Edwards Breaks Ground on $14 Million Catholic Church

Aspen —Steve Burmeister didn’t just promise a new church; he promised comfort. The campaign co-president looked out at the crowd in Edwards and told them this temple would “remain for many generations.” He insisted there wouldn’t be a single awkward seat or an ugly corner.

On paper, that’s a reasonable expectation for a $14 million project. In practice, it means the community has to pay for it without compromising on quality.

For more than two decades, the Catholic community in Edwards has been squeezing into the Santa Clara de Asís school gymnasium. Every weekend, they transformed a classroom space into a sanctuary. They moved chairs during the school year. They set up altars. They dealt with the noise and the lack of acoustics. It was an exercise in patience that stretched back 25 years, starting with former priests Father Ed and Father Bob.

Now, that patience is turning into concrete and steel.

On July 24, Denver Archbishop James Golka presided over the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Santa Clara church. He stood with local priests, deacons, and representatives from Horizon West (the builder) and Eidos Architects. The heat was oppressive, but hundreds of people showed up to watch the first shovel of dirt hit the ground adjacent to the existing parish.

Archbishop Golka’s message was direct: “God teaches us to be patient, to trust in Him and never give up.” He noted that when the project started years ago, it seemed impossible. Now, it’s real.

The timeline is tight but specific. Construction began in earnest after the groundbreaking, with the goal of celebrating the first formal mass by February 2028. That’s a little over three years from now.

The financial engine behind this is the fundraising campaign, which has been running for four years. Steve Burmeister and his wife Janet led the charge, alongside campaign co-president Alba Padilla and her husband Reynaldo. The Padiñas emphasized that this was a “sacrifice of years” for the Hispanic community, many of whom grew up in Mexico and attended Catholic schools. Their children are now seeing that sacrifice pay off.

Let’s do the math on what this means for locals. The project isn’t just about a building; it’s about infrastructure and long-term value. Horizon West is handling the construction, a firm with local experience in the Vail Valley. Eidos Architects designed a space that prioritizes durability and aesthetics, aligning with Burmeister’s promise of no “awkward seats.”

The cost is significant. While the exact final figure fluctuates with construction bids, the $14 million estimate covers land prep, structure, and finishes. For taxpayers and parishioners alike, this translates to steady contributions over the next few years, followed by a permanent asset.

There’s no ambiguity about who is involved. The Archdiocese of Denver, Horizon West, and Eidos Architects are the key players. Father José María is leading the parish through this transition, expressing gratitude for the blessing of having a dedicated space.

The location is critical. Situated next to the current parish, it minimizes disruption for those who have worshipped in the gym. It keeps the community centered in Edwards, rather than dispersing to other towns.

This isn’t a speculative development. It’s a funded, built-by-local-firms project with a fixed completion date. The community waited 25 years for the dream to start; they will wait three more for it to open. The result is a facility designed to last, with the budget to back up that longevity.