The founding charism and signature trait of the Dominicans would be born of Saint Dominic’s dedication to preach the truth to ordinary people, wherever he found them. “If Dominic were alive today he would probably say ‘go to the mall,’” said Dominican Father Anthony Patalano, outgoing pastor of Holy Family Cathedral.
A recent Omaha news story told about a young attorney in a tiny rural Nebraska town who is remodeling the upper floors of a building that houses his law practice. To his amazement, in the crawl space of the attic, workmen found an old, musty smelling box containing over 30 Ku Klux Klan outfits dating back to the organization’s Nebraska heyday in the 1920s.
David Van Tuyl always thought he would marry someday, but as the years passed the right person never appeared.
Tom and Ronda Scrivner of El Paso, Texas, have a unique retirement hobby, one that recently reached Alaska. Born out of grief from the loss of a daughter Tommy Lynn, who died, they began making beaded rosaries, primarily in college colors, and sending them to an ever-expanding circle of schools.
I realize many older Catholics find plenty of ways to give back without joining an organization. But the upsides of IVC or EnCorps include forming community with other volunteers, retreats, and a chance to expand Ignatian education and values like simple living.
As a young girl growing up in Western Washington, Beverly Walsh didn’t imagine her life ahead: a journey into the Catholic Church, a marriage that would take her to Alaska and produce eight children including a son who is a priest, and a faith commitment that would establish her as a leading woman in the Catholic Church in Southcentral Alaska.
Lumen Christi Catholic High School, a grades 7-12 ministry of St. Benedict Church in Anchorage, will graduate 13 seniors on May 12. They’ve excelled academically, being offered, collectively, over $1 million in scholarships. But they’ve also achieved out-of-school successes. Whether dancing with a local troupe, running the Iron Dog or obtaining a pilot’s license, they’re actively pursuing their dreams.
I like history, I’m fascinated by the historical Jesus, and, let’s face it, cynic that I am sometimes, I want a miracle now and then. Again, who doesn’t?
The yearlong festivities marking the 50th anniversary of the Archdiocese of Anchorage will culminate with a May 14 Mass and celebration. Archbishop Roger Schwietz has extended an invitation to Alaskans to join the grand finale.
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.