By Bonnie BezousekThe North Star Catholic Located in the Turnagain neighborhood near the Anchorage International Airport, the Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe celebrates its 50th anniversary as a parish faith community this year. Founded in 1970, the parish first met in the Turnagain Elementary School gym. Later they rented from the Turnagain United Methodist…
By Cece LihouThe North Star Catholic There has been a continuous worshiping presence on the same block of Fifth Street in Juneau since 1885 when Fr. John Althoff built the first Catholic Church in the capital city. The Sisters of St. Ann arrived shortly after that, establishing a hospital and school. The present church of…
By Annie Albrecht The North Star Catholic Back when 2020 was still fresh and new and full of hope, I wrote an article on marriage for Inside Passage, the newspaper of the former Diocese of Juneau. The thesis of that article can be summed up in a simple statement: your marriage matters to the world….
The Hennemann Family As Our Lady of the Valley Catholic School (OLV) alumni, we are proud of our Catholic education. Of the seven children in our household, three are alumni, and four are currently enrolled, with the youngest in preschool. Our parents appreciate that they can drop us off and pick us up together, at…
By Joe SehnertDirector, National Shrine of St. Thérèse There are unique places on this earth where one can feel the presence of God. Nestled in the vast 17 million acres of the Tongass National Forest is one of those touch-soul places, the National Shrine of St. Thérèse. Here, Alaska’s patroness continues to call pilgrims to…
By Cathy BollingSt. John by the Sea Parish, Klawock Saint John by the Sea Parish in Klawock serves the Catholic community on Prince of Wales Island, home to about 4,000 residents. Prince of Wales was named a mission in 1925 by Bishop Joseph Crimont. Bishop Michael Kenny appointed full-time ministers in 1983, and in 1992,…
By Carol HeplerOur Lady of the Lake Parish, Big Lake Our Lady of the Lake is in Big Lake, Alaska, north of Wasilla on the Parks Highway. The first church building was built in 1966. Two weeks after it was finished, it burned to the ground. Mass was celebrated at Big Lake Elementary until a…
By Rita FaySt. Andrew Parish, Eagle River St. Andrew is the Catholic parish of the Chugiak-Eagle River area near Anchorage. The church was established in 1963 as a mission of St. Anthony Parish and was designated as a separate parish in 1967. The first church building was known as the “basement church” because parishioners met…
By Father Pat Travers The North Star Catholic Among the special celebrations in which we engage during November as a Church and as a Nation is November 11–Veterans’ Day–the national holiday that honors all the men and women who have served in the armed forces. This day was originally chosen to commemorate the end of…
By Julie DeKreonThe North Star Catholic In this month of gratitude, we recognize that many of our greatest blessings come to us as people who love and accompany us throughout our lives. Stewards of the faith come in all ages and across all ministries, and they inspire us by their example of loving and following…