Alaska parish outreach offers hope to single parents
The parish group, begun around 2004 and led by her predecessor, does not hold formal meetings — another sign of its responsiveness to the reality of life in a single parent household.
Articles by Tiffany Borges
Alaska Catholic women unite to recharge faith
“These mini-retreats have young women still in high school all the way up to our seniors of the parish. It is great to see them all come together to better themselves and enjoy the community we have created.”
Prison outreaches seek to enkindle spiritual awakening
Deacon Van Tuyl has a deep appreciation for area priests who hold a chaplaincy card, which is issued through the state Department of Corrections, but he knows that the existing network of deacons and lay ministers are crucial to serving the incarcerated.
Mat-Su school fuses strong Catholic identity with outreach
Our Lady of the Valley Catholic School in Wasilla offers classical Christian curriculum for pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. The school is a ministry of Sacred Heart, St. Michael, Our Lady of the Lake and St. Christopher parishes, and opened in 2006.
Anchorage man’s uncle – Fr. Casey – beatified by the Catholic Church
Growing up in Southeast Alaska, Carl Fundeen didn’t know he had a possible Catholic saint in his family tree. Since then, he has doubled down on learning as much as he can about the life and character of his great uncle — the now Blessed Father Solanus Casey.
Wasilla man recalls blessings of faith, adoption, family
Adoption and foster parenting have forever shaped the long and rich life of James “Jim” Humphrey. At 79 years and counting, the towering former farm boy lives his Catholic faith with the same fortitude and generous hospitality that defined his childhood on a Montana farm.
Saved from the streets, Anchorage man shows mercy to homeless
After a contented life in Southern California, Alan Rice began to drift — both away from God and through the Western part of the country. He finally hit the road to Alaska six years ago. He describes the consequences of sin and poor decision-making as a descent into dishonesty and self-absorption that eventually landed him on the streets of Anchorage and at the doorstep of the Brother Francis Shelter in the winter of 2012.
Church offers marriage prep, ongoing formation to strengthen Alaska couples
With much higher divorce and cohabitation rates than several generations ago, Deacon Fornelli said marriage preparation is more important now than in the past. Pope Francis spoke in February to parish priests, expressing concern for the state of marriage preparation.
‘The Old Man and the Kid’
Upon stepping down as archbishop of Anchorage on Nov. 9, Archbishop Roger Schwietz assumed full-time parish work at St. Andrew’s. His partner in ministry is Father Arthur Roraff, a man he ordained to the priesthood less than two years ago.
Cathedral receptionist keeps an eye on Anchorage’s downtrodden
Terri Perez greets the doorway to her office most mornings by waking up huddled figures up and urging them along. She’s been hailed by the street widows, as she calls them, to intervene with suspected drug overdoses, and she has interrupted crude sexual encounters just by trying to cross the parking lot. Perez sat down with the Catholic Anchor to demystify life on the fringes of downtown.