Remember Bishop Joseph Projectus Machebeuf. Bishop Machebeuf Catholic High School bears his name. Founded in 1958, the school started as a coeducational institution. It aimed to prepare students for college.
In 1942, Monsignor Harold Campbell envisioned a new Archdiocesan High School. This school would eventually become Bishop Machebeuf High School. Years later in 1953, Monsignor Campbell secured land for the school’s construction. The official announcement came in April 1956.
The first freshman class enrolled in 1958. Archbishop Urban J. Vehr dedicated the new building in September 1959. For years, Bishop Machebeuf High School stood in Denver’s Park Hill neighborhood. Then in January 2000, the school relocated to Lowry. This move brought significant improvements. The new campus included a gym and a drama room. A cafeteria with microwaves was also added. Athletic fields and a courtyard enhanced the school’s facilities. There were also 17 classrooms spanning 1,100 square feet each. A counseling center further supported the students.
Bishop Machebeuf Catholic High School continued to evolve academically. In 2017, a Classical track was introduced. Students learned from classic materials. Plato, Socrates, and Aristotle were key figures in this curriculum. By 2020, all students engaged with this approach. It included Latin and a three-year Trivium sequence. Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric became central to their studies. An Integrated Humanities Seminar combined history, literature, and philosophy. Theology, Mathematics, and Science remained important aspects of the curriculum.
Campus Ministry played a crucial role. It had three divisions. Liturgy offered liturgical experiences. Evangelization organized outreach events. Media provided support for all ministry aspects. Liturgy coordinated weekly All School Liturgies. It also organized First Friday Adoration and confession services. Evangelization arranged Christian concerts and mission trips. Service projects and pilgrimages were also organized. The media division produced web content. It captured photos and published news releases.
Athletics at Bishop Machebeuf Catholic High School achieved notable success. The girls’ basketball team won state championships in 2003 and 2007. In 2005, the boys’ baseball team won their state championship. They defeated Eaton and Roosevelt in the process. Recently, all Machebeuf athletics switched to 2A.
In 1985, the school was renamed Machebeuf Catholic High School. Later in 1996, it became Bishop Machebeuf Catholic High School. This change clearly identified the school’s namesake.
In 2023-2024 Bishop Machebeuf High School marked its 65th year. The focus remained on faith formation. Over 40 students joined a discernment group. Academically, the school earned over $6 million in scholarships.
However, in September 2024, the Archdiocese of Denver announced that Bishop Machebeuf High School would close. St. John Paul the Great Catholic High School will welcome Bishop Machebeuf students. Bishop Machebeuf’s legacy of community, faith, and excellence will live on.