Pope’s top U.S. ambassador impressed by Anchorage’s Catholic schools

CatholicAnchor.org

The Holy See’s chief ambassador to the United States, Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, visited Anchorage’s Lumen Christi High School and Holy Rosary Academy on Dec. 12, saying that such visits are part of his preferred activities when traveling the country on official duty.

He was in Alaska for the elevation of Our Lady of Guadalupe to the status of co-cathedral for the Anchorage Archdiocese, as well as the ordination of Fairbanks Bishop Chad Zielinski, both of which took place in mid-December.

His stop in the two Anchorage schools brought back memories of his own student days.

While touring Lumen Christi with Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz and accompanied by the school’s student government co-presidents Cassandra Zitzow and Robin Jones, Archbishop Vigano visited each classroom and teacher, inquiring into the classes’ subjects and projects.

Accompanying the archbishops were Principal John Harmon, along with Father Leo Walsh and Father Jacob Stonach of St. Benedict Church in Anchorage.

Archbishop Vigano took the opportunity to ask students how Lumen Christi exemplified “the light of Christ” as suggested in the school’s Latin name. One 8th grader noted that students did so through encounters with those they meet, a response the nuncio appreciated.

In gratitude for his visit one class made him a large thank-you card. The tour ended in the school gym, where sport and exercises were discussed. Archbishop Vigano told listeners he enjoyed riding the bicycle in Rome and playing tennis when he resided in Nigeria. The visit concluded with a gift of winter scarves from Lumen Christi to Archbishop Vigano and Archbishop Schwietz.

Archbishop Vigano then gave a blessing to students, teachers and staff.

Later Archbishop Vigano and Archbishop Schwietz were joined by Anchorage seminarians Kevin Klump and Arthur Roraff in touring Holy Rosary Academy, a K-12th grade independent Catholic school with a traditional classics-based curriculum.

After learning about the academy’s approach to Catholic education which incorporates study of the Greek and Latin languages, the nuncio toured the school and listened to younger students sing the Alaska Flag Song and the school fight song.

During his visit with the older grades, students sang the Russian language “Our Father” and led the noonday prayers with the nuncio.

Archbishop Vigano then related to students how fondly he remembers his own studies in Latin and Greek, and how pleased he is to know that the students were studying those languages as well.

The students finished by singing the school’s signature song, “Queen of the Holy Rosary.”

The visit ended with a blessing from Archbishop Vigano.

— Joel Davidson contributed to this article