St. Mary Catholic Parish in Littleton v. Roy: Frequently Asked Questions
Dear St. Mary’s Community,
We write to provide you with an update on our work to seek equal access to Colorado’s universal preschool funding program (UPK) for families attending St. Mary’s preschool. As many of you likely know, Colorado voters approved a new program in 2022 to give all four-year-olds the equivalent of around $6,300 to attend the preschool of their choice in the year before kindergarten. This is a critical benefit for many families in Colorado. The problem, however, is that Colorado told Catholic
preschools and families that they are not eligible for this public benefit because of the Catholic Church’s teachings on marriage and family life, which we uphold in our school community.
Being excluded from this benefit has harmed our school community. Families with children in prekindergarten this year (and over the past few years) have lost out on a benefit marketed by Colorado as “universal.” And families who might otherwise have been interested in our school community have chosen other preschool options. The Archdiocese of Denver tells us that this has resulted in an overall decline in preschool enrollment across all parishes of almost 20%.
The main update we want to share with you is that, after joining a lawsuit over this religious exclusion in 2023, our case is now at the Supreme Court of the United States and will be argued on November 3, 2026. We hope and pray for a good result from the Supreme Court and are optimistic that a win in this case will allow families in our school community to use this benefit in the coming years.
Below you can find a list of common questions and answers about the case. We hope these will help you, both understand our decision to get involved in this case and explain what is happening to family and friends.
In Christ,
Fr. James De Cendra, D.C.J.M.
Principal of St. Mary Catholic Virtue School
Principal of St. Mary Catholic Virtue School
Fr. Andrej Makovnik, D.C.J.M.
Pastor of St. Mary Catholic Parish
Pastor of St. Mary Catholic Parish
Find the list of questions and answers by clicking below.
READ NOW:
Denver Catholic article, "Littleton’s St. Mary Parish Celebrating Its 125th Year with Gratitude and Hope" by Roxanne King.
This story explores St. Mary's parish history and features interviews with parishioners Carl Kruse and Beth Santo, as well as a conversation with our pastor, Father Andrej Makovnik.
Click the button below to read our parish story in anticipation for our upcoming anniversary weekend!
125TH ANNIVERSARY MASS
with Archbishop James Golka
Join us tomorrow Saturday, October 10th at 4:30 pm for our 125th Parish Anniversary Mass!
We invite our entire parish family to commemorate the generations of faithful service and prayer at St. Mary through the celebration of Mass. We are honored to welcome The Most Reverend Archbishop James R. Golka, who will preside over this celebration.
Together, let us give thanks for 125 years of our parish and of Christ's presence among us.
Notice: Incense will be used at this Mass.
We invite our entire parish family to commemorate the generations of faithful service and prayer at St. Mary through the celebration of Mass. We are honored to welcome The Most Reverend Archbishop James R. Golka, who will preside over this celebration.
Together, let us give thanks for 125 years of our parish and of Christ's presence among us.
Notice: Incense will be used at this Mass.
ALSO, THIS WEEKEND:
Lector's Retreat
Are you proclaiming the Word of God or are interested in serving the Parish in this ministry? St. Mary will be holding a lector retreat and training this Saturday, October 10th from 9:00am to 12:00pm in Joachim Hall.All those interested in becoming a lector are required to attend. Current Lectors are strongly encouraged to attend. We will distribute the new Lector Workbooks at the training.
For more information, please contact Caroline Vierow at lectors@stmarylittleton.org
Deacon Sunday
Join us in a day of prayer for the gift of Deacons! This weekend gives us the opportunity to celebrate, educate, and pray for the vocation of the Diaconate.
