What is the Outreach?
The Byzantine Catholic Outreach of Fort Collins exists to serve the Byzantine Catholics of Northern Colorado and Southern Wyoming, as well as those new to or simply interested in the Byzantine Catholic spirituality and Liturgical life. It is open to all who would like to come and experience an ancient and beautiful Liturgy. As a community our mission is to enliven, enlighten, and encourage one another by uniting our whole life with the Holy Trinity for the glory and praise of God through worship, prayer, and service.
Our Pastor
Father Joel Barstad 
was ordained to the priesthood in 2018 by Bishop emeritus John Pazak. In 2019 he was assigned to the formation staff of the Byzantine Catholic Seminary in Pittsburgh, after many years of teaching at St John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver. In July 2022, he returned to Denver to continue his priestly ministry at Holy Protection parish, Saints Cyril and Methodius Russian Greek Catholic Community, and our Outreach. Father Joel and his wife, Pani Leslie have raised seven children and take delight in their grandchildren, whose number is steadily growing.
Father Joel received his BA in Classics-History-Politics from Colorado College (1984); an MA in Early Christian Studies from the Catholic University of America (1987); and an MMS (1989) and PhD (1998) from the University of Notre Dame’s Medieval Institute, where studied the divergence of the Latin and Byzantine theological traditions in the post-Patristic, early medieval period.