The feast day of the Queen and Patroness of Alaska, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, was celebrated Oct. 1 in Juneau. Archbishop Andrew Bellisario, C.M. was joined by Bishop of Fairbanks Steven Maekawa, O.P., and Fr. Mike Galbraith in celebrating Mass at the National Shrine of St. Thérèse, assisted by Deacon Mike Monagle. Jay Shaw, a…
An Eagle River parish reached a milestone of 1,000 prayer shawls created by a faithful group of 20-plus women over the past 11 years. Dolores Coates of St. Andrew parish in Eagle River keeps a book of the Prayer Shawl Ministry. It is not a ledger, but rather a record of first names, no…
I learned respect for life from my family. My parents cared for our family, but their care and actions to protect and nurture life extended well beyond the immediate family. The practice of their faith, attendance at Mass, life within their parish, and outreach to the poor taught us the necessity of caring for the…
JUNEAU — The turkeys were ordered in June. That’s how far ahead the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in Juneau has to plan to put a complete Thanksgiving dinner on the tables of hundreds of Juneau and Douglas households, said Mollie Carr, the organization’s executive director. Each June, organizers look at the previous year’s…
The Holy Spirit Center in Anchorage can open one’s ears to God’s calling: a vocation. Derived from the Latin word for “to call,” a person’s vocation is the way they are called by God to express their love for Him through their daily acts and thoughts. Some are called to build families in love as…
Seeking the intercession of the saints and praying for the souls of the dead are ancient practices in the Catholic Church that have given rise to many traditions. The Church dedicates the first days of November to honoring and keeping the dead in their prayers. First are the saints on All Saints Day, November 1,…
Dear U.T., I’m very sorry for your loss. May your relative rest in peace. The Church is very benevolent in her norms regarding the disposition of one’s remains, but it is helpful to see it in the broader context. The Order of Christian Funerals has three main rites: the Vigil for the Deceased, the…
Early in the year, Pope Leo XIV declared 2026 to be a special jubilee year honoring St. Francis of Assisi. In particular, Catholics and Christians everywhere are called to renew our commitment to the sanctity of human life but also to uphold the dignity of every human being. Man and woman were created in the…
The Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau have long been a cornerstone of faith formation, academic excellence, and service to the community. Yet for many families, the cost of tuition can place a Catholic education beyond reach. The Education Freedom Tax Credit offers a powerful solution by creating scholarship opportunities for students while providing…
“I have Loved You” (Rev. 3:9) “We must talk about poverty, because people insulated by their own comfort lose sight of it.” This quote from Servant of God Dorothy Day would make most of us uncomfortable, which would seem to be the point. How easy it is to not see or to ignore the suffering…