The international priests filling local pews

The international priests filling local pews

Nearly 40% of the priests serving Catholic parishes in Arapahoe County were born outside the U.S. — a sign of how heavily local churches depend on international clergy as priest shortages persist.

Why it matters: A growing Catholic population and a shrinking pool of priests have made international clergy increasingly essential across metro Denver.

By the numbers: Arapahoe County's 11 Catholic parishes rely on 31 priests, including 12 foreign-born priests.

  • Nationwide, the number of Catholic priests in the U.S. has fallen more than 40% since 1970, while about 1 in 4 is foreign born.

    • Driving the news: Catholic leaders nationwide face a difficult equation as fewer priests serve a growing number of Catholics.

    Matthew Book, vicar for clergy across the Denver archdiocese, says international priests are essential.

  • Without them, the archdiocese would face a "severe challenge" staffing parishes and ministering to Colorado's Catholics, he says.

    • Zoom in: Father Owen Limarta — one of the 12 international priests serving a Catholic parish in Arapahoe County — never imagined he'd become part of the solution.

  • Limarta grew up deeply religious in Indonesia, where his family converted from Buddhism to Catholicism when he was a child.
  • He came to Colorado to pursue a business degree at Colorado State University, where his faith led him into the priesthood.
  • He was ordained in 2024.

    • In the room: Limarta now serves roughly 4,500 parishioners at St. Thomas More in Centennial as its parochial vicar.

  • He also launched a monthly Indonesian-language Mass to help immigrants feel more rooted in parish life.

    • What they're saying: "Everyone desires to be known and to be loved," Limarta tells Axios.

    State of play: The Archdiocese of Denver, which includes Arapahoe County, has added roughly 30,000 Catholics since 2019.

  • The archdiocese's population has grown from 599,086 to 629,250 since then.
  • While that trails many fast-growing urban dioceses, it still means greater demand for priests, Masses, sacraments and pastoral care.

    • The number of people preparing to enter the Archdiocese of Denver jumped from 669 in 2022 to 936 in 2024, the archdiocese says.

  • Dioceses nationwide have also reported some of their largest adult conversion classes in years.

    • The latest: A recent federal rule change removed a requirement that some religious workers leave the U.S. for a year after reaching their visa limit.

  • Book says the previous rule often disrupted parish assignments and relationships.

    • Yes, but: Limarta says he sometimes feels caught between two worlds — Indonesian at heart, but shaped by his American Catholic formation.

    "The first greeting I got from a parishioner was, 'Father, I'm so grateful that I can understand you,'" Limarta says.

    What's next: While the archdiocese has not released updated vocation data, Book says more young men are exploring the priesthood — including candidates directly from high school and college.

    The bottom line: International priests are essential to keeping Catholic parishes staffed across Arapahoe County.