Leading souls to Christ the true King in Arvada
St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church sits on West 58th Avenue in Arvada, Colorado, just west of Denver, where it serves Catholic families from across the north metro area. The parish's stated motto - Leading souls, through love or battle, to CHRIST the true KING - gives the parish its shape. St. Joan of Arc is a place where the Mass and the sacraments are taken seriously, where a perpetual adoration chapel stands open day and night, where children are formed alongside their parents, and where parishioners regularly fan out to feed the hungry downtown.
Weekend and Daily Mass
The parish's weekly rhythm centers on the Eucharist. The Saturday vigil Mass is celebrated at 5:00 PM in the main church. Sunday brings four Masses: 7:30 AM, 9:00 AM, 11:30 AM, and 5:30 PM. The Sunday evening liturgy is celebrated as a candlelight Mass. The 9:00 AM Sunday Mass is livestreamed on the parish's YouTube channel for the homebound and for those who cannot attend in person.
Daily Mass is offered Monday through Saturday at 8:30 AM. On Wednesdays there is an additional evening Mass at 5:30 PM, and on First Fridays another evening Mass is added at 5:30 PM. Holy Days of Obligation follow a fixed pattern: a vigil Mass at 5:30 PM the evening before, and three Masses during the day at 8:30 AM, Noon, and 7:00 PM.
Confession and the Hearing Loop
Reconciliation is offered Tuesday through Friday from 8:00 to 8:25 AM, on Wednesday afternoons from 4:45 to 5:25 PM, and twice on Saturday - morning from 7:30 to 8:25 AM and afternoon from 4:00 to 4:45 PM, just before the vigil Mass. Private appointments can be made by calling the Parish Office, with the note that scheduled times are subject to change for sacramental emergencies.
An induction hearing loop has been installed in the church. Anyone with a hearing aid set to the telecoil setting, or with a receiver from the ushers, can hear services clearly through the system.
Perpetual Adoration and Marian Devotions
The parish maintains a perpetual adoration chapel, with the Blessed Sacrament exposed around the clock. Substitute adorers are always welcome to fill open hours, and the parish hosts Adoration and Fellowship Nights that bring together prayer and time together after the Wednesday evening Mass.
Three Marian and devotional prayer groups meet in the Marian Chapel or main church. The World Apostolate of Fatima gathers on Monday evenings at 7:00 PM to pray the Rosary and the Fatima prayers. Mother of Perpetual Help devotions are held every Tuesday at 7:00 PM, followed by the Rosary. The Divine Mercy Holy Hour is offered on the First Saturday of each month at 3:00 PM - the Hour of Greatest Mercy - with the Divine Mercy Chaplet, the Stations of the Cross, and the Rosary. First Friday devotions take place after either the 8:30 AM or 5:30 PM Mass, in response to Our Lady of Fatima's requests. The parish's Benedictine Oblates of the St. Frances of Rome Deanery connect individuals and families with the Rule of St. Benedict as a guide for daily prayer.
The Seven Sacraments
The parish prepares parishioners for each of the seven sacraments. Baptism is scheduled for Sundays after the 9:00 AM Mass outside Holy Week. Parents and godparents are required to attend a pre-baptismal class, offered every other month - ordinarily the second Saturday of odd months - from 9:30 to 11:30 AM in Orleans Hall. Children past the age of reason (seven and older) prepare for Baptism, Confirmation, and First Eucharist through the Children's Catechumenate, normally beginning in September and culminating at the Easter Vigil.
Children in second through fifth grade receive preparation for First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation within the parish's family-centered formation program through what the parish calls the Restored Order of sacraments. Older teens preparing for Confirmation register separately for Teen OCIC.
Adults and older children seeking full communion with the Church are prepared through Becoming Catholic, the parish's process for those unbaptized or baptized in another tradition. Couples begin marriage preparation by meeting with the parish staff. Anointing of the Sick is available to those facing serious illness, and Holy Orders are available to those discerning a vocation to the priesthood or diaconate.
Funerals and Bereavement
When a loved one dies, the parish asks to be contacted before any final arrangements are made with a mortuary. A Funeral Service Host from the parish meets with the family to choose readings and lay out the details of the liturgy, and the parish maintains an approved list of readings and songs for funeral Masses. The Share Our Strength (S.O.S.) Funeral Reception Ministry provides food and hospitality at funeral receptions held at the parish, with volunteers who donate food, work in the parish kitchen, or take on smaller tasks.
For those wishing to mark a death in their own home, the parish can arrange a Home Blessing with one of its deacons.
Faith Formation for Children
Children's Formation runs from September through May, with classes on Sundays immediately after the 9:00 AM Mass for children in Pre-K through fifth grade. Children's classes meet in Durrie Hall (in the basement of the church), while parents gather at the same time in Orleans Hall for parent sessions over coffee. All communication runs through Flocknote. The program combines instruction in the Catholic faith for the children with formation for the parents, intentional about bringing whole families into the work of handing on the faith.
Youth Ministry
Middle schoolers in sixth, seventh, and eighth grades meet on Wednesday evenings from 6:45 to 8:30 PM in the Youth Center for games, formational talks, and small group time. High school students meet on Sunday evenings from 6:45 to 8:30 PM, after the 5:30 PM Mass, in the same space. The high school program gives teens room to take on leadership roles within the parish. Teen OCIC is the separate track for older teens preparing to receive the sacrament of Confirmation.
