Levi Livengood has been the content manager for The North Star Catholic since July 2025.
At Holy Name parish in Ketchikan, Catholics aboard the numerous cruise ships touring the Inside Passage can disembark and be shuttled for free to attend Mass. Parishes in Juneau and Haines have offered similar services in the past. This ministry in Ketchikan has brought thousands to Mass over the past 20 years, supported by the…
When Sr. Jean Rhoads, D.C. and Liz Loeffler began their June 2026 trip to Juneau, Haines, Klawock, Ketchikan, and Sitka, they went to seek opportunities for the Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau to engage youth, young adult, and Alaska Native Catholics. “We wanted to identify ways to support our youth and young adults,” said Loeffler, archdiocesan director…
As the Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau celebrates the Feast of St. John Vianney on Aug. 4, it’s a good time to remember the life of St. John Vianney and to pray for more priestly vocations in the archdiocese. St. John Vianney (1786-1859), patron of parish priests, is revered for his ability to read the hearts of…
Alaska is a state renowned for its natural beauty and wonderous sights, drawing over 3 million visitors annually. The National Shrine of St. Thérèse in Juneau is unique in this regard, calling to people worldwide for its natural and spiritual beauty. Many pilgrims journey to Santiago de Compostela, or walk the streets of Rome and…
El Camino de Santiago (“The Way of St. James”) is one of the oldest pilgrimages in the Catholic Church. The pilgrimage began in the 9th century with a king’s journey to validate a hermit’s claims of finding the bones of St. James at Compostela in Galicia, the northwestern region of Spain. Pilgrims from all over…
On August 10 we celebrate the Feast of St. Lawrence. The deacons of the Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau continue to serve according to his model. St. Lawrence was appointed Archdeacon of Rome in 257 A.D. by Pope Sixtus II. He was in charge of the treasury and riches of the Church, distributing alms to widows and…
St. Therese’s Camp in Wasilla works its way into one’s heart. Perhaps it is sling-shotting chickpeas at clay pigeons with friends. Perhaps it is seeing counselors bounce Fr. Dylan James off the “blob” and into the brilliantly shining waters of Neklason Lake. Or perhaps it is glimpsing God in the trees, in the mountains, in…
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) consecrated the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus on June 11 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe in Orlando, Florida, for the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The feast was first established in…
Special Religious Development (SPRED) is a national program that helps the developmentally disabled come closer to God. Catechists and persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities accompany one another in parish-based, small faith communities. In these communities, the members deepen their awareness of God in their everyday lives and cultivate a sense of belonging within local…
Three Yup’ik children honored their faith and their culture when they received their First Communion at St. Anthony parish in Anchorage on May 16. Each first communicant wore a special kuspuk, a hooded overshirt traditional in many parts of Alaska. Celia Haskins, 9, wore a pink kuspuk. Dionna Weaver, 9, wore a white kuspuk, and…