Pope Leo XIV accepted the resignation of Archbishop Samuel Joseph Aquila of Denver, Colorado. Bishop James R. Golka of Colorado Springs has been appointed as the new Archbishop of Denver. Golka was born in Nebraska in 1966 and was ordained a priest in 1994. Golka previously served in various parish roles and as Vicar General before being appointed Bishop of Colorado Springs in 2021.
28 days ago
Pope Leo XIV accepted the resignation of Archbishop Samuel Aquila of Denver on February 7, 2026, and appointed Bishop James Golka of Colorado Springs as his successor.1 2 3
The move follows canon law, as Aquila submitted his resignation upon turning 75 on September 24, 2025.1 4
Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the U.S. apostolic nuncio, publicized the appointment in Washington.1 4
Aquila has led the Archdiocese of Denver since 2012, when Pope Benedict XVI appointed him to succeed Archbishop Charles Chaput.1 3
Ordained in Denver in 1976, he previously served as bishop of Fargo, North Dakota.3 5
In a farewell letter, Aquila expressed gratitude and emphasized conversion, communion, and mission during his tenure.3 5 6
Golka, 59, was born September 22, 1966, in Grand Island, Nebraska, as the fourth of 10 children.1 2
He studied philosophy and theology at Creighton University, served as a Jesuit volunteer on Pine Ridge Reservation, and earned master's degrees in divinity and sacramental theology at St. Paul Seminary before ordination in 1994 for the Diocese of Grand Island.1 2 3
In Grand Island, he held roles like vicar general, youth director, and personnel board chair; Pope Francis named him bishop of Colorado Springs in 2021, where he was installed June 29.1 2 5
Golka has promoted stewardship, produced reflection videos, and established a diocesan shrine to Our Lady of Guadalupe.1
The Archdiocese of Denver welcomed Golka "with great joy and gratitude."1
Aquila praised Golka as a man of prayer with deep love for Jesus and the Blessed Mother, attuned to challenges like immigration and threats to human dignity.6
Golka expressed sadness at leaving Colorado Springs but excitement for Denver, vowing to "intentionally listen to God’s will, and then go do it."1 6
He reiterated his lifelong fascination with Jesus Christ and spoke briefly in Spanish at a press conference.6
The Archdiocese of Denver spans 25 northern Colorado counties, serving about 600,000 Catholics (15% of the population) across 148 parishes, with 313 priests, 195 deacons, 35 elementary schools, and nine high schools.1
It includes Auxiliary Bishop Jorge Rodríguez.1
Golka's installation as the ninth bishop of Denver is set for March 25, 2026, at the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception.1 6
Evaluate canon law’s role in archiepiscopal succession
Canon law establishes a structured framework for archiepiscopal succession, ensuring the continuity of pastoral governance while upholding the Pope's supreme authority in episcopal appointments. Unlike hereditary or elective systems in secular contexts, succession to an archiepiscopal see occurs through papal provision upon vacancy, regulated by precise norms on resignation, interim administration, and selection processes. This system prioritizes the Church's mission over personal continuity, with coadjutors providing a mechanism for planned transitions in exceptional cases.
Archiepiscopal succession begins with the vacancy of the see, most commonly triggered by the ordinary retirement age or incapacity. A diocesan bishop, including an archbishop as metropolitan, who reaches seventy-five years of age is requested to submit his resignation to the Supreme Pontiff, who evaluates all circumstances before deciding. Similarly, if ill health or another grave cause impairs the bishop's ability to fulfill his duties, he is earnestly requested to resign. Upon acceptance, the archbishop retains the honorary title of emeritus and may reside in his former diocese unless the Apostolic See directs otherwise due to special circumstances; his former diocese bears primary responsibility for his support.
This resignation protocol, rooted in the 1983 Code of Canon Law, reflects a balance between pastoral needs and respect for the bishop's service, preventing prolonged vacancies while allowing the Pope discretion. Death or translation to another see also creates a vacancy, but canon law emphasizes proactive resignation to facilitate smooth succession.
Canon law mandates stability during a vacancy to avoid disruption. When a see is vacant, "nothing is to be altered," preserving the status quo in governance and prohibiting major changes. A diocesan administrator is elected per canons 165-178 to manage the archdiocese temporarily, informing the local ordinary immediately. For provinces, the metropolitan's role (held by the archbishop) shifts, with suffragan bishops or designated figures stepping in under the metropolitan's ordinary jurisdiction, which extends to the province only as explicitly defined by law. Custom can reinforce these norms, giving them legal force where silence exists.
This interim phase underscores canon law's role in safeguarding unity, as archiepiscopal jurisdiction—both episcopal (over the diocese) and metropolitan (over suffragans)—is ordinary and immediate but limited by explicit legal bounds.
While succession is not automatic, canon law provides for designated successors through coadjutors. In serious circumstances, including personal ones, the Holy See may appoint a coadjutor bishop ex officio with special faculties and the right of succession, ensuring seamless transition upon vacancy. Auxiliary bishops, appointed at the diocesan bishop's request or by pontifical initiative for pastoral needs, lack this right unless specified.
These provisions allow the Pope to anticipate successions, particularly for aging or ailing archbishops, aligning with the Church's emphasis on effective leadership.
Ultimate authority for filling an archiepiscopal vacancy rests with the Roman Pontiff, exercised through the Dicastery for Bishops. This dicastery handles all matters of appointing diocesan and titular bishops, apostolic administrators, and provisions for particular Churches, including archdioceses. It reviews proposals from local Churches, episcopal conferences, pontifical representatives, metropolitans, and even engages the people of God, while consulting conference executives. Criteria for candidates, determined in dialogue with conferences, account for cultural needs and are periodically evaluated. Resignations are also processed here per canonical norms.
Historically, such appointments occur in papal consistories, where the Pope announces promotions to archbishoprics after prior consistorial congregation deliberations. Details like transfers, coadjutor appointments, or new dioceses are finalized there, though some sees use briefs outside consistory. This process embodies the Church's catholicity, drawing personnel from diverse cultures.
Praedicate Evangelium (2022) modernizes this by expanding consultative input, superseding earlier norms where divergences exist, while affirming Canon 335's call for updated laws on sees. The archbishop's rank, emerging fully by the fifth century, involves no inherent succession right beyond these papal mechanisms.
Canon law's evolution, from medieval glosses like Lyndwood's Provinciale affirming papal supremacy over local customs, to the 1983 Code, consistently vests succession in the Holy See. Pre-Reformation English practice, for instance, bound local courts to Roman canon law without variation. Papal documents like Universi Dominici Gregis reinforce that only cardinals elect popes during vacancies, analogously prioritizing designated bodies for episcopal provisions.
In controversies, such as African provinces where seniority once determined metropolitans, modern law standardizes metropolitan attachment to specific sees. Recent norms prioritize synodality without diluting papal prerogative.
In summary, canon law's role is foundational: it governs resignations and vacancies to ensure order , enables planned handovers via coadjutors, and channels papal appointments through structured consultation , all while adapting to contemporary needs. This fosters faithful succession rooted in Petrine authority, serving the Church's universal mission.