other group meetings at parishes cease until the end of March.

COLORADO SPRINGS. On March 1, Holy Apostles Parish celebrated the grand re-opening of its parish library, which is located on the lower level of the church building.

The library was closed during the month of February, during which time it underwent a complete remodeling and reorganization.

COLORADO SPRINGS. When Keith and Veronica Deardorff and their seven children moved to Colorado Springs two years ago due to Keith’s military service, it didn’t take long for members of Holy Apostles Parish to reach out to them.

COLORADO SPRINGS. John Tosto was a World War II veteran, father of eight children, a business owner, and an accomplished artist. He had also designed and crafted numerous works of art for his parish, Our Lady of the Pines, and other local churches. But when he realized that he would not live to see his final project through to completion, it was devastating.

Clifford Chance Billmeyer, a seminarian for the Diocese of Colorado Springs, is the older middle of four sons born to Robert Edward and Carole Anne Billmeyer. He is midway through his fourth year of theology studies at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland, and was ordained a transitional deacon Dec. 21 by Bishop Michael Sheridan.

CCH: Who are some of the priests who were instrumental in fostering your priestly vocation?

CB: There have been many excellent priests in my life, all of whom I owe a great deal of gratitude for their devotion, piety and kindness. Two priests however stand out.

COLORADO SPRINGS. Fear of suffering and a lack of appreciation for the dignity of each human person are two of the driving forces in the culture of death, said Sister of Life Maris Stella, who was the keynote speaker at the Bishop’s Respect Life Dinner on Oct. 24 at The Broadmoor Hotel.

COLORADO SPRINGS. By the time he was 30 years old, Roy Schoeman was a marketing professor at one of the world’s most prestigious universities — Harvard Business School. But it was precisely when he was at the height of his career that God chose to reveal himself to Schoeman, thereby changing the trajectory of his life.

COLORADO SPRINGS.  In the Catholic Church, marriage is much more than a legal document — it is a sacrament that is the image of Christ’s loving union with his Church. The grace of the sacrament strengthens the indissoluble unity of the marriage and helps the couple attain holiness.

COLORADO SPRINGS. For the past two years, the Inferno Men’s ministry has been working to reach men from all walks and stages of life and help them to grow in their faith. Through monthly forums, which are informal gatherings where men can enjoy beer and fellowship, as well as the smaller core group meetings where men discuss their spiritual and moral challenges, Inferno has grown to a network of roughly 500 men around the Diocese of Colorado Springs.