Adult Formation
The Great Adventure Catholic Bible Study Program offers classes from September to March and again in summer, including The Bible Timeline, Acts, and Matthew. Classes meet one night a week at St. Joan of Arc, Spirit of Christ, or Shrine of St. Anne, with homework. Registration opens three to four weeks before the start of each session. Additional courses such as Psalms, Mary, Galatians, First Corinthians, Revelation, and Symbolon are added from time to time.
Young adults are invited into small group Bible studies, fellowship activities, Praise and Adoration Nights, and West Denver 2:42 - a regional young adult outreach. Parishioners can also subscribe at no cost to FORMED for Catholic on-demand movies, video programs, audio, and eBooks.
Music at the Center of the Liturgy
Music Ministry serves every Mass and special liturgy through the Choir of Angels for children ages 6 to 13, the Adult Choir, the Schola (with weekly rehearsals), cantors, accompanists, organists, and instrumentalists. The parish uses the Source and Summit Missal, which gathers a repertoire of reverent and theologically sound hymns, chants, and Mass parts. Music ministers lead the assembly in sung prayer at weekend Masses, weddings, funerals, and the special liturgies of the year.
Lay Liturgical Ministries
A wide bench of laypeople prepare and serve each Mass. Altar Servers (boys and girls in third grade or older who have been confirmed) assist the priest at every regular Mass and on Holy Days. Readers proclaim the scripture and read the announcements. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion distribute the Eucharist at Mass and bring Communion to the homebound and to those in nursing homes. Sacristans and adult altar servers prepare what is needed. Ushers welcome, assist with seating, help at Communion, and tidy up after Mass. The Small Linens ministry washes, purifies, and irons the purificators and corporals used at Mass, often working from home. Candle Care keeps vigil candles and votives stocked and clean. The Arts and Environment Ministry sets up and takes down the seasonal decorations in the main church and Marian Chapel.
Men, Women, and Seniors
For men. Knights of Columbus Council 12392 is a Catholic fraternal and service organization for men eighteen and older. The Men's Club gathers on the fourth Thursday of each month for fellowship, recreation, and parish work projects (including the Fish Fry and seasonal decorations). Exodus 90 is a program open to all men for spiritual renewal, originally developed for seminarians. That Man Is You meets Saturday mornings at 6:30 AM in the Fleur-de-Lis room.
For women. The Catholic Mom's Group meets on the second Thursday of each month at 9:00 AM in Orleans Hall, with childcare available. The mission is to support and affirm women in the many vocations of their lives. Widows Play 65 is a card-playing social group that meets on the third Tuesday of the month.
For seniors. Seniors and Friends meets on Thursday mornings for trips, plays, luncheons, dinners, and games. The Sewing Group gathers every Tuesday from 9:00 to 11:30 AM to sew, knit, crochet, and craft for the parish, the wider Catholic community, and any group in need.
For rosary lovers. Rosary Makers gather on the fourth Tuesday of the month from September through May after the 8:30 AM Mass in Orleans Hall. The rosaries they make are sent to missions, hospitals, nursing homes, the Divine Mercy Chaplet ministry, the Pilgrim Virgin Ambassadors, and others around the Archdiocese.
Vacation Bible School and Totus Tuus (the summer children's catechetical program) draw on volunteers from across the parish, with Safe Environment Training required for those who work with children.
Feeding the Neighborhood
Parishioners regularly fan out to feed the broader community. The Community Table Food Bank fills collection bins each month with non-perishable food, delivered to Arvada Community Table. The Holy Ghost Sandwich Makers meet on the fourth Tuesday of the month after morning Mass to prepare sandwiches distributed near Holy Ghost Church and Haven of Hope. The Soup Kitchen Sandwich Makers meet on the first Friday of the month after the morning Mass to assemble bag lunches for the Denver Rescue Mission. Both sandwich ministries welcome drop-in volunteers. The Knights of Columbus organizes quarterly blood drives with Vitalant, and the Respect Life ministry represents the parish in pro-life initiatives.
Pastoral Team
The parish is led by Fr. Nathan Goebel, Pastor, with parochial vicars Fr. C.J. Mast and Fr. Ryan Mack. Three deacons - Matt Archer, Joe Gerber, and Tim Heaton - assist the priests at Masses, baptisms, home blessings, and other pastoral needs. Payton Eggert is the Director of Youth Ministry, and Matthew Wilson is the Director of Evangelization. Tess Greco serves as Coordinator of Sacred Music. The Children's Faith Formation team includes Bri Green, Erica Flora, and Mary Heller. Carolyn Meyer is the Director of Events and Engagement, and Diana Murray leads the Early Learning Center as principal, with Sylvia Schwartz as assistant principal.
The Early Learning Center
The Early Learning Center (ELC) is the parish preschool, housed alongside the parish offices on the 12735 West 58th Avenue campus. Diana Murray is principal and Sylvia Schwartz is assistant principal. The ELC has its own administrative assistant and a kitchen manager, and welcomes the youngest children of parish families and the surrounding neighborhood.
Stewardship and the Bulletin
Online giving is available through Faith Direct, with one-time or recurring gifts set up online. The parish also supports the Archdiocesan Catholic Schools Fund. The weekly bulletin is available online, and Flocknote carries announcements, event invitations, and reflections between bulletins.
Visiting St. Joan of Arc
Parish Office hours are Monday through Thursday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, closed from noon to 1:00 PM for lunch, and Friday from 9:00 AM to noon. The parish is at 12735 West 58th Avenue in Arvada and can be reached at 303-420-1232 or office@saintjoancatholic.org. Those considering a visit are welcome to come to any of the weekend or daily Masses, and anyone considering joining the parish can complete a registration form online or at the Parish Office.