Young Catholics from across the Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau are preparing to travel to Lisbon, Portugal, in August 2023 for World Youth Day — an opportunity to experience the global Church, be a witness of Christ, and experience the Holy Spirit. World Youth Day typically includes catechetical formation and spiritual experiences, including daily Mass, opportunities for…
I often describe the work of the ministry of safe environment for the Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau, but this work could not be accomplished without the dedication of the parishes’ and schools’ safe environment coordinators (SEC). Each parish has an SEC who ensures that your parish is following the safe environment policies for the archdiocese. Expressing…
Dear Fr. Leo, What does the church teach about tattoos? I was always told it was forbidden. — A Dear A, Believe it or not, there is nothing in the Catechism that forbids tattoos per se. There is a text from Leviticus 19 that some look to for such a prohibition, but when viewed in the…
There’s a fierce storm on the Sea of Galilee, and in its midst, a nearly capsized boat full of terrified disciples. The story of Jesus calming this storm is recounted in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke during this summer of Ordinary Time. But what does it mean for us? I like to get…
Catholic Social Services accomplished a milestone on June 6 with the help of all of you and many incredible partners. Together, we added 83 new beds to the shelter system at a time when it’s most needed. Thanks to so much hard work from our team, Complex Care at 303 W. Fireweed in Anchorage opened,…
“Father, I abandon myself into your hands.” I went on a pilgrimage to Rome to witness the canonization of St. Charles De Foucauld on May 15. I want to thank Archbishop Andrew Bellisario, C.M., for sponsoring my travels to celebrate the canonization of St. Foucauld. The archbishop knew how important this event was for me…
Saint John Mary Vianney, patron saint of parish priests worldwide, would often say that “the priesthood is the love of the heart of Jesus” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 1589). A little over halfway into my first year as a priest, I took the opportunity to draw near to the origin of these words…
Do you think the Catholic Church in the United States can rebuild confidence and trust in the people of God after learning of or experiencing the abuse crisis? If so, how? As of June, it is 20 years since the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops gathered in Dallas to discuss and act upon the…
During my time in the 1980s, “hi, beautiful lady,” and other unsolicited comments were how a man who shined shoes expressed interest to young women walking by 8th Avenue and 42nd Street in Midtown Manhattan. This was and continues to be a very common experience in many American cities for teenagers and adults. There are…
“Why should I participate in a synod dialogue session?” This is a question the synod committee has heard the past two months as the synodal process moves forward in the Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau. The synod asks everyone to discuss about how the Church can best live out its mission of witnessing the love of God to…