Catholic Social Services in Anchorage celebrates its 50th anniversary this spring, marking a half-century of living out its mission of providing help and creating hope for vulnerable Alaskans. It’s a history defined by remarkable personalities, social change, the detritus of a devastating earthquake and a death in a city dumpster that inspired a shelter.
CatholicAnchor.org Archbishop Roger Schwietz announced several key pastoral changes involving leadership in three large parishes of the Anchorage Archdiocese. In an April 2 letter to clergy and parish leaders across the archdiocese, Archbishop Schwietz announced that St. Benedict Church, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church and Our Lady of Guadalupe Co-Cathedral will all be under new…
In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling last summer that legalized gay marriage across the nation, including Alaska, the Alaska Legislature is set to hear testimony April 1 on a bill that would protect clergy and others authorized to marry a couple in Alaska.
A bill aimed at giving Alaskan parents greater freedom in directing the education of their children, including the right to opt out of standardized tests and controversial sex instruction classes also prohibits Planned Parenthood and other organizations that perform abortions from teaching in public schools. Senate Bill 89 is scheduled for a public hearing in the Senate State Affairs Committee on March 14 at 8 a.m.
According to a report from the Alaska Dispatch, Juneau Bishop Edward Burns told Alaska lawmakers on Thursday that the Catholic Church needs legal protections in place when it comes to its policy of only conducting marriages that aline with the teachings of the church.
Check out the links listed here to view photo galleries of Holy Week from various parishes and location around Alaska.
Nearly 50 Alaska priests gathered in Anchorage for several days of formation, fellowship and to celebrate Mass in honor of three of their members who recently died. On Feb. 24 the priests gathered for Mass at Our Lady of Guadalupe Co-Cathedral in Anchorage with Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz, Juneau Bishop Edward Burns and Fairbanks Bishop Chad Zielinski.
Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz is scheduled to participate in the following liturgies and events in the month of April.
News and upcoming events from across the Anchorage Archdiocese are listed here.
Traveling thousands of miles, a unique statue of the Virgin Mary appeared in Anchorage in early March.
Rooted in four centuries of Catholic devotion, the statue — La Virgen de La Defensa (Mother of Our Defense) — is the centerpiece of lively celebrations, prayers and the preservation of Catholic identity for the residents of two particular villages in Mexico, Atemajac de Brizuela and Juanacatlan.