By Dominique JohnsonThe North Star Catholic Born and raised in Sitka, Deacon Ron Mathews received the sacraments at St. Gregory Nazianzen Parish, where he now serves. However, his journey to the diaconate was not straightforward. “I really thought that I was more being allowed, by God, to be a deacon. I didn’t really think I’d…
By Dominique JohnsonThe North Star Catholic Sister Frances Vista, D.C., recalls having an interest in religious life when she was 13 years old, living in the Philippines. “I saw a group of sisters wearing habits walking in a little town in the Philippines. I thought, wow, look at them; they look so happy,” Sister Frances…
By Dominique JohnsonThe North Star Catholic The unity process of the Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau took another step forward on January 6, 2021, with the launch of the new archdiocesan website aoaj.org. The new website’s design process began shortly after the announcement of the new archdiocese and after meeting with different website designers. The archdiocese worked…
By Dominique JohnsonThe North Star Catholic On December 2, Deacon Vince Hansen was on his way to check on a family member’s house after days of heavy rain in Haines when he heard what he thought was a construction truck dropping a large load. Then he heard the same sound again, and a call came…
By Dominique JohnsonThe North Star Catholic Father Dick Tero has ministered as a priest to the people of Alaska for the last 46 years. He was ordained June 4, 1974, as a priest for the Archdiocese of Anchorage by Archbishop Joseph Ryan. Father Tero was inspired to seek a vocation in the priesthood at a…
By Dominique JohnsonThe North Star Catholic Father Pat Casey, OMI, began considering a vocation in the priesthood when he was in seventh grade while attending Catholic school in Los Angeles, California. He wouldn’t enter seminary until later in life, but on December 30th, the 73 year old priest, will celebrate his 40th ordination anniversary. He…
By Dominique JohnsonThe North Star Catholic Once a month, Archbishop Andrew Bellisario, C.M., leads an hour of prayer to invite the faithful of the Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau to pray together via livestream. During his November hour of prayer, the archbishop asked the people of the archdiocese to join to pray for healing and protection for…
By Dominique JohnsonThe North Star Catholic When he was 16 years old, Deacon Madison Hayes felt called to the priesthood while on a confirmation retreat. “The Lord spoke to me profoundly there and that call never went away,” Hayes said. Sixteen years later, Hayes was ordained a Deacon for the Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau in St….
By Dominique JohnsonThe North Star Catholic With three knocks on the front door of Our Lady of Guadalupe Cathedral, Archbishop Andrew Bellisario, C.M., was welcomed as the first archbishop of the Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau. The liturgy commenced with the new archdiocese’s inauguration, with the reading of the apostolic mandate from Pope Francis, by Archbishop Christophe…
By Dominique JohnsonThe North Star Catholic With the Catholic Church’s unity in Southern Alaska comes a united Catholic publication to celebrate the Church of the Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau, The North Star Catholic. Fifty years ago, Archbishop Francis Hurley began the publication, The Inside Passage, to communicate with the people of the Diocese of Juneau. His…