By Brian A. RossPrincipal, Lumen Christi Catholic High School Last August, despite the challenges of COVID-19, Lumen Christi Catholic High School opened its doors to in person learning for 92 students, the largest student body in the school’s proud 25-year history. From its humble beginnings in 1996 to today, Lumen Christi has become synonymous with…
By Joyce LundPrincipal, Our Lady of the Valley Catholic School Music has been a treasured ministry at OLV for the past ten years. Students have brought music to various venues capitalizing on the abundance of talent within the student body. With the current COVID mitigation plans restricting singing at the parishes, creative minds decided to…
By Father Michael Kim, KMSThe North Star Catholic Cordova is located on the shore of Orca Inlet in Prince William Sound and is the home of St. Joseph parish. The parish was established in the summer of 1908, and the first church was dedicated to St. Joseph that fall. The original church was built on…
By Deacon Dan and Trish StoweThe North Star Catholic St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, the oldest Catholic Church in South Central Alaska, is located in Valdez, at the head of the eleven-mile long Prince William Sound fjord. Fr. Turnell celebrated our first Mass in Mrs. Johnson’s boarding house in 1903. The first church building was…
By Father Marino Cho, KMSThe North Star Catholic St. Gregory Nazianzen Parish is situated in Southeast Alaska, about 98 miles south of Juneau, our state capital. However, Sitka has been established much longer and was capital of Alaska from 1867 to 1906. In 1867, a petition signed by 120 people was sent to the Bishop…
By Letha FlintThe North Star Catholic It was July 10, 1915. T.J. Wendler bid $175 for two lots in downtown Anchorage. As soon as Andrew Christianson acknowledged the bid, Wendler yelled, “These lots are for a church and a hospital.” Christianson dropped his gavel. Wendler had his lots. On September 14, construction began on Holy…
By John HarmonActing Superintendent of Catholic Schools The Catholic School year is filled with many exciting days from the first day of school to the end of the year and the ultimate celebration – graduation. I have many fond memories of my time as principal at Lumen Christi Catholic High School in Anchorage. And some…
By Deb SeidlThe North Star Catholic Holy Cross Parish is one of the smallest parishes in the Anchorage city limits, with about 350 registered families. The parish was established on July 22, 1984, by Archbishop Francis Hurley. The first Mass was celebrated at Abbot Loop School with a cross placed at the corner of Lake…
By Deacon Vince HansenThe North Star Catholic A former mission served by the priests assigned to Skagway, the Southeast Alaska community of Haines saw its first Sacred Heart Church constructed in 1920. The mission’s history pre-dates the “old church,” with the first documented baptism taking place in 1905 at Fort Seward. The original church was…
The North Star Catholic Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the Catholic Schools within the Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau were able to provide in-person learning to students for most of this past semester, albeit in a very structured environment with thoughtful mitigation plans. And it was with these plans that the schools have been able to help keep…