Editor's Picks
Celebrating the Annunication in Art
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. —Luke 1:26-38 Long before people could read, art told the story of Jesus.…
45 years ago, a pope and future saint visited Anchorage
February 26 marks the 45th anniversary of Pope St. John Paul II’s visit to Anchorage in 1981. Archbishop Francis Hurley announced his visit in January, and introduced the planning committee.…
Spring Creek Correctional Center caroling continues on
In the busy holiday season, setting aside time to perform live music in a Christmas program at Seward’s Spring Creek Correctional Facility requires dedication, practice and planning. But it’s worth the effort to “spread the Catholic spirit of faith and joy, especially for people who don’t get to communicate with the world at all. It’s…
Archdiocese Alaska Native Ministry celebrates Feast of Christ the King
A Mass on the Feast of Christ the King at St. Anthony parish in Anchorage on November 22 honored King Islanders and Teddy Mayac Sr., who created a Native cross for the archdiocese in the 1970s. Sr. Jean Rhoads, D.C., director of Native Ministry, organized the Mass, while Kateri Circle members assisted with drumming, signing,…
Fairbanks Bishop Steven Maekawa, O.P., celebrates Mass before AFN convention
Bishop of Fairbanks Steven Maekawa, O.P. celebrated Mass at Holy Family parish in Anchorage on October 15, preceeding the Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) convention. To celebrate the archdiocese’s Alaska Native community, present for the Mass were many members of the archdiocese’s Kateri Circles, and Sr. Jean Rhoads, D.C. Concelebrating with Bishop Maekawa, who formerly…
Retirement inspires a tale of two statues
As of November 17, I’ll officially be a priest in occasional ministry, having reached the retirement age of 70 the day before. I’d like to offer this reflection on my experience as a priest. When we cleaned my dad’s house after he died, we found all sorts of mementos my parents had saved from our…
St. Catherine of Siena parish finds hope in rebuilding
St. Catherine of Siena parish in Petersburg just poured the foundation for its new church on August 17, 2025, just over two years after their old church burned. On August 31, pastor Fr. Jose Thomas carried out a ground blessing, praying that the Holy Spirit “be with us… that we may set aside individual differences…
Sister of Charity Delia Sizler Celebrates Diamond Jubilee
This article was written and sent by the Sisters of Charity Cincinnati Communications Office. When she was just 8 years old, Sister Delia Sizler knew she wanted to dedicate her life to caring for children who had no families of their own. By the time she reached eighth grade, she realized that the best way…
Multi-talented priest moves to Our Lady of Guadalupe
Fr. David Nations C.M. is a multi-tasking Vincentian priest. He is fluent in Spanish and has ministered to the Latino community for over 30 years. He fixes bothersome IT issues, hems and mends his own vestments, cooks and bakes for large gatherings, knits, remodels homes, repairs engines, and currently is learning how to offer mass…
Lumen Christi teacher donates a kidney to former student
Lea Bouton, a current teacher at Lumen Christi High School (LCHS) in Anchorage, made the gift of donating her kidney to her former student, Jesse Batac in July 2025, saving his life. When Bouton met Batac nearly ten years ago he was a 10th grade student in two…
Sr. Jean Rhoads, D.C., Joins Archdiocese Office of Native Ministry
Sr. Jean Rhoads is not one to shy away from adventure, and on May 27, 2025 she began a new one, arriving in Alaska for the first time. It is Sr. Jean’s 50th year as a Daughter of Charity, and, while Alaska is a popular tourist destination for those celebrating milestone anniversaries, Sr. Jean didn’t…
Parishioners of the Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau enjoy the wet, but fun annual Archbishop’s Golf Tournament to support seminarians
More than just a nice day golfing, the annual Archbishop’s Golf Tournament exists to support the archdiocese’s seminarians as they undergo rigorous studies to become blessings to the faithful. This year’s event was held August 7 at Anchorage’s Moose Run Golf Course. It is the archdiocese’s goal to “get a priest into every parish and…