No pain is more pronounced than the sudden loss of a loved one. Faith in God is tested — sometimes shattered — when we receive the unbearable call that one of our own has been ripped from the world. The agony and disbelief is beyond comprehension, beyond reason. No explanation stands under the weight of losing a close one.
Matthew Beck has been hired to fill a new position with the Archdiocese of Anchorage as director of youth ministry. He will assume his new post Aug. 3. Beck holds a master’s degree in pastoral ministries from St. Mary’s University in Winona, Minn. in addition to an undergraduate degree in secondary education from the University of Idaho.
Fifty years ago, Church Fathers at the Second Vatican Council restored the ancient office of the permanent diaconate and allowed married men to be ordained as permanent deacons in the Catholic Church. All these years later, deacons are now an integral part of modern parish life, serving as lifelines for many busy priests who sometimes struggle to meet the diverse needs of their parishes. Deacons can be married or single. Most — 98 percent — have spouses. These wives play a special and critical role in this rapidly growing ministry.
Here is a list of community events from around the Anchorage Archdiocese in the month of July.
Here is a list of some of the events and liturgies that Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schweitz is scheduled to participate in this month.