Prayer for the Diaconal Vocations:
O God, Who wills not the death
of a sinner, but rather that he
be converted and live, grant
we beseech you, through the
intercession of the Blessed
Mary ever Virgin, St. Joseph her
spouse, St. Francis of Assisi,
and all the Deacon saints,
an increase of laborers for Your
Church; fellow laborers with
Christ the Servant, to spend and
consume themselves for souls,
through the same Jesus Christ
Your Son, Who lives and reigns
with You, in the unity of the
Holy Spirit, God forever
and ever. Amen
O God, Who wills not the death
of a sinner, but rather that he
be converted and live, grant
we beseech you, through the
intercession of the Blessed
Mary ever Virgin, St. Joseph her
spouse, St. Francis of Assisi,
and all the Deacon saints,
an increase of laborers for Your
Church; fellow laborers with
Christ the Servant, to spend and
consume themselves for souls,
through the same Jesus Christ
Your Son, Who lives and reigns
with You, in the unity of the
Holy Spirit, God forever
and ever. Amen
Donations to the St. Lawrence Fund will financially assist a Deacon in need, offer educational opportunities, and support approved ministries.
School Gala
St. Mary School's annual Night of Virtue Gala is on Saturday, October 24th! Enjoy an evening filled with delicious dining, live auctions, and inspiring stories. Together we will fundraise for a major renovation of our Exceptional Student Services (ESS) spaces, creating a more supportive learning environment & providing our students with the services they need to flourish. We hope to see you there!
Anointed: Confirmed for Greatness
Join Fr. Andrej for “Anointed”, an 8-week deep dive into the gift of Confirmation. Each week, Fr. Andrej will guide us through the heart of what it means to be sealed with the Holy Spirit and “Confirmed for Greatness.”October 28th at 6:30 pm in Ave Maria Hall with social time from 6:00-6:30 pm.
STAY TUNED:
Velada
The Disciples of the Hearts of Jesus annual celebration has been rescheduled for a later date. A new date will be announced soon. We apologize for this inconvenience and will continue to provide updates. Thank you for your patience!
Just as St. Martha welcomed Jesus into her home with a meal and an open heart, we are invited to do the same for our priests.
Meals for the Priests is an ongoing Meal Train for the priests of St. Mary, providing their weekend lunches. Many days on the calendar still need to be filled.
Would you take a moment to look at your schedule and claim a day? Even a simple, lovingly prepared meal is a beautiful act of hospitality.
Please contact Ana Bohmann at aabohmann@gmail.com for any questions or more information.
Meals for the Priests is an ongoing Meal Train for the priests of St. Mary, providing their weekend lunches. Many days on the calendar still need to be filled.
Would you take a moment to look at your schedule and claim a day? Even a simple, lovingly prepared meal is a beautiful act of hospitality.
Please contact Ana Bohmann at aabohmann@gmail.com for any questions or more information.
LOOKING AHEAD:
Candlelight Adoration
Share a quiet hour in the presence of our Lord. Explore UNDERSTANDING, the second gift of the Holy Spirit.Thursday, November 5th
High School Respect Life Symposium
Saturday, November 7th
Marriage the Gift
Join other couples for date night with food, games and more!Saturday, November 14th
Radiant Hearts
Saturday, November 21st
GET INVOLVED:
Safety Ministry Needs Extra Hands
The parish Safety Ministry is in need of current or retired police officers, firefighters, paramedics, medical practitioners, military personnel or anyone else with a public safety background to consider joining this ministry to help keep our masses, worship events and large parish events safe. We currently have 19 ministry members and need to at least double that number.Fr. Andrej is asking you to consider being a part of our safety committee. Please email us at safety.parish@stmarylittleton.org and an application will be forwarded to you. In the very near future, a meeting announcement will be sent out to new and current ministry members. More than ever before, please prayerfully consider being a part of this important ministry.
Youth Group Leaders Needed
We are in need of young adults (ages 15-30) to support us in a life-giving volunteer opportunity to evangelize and support the youth of our parish! Our middle school and intermediate grade youth groups meet on Wednesday nights from 6:00-8:00 pm.Please email youthministry@stmarylittleton.org if you're interested.
Nursery Childcare Assistant Needed
Mary's Little Flock Nursery is seeking a caring, dependable individual to provide loving care for young children in our nursery. Approximately 5 hours per week, primarily Wednesday and Thursday mornings, with occasional Sunday mornings and evenings throughout the week for special parish events. Childcare experience preferred but not required.
If you enjoy working with children and would like to serve our parish families, please contact Kristal Stephenson at nursery@stmarylittleton.org for more information.
