Alaska is among a handful of states in which local Catholic dioceses seem to have dramatically underreported the overall number of Catholics in the state. This comes from an article published by Georgetown University’s Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA).
On Saturday, Dec. 6, dozens of children gathered at St. Nicholas of Myra Byzantine Catholic Church to meet with the beloved Saint Nicholas, the third century bishop of Myra and the inspiration behind much of the Christmas gift-giving tradition. Families gathered in St. Nicholas parish which celebrated its namesake with a Divine Liturgy followed by singing, dancing, gift exchanges and a potluck feast.
Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz presided over the Dec. 8 Immaculate Conception Mass at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Anchorage. During the morning liturgy he formally blessed the new metropolitan cross which is now used at all Masses that the archbishop celebrates at the newly elevated co-cathedral church.
What has occurred at Holy Family Cathedral in Anchorage over the past several months is deeply disturbing for both believers and unbelievers alike. It gives one pause that vandals would attempt to burn down an outdoor shrine to the Blessed Virgin, smash the windows of the Dominican priests’ vehicle, barge into the sanctuary and throw down statues of Mary, Joseph and Jesus, while stripping the holy altar and overturning the archbishop’s chair and other furnishings. Add to this that at least one Dominican friar has also been punched in the face and attempts have been made to break into the priests’ residence. Regardless of one’s beliefs attacks on a sacred house of worship and the oldest church in Anchorage leaves one feeling less secure about our community and what we can expect from it.
Catholics in the Fairbanks Diocese were urged to accept, love and pray for their newly ordained bishop who “has pledged to give his life to you.” This was part of the homily given by Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz before he ordained Bishop Chad Zielinski as the sixth bishop of Fairbanks.
Editor’s note: The following homily by Pope Francis’ highest ranking ambassador to the United States Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano was given in Anchorage on Dec. 12 during the elevation of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church to the status of co-cathedral for the Archdiocese of Anchorage, Alaska.
Not all marriages start on equal footing. Many husbands and wives begin their union after having grown up in broken homes or with one or both parents largely absent from their childhood. Failure to grow up in a home where family meals, prayer and recreation are staples of life makes it that much harder to establish these practices in one’s own family. Never seeing your mom and dad work out differences means you have less to draw from when your own conflicts arise. Never experiencing consistent, loving discipline leaves one at a disadvantage when attempting to teach children to lead virtuous and disciplined lives.
Here is a sampling of news and upcoming events from around the Anchorage Archdiocese.
The purpose of this column is to assist you with some ideas on how to make Christmas truly special while keeping Advent intact. I recognize that our culture has progressed to an extraordinary level of false celebration that will be very difficult to overcome, so I am not expecting the complete and full reversal of the troubling remnants of the secular trends in Christmas; rather, I would like to make some suggestions that can help you and your families to make strong steps towards a deeply Christian and less material experience of Christmas.
Advent and Christmas don’t roll around, year-after-year, by default. They are very deliberate seasons — established and developed over time by the church — to assist us in renewing and reawakening our friendship with Christ.