By Father Steve MaekawaThe North Star Catholic On May 17, Archbishop Bellisario presented the Benemerenti Medal to Ed and Cathy Rasmuson during vespers at Holy Family Old Cathedral in Anchorage. It was a special recognition bestowed by the Holy Father, Pope Francis, to the Rasmusons for their lasting and exceptional service to the Catholic Church…
Since the inauguration of the Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau on September 17, 2020, I have traveled to many of our parishes to celebrate the sacrament of confirmation. Usually, most confirmation celebrations take place within the Easter season. However, with travel restrictions due to COVID last spring, it was necessary to celebrate confirmations in October and November…
By Dominique JohnsonThe North Star Catholic On April 7th, Father Jose Thomas, with the Missionary Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament, arrived in Juneau from Kerala, India, a state in the southern part of the country, to serve as a missionary priest in the Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau. In his short time in Alaska, Father Jose said…
By Kara MoriartyThe North Star Catholic Lumen Christi High School held its commencement ceremony for the seven graduates of the Class of 2021 on May 6, 2021. While in-person attendance to the graduation was limited to the students’ family and school staff, the school gymnasium was filled with excitement. The class chose a quote from…
Holy Name Catholic Preschool, Ketchikan Holy Name Catholic Preschool has had a year unlike any other! Yet, our mission, values and experience have stayed the same. We used new ways to explore and learn while keeping each other as safe and healthy as possible. 2020 proved to be different in a few ways for Holy…
By Tami M. ScimeThe North Star Catholic Nestled at the northern end of the Lynn Canal in a valley bordering Canada is the small town of Skagway. Founded in 1897, its population during the height of the gold rush swelled to over 3000. While Skagway might see a higher population during a typical summer season,…
By Marcy AdkinsThe North Star Catholic Saint Benedict Parish was founded in 1966 and is located in southwest Anchorage. We are a parish of 640 families who are very active in our faith and our community. We are a home for large and well-established Samoan and Filipino communities. If there were only one word to…
By Annette AllevaThe North Star Catholic After presenting a “virtual” camping experience in the summer of 2020, Saint Therese’s Camp will be fully open this year. With a COVID mitigation plan in place to keep campers, staff, and families safe, as COVID begins to abate, the camp is anticipating a return to traditional activities for…
Dear Fr. LeoIs the Catholic Church the only church that venerates relics? What’s the deal with relics, anyway?G Dear G:In truth, relics are venerated not only by Catholics, but also by Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Christians. Due to some of the abuses which happened in the Middle Ages, the churches and ecclesial communities which grew…
What an exciting and gracious feeling I had when my plane made its approach into the Juneau airport last month. Through partial clouds and sun appeared towering mountains, solitary islands, and inviting coves. It was familiar and, at the same time, unique. This familiar and unique character also deeply includes a shared faith amongst our…